Get to Know Us
Rovina Suri
Directing Business Partner
As Directing Business Partner for HR Services, Rovina Suri and her team of 5 staff partner with and serve a number of Dean’s units including the Dean’s C-suite, MD Admissions, Fiscal Affairs, and the Senior Associate Deans for Diversity, Finance and Operations, and Strategy and Communications. The HR Services team focuses on attracting, engaging, developing, and enhancing the employment experience of the staff they support.
Rovina joined Stanford University in 2001. Her prior eleven years of non-profit experience included everything from procurement to career planning to overseeing operations such as child care, food, and facilities. Rovina earned her MBA from Santa Clara University while working full-time at this non-profit. More
In her personal life, Rovina is an active Toastmasters member, having achieved "Distinguished Toastmasters" designation in 2020. She applies her leadership skills as part of the Toastmasters’ District team, and she is a mentor to several Toastmasters members. Her interests include baking, traveling (she has visited six continents!) and walking. Rovina describes herself as an "avid walker. You will often find me walking outdoors bright and early enjoying the sound of birds chirping while watching the sun rise slowly.”
Human Resources Manager
When not in a tent or being pulled around by her 120-pound Newfie, Roxane provides strategic consultation to faculty, staff and students on a multitude of HR matters. With a penchant for creative solutions, she has spent the last 15 years of her career as a trusted partner on employee and labor relations, compensation, retention, and organizational development matters. A former social worker, Roxane most enjoys service. She is always willing to provide resources or lend a hand in helping navigate systems, policy and process to assure all customers find success at Stanford.
Roxane Meade
Human Resources Manager
Hi, I’m Vivian Benkowski, Human Resources Manager, supporting Technology and Digital Solutions (TDS) within the Stanford University School of Medicine. Prior to Stanford, I worked in various industries, supporting employee relations, compensation, training, and benefits for 20+ years. After graduating with a Cultural Anthropology degree from Cal State East Bay, I served in the Peace Corps and learned that people, no matter the place, language or culture, are all innately the same with the only differences being the way we go about accomplishing different tasks. The Human Resources profession has made me acutely aware of how those differences are the key to having a successful and thriving organization More .
Away from work, if I am not on vacation, I am probably planning one. Originally from Puerto Rico, I try to go there and visit with family as often as I can, but I also esteem to travel to different countries each year to experience different cultures and to see the beauty of this world. I enjoy spending time with my husband and two dogs and supporting education and causes for animal welfare.
Vivian Benkowski
Nicole Karas
Human Resources Manager
My name is Nicole Karas, Human Resources Manager supporting several of the Dean’s units within the Stanford University, School of Medicine. Prior to joining Stanford, I worked at the University of Texas Austin in Human Resources for over seven years. I consulted with various colleges and units across campus providing guidance on complex employee relations cases, developed and implemented trainings and assisted with compensation and recruitment needs. Before moving to Texas, I worked at a non-profit research institute in San Diego, California as the sole HR person. During this time, I learned about all facets of Human Resources which prepared me for future roles.
As a California native, I am looking forward to living in California again and being closer to family. I was born and raised in Southern California and attended Pepperdine University where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. I then went to graduate school at Point Loma Nazarene University and received a Master’s degree in Counseling. I decided to take the skills I learned in counseling and apply them to the Human Resources field where I enjoy helping foster positive working relationships between employees and supervisors. I’m passionate about helping others find solutions to problems while establishing strong interpersonal relationships with my customers.
When I’m not working, I enjoy being active (hiking, biking, tennis), traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Human Resources Administrator
I have worked in SOM-HRG for several years with some breaks in service, and grateful to have found my way back in HRG as a Human Resource Administrator in the HR Services Team. I am thankful for the opportunity to work with an awesome group. I have worked in HRG in various capacities such as providing administrative & operations services, human resources support for Compensation and Employee Relations, program and project coordination/management, as well as event planning. It has been a pleasure to work with the SOM HR Community.
I am a service-oriented person and have the passion for helping others in whatever way I can – both at work and in my personal life. I find joy and fulfillment in volunteering for various church activities, as well as community outreach services. I also enjoy taking walks, immersing in nature and taking photos of beautiful sites
Greta Lazaro
Alejandra Barragan
Human Resources Administrator
As a Human Resources Administrator, Alejandra Barragan will assist the Dean’s units with their recruitment needs, provide guidance to client groups regarding University workplace policies, and provide strategic consultation to faculty, staff and students on a multitude of HR matters.
Alejandra started at Stanford University in 2010 and has spent the last decade building her knowledge and experience with grant proposals, finance, faculty compensation, special projects, and recruitment. She has been working in the Human Resources Group since 2017 and has supported the team as an HRG Business Manager, overseeing and processing financial transactions, numerous special projects, and has been the ”go-to” for any problem-solving.
In her free time, Alejandra enjoys being a mother to baby Alek, loves the outdoors, and spends a lot of her time hiking and playing tennis, solving word/number puzzles, and reading books.