Staff Affinity Group Co-Chairs

Eric Wu works in the Leadership and Talent Development space on the Talent Development and Well-being Team within Human Resources Department at Northwestern University, where he joined in 2020, and focuses on building scalable talent and performance management strategy and solutions to improve professional development and career outcomes for staff. Eric leverages human-centered design and design thinking to solve for organizational challenges and social impact initiatives. A career pivoter, Eric finished up his graduate studies at Northwestern in 2022 where he obtained his MS in Learning and Organizational Change. Prior to moving into the human capital space, he spent 12.5 years in beer working in corporate strategy, sales operations, and business transformation for MillerCoors. Outside of work, he is a passionate community advocate that is involved with co-chairing the Asian Giving Circle and is an active member of Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Why Affinity Groups matter?

I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in affinity groups at more than one organization. Even though both organizations are in vastly different industries, they share a common element, in that at their core affinity groups are addressing the basic need that we all have: to feel a sense of belonging. Affinity groups break organizational boundaries and silos, creating opportunities for people to connect with others they wouldn’t have cross passed with.

Tracey Gibson-Jackson is the founder and co-chair of the NU Black Professionals Network (BPN). She has been at Northwestern since 2007 and currently serves as the director of student organizations & activities. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and a Master’s degree in Political and Justice Studies. Tracey has been immersed in student affairs for over 25 years. She has a fierce passion for bring people together and creating opportunities for inclusiveness and representation. Her areas of experience include community building, conflict resolution, and mediation. Away from work she enjoys spending time with her Westie Pepper Princess Jackson (PPJ) and her two sons.

Why Affinity Groups matter?

Affinity groups matter because everyone should have a safe place, space, community they can feel comfortable in and connected to. BPN prides itself on making sure every member of our community are seen, valued and celebrated!

Toni Montgomery joined Northwestern – Financial Operations in May 2006. Toni has been a member of the BPN since its inauguration in 2016. As the BPN Co-Chair, Toni manages financial operations. In her role as Director of Dialogue, she develops and oversees open dialogue sessions for members on the Chicago/Evanston campus.

Toni believes that as we work together, this provides ‘people power’ and produces valuable outcomes for progressive change.

Why Affinity Groups matter?

It’s important to have a group of individuals who work together with like backgrounds, interests and cultures because it makes a stronger organization. Folks feel connected and safe. As Co-Chair, I am able to bring our members programs, dialogue sessions and a sense of community. I am able to collaborate with NU senior leaders so that our members feel like a part of Northwestern.

Liam Sexton is a Senior Business Analyst at Kellogg Advancement Analytics, and has been co-chair of MBOSS for ~2 years along with Tia Ng. He is also Secretary and Treasurer of ENLACE, Kellogg’s Latinx Staff Resource Group. Liam has been at Northwestern University for about 8 years now, specifically in Development and Alumni Relations. He is originally from Indiana, graduated from Indiana University, and lived in Chicago for 15 years before relocating to Michigan.

Why Affinity Groups matter?

I think affinity groups are important because they create communities within Northwestern where individuals can find other staff with similar backgrounds and experiences. I love connecting with people and sharing our unique experiences, as well as being a part of community building.

K. Parker Hess (aka ParkyTaco) is an Assistant Director in SOA that serves as the primary advisor for A&O, Mayfest, and CTSS and supports NU Nights. He obtained his B.S in Theatre Arts & Dance from Southern Utah University and his Ed.M from Boston University. Before joining Northwestern, Parker served in Student Activities at the University of Notre Dame for three years, working with student clubs, Class Councils, and student development.

He is a passionate connoisseur of Taco Bell (especially the BajaBlast), a self-proclaimed sadboi music listener, and a professional napper. Wanna talk about Brené Brown? He'll buy the coffee, and you pick the time!

Why Affinity Groups matter?

With my personal aim to find a healthy community and sustain the feeling of belongingness, I joined Out Network to actively play a role in fostering a community amongst my queer colleagues, which I felt I missed at previous jobs. With the world always coming at us in several different directions, Out Network allows folks to find emotional refuge and connection and some moments of laughter! It is critical to support staff in their journey while at Northwestern. Plus working with this group so far has been so heartwarming!

Win Reynolds is a queer, trans and neurodivergent person and one of Out Network’s co-chairs. As an employee at Northwestern, they are the research, science and engineering editor for the media relations team at the Office of Global Marketing and Communications, where they cover innovation and science and health research at the University for Northwestern Now and the alumni magazine, and pitch research to journalists. They graduated from Medill in 2019 with majors in journalism and psychology and a certificate in civic engagement.

In their Northwestern time beyond the nine-to-five, Win has found community in queer and trans spaces on and off campus. Win founded the queer employees resource group at their previous role, and quickly joined Out Network Evanston when they returned to the University as a staff member. Now in their second year as co-chair, Win hopes to create more intentional, specific spaces for faculty and staff members to feel like their full selves and be more playful surrounding intersecting identities; and just make more time to hang out with ONE informally.

Win loves to write about things besides science, too, and uses their spare time to write, read and create things (they are currently loving a bookmaking class they are taking at Lillstreet, go figure!). They also like to hike and camp with their dogs, play board games and explore free events around the city.

What do you love about being a co-chair?

I love being a co-chair because I get to watch how members of our leadership council bring skillsets from so many different fields together to form what becomes a beautiful and sustainable team. As the only affinity group open to both faculty and staff, we toe lots of campus lines which I find really fun and exciting. I’m the first/only out trans employee in my department (so far!!), and having spaces where belonging feels inherent like in an affinity group is so critical to a healthy work culture.