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Instructor Biographies

All Employee Development courses are taught by highly qualified and experienced instructors. Click on the name below to see a brief description of the education and work experience of each of our instructors. Within each bio is a list of the courses that person teaches for Employee Development.

Click on a name to read each biography:


Sharon J. Barnes, Ph. D.
Center for Employee Education, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Sharon is an Employee Development Coordinator for Employee Services at Texas A&M University. Sharon coordinates the Group Leadership Forum and the Principles of Supervision and Management Program for the Center for Employee Education Department.

Sharon teaches Communication Skills for Supervisors, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Presentation Skills and Now, Discover Your Strengths, along with many special request workshops. She has over fourteen years experience working with businesses, universities and government agencies in Japan, England and Scotland.

She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Redlands and both a M.S. in Educational Human Resources and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University. Sharon's area of specialization is adult education and generational values.

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Tom A. Garney, Ph. D., P.E., C.S.P.
Center for Employee Education, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Tom is an Employee Development Coordinator for Employee Services at Texas A&M University. Tom coordinates the Leadership Institute and the Personal Development Program for the Human Resources Management Services Department.

He teaches Designs for Effective Decision Making, Time Management and Goal Setting, Now, Discover Your Strengths, Winning Strategies for Interviewing, and Performance Development Process workshops, along with many special request workshops. He has over 16 years of experience in developing, managing and delivering programs in human resource management, engineering, public works, occupational safety, and environmental compliance for Texas A&M University.

Tom received a Ph.D. in Educational Human Resource Development, specializing in adult education and stress management from Texas A&M University. He holds a Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering both from Texas A&M. University. He holds professional licenses as a Texas Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) and as a Certified Safety Professional (C.S.P.).

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Michele Kinney, SPHR
Employee Relations, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Michele is Manager of Employee Relations (ER) for Employee Services of Texas A&M University. Michele teaches the Progressive Discipline, Preventing Sexual Harassment (Supervisory Overview), and Sexual Harassment: Prevention Strategies workshops.

She has over ten years experience consulting with supervisors regarding employee performance problems, use of progressive discipline, procedures for termination, and policy, regulation, and rule interpretation. Michele teaches management and compliance training classes for Employee Services.

Michele holds certifications as a Professional Trainer, Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Texas Basic Mediation Training. She is a certified instructor of Positive Performance® Management System. Michele received a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University.

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Jim Kuhlmann
Total Compensation, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Jim teaches the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Workers Compensation workshops.

Jim is a Leave Specialist for Employee Services of Texas A&M University. He specializes in the training and application of regulations regarding leave. He assists employees and managers in conflict resolution and policy interpretation. He has acquired extensive personnel and managerial experience while serving as a departmental and assistant store manager in the retail industry for over 15 years.

Jim received a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Education from Texas State University in San Marcos.

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Tom Marrs, Ph.D
Employee Assistance Program, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Dr. Marrs teaches Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace, Assertive Training, Conflict Management Skills for Supervisors, Efficiency & Procrastination, managing Difficult Behaviors as a Supervisor, Managing Personal Anger in the Workplace, Personal Conflict Management in the Workplace workshops.

Tom is a staff psychologist for the Employee Services Employee Assistance Program at Texas A&M. He provides clinical services such as assessment, counseling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and dependents of Texas A&M employees. He also provides faculty and staff consultation and education for work related or personal issues. He has provided services in a variety of settings including community mental health and university counseling centers, and in addition has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and workshops. Tom is also an Olympic level coach, training athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs Colorado.

Tom received his Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, his Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University, and his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University. He completed his Doctoral Internship at the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center, and he holds specialty training certificates in psychotherapeutic process and geropsychology.

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Guy K. Mortensen
Policy and Practice Review, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Guy Mortensen is the Director of the Policy and Practice Review department of Employee Services at Texas A&M University.

Guy teaches Positive Performance Management, ADA, and Conducting Investigations workshops. He was a Captain in the United States Army, serving in the Field Artillery. He has thirty years of line management experience, working as a manager for an international engineering construction company, as Vice President of a large Texas savings and loan association, and as Associate Director of TAMU Human Resources. He has taught management, supervision, and Total Quality Management courses over a ten-year period with a community college, the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), and Texas A&M University. He has sixteen years of Human Resources experience and is certified as a “Senior Professional in Human Resources” (SPHR).

Guy has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University, a Masters Degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Houston, and a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law. He is a graduate of the Philip Crosby Quality course.

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Prakash Nair Ph.D.
Center for Employee Education, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Dr. Prakash Nair is currently a Senior Employee Development Specialist at the Center for Employee Education (CEE) at Texas A&M University. He joined the center in December of 2007. Prior to joining CEE he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Educational Administration and Human Resource Development Department at Texas A&M University. Prakash coordinates the Leadership Institute, teaches delegation skills and goal setting classes, and is involved in various competency development projects for the university.

Prakash has more than seventeen years of work experience. Ten years of that experience was with Singer India Ltd, a retail multinational corporation. His responsibilities at Singer included, leading sales regions/teams, recruiting, training and coaching sales personnel, and overall business development. For close to seven years he worked for Texas A&M University in various training, teaching, and research roles. He coordinated training programs, taught classes, designed face-to-face and online courses, and evaluated training programs. His research experience included competency identification, transfer of learning, job stress, and job satisfaction.

Prakash has a doctor’s degree in Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University and a Masters Degree in Political Science from the University of Madras, India. He successfully completed a Certified Training Professional Program conducted by Texas A&M University and a Training Certificate Program conducted by the American Society for Training and Development. He has a Certificate in Business from Mays Business School and a Mediation and Conflict Resolution Certification from Brazos Valley Conflict Resolution Center.

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Saori Rivera Ph.D.
Employee Assistance Program, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Saori is a staff psychologist with Employee Services Employee Assistance Program at Texas A&M University. Her primary duties are providing psychological services for Texas A&M University employees and their dependents and management consultation. Dr. Rivera teaches Supervisory Primer for Managing Anger workshop. Saori has provided counseling services in a variety of settings including college counseling centers, rape crisis centers, community supervision programs, community mental health clinics, veterans administration hospitals, and forensic hospitals.

She has received training in Communicative and Cultural Competency for Mental Health Providers and is fluent in Spanish. Saori provides counseling to employees and dependents requesting Spanish language services. Saori received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University. She completed her doctoral internship at Southern Louisiana Internship Consortium- Louisiana State University and Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System.

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Anna Satterfield, Ph.D.
Employee Assistance Program, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Anna is an Associate Director of HR Management Services managing the Employee Assistance Program at Texas A&M University.

Dr. Satterfield teaches Prevention of Violence in the Workplace and Communicating with Employees in Crisis workshops. She has over 10 years experience within the Texas A&M University System and over 15 years of experience providing counseling services within a variety of settings. She has previously taught counseling and educational classes at the undergraduate and graduate level. In addition, Anna has taught personal development workshops within the university and private sectors.

Anna has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Oklahoma State University, a M.S. in Community Counseling, and a B.A. in Psychology from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Satterfield is a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Texas.

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Carolyn Sandoval
Center for Employee Education, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Carolyn is currently a Senior Employee Development Specialist at the Center for Employee Education (CEE) at Texas A&M University. She works closely with various organizations on campus to provide specialized opportunities that increase overall organizational effectiveness and promote individual development and growth.

She has extensive experience in diversity education, and has taught courses in social justice education, leadership of the Civil Rights Movement , learning theories, and research methods. She has also provided diversity education consulting at various colleges and universities. Carolyn worked for several years in Student Affairs in the area of student outreach and retention at the University of California, Riverside and the University of New Mexico. While at Texas A&M University she served as the Coordinator of Diversity Education in the Department of Multicultural Services and as a faculty member in the Student Learning Center.

She holds certifications in Conflict Mediation and Training and Development and holds a B.S. in communications from California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, an M.S. in Educational Administration and Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University.

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Elizabeth Schwartz
Total Compensation, HR Management Services Department
Texas A&M University

Elizabeth teaches Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Timekeeping and Position Description and Hiring Procedures workshops.

Elizabeth is the Associate Director of Human Resources, responsible for managing the Total Compensation unit. Total Compensation includes the functional areas of Benefits, Classification & Compensation and Recognition & Reward. She has over ten years of experience within the Texas A&M System. Elizabeth has worked in employee benefits, compensation and retirement programs.

Elizabeth received a B.A. in Psychology and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Texas A&M University. She has earned a Certificate in Salary Administration and is in the process of pursuing the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP) designation from World at Work, the world’s leading professional association dedicated to knowledge leadership in total rewards, compensation, benefits and work-life.

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Kelleen Stine-Cheyne, Ph. D.
Employee Development, Employee Services
Texas A&M University

Dr. Stine-Cheyne is the Assistant Director of Employee Development within the Center for Employee Education. She teaches the workshops on the topics of leadership and supervisory skills as well as provides customized programs to departments regarding leadership, supervision, and program evaluation and assessment.

Kelleen has over sixteen years of experience within the Texas A&M System and twenty years of training and development experience. She has taught leadership education at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as to professional faculty and staff in both university and industry settings. She has served on the Leadership faculty at Texas A&M University, Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. Additionally, Kelleen has served as an academic and student organization advisor and as an academic and career counselor.

Kelleen has Ph.D. in Leadership Education from the Department of Agricultural Leadership Education and Communications from Texas A&M University, and M.Ed. in Counseling and Student Affairs from The University of North Texas, Denton, and a B.S. in Economics from Texas A&M University. Additionally, Kelleen has a Secondary Teacher’s Certification from the State of Texas.

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