About us
Preparing students for real business.
About Us
Established in 1981, Portland State University Human Resource Management Association has been helping prepare many students to step out into the real world with appropriate knowledge, skills, and the confidence to be successful.
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We are also a community that learns together, grows together, and succeeds together. We frequently invite alumni who are currently working in the HR field to come back and share their stories and experiences with our current members. In addition, they also offer many opportunities for informational interviews, connections, as well as internships and job openings to us.
As an open community, we welcome everyone to join us. We respect every individual regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, etc.
Want to connect?
Want to join leadership?
Email us at psuhrma@pdx.edu
Chapter Advisors
Jeffrey Nelson
PSU Chapter Advisor
2025- 2026
Jeffrey Nelson, MBA, HRMA Chapter Advisor, has worked on the Employee and Labor Relations team in Human Resources at Portland State University since 2016. He also teaches courses in the School of Business Administration on Human Resource Management and Human Resource Strategy.
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Jeffrey is actively involved with the Portland Human Resource Association (PHRMA) where he currently serves as Co-Director for College Relations. He is also an active member of the PSU President’s Diversity Action Council where he serves on the Employee Access Success and Equity taskforce.
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Prior to PSU, Jeffrey led a team of seven HR Managers at New Seasons Market (NSM). This team executed HR operations for his area, which included six stores and the central production kitchen, serving 1500 employees in the Portland area. Jeffrey worked in a variety of staff, management and HR roles during his 12-year tenure at NSM.
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Outside of work, Jeffrey loves playing tabletop games, hiking, backpacking, camping, gardening, travel, and playing basketball. He drags his family along whenever they are up for it, including his wife, teenage kids, and two dogs.
Patricio Olivas
Community Chapter Advisor
2025- 2026
Patricio Olivas has spent three years blazing trails on and off the court with Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Quarter. Patricio manages a team that supports people and culture technology for the Portland Trail Blazers, the Rose Quarter, and Rip City Remix. Patricio has spent his time with the ‘zers converting file cabinets to digital solutions and re-building processes to accommodate the changing needs of staff and compliance requirements.
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Patricio came to Portland State as a community college transfer and a solid career in hospitality. He knew he wanted to graduate in HR and he was lucky to meet the founding member of PSU HRMA on his first day, Alan Cabelly. The rest is history! Patricio participated in HRMA as a member, VP of Marketing, and Chapter President. In 2015, Patricio led a project to revamp HRMA fundraising programming into a community involved event that provided professional development and opportunity to support local HR students. Since graduating PSU in 2016, Patricio has supported his home chapter as Co-Director, College Relations on the Portland State Human Resource Management Association Board.
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Patricio doesn’t go a day without cold brew coffee, checking the day’s slate of NBA game scores, or completing the daily NY Times Wordle puzzle. Reach out if you are looking for mentorship, HR Technology strategy questions, or a suggestion on your next book to read.
​Melissa Dietz
Community Chapter Advisor
2025- 2026
After over 10 years in the HR profession, it’s incredibly rewarding to give back to the community that helped shape my own journey. I completed the HR Management Certificate at Portland State University in 2017, so serving as an advisor for HRMA truly feels like coming full circle. This role allows me to connect with emerging HR professionals, share what I’ve learned, and continue growing alongside a passionate, driven group. I strongly believe in the power of mentorship and professional development, and I’m honored to support the next generation of HR leaders through this role.
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