Chief Human Resources Officer
New York Public Radio
New York, N.Y.
Monique D. Jefferson enjoys crafting solutions that help companies operate effectively while allowing their employees to be productive and fulfilled. As the chief human resources officer at New York Public Radio (NYPR), she encounters several issues that need solutions.
A certified senior professional in human resources (S.P.H.R.), Jefferson joined NYPR in February after five years at top-10 international law firm Hogan Lovells, most recently head of Business Services HR and the global HR Business Partner function. She previously spent several years as an HR executive at New York Life Insurance Co. and at investment bank Merrill Lynch, where she piloted the first Diversity Mentoring Program.
At NYPR, she focuses on the recently established 19-point Race Equity Action Plan. “Eleven of the commitments are focused on human capital, so my team and I are very focused on ways not only to support this but also to make the solutions sustainable,” she explains. “I think it is important to make changes that are sustainable and address the root causes of the issues.”
It’s an exciting time at NYPR, she adds. “Everything is about to launch and happen over the next two to three months.” “Everything” includes an inclusive leadership training initiative. She clarifies: “How do you show up as an anti-racist leader? Let’s talk about microaggressions that occur every day — how to recognize them, how to prevent them.” An inclusive workplace is essential, she adds. “Everyone should be allowed to be their authentic self at work.”
Jefferson has an accounting degree from Bentley University and a master’s in HR management from New School University. She wants to tame her tendency to be a workaholic. “Working from home in 2020 allowed me to reconnect with my family and kids. We had dinner together almost every night and I don’t want to lose that bond,” she muses.
