About the HR Director
Jane E. Cheeks, IPMA-SCP | Director of Human Resources City of Houston
Jane E. Cheeks is a tenured HR management professional with diversified leadership successes in both the public and corporate sectors. Jane holds a solid reputation for executing large-scale consolidation strategies and maintaining stellar oversight of a budget of over $450 million dollars.
Jane has served the City of Houston for over 23 years, specializing in the operation of core Human Resource functions. As the Director of the City’s Human Resources department, she currently manages over 300 HR professionals who ensure the City’s employees and citizens receive essential services and employee benefits.
Jane’s ability to maintain solidarity among her employees is showcased by her breakthrough accomplishments including leadership of a seven-department consolidation to form the City’s present-day General Services Department, creation of a centralized Human Resources Department for the City of Houston and founding the city’s Human Resources Information Management (HRIM) team, which provides specialized technological support to all Human Resources staff.
She has led HR’s digital transformation, the HROne project, which included the successful implementation of SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and BenefitFocus’ Benefitplace platforms. This project focused on replacing the existing HR Core and Benefits Administration infrastructure to an updated, integrated system that has engaged and increased the productivity and mobility of employees and modernized the HR business systems at the City of Houston. Now she is embarking on a work-life transformation with the City’s current employee engagement survey, Involve & Evolve, which will be different from any other engagement survey as the survey has a five-phase approach that will take City employees on continuous journey for years to come. Most recently, she led the city in providing a state-of-the-art Wellness Center Facility. The Wellness Center Facility provides a holistic approach where employees will have access to healthcare coaches, dieticians, while also being able to use onsite exercise equipment and/or participate in a variety of wellness fitness activities, seminars, and more.
Jane’s keen regard for customer service and her employees, as well as her commitment to public service, are elements that drive her success. She continues to serve the city by working to reform succession planning, the standardization of HR practices, policies, and procedures, and bring innovation as common practice in HR for the City of Houston.
Meet the Executive Team
Alisa M. Franklin-Brocks | Chief of Staff and Division Manager of the Civil Service & EEO Division
Alisa M. Franklin-Brocks serves as the Chief of Staff to the HR Director with the dual role of being the Division Manager of the Civil Service & EEO Division and Employee/Labor Relations Division.
Franklin-Brocks is a results-oriented, task master who has lead several major projects for the HR Department, such as the revisions to the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14, Civil Service, revisions to the City’s Corrective Action Program for civilian employees, served as the City’s Chief Negotiator on the HOPE Meet and Confer agreement, which is the City’s labor agreement with the civilian labor union, and lead several implementations on new and revised policies.
In addition to her responsibilities of the Chief of Staff to the HR Director, Franklin-Brocks will also be responsible for managing the Civil Service & EEO Division which:
- Administers the activities of the Civil Service Commissions for the 22,000 civilian and classified employee workforce;
- Provides guidance and consultation on employee and labor relation, and ADA issues; and
- Handles grievances, union agreements, equal employment opportunity, and policy and procedure development and updates.
Franklin-Brocks joined the City of Houston in March 2007 as an Administrative Specialist overseeing the citywide grievance process.
She has also served as a Senior Human Resources Specialist, Staff Analyst and Client Relations Manager.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management.
Darien Helton | Deputy Chief Policy Officer
Darien Helton is the Deputy Chief Policy Officer and brings over 28 years of HR experience with the City of Houston.
In this role, Helton oversees a staff of about 170 employees who provide HR support to approximately 22,000 employees.
He holds both the SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications, designating him as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. He received both his bachelor’s degree (in Computer Science with a minor in Psychology) and master’s degree (in Political Science) from the University of Houston.
Carla Coleman | Assistant Director of HR Financial & Accounting Management
Carla Coleman is the Assistant Director over HR Finance and bring over 20 years of financial management experience in the private, public and governmental sectors, with a focus on developing policies and procedures to improve performance and productivity.
Before joining the City, Coleman held several positions in different industries such as logistics at Eagle Global Logistics, retail accounting at Randall’s Food Markets, oil and gas at Schlumberger, auditing at Accenture and mineral exploration at Battle Mountain Gold. She helped this organizations define their financial strategic direction, prepare new business plans, streamline financial and procedural policies and create and monitoring accountability systems.
Coleman joined the City of Houston in 2007 at the Houston Airport System. In 2012, she joined the Human Resources department as a Systems Accountant III. In 2015, she was promoted to Division Manager in charge of budgeting and financial reporting. Since 2018, Coleman has overseen all aspects of HR’s finances, including the development and management of budgets, benefits rates, preparation of financial statements and reporting.
Coleman is a certified public manager and a certified IPMA-HR professional with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Houston.
Chas D. Smith,CPM | Deputy Director of HR Risk Management
Charles “Chas” Smith serves as Deputy Director of the Human Resources Risk Management Division which includes the Occupational Safety and Workers’ Compensation programs.
Smith has the pleasure of leading a team that is focused on positively changing the trajectory of the current incident trends, improving worker’s compensation claims outcomes and creating a more safety-conscious work environment.
Smith has served the City of Houston for over 29 years. From 1991 – 2005, Chas served in various capacities in the City Controller’s Office General Accounting and Audit sections.
In 2005, he joined the Human Resources Department team to provide leadership in the areas of strategic IT planning, equipment acquisition and desktop support, budgetary and financial reporting, procurement and accounts payable activities. Prior to his current position, Chas served as Deputy Assistant Director of the HR Financial and Accounting Management Division.
Smith received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston and he is a certified public manager.
Eddie Aguilar-Hernández | Assistant Director of HR Risk Management
Eddie Aguilar-Hernandez serves as the Assistant Director of the Human Resources, Risk Management Division which includes Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Safety programs.
Aguilar-Hernandez brings 15 years of insurance industry expertise to the City of Houston. He has served in various capacities for major insurance carriers and third-party administrators and has been responsible for their operational efficiencies, strategic management, and business development. Aguilar-Hernandez has extensive experience leading projects and providing consultative risk management guidance to more than 13 political Texas subdivisions. Aguilar-Hernandez has a strong background in quality assurance, statutory compliance, and claim adjudication in multiple lines of insurance for various jurisdictions. He is also an active member of Risk Management organizations such as the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA), Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA), and the Risk Management Society (RIMS).
Aguilar-Hernandez earned his Bachelor of Business Management degree from the University of Phoenix, and he holds a Texas All-Lines adjuster license with multiple non-resident licenses in other states. He also holds a certificate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for general industry.
Crystal Bessix, PhD | Chief Learning Officer & Assistant Director
Dr. Crystal Bessix serves as Assistant Director of Human Resources and Chief Learning Officer for the Office of Talent & Organizational Development Division. Dr. Bessix leads the operational and strategic direction of OT&OD to build a first-class responsive and results-oriented workforce by providing learning that meets critical business goals and empowers employees to serve the ever-changing needs of our great city.
As a champion for lifelong learning, Dr. Bessix’s passion is to foster a culture of continuous learning and performance where every department, team, leader, and employee achieves their best potential.
Dr. Bessix brings over 20 years of experience in adult education, learning & development, talent management, and organizational development across a variety of sectors including government, higher education, nonprofits, corporate, and small businesses. She is an award-winning branding strategist, guest lecturer for leadership, and respected for her creative talent and business expertise.
As an alumna of University of Houston, Dr. Bessix received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing & Management. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from American Intercontinental University and her Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University.
Leslie Denton-Roach | Internal Communications Manager
Leslie Denton-Roach, Internal Communications Manager, is an award-winning communications professional with 15 years managing a successful internal communications program for the City of Houston.
Denton-Roach oversees a team of communications professions, who provide city employees and retirees with accurate information regarding city news, health and wellness benefits, and other important, need-to-know information.
The Communications team helps the Human Resources executive team – and other city departments – recognize employee’s exemplary work. The team also coordinates the Combined Municipal Campaign, the city’s annual workplace giving program.
Denton-Roach has more than 25 years of communications experience and graduated with a BFA from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi.
Stephanie Myers, MBA | Assistant Director of HR Benefits
Stephanie Myers serves as the Assistant Director of Human Resources of the Benefits Division, which includes Wellness and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Within this role, Myers focuses on creating innovative employee benefits packages, by providing leadership to the benefits department through strategic design, analysis with evaluation to our current health and wellness plans. Myers also focuses on developing community partnerships, implementing new innovative plan designs, and providing administrative support to address the City's and employee’s health, EAP, and wellness concerns.
Myers has over 24 years of administrative experience with 18 of those years being in HR and Benefits Administration. She has worked with various organizations during this time providing leadership and expertise to school districts, higher education, municipalities, and other corporations in human resources total rewards programs.
Myers has a bachelor’s in Business Management from LeTourneau University and a MBA in Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.
