Houston, Texas, United States, April 2025 – Sandee Cheynet has taken on the role of Chief Human Resources Officer at Rice University, bringing with her a distinguished career spanning more than two decades in strategic human resources leadership across higher education, healthcare, consulting, and industry.
In her new capacity at Rice University, Sandee will lead the university’s HR function in support of institutional excellence. She will oversee the full spectrum of HR responsibilities including talent acquisition, employee development, organizational culture, and policy design, aligning these with Rice’s mission of academic innovation and discovery. Her leadership is expected to play a critical role in building a high-performing, inclusive community across the university.
Before joining Rice, Sandee Cheynet served as Associate Vice President of Human Resources at Virginia Tech, where she provided strategic direction across the full employee lifecycle, overseeing talent management, employee wellness, compensation, and HR operations for nearly four years. Her ability to harness HR data analytics and lead transformation projects significantly advanced Virginia Tech’s institutional goals.
Earlier, Sandee was Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President at Lawrence Companies, where she aligned HR, IT, Safety, Marketing, and Wellness strategies with business objectives. Her tenure also included key HR leadership positions at Brown Edwards, Bluefield Regional Medical Center, and Virginia Tech, where she implemented transformational human capital strategies and large-scale organizational development programs.
Sandee’s early career includes notable roles with Lockheed Martin, Accenture, and multiple consulting and analyst positions that built the foundation of her extensive experience in compensation, HR operations, and business transformation.
About Rice University
Rice University, based in Houston, Texas, is a private, independent research university known for its rigorous academics, low student-to-faculty ratio, and commitment to innovation. With top-ranked programs in engineering, science, architecture, music, and business, Rice fosters a close-knit community that thrives on intellectual curiosity and collaborative discovery. The university is recognized globally for its research contributions and commitment to excellence in teaching, learning, and public service.
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