UC Davis unifies well-being programs for stronger support

UC Davis is taking a meaningful step to strengthen employee well-being by bringing together the Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP), WorkLife, Recognition, and the Staff and Faculty Health and Well-being (SFHWB) programs under a single coordinated umbrella: the Benefits and Employee Support department within Human Resources.

The teams have long delivered essential services to employees – including counseling, wellness programs, family care, and recognition. Now, they are coming together as a single unit to better integrate efforts and streamline processes and resources.

The change also coincides with the planned retirements of two longtime leaders – Carol Kirshnit, director of ASAP, and Sandy Batchelor, WorkLife manager – and reflects the university’s broader efforts to find budget efficiencies through strategic service consolidation. Their departures on July 1 provide a natural transition point to unify these employee-focused programs while maintaining high-quality support for staff and faculty across UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for UC Davis employees to find the resources they need to thrive—personally, professionally, physically and mentally,” said Elizabeth Delo, executive director for Benefits and Employee Support. “By uniting these programs, we’re not only enhancing support for employees and their families, we’re also making sustainable, forward-looking decisions that reflect our values and priorities.”

What’s Changing July 1

• ASAP will continue to offer confidential counseling and crisis support, with a new director to be announced soon. The program will now report to Elizabeth Delo and align more closely with other benefits and well-being services under the Benefits and Employee Support department.
  

• Employee Well-being Unit: The SFHWB team – including director Stacey Brezing and program coordinator Tong-Reen Connie Tan – will move from Safety Services to Human Resources and become part of the new Employee Well-being unit. This unit will also include WorkLife and Recognition programs and be led by new director of Employee Well-being, Mallory Boeckman.
  

“Employee well-being isn’t a single program—it’s a culture that supports engagement, retention, and our reputation as a best place to work,” said Boeckman. “I’m excited to lead a team committed to helping every UC Davis employee feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive at work and in life.”

This unification effort also strengthens UC Davis’ ongoing role in the systemwide UC workgroup on employee well-being – a group created in response to a Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) recommendation to take a more strategic, long-term approach to supporting the whole employee.

Insights from the first-ever Employee Experience Survey have further underscored the need for improved access to support services.

Webpage updates for the new Benefits and Employee Support department are underway. In the meantime, employees are encouraged to continue visiting the ASAP, WorkLife, Recognition, and SFHWB websites to learn more about available services and upcoming programs.