Working at Walla Walla University

Our focus is to recruit, hire, and retain qualified people to support the mission of the University. Our work environments will challenge you to perform your very best while providing you with an atmosphere where you are valued and respected for your contributions.

Walla Walla University has an increasingly diverse population of employees. The Office of Human Resources is committed to providing leadership and outstanding professional human resource services to the university and the surrounding communities.

 




Human Resources Team

Feel free to visit us during our normal office hours! Whether you are a current employee or just starting the hiring process, our staff are here to assist you and answer your employment questions. 


Give us a call! (509) 527-2820


Keri Self, SHRM-CP

Director of Human Resources & Title IX Coordinator

(509) 527-2302
keri.self@wallawalla.edu

Areas of responsibility: Employee management and mediation, training and development, wage and salary structure, policy, employment law, benefit administration, Caliper assessments, tuition subsidy, leaves of absence, employee performance management, Title IX.

Keri is a 2003 graduate of Walla Walla University. Keri and her spouse, Luke, a pastor and chaplain, have three children and in their spare time, they enjoy hiking, kayaking, exploring and trying new foods.

Josette Robinson McDonald, MBA

Associate Director of Human Resources

(509) 527-2820
josette.mcdonald@wallawalla.edu

Areas of responsibility: HRIS, Recruitment, Onboarding, Separation Processes, Benefits Management, Job Analysis and Development, Performance Management and Policy Development.

Josette was born and raised in Kingston Jamaica and is a proud graduate of the Northern Caribbean University and the Florida International University with her degrees in business. She relocated from New Jersey to Walla Walla in July 2022 with her husband Carlos, their son Nathan and her mom Pauline. In her spare time, she enjoys playing games with her son, hanging out with her family, meeting people, reading, singing, Bible studies, getting a good laugh, braiding hair and watching a good movie.


Sophie Webster

Risk & Safety Officer

(509) 527-2250
sophie.webster@wallawalla.edu

Areas of expertise: Safety training, accident reporting, workers’ compensation, approved driver & transportation policies, event risk planning, international travel, contract approval, and institutional insurance policies.

Sophie is a 2008 graduate of Walla Walla University’s School of Business and is a Pacific Northwest native, having grown up in the nearby town of Imbler, Oregon. She and her husband, Tyler, an acupuncturist and fellow WWU graduate, have two children and enjoy eating and cooking new foods, being outdoors, and spending time with friends playing games and watching movies. When she can find the time in her busy schedule, Sophie enjoys sewing and quilting.

Tara Wyrembelski, M.S.

Chemical Hygiene Officer

(509) 527-2148
tara.wyremblski@wallawalla.edu

Areas of responsibility: Chemical and Laboratory Hygiene, Dangerous Waste Management, Radioactive Material Safety

Tara was raised just outside of Louisville, Kentucky and eventually graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in geology. Her and her husband, Steve, an engineer, met while attending graduate school together at Michigan Technological University. They have two boys and have lived in the Walla Walla area for more than 12 years. In her spare time, Tara enjoys all sorts of stitching projects, building miniatures, and hanging with her family and pets. Every year her family takes a trip back east to visit family and friends and this has allowed her children to see a lot of the country already.


Laura Boyd

Administrative Assistant

(509) 527-2842
laura.boyd@wallawalla.edu

Areas of expertise: New hire paperwork, retirement estimates and application for the defined benefit plan, and free tuition. 

Laura was born in Bozeman and raised in Butte, Montana. After graduating with an an Associate of Arts from WWC, she married fellow classmate Kim Boyd. They have two daughters, Desiree and Aimee, both married. Laura enjoys reading, photography, camping, traveling and spending time with grandchildren.