Quinton M. Herbert, JD | Director and Chief Human Capital Officer

Quinton M. Herbert serves as the Director and Chief Human Capital Officer for the Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) for the City of Baltimore. In this capacity, he is responsible for creating, developing, and driving comprehensive and strategic programs and initiatives that align with organizational goals and strategies. Mr. Herbert has an extensive background in labor and employment relations and leadership development. He previously served as the Deputy Labor Commissioner for the City of Baltimore, where he functioned as the lead negotiator for the City in collective bargaining with all non-public safety unions. He also advised management and HR professionals on a wide array of employment and labor-related issues.

Mr. Herbert is an American Arbitration Association Higginbotham Fellow and is a recipient of the Maryland Daily Record Leadership in Law Award and the American Institute of Legal Counsel “10 Best” Employment and Labor Law Attorney for Maryland Award. He has been recognized as one of the National Black Lawyer's Top 100 Lawyers in 2017. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Public Employer Relations Association (MdPELRA) and The Maryland Labor and Employment Relations Association (MdLERA) and is a member of several bars and professional associations.

Tonya Brinkley | Deputy Director

Tonya Brinkley serves as the Deputy Director for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). In this capacity, she is responsible for leading the implementation of HR Workday for the City, as well as working to maintain human resource infrastructure and driving progressive process changes. Ms. Brinkley previously served as DHR’s Chief of Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS).

Prior to her role with the City of Baltimore, Ms. Brinkley served as the Chief of HRIS for the City of Richmond, Virginia; the Senior Project Manager of  Operations, and the Manager of Data Analytics for the City of Jacksonville, Florida; and has worked extensively as an independent HR consultant with clients such as Fannie Mae, Texaco, and several local technology companies. Her diverse human resources leadership background includes more than twenty (20) years of experience in private sector organizations, where she served as the Director of Human Resources at Sylvan Learning Systems, Blockbuster, and Macy’s Inc.

Ms. Brinkley holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management from American University and a Master’s degree in Information Technology/Project Management from the University of Maryland. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bowie State University.

Michael Tate | Assistant Deputy Director, Operations

Michael Tate is the Assistant Deputy Director of Operations for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). He oversees DHR’s offices of Shared Services and Recruitment, Learning and Development, Employee Benefits, Policy and Compliance, and Classification and Compensation.

Mr. Tate has worked in local and state governments for over twenty-seven (27) years. He retired from the United States Navy in 2018 after twenty-four (24) years of Honorable Service. Before taking his current role, Michael served as the Human Resources Manager for the county of Santa Barbara, California’s Department of Behavioral Wellness, and an 800-employee full-cycle human resources department. He has extensive knowledge in all aspects of Human Resources and government relations.

Mr. Tate is currently attending Ventura College of Law to obtain his Juris Doctorate. He is a graduate of Thomas Edison State College, earning Bachelor of Science degrees in both History and English.

Lindsay Wines | Assistant Deputy Director, Administration

Lindsay Wines is the Assistant Deputy Director of Administration for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She oversees DHR’s offices of Human Resources Information System (HRIS) and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Ms. Wines has worked in local and state governments for over a decade with a background in budgeting and finance. Before taking on her current role, Lindsay served as the Chief of Staff for the Baltimore City Office of Information and Technology where she helped lead the creation of the City’s first-ever Inclusive Digital Transformation Strategic Plan. She has also served as the Deputy Director of the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, where she was responsible for strategic planning and oversight of a $150M operating budget. Ms. Wines also held positions at the Baltimore City Department of Finance and the Maryland Department of Budget and Management.

Ms. Wines is a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and George Mason University, where she earned her Master of Public Policy.

Joanne Ashton | Chief, Shared Services and Recruitment

Joanne Ashton is the Chief of Shared Services and Recruitment for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She provides leadership and guidance to the Offices of Shared Services, Recruitment, and Examinations.

Ms. Ashton brings to her position a well-established background with experience in retail management, hospitality, energy, and higher education. Before joining the Department of Human Resources in 2018, she held positions in human resources as a generalist, where she managed projects, and directed HR offices, focusing on improving morale and employee programs.  

Ms. Ashton earned her Executive Master’s degree in International Business from Walden University, a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management from Averett University, and an Associate's degree in Retail Management from Dutchess Community College. She is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Margo Bruner-Settles | Chief, Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”)

Margo Bruner-Settles began her employment with the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) in July 2013 as the Chief of the Employee Assistance Program (“EAP”). In this capacity, Ms. Bruner-Settles is responsible for the program overview and clinical supervisory functions to ensure best practices, confidentiality, and quality service.

Ms. Bruner-Settles has over sixteen (16) years of clinical experience with diverse populations in medical and hospice facilities, domestic violence shelters, correctional facilities, foster care, and addiction treatment centers. She was the active CEO of Bruner & Associates, LLC, which provided clinical and EAP services to the public sector. She was appointed Vice President of a non-profit foundation that provides employment training, financial literacy, tutoring/mentoring, and transitional housing to its client base.

Ms. Bruner-Settles is continuing her education and pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration (DPA) at the University of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Work in 2004 from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. She holds licenses as a Supervisory Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) in Maryland, is qualified as a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and earned designations as an IPMA-HR Senior Certified Human Resource Professional (IPMA-SCP).-

Theresa Grundy (Gjika) | Chief, Learning, and Development

Theresa Grundy (Gjika) is the Chief of Learning and Development for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). She is primarily responsible for directing the City’s strategic development, implementation, and operation of all educational and staff development activities.

Before the City of Baltimore, Ms. Grundy held leadership positions in both operations and learning/development in both private and quasi-public sectors. She has ten (10) years of progressive experience teaching/training traditional and adult learners. Most recently, Ms. Grundy was responsible for a technology overhaul project, including design, development, writing, implementation, and training.

Ms. Grundy holds her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School and her Bachelor's degree from Concordia University, double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She is working toward obtaining her Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and has been a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) since 2014.

Rajesh Gulhar | Chief, Employee Benefits

Ray Gulhar joined the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”) in May 2016 as the Chief of Employee Benefits. He is responsible for managing the comprehensive benefits program offered to City employees and retirees, including self-insured medical plans, dental plans, basic and optional life insurance, prescription drug plans, vision plans, flexible spending accounts, wellness and preventive care programs, and COBRA while ensuring the benefit programs meet the City’s fiscal policy and comply with Federal and State laws and regulations and contractual agreements.

Mr. Gulhar is a nationally recognized employee benefits practice leader and risk management professional who has worked with the public sector and private sector for forty (40) years. Before joining the City, he served as both the Director of Employee Benefits and Director of Risk Management for Alachua County in Florida, Risk Manager for Montgomery County in Maryland, Health and Risk Management Specialist for AON, Assistant Risk Manager/Benefits Manager for Manor Care and QI, underwriter for Kemper Insurance Group, and as an independent health consultant with various entities. His experience includes managing fully insured and self-insured health programs, implementing cost containment strategies, utilization management review, and disease management. He has extensive experience working with employee unions and union leaders, as well as healthcare providers and vendors.

Mr. Gulhar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science and a Master's degree in Economics from Delhi University, and he completed the John Hopkins Management and Leadership Training Program.

Darryl Strange | Chief, Communications

Darryl Strange is the Chief of Communications for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). He is responsible for disseminating external and internal DHR communications and overseeing DHR public relations matters.

Mr. Strange has over eighteen (18) years of experience in the communications field, working with the world's largest credit union and many state and local government agencies, where he supported the development of communication platforms.

Mr. Strange earned his Master of Science degree in entertainment business and law, from Full Sail University, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications, with a specialization in advertising and public relations, from Towson University. He is also a graduate of The Boys' Latin School of Maryland.

Alisa Underwood-Jordan | Chief, Classification and Compensation

Alisa Underwood-Jordan serves as the Chief of Classification and Compensation for the City of Baltimore’s Department of Human Resources (“DHR”). In this capacity, she is responsible for leading, developing, and implementing classification and compensation projects and initiatives, and providing analysis and strategic methodologies for maintaining a competitive compensation program to attract and retain top talent. 

Ms. Underwood-Jordan has over eighteen (18) years of progressive classification and compensation experience in both public and non-profit organizations. Prior to her employment with the City of Baltimore, she was the Senior Classification and Compensation Analyst for a global non-profit company,  where she was responsible for analyzing wage and salary data, evaluating the organization’s pay structure, providing advice and guidance surrounding pay decisions, pay policy interpretation, and remaining abreast of federal, state and local compensation laws and regulations to ensure company compliance.

Ms. Underwood-Jordan is working toward obtaining her IPMA-HR Senior Certified Human Resource Professional (IPMA-SCP) certification; she is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and World at Work.

Lauren Walker | Chief, HR Technology