High-Impact Skills Taught by Villanova HRD Faculty Experts REGISTRATION HR professionals are navigating a workplace shaped by AI, evolving employee expectations and increasing organizational complexity. To lead effectively, today's HR practitioners need practical skills they can apply immediately. Join Villanova University's Human Resource Development program for The Modern HR Toolkit, a three-part professional development series featuring industry experts who will share acti

Dr. Heather Cluley Bar-Or poses with the Villanova HRD marquee sign at Level Up 2026 Villanova University has named Associate Teaching Professor Heather Cluley Bar-Or, Ph.D., as the new director of its Graduate Program in Human Resource Development, following ten years of leadership from Gerard Brandon, Ph.D. Her appointment marks a pivotal moment for the program as it continues to expand its focus on evidence-based HR leadership, the future of work and the essential profess

Level Up HR 26 brought the Villanova HRD community together for a dynamic, future-focused week of learning, dialogue and celebration, culminating in a powerful day of in‑person programming that captured our values, energy and distinct impact. TLDR; it was awesome. Gallery of photos at the bottom - new LinkedIn headshots for all! Day one of Level Up HR 26 opened with a presentation from Christopher Fernandez, former head of AI for HR at Microsoft. Christopher is Founder and Pr

Artificial intelligence is actively reshaping how organizations hire, develop and lead their people. To meet this moment, Villanova University’s Graduate Program in Human Resource Development is launching a new Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Human Resources beginning this fall. Designed specifically for HR and people professionals, this certificate builds foundational AI literacy alongside strategic, ethical and human-centered HR capabilities. Rather than