SHU Names Grace Guo VP for Human Resources

Longtime faculty member and associate dean brings 16 years of SHU leadership to new role

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University has named Grace Guo vice president for human resources
• Guo has served at SHU for 16 years as a professor of management, MBA program director, and associate dean of the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology
• In her new role, Guo will lead recruitment, onboarding, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee experience, and talent development
• Guo’s teaching and research focus on leadership, organizational behavior, human resource management, and entrepreneurship
• Her priorities include employee development, strengthening strategic partnership, and enhancing fair, transparent practices across the University

Sacred Heart University has named Grace Guo as its new vice president for human resources (HR), appointing a longtime faculty member and academic leader into the University's senior leadership team.

Guo steps into the role after 16 years at Sacred Heart, where she has served as a tenured full professor of management, academic faculty director of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and associate dean of the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology. In her last role, she provided executive oversight for all graduate programs, AACSB accreditation, faculty affairs and research, and partnered closely with Sacred Heart’s Human Resources Department on developing and delivering leadership development programs for staff members at SHU.

As vice president for human resources, Guo will direct the University's HR function across recruitment, onboarding, compensation and benefits, performance management, employee experience as well as talent development.

"Grace has spent more than a decade building trust across every corner of this university, from the classroom to the dean's office," said Michael Iannazzi, senior vice president for administration. "Her research background in organizational behavior and human resource management, paired with her firsthand understanding of our mission and culture, makes her exactly the kind of strategic leader our Human Resources Department needs as Sacred Heart continues to grow."

Guo's academic work centers on international human resource management, leadership, organizational justice, global careers, and entrepreneurship. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, coauthored two edited scholarly books, and received the Academy of Management Best Paper Award. She currently serves on the board of the Chinese American Professors Association of Connecticut and was re-elected to a second term on the Steering Committee of AACSB Women Advancing Management Education, where she works with business school deans and academic leaders on executive leadership development and mentoring.

In a question-and-answer session, Guo discussed her vision for the role, what drew her to it, and her priorities for the University's Human Resources Department.

What attracted you to the vice president for human resources role at Sacred Heart University

After 16 years at Sacred Heart, I have had the opportunity to experience the University from several perspectives, as a faculty member, MBA program director, associate dean, and now a member of the senior leadership team. Throughout those roles, the consistent thread in my work has been people: helping individuals grow, developing leaders, strengthening teams, connecting people, and enhancing organizational strategy. With my academic background in organizational behavior and human resource management, the vice president for HR role felt like a natural extension of my academic work and a meaningful opportunity to serve an institution whose mission and culture I know deeply. I was attracted by the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and help shape how Sacred Heart supports its people as the University continues to grow.

What excites you most about stepping into this role and leading the University's human resources teams?

What excites me most is the opportunity to help position HR as a trusted strategic partner across the University. HR touches every employee and nearly every aspect of employee experience, from recruitment and onboarding to professional development, engagement, recognition, and retention. I am also excited to work with a talented and deeply committed HR team. Together, we can build on the strong work already under way while continuing to strengthen our relationships with faculty, staff, and leaders across the University. I see HR as a force for good, helping people learn, develop, and succeed, supporting leaders through complex decisions, and contributing to a supportive and collaborative workplace culture.

How have your previous leadership experiences at Sacred Heart prepared you for this role?

As a tenured full professor of management, my teaching and scholarship have focused on leadership, organizational behavior, and human resource management. That academic foundation allows me to approach this work from a research-informed and people-centered perspective. During my four years as associate dean of the Welch College of Business & Technology, I worked closely with faculty, staff, students, and University leaders. My responsibilities included faculty affairs, graduate programs, strategic planning, and AACSB accreditation. Those experiences taught me how to listen to different perspectives, manage complex organizational issues, and connect people, processes, and institutional priorities. In addition, over the past several years, in collaboration with a former dean of the Welch College of Business & Technology, I worked closely with the HR team to design and deliver highly rated leadership development programs for employees across SHU. I have also designed and delivered executive leadership programs for our community partners, experiences that have further strengthened my commitment to developing people and building leadership capacity within organizations. My 16 years as a faculty member also gave me a deep understanding of the faculty experience and the SHU culture. I hope that perspective will allow me to serve as a bridge among faculty, staff, administration, and HR, strengthening communication, trust, and collaboration across the University.

What are some of your priorities as you begin your new role?

My first priorities are listening and learning. I have been meeting with members of the HR team, senior leaders, and colleagues across the University to understand what is working well, where challenges exist, and how HR can provide stronger support. I also want to strengthen how we support our employees throughout their time at Sacred Heart, from recruitment and onboarding to professional training, leadership development, recognition, and retention. Talent development and learning will be an important pillar of our work moving forward. We want to equip employees and leaders with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to succeed. Another priority is to continue building institution-level systems and practices that are fair, transparent, equitable, and market-informed, particularly in areas such as compensation, performance management, and professional development. This work will take time and thoughtful collaboration, but it is essential to building trust, supporting our employees, and contributing to the University's long-term success.

What is your vision for human resources and how do you hope to support the University's employees?

My vision is for HR to be excellent in its service to the University and a trusted strategic partner, one that employees trust, and leaders engage early when considering important decisions. I want HR to be proactive, collaborative, responsive, and grounded in Sacred Heart's mission. That means supporting employees throughout their career journeys here at SHU, investing in professional and talent development, using data thoughtfully to guide decisions, strengthening communication and collaboration, and helping the University navigate change in a way that is both strategic and people centered. Ultimately, I want every employee to feel valued, supported, and connected to the University's mission. When our people are able to contribute and thrive, Sacred Heart is better positioned to fulfill its mission and serve our students and community.