Honor Society® member
Ricky Mendez
Assignment Technician (HR Assistant) at Los Angeles Unified School District
- University Of California Los Angeles
- Linguistics and Psychology
- Class of 2013
- Los Angeles, California
Member since August 2016
About
I am a Human Resources professional with experience in talent acquisition, employee lifecycle management, HR operations, and organizational compliance across public-sector, corporate, and retail environments. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Science in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California, and I am pursuing a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Alliant University, with research interests in people analytics, machine learning, and evidence-based organizational decision-making. I combine analytical expertise, operational knowledge, and a people-centered approach to support workforce initiatives, improve HR processes, and contribute to organizational effectiveness.
Education
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Alliant International University
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
2025 – Present
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University of Southern California
MSc Applied Psychology - focus on Organizational Psychology
2021 – 2023
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University of California, Los Angeles
BA Linguistics and Psychology
2011 – 2013
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San Jose City College
Psychology and French
2007 – 2011
Honors and awards
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Honor Society
Since high school
Goals and interests
- Career goal
My career progression is focused on advancing from Human Resources Coordinator to Human Resources Specialist and Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP), strengthening my expertise in HR operations, talent management, employee relations, and strategic workforce planning. I aim to transition into leadership roles such as Head of People Analytics or Director of People Science, integrating my doctoral research in Industrial-Organizational Psychology with people analytics, machine learning, and evidence-based organizational decision-making. My long-term goal is to advance to Vice President of Human Resources and ultimately Chief People Officer (CPO), leading enterprise-wide people strategies that strengthen organizational effectiveness, employee retention, and business performance.
- Graduate school interests
Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Social Psychology, and Linguistics.
- Outside the classroom
Film, concerts, travel, languages, music, food, and ROLLER COASTERS.
Experience
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Assignment Technician (HR Assistant)
Los Angeles Unified School District
Jan 2026 – Jun 2026
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Candidate Experience Specialist
Allied Universal Security
Jul 2025 – Jan 2026
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Human Resources Coordinator
Cotton On Group USA
Dec 2024 – Jun 2025
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Research Intern
Odgers Berndtson Ireland
Jun 2022 – Aug 2022
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Assistant Manager (Visual-Merchandising/Operations/Talent and People Operations)
Gap Inc.
Jul 2000 – Feb 2024
Volunteering
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Mentor
This Way Ahead
Jun 2020 – Jun 2022
Languages
- English (US) Fluent
- Spanish Fluent
- French (France) Intermediate
Additional information
Organizations
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american psychology association (apa)
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national honor society
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society for human resource management (shrm)
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society of industrial and organizational psychology (siop)
