CalHR Robert L. Negri Human Resources Achievement Award
Celebrate Human Resources Excellence
The Negri Award honors state employees who do outstanding work in human resources (HR). This prestigious award celebrates Robert L. Negri’s distinguished legacy of HR excellence.
Who was Robert L. Negri?
Robert L. Negri started working for the state in 1968 at the Department of Transportation. Known as Bob to colleagues and leaders alike, he held many important roles including Chief of Employee Safety and Chief of Labor Relations. Bob shaped how the state handles labor relations and employee matters. He served on the state’s first negotiating team and became a trusted advisor to many leaders. The Negri Award celebrates his legacy of excellence in HR.
Award Criteria
To be considered for this award, nominees must clearly meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Dedication to excellence in the field of HR
- Outstanding customer service to the State, their department or employees
- Excellent performance and achievements in the field of HR
Nominations Open Annually
Know a HR professional doing amazing work? Nominations typically open in June each year for a limited time. Submit your nomination using the CalHR 601 form to the CalHR Merit Award Program, Your Impact.
2025 Negri Awardee: Jasinda Muhammad, CDCR California Correctional Health Care Services
Prior Recipients
| Year | Awardee |
|---|---|
| 1993 | James E. Libonati, Assistant Deputy Director for the Office of Personnel Management, Department of Corrections Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1994 | Gloria Moore Andrews, Chief of Labor Relations, Department of Personnel Administration Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1995 | Don Scheppmann, Chief of Personnel and Payroll Services Division, State Controller’s Office Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1996 | Labor Relations Section, Department of Developmental Services Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1997 | Peter J. Strom, Assistant Chief for the Policy Development Office, Department of Personnel Administration Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1998 | Rick McWilliam, Chief of Labor Relations, Department of Personnel Administration Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 1999 | Judy O’Day, Human Resources Division Chief, Department of Transportation Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 2000 | Peter J. Strom, Assistant Chief of the Policy Development Office, Department of Personnel Administration Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 2002 | Dave Brubaker, Chief of Labor Relations, Department of Transportation Recognized for over 30 years of state service and 20 years in labor relations. He maintained strong programs, chaired the Labor Relations Forum and created training seminars. He also helped start the Negri Scholarship program at Caltrans. |
| 2003 | Raye Zentner, Deputy Director of Administration, Board of Equalization Recognized for over 35 years of state service while leading multiple divisions. She was known for giving honest feedback and helping personnel specialists do their jobs well. |
| 2004 | Jeannette Williams Gipson, Labor Relations Manager, Franchise Tax Board Recognized for 15 years of strong labor relations work. She solved difficult labor issues, kept good relationships with managers and unions and used teamwork to help her agency make big changes with few conflicts. |
| 2005 | Jim Catania, Air Resources Board Recognized for outstanding contributions to human resources. |
| 2006 | David Palmer, Assistant Chief of Labor Relations, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Recognized for excellent work in labor relations through smart negotiating and training. His ability to use humor and quick thinking earned respect from both managers and union leaders. |
| 2009 | Franklin C. Marr, Principal Labor Relations Officer, Department of Personnel Administration Recognized for 36 years of service in state human resources and labor relations. He organized training programs and conferences and led the HR Modernization Project. People respected him for his knowledge of state history, his good humor and his strong work ethic. |
| 2013 | Kathryn Manzer, Employee Wellness Chief, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Recognized for outstanding work, passion and commitment to employee wellness. She showed strong leadership by creating and running the department's Peer Support Program. |
| 2014/2015 | Arle Simon, Manager of the Data Management and Collective Bargaining Section, State Controller’s Office Recognized for 25 years of important work with data and reporting. He built strong relationships with unions and CalHR that helped with successful negotiations and contracts. His work was key to how the state handles payroll and personnel. |
| 2014/2015 | Joseph A. Farrow, Commissioner, California Highway Patrol Recognized for dedicated leadership in the California Highway Patrol's mission. He improved employee relations and built trust between managers and staff. This resulted in one of the lowest grievance rates among state agencies. |
| 2017 | Dr. Jim Higgins, Manager of the Testing and Selection Unit, Department of Justice Recognized for building a trailblazer team of skilled analysts who used data and math to predict workforce needs. This helped hiring managers find qualified candidates. |
| 2017 | Anita Lundin, Annette McFarland and David Gay, various staff of the Department of Human Resources Recognized for changing how HR policies are shared across the state through the Online HR Manual Project. This improved how everyone accesses personnel information. |
| 2020 | Katherine Minnich, Deputy Director of Human Resources, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Recognized for strong leadership and new ideas in employee wellness, hiring and job training. She showed commitment to excellence and service through hiring events, wellness programs, crisis response and policy changes. |
| 2023 | Personnel and Payroll Services Division, State Controller’s Office Recognized for creating Cal Employee Connect and ConnectHR. These online tools help state employees and HR offices work together better. |
| 2024 | Tom Hicks, Deputy Division Chief of the Human Resources Division, Department of Transportation Recognized for strong leadership in creating new online tools for hiring and training. He launched the Caltrans Career Compass for job recruitment and the Caltrans Leadership Passport for leadership resources. |
| 2025 | Jasinda Muhammad, Deputy Director of Human Resources, CDCR California Correctional Health Care Services Recognized for strong leadership and new ideas in state human resources. She improved hiring practices, solved staffing problems and helped build a more diverse workforce with better job training. |
Contact Us
For more information regarding this award, please contact:
California Department of Human Resources
Merit Award Program, Your Impact
Email: Merit@CalHR.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 273-8068
