Professional HR Additional Course Information

• Attendance records, class absences, rescheduling a missed class 
• Professional HR development instructors
• Professional organizations

Attendance records

Please sign in upon arrival at each class.

Class absence

If you miss a course, please check with the course attendant for copies of all class handouts/materials you may have missed.

Rescheduling a missed class

Rescheduling fee is $25 per class and is by permission of the program coordinator. Download the Class Period Rescheduling Request Form. Complete this form and mail it with a check or credit card information or fax it with credit card information to:

HR Program Coordinator
Rice University
Glasscock School of Continuing Studies - MS 550
PO Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251
Fax: 713-348-5213

Please note that not every class can be rescheduled. If we are not able to reschedule your class, we will refund your rescheduling fee. If you agree to a rescheduled class and do not attend it, we will retain the fee.

Professional HR development instructors

Mary Banks, SPHR, is president of W.O.W. Consulting Group, a firm that provides leadership coaching and HR consulting, and has more than 20 years of experience in human resources. She is the author of two books, "The Multi-Faceted Woman" and "Living by Faith 9 to 5," and is a frequent keynote speaker. Ms. Banks holds a BA in psychology from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa and an MS in management from Houston Baptist University.

Billy Davis, SPHR, is southeast regional human resource manager for Crown Cork & Seal. He has nearly 30 years of experience in human resources, including labor and employee relations, compensation and benefits, diversity, workforce planning, training and development, organizational effectiveness consulting and change management. He has served as a board member for the Texas Business Group on Health and was a governor appointee, representing large business, to the Texas Health Care Information Council. He holds a BS in criminal justice and an MA in human resource management.

Colleen Dutton, SPHR, is the director of employee relations at Rice University. She has more than 18 years of experience in marketing, administration and human resources in the public and corporate health care sector as well as in the university setting. Her HR experience includes strategic planning and performance management, employee relations, recruiting and employment, workplace violence education, work/life balance issues, policies and procedures, and dispute resolution and mediation. Ms. Dutton has been an instructor in the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies since 2004. She holds a BS in health education from Sam Houston State University.

Kathleen M. Fenninger, SPHR, has more than 20 years of experience in human resources both as a generalist and an employment specialist, primarily in the energy and financial services industries in Houston and New York City. She has served as president of the Houston Human Resource Management Association and was awarded the Distinguished Professional in Human Resources award in 1998. Ms. Fenninger has been certification director for Area IV Board of Directors of the Society for Human Resource Management and was co-chair in 2001-2002 as well as founding board member of the newly chartered regional chapter of the Employment Management Association in Houston. She has been an instructor for the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies since 1996. Ms. Fenninger holds an MBA in organizational behavior and marketing, an MS in education and a BA in English from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, where she was an instructor for several years.

Douglas F. Garrison, SPHR, retired from Exxon Mobil Corporation in 2008 with a 31-year track record of increasing responsibility focusing on both international and domestic HR issues. He has broad exposure to benefits design and administration, policy development, compensation, labor relations, expatriate administration, and training and organization development. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and serves as vice-chair of the board of directors of Houston Habitat for Humanity. Mr. Garrison holds a BA in psychology from Yale University and an MBA in industrial relations from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Mark Jensen, SPHR, is a human resources advisor with BP. He has more than 20 years of experience in human resources, including organizational development, policy and procedure development, compensation, benefits, employee relations, labor relations, labor negotiations, recruiting, AAP/EEO, team facilitation, employee development, succession planning, health and safety. Mr. Jensen holds a BBA in industrial relations from the University of Iowa.

Maria Korn, SPHR, is manager of learning and development for Texas Petrochemicals, LP. She has broad experience in employee relations, performance management, recruiting and selection as well as a strong background in career development/transition, training, leadership, and employee development in public and privately held entrepreneurial and consulting environments. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management and HR Houston. Ms. Korn holds a BS in speech/language pathology from East Carolina University and is currently working toward an MA in life/work planning and behavioral sciences at the University of Houston – Clear Lake.

Ruth Seiler, MBA, SPHR, CCP, is owner of Staff Managers, Ltd. Co., established in 1995 to provide outsourced human resource services. She has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and has held management positions at some of Houston's largest employers, including Houston Lighting & Power and Enron. She is a past president of HR Houston and has contributed to publications such as Houston DBA, Houston Business Journal and the Houston Chronicle. She served on the Bureau of National Affairs personnel policies forum and the human resource advisory board of Houston Baptist University’s College of Business and Economics and Human Resources Institute. Ms. Seiler holds a BA from the State University of New York and an MBA from the University of Tennessee.

Paula Sharp, SPHR, CCP, CBP, is vice president of human resources with Texas Petrochemicals, Inc. She has more than 25 years of experience in human resources strategic planning and process improvement, employee relations, labor relations, recruiting, succession planning, employee development, employee assessments, career development, training and development programs, compensation, payroll, benefits, policies and procedures, and Human Resources Information Systems. She also has been active in the local HR Houston Chapter and the SHRM organization. Ms. Sharp has taught the SHRM Learning System at DePaul University and Rice University since 1996 as well as the senior HR study program for the past five years. Ms. Sharp holds a BBA in management from Lamar University in Beaumont and an MBA in human resources and labor relations from DePaul University in Chicago.

Jill Silman, SPHR, vice president of Meador Staffing, has more than 20 years employment management experience. She currently holds a three-year appointment to the SHRM Staffing Management Special Expertise Panel. She is often quoted as a business expert in national and international media, including The Wall Street Journal, CBS Marketwatch, The European Wall Street Journal and Growth Magazine. She is a dually certified staffing professional, earning both the Certified Personnel Consultant and Certified Temporary Staffing Specialist designations. Ms. Silman holds a BS in journalism/public relations from The University of Texas at Austin.

Jennifer Warne has more than 10 years of human resources experience in the oil and gas industry with emphasis on organizational development, compensation and employee relations. She holds a BS in management science from the State University of New York at Geneseo and an MS in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.

Professional organizations

Rice University's Glasscock School of Continuing Studies works with the following organizations to provide training in the human resource management field:

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

HR Houston (formerly HHRMA)

Bay Area Human Resource Management Association (BAHRMA)

Montgomery County Society for Human Resource Management (MCSHRM)