ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 30, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) Board of Directors named Amy Schabacker Dufrane, Ed.D., SPHR®, CAE to the position of chief executive officer. Dufrane joined HRCI as chief operating officer in 2011 and most recently served as the Institute's executive director.
"Dr. Dufrane brings the rare combination of leadership and technical expertise that is needed in a CEO of the Institute at this time," said Clarissa A. Peterson, SPHR®, GPHR®, chair of HRCI's board of directors and chief human resources and chief ethics officer at Abt Associates. "Those of us here at the Institute – both volunteers like me and staff – are more excited about the future than we've ever been, and we are delighted to have Amy leading us."
A senior executive with more than 20 years of experience, Dufrane has served as executive director at HRCI since December 2012. Her promotion to CEO is effective immediately. Her earlier experiences include serving as chief human resources and administrative officer of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, senior director of HR and administration for the Optical Society and human resource professions at Marymount University and Bloomingdales with increasingly progressive levels of responsibilities.
"HRCI certificants are recognized as experts in their field, supported by a network of people who are committed to career development and connected to a community of high-achieving leaders who are advancing the strategic importance of the HR profession," Dufrane said. "I'm thrilled to lead the Institute at such an exciting time and look forward to continuing to collaborate with HR leaders and volunteers who move the profession forward."
Dufrane has been a member of the adjunct faculty in the School of Business at Marymount University since 1998. She holds a doctorate in education from The George Washington University, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Human Resources from Marymount University and a bachelor's degree in management from Hood College. She obtained the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) from the HR Certification Institute in 2005 and became a Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in 2013.
About the HR Certification Institute
The HR Certification Institute, established in 1976, is the internationally recognized, independent certifying organization for the Human Resources profession. The HR Certification Institute is the global leader in developing rigorous exams to demonstrate competence, mastery and real-world application of forward-thinking HR practices, policies and principles. Today, more than 135,000 HR professionals worldwide proudly maintain the HR Certification Institute's credentials as a mark of high professional distinction. The HR Certification Institute offers a comprehensive portfolio of advanced professional credentials for HR professionals worldwide. Visit www.hrci.org to learn more.