From the Board

From Participation to Leadership: Growing with AHRD

Submitted by Yuanlu Niu, AHRD Board Member

When I first became involved with the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD), I did not imagine that one day I would serve on its Board of Directors. Like many members, I began simply by attending conferences, presenting research, meeting scholars, and learning more about the HRD community. Over time, participation gradually became contribution, and contribution eventually became leadership.

Reflecting on my first year serving on the AHRD Board, I have been thinking about this journey. More importantly, I have been thinking about the many pathways AHRD provides for members to become involved, develop professionally, build relationships, and contribute to our community. My own pathway was not planned. It developed one opportunity at a time.

AHRD conferences were an important part of that journey. They provided opportunities to share my research, meet scholars with similar interests, learn from others, develop collaborations, and become more connected to the field. I began serving as an AHRD conference reviewer in 2017 and later took on leadership roles, including Associate Proceedings Editor for the 2024 conference, Proceedings Editor for the 2025 conference, and Program Chair for the 2026 conference. Each role allowed me to see AHRD from a different perspective. As a conference participant, I primarily experienced what AHRD offered its members. As I became more involved in conference service, I began to understand how much work occurs behind the scenes to create those experiences. Conferences, publications, mentoring opportunities, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), and other AHRD activities exist because members are willing to contribute their time, expertise, ideas, and energy.

That realization has shaped how I think about professional association membership. Membership provides valuable opportunities for professional development, research dissemination, networking, and collaboration. But a professional community becomes especially meaningful when we move beyond asking, “What opportunities are available to me?” and begin asking, “How can I contribute to creating opportunities for others?” This question has become particularly meaningful in my current Board role supporting AHRD’s SIGs. SIGs provide spaces where members can connect around shared scholarly interests, professional experiences, research methodologies, and areas of practice. They can help members find collaborators, exchange ideas, develop relationships, and become more connected to the larger AHRD community. SIGs can also provide a pathway into service and leadership. Leadership in a professional association does not have to begin with a formal position. It may begin by attending a SIG meeting, participating in a discussion, volunteering for an activity, reviewing a conference proposal, or simply reaching out to someone with similar interests. Small acts of engagement can gradually lead to deeper relationships and new opportunities to contribute.

My own experience with AHRD has taught me that professional development rarely occurs through one defining opportunity. It happens through a series of experiences and relationships. Eventually, we may realize that we are no longer only benefiting from the community, but we are also helping to sustain it. As I continue my first year of Board service, one question I hope we continue asking is: How can AHRD create pathways that help members move from participation, to belonging, to contribution, and ultimately to leadership? Those pathways will look different for each person. What matters is that members can find spaces where they feel connected and where their ideas and contributions are valued.

I encourage students, emerging scholars, practitioners, international members, and those attending an AHRD event for the first time to find one way to become involved. Join a conversation. Attend a SIG meeting. Volunteer. Introduce yourself to someone. Share an idea. Over time, participation can become belonging, belonging can become contribution, and contribution can become an opportunity to help build the community for those who come next.

Important Reminders

• Awards Deadline – November 7, 2026
• Action Research Webinar – October 14, 2026
• PEN Case Competition Application – Deadline
• Conference registration is open!

News for Members

Call for AHRD Board of Directors Nominations – September 2026

The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) was founded on May 7, 1993, to encourage the systematic study of Human Resource Development (HRD) theories, processes, and practices; to disseminate information about HRD; to encourage the application of HRD research findings; and to provide opportunities for social interaction among individuals with scholarly and professional interests in HRD from multiple disciplines and from across the globe. This remains the mission today. The organization’s vision is "Leading Human Resource Development through Research.”

Fulfillment of this mission requires the contributions of leaders with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The strategic guidance of such leaders ensures the alignment of our four priorities (fundraising, research, member value proposition, and generating revenue) along with our commitment to antiracism. The work of these board members is done with the future direction of our organizational culture, research, and practice in mind.

The nomination committee seeks individuals who uphold these standards and are committed to a socially just and inclusive academy. There are six Board of Director openings including five General Board Members and one Graduate Student At-Large Director. All eligible AHRD members—scholars and scholar-practitioners--are encouraged to nominate and apply.

Responsibilities for the General Board of Directors

Board members are elected for a three-year term and are expected to attend the Board meetings during the annual conferences in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030 and monthly virtual board meetings each year of the three-year term. Board members are expected to cover their own expenses for attendance at scheduled Board meetings (the annual conference). The key roles of the Board of Directors are to:

• Ensure fiscal stewardship of AHRD.
• Set AHRD’s strategic direction.
• Serve as role models for research, practice, teaching, and service, as well as for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within AHRD and the field of HRD.
• Actively advance the work of AHRD.
• Contribute (Get or Give Policy) to AHRD (Board members are expected to raise or contribute to at least $500 each year)

Graduate Student At-large Director Responsibilities

The Graduate Student At-Large Director is a Board member and the liaison for Graduate Students. This position is for a three-year term and adheres to the same duties outlined for and relevant to other members of the AHRD Board of Directors, including attending and participating in board meetings and retreats. The key roles of Graduate Student At-large Director are to:

• Ensure Graduate Student representation. 
• Create and sustain meaningful, transparent exchanges of information within and between AHRD Graduate Students and the AHRD Board of Directors. 
• Focus on supporting Graduate Student issues and engagement at the conference(s) and other events hosted and sponsored by AHRD.

Nominations Procedure for the General Board of Directors

Nomination materials must include:

• A written statement that includes both (a) the candidate's biographical information and (b) vision for the Academy, including how they would like to contribute to their role as a Board member. Statements should not exceed 500 words. Note that the use of flyers or the AHRD listserv for the promotion of candidates is prohibited. Please include this in a Word document.
• A headshot (jpeg) to include on the AHRD candidate site.
• Send nomination materials to Dr. Shinhee Jeong (AHRD Nominations & Elections Committee Co-Chair) at sjeong@uttyler.edu. The deadline for nominations is midnight (CST) on or before Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

A reply email confirmation will be sent to you indicating that your nomination has been received. If you do not receive this confirmation within 48 hours, please re-send and contact office@ahrd.org. In mid-November, all AHRD members will receive instructions for completing their ballot. The AHRD election process will be completed by early-December, and new Board members will be announced in early 2027.

Nominations & Elections Committee

Shinhee Jeong, University of Texas at Tyler (Co-Chair)
Jeremy Bohonos, Texas State University (Co-Chair)
Laura Bierema, University of Georgia
Yuanlu Niu, University of Arkansas
Taylor Cavallo, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

AHRD Case Study Competition

On February 10, 2027, the AHRD Annual Conference will host its Case Study Competition, led by the Program Excellence Network (PEN). Graduate teams of up to five students from PEN member universities will analyze a real-world case from the forthcoming Case Studies in HRD series. Each team will present its recommendations live to a panel of Academy judges.

Teams receive the case on November 1, 2026, submit a written analysis and presentation deck by December 31, 2026, and present at the conference. The top three teams will be recognized, the winning team will present in a PEN-hosted webinar, and every participant will receive a certificate.

Program directors and faculty: please encourage your students to form teams. University registration closes October 31, 2026.

Questions? Contact PEN Representatives Dr. Sonai Chaudhuri and Dr. Kathy Yeager at schaudhuri@temple.edu/yeagerkl@hotmail.com

Call for Proposals: Korea Sig Team-Up Grant for Research Collaboration

The Korea SIG is now accepting proposals for the Team-Up Grant, which is open to all AHRD members. This initiative encourages collaborative research by supporting the formation of multi-institutional, multi-national teams, recognizing the potential for increased productivity and enhanced quality in scholarship. Since 2016, the Korea SIG has fostered collaboration among AHRD members, offering valuable opportunities, especially for students and early career scholars. This year’s Team-Up Grant is sponsored by the Korean Academy of Human Resource Development in the Americas (KAHRDA) and will award up to $500 per team, with a maximum of two teams funded.

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Journal News

Call for Papers: International Journal of HRD, Policy, Practice and Research (IJHRDPPR)

This special issue of the International Journal of HRD, Policy, Practice and Research (IJHRDPPR) invites contributions that bridge scholarly insight and professional practice in the field of human capital management, development, and measurement. We welcome papers that speak to academics, practitioners, and scholar-practitioners seeking to understand how human capital is developed, mobilized, and evaluated in contemporary organizations. Submissions may draw on empirical research, practice-based enquiry, case studies, or conceptual frameworks that shed light on how organizations design human capital strategies, make development investments, and assess impact at individual, organizational, or societal levels. Particular encouragement is given to work that translates theory into actionable insight, explores innovative approaches to human capital measurement and analytics, and reflects on emerging challenges such as digital transformation, skills transitions, sustainability, and inclusion. The aim of this special issue is to advance research-informed practice and practice-informed research that supports more effective, responsible, and evidence-based human capital decision-making.

Due date for submissions: March 15, 2027

*Guest editors for this special issue are Dr. Prerna Tambay, Kingston University and Dr. Wilson Wong, National Chair of human capital standards at the BSI, UK and Visiting Professor at Cranfield University and Nottingham Business School.

AAACE Membership Discount Code 

AHRD members are eligible for a 10% discount off AAACE membership with this Promo Code: "AHRDMemberPartner"

Visit the AAACE membership page here: https://www.aaace.org/page/Membership

Quicklinks

AHRD Digest Editor

By Shinhee Jeong, Digest Editor

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Academy of Human Resource Development or its affiliates.