Demetria Neither

Demetria Neither, Human Resources Specialist, has been assisting ACES employees for over a decade, although her official tenure with ACES began in 2014. She previously worked at ACES as a contract employee looking to fulfill her interests in Human Resources. While Demetria now holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources, HR was not always the direction she thought her career would take her. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Webster University after starting at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois, and University of Missouri, Saint Louis before discovering her preference for private universities. “Computer Science was THE industry to be in at the time,” says Demetria, “although entry level IT work was difficult to get without internship experience.”

Demetria instead found administrative work with an environmental engineering firm for several years, before taking a position with a CPA firm as an HR assistant. It was here where her interests in HR blossomed, and she began a search for certification programs before ultimately taking on the challenge of a Master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. “Going back to school at an older age and working full time allowed me to discover leadership qualities I never knew I had!” says Demetria.

Demetria now specializes in ACES’ benefits, employee performance appraisal process, compensation, and tuition reimbursement programs. “Benefits is interesting because it’s always changing. Medical has got to be one of the toughest industries to navigate,” says Demetria. When asked what she would like ACES employees to know about HR, she says “If you are not sure what benefits you should enroll in, come upstairs and talk to HR before you enroll! That’s what we’re here for. HR is not your enemy!”

Outside of the workplace, Demetria likes to read, cook, travel, and listen to Jazz music. Some of her favorite artists include Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nina Simone. When air travel returns to normal (we are all crossing our fingers, Demetria!), she plans to attend the jazz festival in California and plan a trip to Barcelona, Spain. Demetria’s favorite vacation was a surprise trip to San Jose, Mexico from her boyfriend, Jerome, who only provided clues about the destination until they boarded the connecting flight to the final destination! When it comes to cooking, Demetria loves to cook from scratch as she has been doing since she was 12 years old, including macaroni and cheese from scratch and a self-proclaimed mean marinara sauce.

Demetria’s dedication will likely keep her committed to her role at ACES for some time, but she does have aspirations for the future. She would like to return to volunteer tutoring with Indy Reads, and plans to become an adjunct professor after retirement to fulfill her lifelong desire to teach. In a message to new hires, Demetria says, “Every day presents a learning opportunity, so be open to that and remember it doesn’t always have to be job related. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they are great learning opportunities. After all, you’re only human!”