Title: New Chief Human Resources Officer to Join Georgetown Next Year

“I believe we can build on the great work that’s been done and continue to enhance the value of human resources at the university,” said Brenda R. Malone, Georgetown’s future vice president and chief human resources officer.

A new senior hire who will lead Georgetown in its quest to recruit, retain and promote its world-class staff will join the university in 2014.

Brenda Richardson Malone, who holds a law degree from Hofstra University and has served as vice chancellor for human resources at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill since 2009, will become Georgetown’s new vice-president and chief human resources officer after the first of the year.

Vice chancellor for faculty and staff relations at the City University of New York (CUNY) from 1993 to 2007, she then became associate vice chancellor for human resources at UNC. That position was elevated to vice chancellor two years later. She has more than 30 years of experience in human resources and labor relations.

“Brenda’s leadership running successful large-scale human resources offices at two universities and her understanding of Georgetown’s mission make her an ideal candidate for this position,” says Chris Augostini, senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We are grateful that she has chosen to join our Georgetown leadership team during this exciting time for higher education.”

Building on Great Work

At Georgetown, Malone will oversee processes in staffing and recruiting, compensation, professional development, human resources reporting and policy communication.

She said she is looking forward to helping Georgetown realize its vision for human resources.

“I believe we can build on the great work that’s been done and continue to enhance the value of human resources at the university,” says Malone, whose daughter works and lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Malone oversaw a major initiative at UNC to transform the delivery of human resources services on campus. She says the new model elevated and consolidated HR operations and services, and better positioned the university to implement best practices in support of the university’s workforce.

Strategic Leadership

When asked how she thinks the field of human resources is changing as universities move into an increasingly new and high-tech environment, she says, “Without question, human resources must be more nimble and more strategic to effectively support the changing higher education landscape.”

“We have to make sure that the services we provide add value and are aligned with the goals of the university,” she explains. “To that end, human resources must always be thinking ahead – forecasting future needs – not only in terms of how new technology can enhance service delivery, but also in forecasting the need for a well trained staff with the requisite skills and talent to use new technology to effectively support the organization.”

Social Justice Commitment

Malone will be responsible for providing strategic leadership rooted in the university’s core value of social justice in relation to human resources and organizational agendas.

“Georgetown is an institution known and respected around the world for its academic excellence and innovative programs, as well as its distinguished and committed faculty and staff,” Malone says. “The university’s deep commitment to social justice is important to me. With that in mind, when I was blessed with the opportunity to be a part of the Georgetown family, there was no way I could turn it down.”

Malone serves or has served on several charitable boards, councils and campaigns, including Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, the CUNY Campaign for Voluntary Charitable Giving, and Carolina Cares, Carolina Shares, UNC’s campus-wide charitable giving campaign.

Before Malone worked for CUNY, she served as deputy general manager and general counsel for the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation in Detroit. She also served as assistant vice president for labor relations at Wayne State University from 1987 to 1990. She received her undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College.