Comcast in the Mountain West Region recently announced the promotions of Gillian Heaton to Vice President of Human Resources and Dustin Smith to Senior Director, Business Development for the Mountain West Region.
Gillian Heaton, Vice President of Human Resources
In this role, Heaton is responsible for all aspects of the employee experience including human resources, employee engagement, environmental health and safety, as well as internal communications for 2,500 employees in Comcast’s Mountain West Region.
Heaton joined Comcast’s West Division in 2018 as Vice President of HR, Customer Care, where she led the human resources strategy and function for 2,000 employees and leaders within call center operations (COE), business partner operations, data and analytics, customer experience, quality, strategic initiatives, and the Attendance Support COE (ASCOE).
“Under Gillian’s leadership, the West Division created a first-of-its-kind shared service, the ASCOE, to support 4,700 employees in absence and attendance management across the division,” said J.D. Keller, Senior Vice President of Comcast’s Mountain West Region. “She also led the team to a three-year, year-over-year turnover reduction goal attainment in COEs with a focus on organizational health and retention.”
I love that we’re a company that truly listens to our employees and implements their ideas,” Heaton said. “Being in the human resources function at a company that listens so intently to our employees makes me extremely proud.”
Heaton holds a master’s degree in HR Management, with a specialization in Organizational Leadership & Change Management, from Colorado State University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in HR from California State University at Long Beach, and she is a certified Senior Professional in HR (SPHR).
Outside of work, Heaton enjoys spending time with her family.
“I’m busy running our kids around to dance, soccer, and swimming,” she said. “My husband Trevor and I also love to do anything associated with water, like the lake, pool, and beach!”
Dustin Smith, Senior Director, Business Development
In this role, Smith will focus on growth and the future expansion of Comcast’s network through partnerships with local developers, municipalities, and businesses in the Mountain West Region.
“Dustin will capitalize on both commercial and residential opportunities and will work closely with our construction team in leading our proactive construction efforts,” Keller said. “Dustin will help coordinate our ongoing network expansion efforts in the region, making sure our Xfinity and Comcast Business customers are connected to what matters most, and providing them with the best service available.”
Smith has been a Comcast employee for more than 20 years, and he is excited about bringing his knowledge and experience to his new role.
I’m most looking forward to digging into all the great opportunities for expanding our network in the Mountain West Region,” Smith said. “I’m committed to establishing local partnerships that advance Comcast’s digital equity initiatives and help close the digital divide, especially in underserved communities.”
Previously, Smith served as Senior Director on Comcast’s West Division Business Development team, focusing on strategic growth opportunities in the residential and commercial spaces. Prior to that, Smith worked as the Senior Director of Field Sales for the West Division. Smith began his time at Comcast as a technician in Sandy, UT, and has held roles in many locations across the Comcast footprint, including Indianapolis, Boston, and Livermore, CA.
“My favorite part about working for Comcast is the way the company is focused on growth — for our network, our employees, and our community,” Smith said.
Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management from Utah Valley University. He and his wife of 23 years live in Castle Rock, CO with their four children — two of whom are in college, with one at BYU Idaho and one playing volleyball for Western Oregon University. In his free time, Smith enjoys spending time with his family, working with his hands, building and fixing things.