Alumni Feature – Holmgen

Jamie Holmgen ’17

I always knew I wanted to attend the University of North Dakota. My parents met at UND, so it is safe to say that UND was the best option for me. While at UND, my academic path changed a few times, ultimately ending with a double major in Communications and Sociology. In addition to my academics, I was also an active member of Alpha Chi Omega, serving on their executive board, and completed an internship at the Circle of Friends Humane Society.

After graduating in 2017, I moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., and decided to pivot into the field of human resources. I have been in HR for eight years and currently hold the Human Resources Certification Institute Professional in Human Resources (HRCI-PHR) and the Society of Human Resources Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). I am also sitting for my senior certificate (SHRM-SCP) in June of 2025.

For the last three years, I have been the HR Manager at GAMMA Sports – a tennis, pickleball, and padel company. I handle all aspects of the employee experience, government compliance, and technology management.

In the fall of 2024, I started a Master’s degree program in Human Resources and Employee Relations at The Pennsylvania State University. I am slated to complete this program in early 2026 and will finish the program with certifications in International HR and Artificial Intelligence.

My career path might be beyond the norm for where a sociology degree can take students, but the ability to understand people, their culture, and how they operate has been instrumental to having a successful career in human resources and people operations.