2026 Strategies for Public Sector HR Leaders Certificate Program - Starting 1/27/2026
Includes Multiple Live Events. The next is on 01/27/2026 at 2:15 PM (EST)
Syllabus: Strategies for Public Sector Leadership Certificate Program
Start Date: January 27, 2026
End Date: March 6, 2026
Instructor: Isabel Godina-Vergara
PSHRA Contact: Debbie Tankersely-Snook
Welcome:
Welcome to PSHRA's Strategies for Public Sector Leadership. This course will equip you with the necessary tools to shift from a transactional to a strategic role in Public Sector HR by using a competency framework. Your role has evolved beyond merely transactional tasks. Today's HR department in the public sector is pivotal to the agency's success. It involves teaching team building, coaching, conflict resolution, consensus-building, fostering a risk-taking culture, enhancing communication, building trust, and more.
Course Outcomes:
This comprehensive leadership course is designed for mid- to senior-level public sector HR leaders, providing a solid foundation for success.
To achieve this, the course focuses on the following outcomes:
- Assess the impact of HR and human capital management in the public sector and justify HR programs in the public sector.
- Design programs that align with specific competencies within the PSHRA Competency Model, covering three major modules: Leader, Business Partner, and Change Agent.
- Evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses regarding these competencies and create a plan for your individual professional development as an HR professional using the PSHRA Competency Model.
- Plan professional development in accordance with your personal competencies.
You will finish this course with:
- A solid strategic foundation for success.
- A professional development plan.
Certificate of Attendance:
You will earn a Certificate of Attendance upon completion of the course.
Course Design:
The course spans six weeks and follows a specific timeline with a sequence of lessons and cohort sessions. You will receive details about the dates, times, and locations of cohort sessions.
Time Commitment:
Plan for 90 minutes for each online lesson to read, complete activities, and prepare for cohort sessions. Individuals have varying learning paces, so it might take more or less time for each person. We recommend completing lessons a day or two before the cohort sessions to allow time for reflection on what you've learned and the development of your plans.
Meetings and Discussions:
- Course Cohort Meetings take place in Zoom Events – You will access them through your course "Content Tab."
- Course Discussion Board take place in Your Course’s Engage Community – You will access the Engage Community through your course "Content Tab."
Online Cohort Schedule (subject to change):
- Cohort #1 – Coming Soon!
- Cohort #2 – Coming Soon!
- Cohort #3 - Coming Soon!
- Cohort #4 - Coming Soon!
Course Schedule:
Week 1:
Online Lesson (self-paced) - Lesson 1: Introduction
Week 2:
Cohort Session (virtual) - Session 1: Introduction
Online Lesson (self-paced) - Lesson 2: The Role of the HR Leader
Week 3:
No Cohort Session
Online Lesson (self-paced) - Lesson 3: The Role of an HR Business Partner
Week 4:
Cohort Session (virtual) - Session 2: The Role of the HR Leader
- Negotiation: the cohort participants will perform a mock negotiation of a contract or provisions of a rule and have sides. This activity will allow participants to see how people react in these situations and practice skills used to defuse tension
- Emotional Quotient/Intelligence: cohort participants will develop a proposed response modeling EQ based on a stressful leadership/communication scenario
Online Lesson (self-paced) - Lesson 4: The Role of the Change Agent
Week 5:
Cohort Session (virtual) - Session 3: The Role of an HR Business Partner
- Partnered practice scenario performs as a trusted coach or consultant on a challenging people issue such as performance, DEIA, risk management, or leadership coaching (developing) or advising (consulting)
- Partners work on conducting an HR needs analysis
Online Lesson (self-paced) - Lesson 5: Summary
Week 6:
Cohort Session (in-person or virtual) - Session 4: The Role of the Change Agent & Summary
Course Workbook:
The course includes a workbook. You'll use the workbook throughout the course to reflect on what you're learning, record ideas, plan for future personal development, and plan activities for your agency. There are two versions:
- a PDF version - if you'd like to print it and write your answers and ideas and
- an MS Word version - if you'd prefer to work electronically.
The files have the same content - just differences in page layout. You will use the workbook while taking the online lessons and while attending the cohort sessions.
The workbook is available by selecting the Course Materials tab and then Strategies for Public Sector Leadership Workbook.
Making public sector work better™.
Isabel Godina-Vergara, PSHRA-SCP
Human Resources Manager
City of Nampa, ID
Isabel serves as the Human Resources Manager for the City of Nampa, Idaho, where she has dedicated over 19 years of her professional life. Isabel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Human Resources Management, as well as the esteemed PSHRA-SCP certification.
As HR Manager, Isabel is responsible for the full spectrum of HR operations—from Recruiting and Employee Relations to Strategic Planning and Team Development. Isabel is passionate about training; she regularly facilitates programs for her internal customers, including DISC training and various communication and leadership workshops.
Dedicated to continuous learning, she is always pursuing additional educational opportunities, which she then translates into valuable knowledge for her peers. She recently started a small business and plans to launch a nonprofit to continue sharing her HR expertise with the wider community.
She has been an active, dedicated member of PSHRA since 2007.
When she manages to step away from the world of HR, Isabel loves enjoying Idaho's scenic views while camping, hiking, off-roading, and paddleboarding, exploring further out. She has also recently developed a love for snorkeling.