Rita Kenyon
Chair, Human Resource Management
Rita Kenyon brings to Concordia University more than 40 years of experience in corporate human resources, including at the executive leadership level. Since she joined Concordia in 2004, she has been dedicated to sharing her broad understanding of the Human Resources field with the HR practitioners and aspiring professionals enrolled in her classes. She also has served as an adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to joining Concordia, Kenyon was human resources director for North Central Blood Services of the American Red Cross. She previously served at the Hazeldon Foundation in several positions, including as senior vice president of Human Resources and Information Services. She began her HR career as a personnel administrator/recruiter at Maxwell Communication Corp., and four years later had earned the position as director of human resources.
Academic Credentials
- J.D., William Mitchell College of Law
- B.A., Psychology, University of Minnesota
- Industrial Relations Certificate, University of Minnesota
- Masters Forum, Executive Development, University of Minnesota
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification
Academic Focus
Legal issues in human resources, employee and labor relations, applied ethics, human resources as a strategic business partner
Career Highlight
"For me, it's hearing from a former student who says the encouragement, advice or guidance they received from me helped put them on a path to achieving their goals. As educators, it can be hard to know if you're really making an impact on students' lives. These little ‘snapshots' in time say that, yes, we're making a difference. This is most meaningful to me."
"Having worked in a variety of organizations before I came to teaching, I saw a lot of different people who struggling to find their niche … what kind of career their really wanted and what they wanted to pursue. Many had unrealized potential because they hadn't been able to incorporate their life experience with education. I find it very satisfying to facilitate that learning process."