After much thought and consideration, Dani Dunstan has decided to step out of the interim Human Resource Services leadership role. Boise State President Dr. Marlene Tromp has asked Annie Hightower to assume the interim leadership role until the new Chief Human Resources Officer is hired. Dunstan will continue to support select initiatives in human resources to sustain momentum and continuity of special projects.
“I hope to continue to support the HR team through this transition,” Dunstan said. “I care deeply about the continued success of the department and, while in a different role, I will support the team as much as possible from my position on special projects.”
Currently serving as the Director of Institutional Compliance and Ethics at Boise State, Hightower is a dedicated public servant who has spent her entire career in the public and non-profit sectors. She previously worked at the Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence as a staff attorney, and later as the organization’s Director of Law and Policy and acting Co-Executive Director. In those roles she set and managed the organization’s budget and staff, set and implemented an annual policy agenda, provided civil legal services for survivors of sexual violence throughout the state, and served on various state-level commitees to enhance the identification, intervention, and response to domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking. Prior to working at the Idaho Coalition, Hightower served Boise State in various capacities, including as Director of Title IX/ADA/504 Compliance, Associate General Counsel and Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Service.
“I’m honored to serve a department that works on a daily basis to advocate for Boise State employees, one of the university’s most valuable assets,” Hightower said. “I look forward to leading Human Resources during this time of transition so the team can thrive and continue to make a positive impact for our campus community.”
Hightower holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree from Boise State and a Juris Doctor degree from the Gonzaga University School of Law.