Kelly Samson-Rickert, Ed.D., SPHR

Kelly Samson-Rickert is the Director of Workforce Development for the State of Maine, Office of Information Technology (OIT).  In this role, she oversees and develops the strategic planning for the OIT workforce needs in this fast-changing technology field. She provides guidance and the focus on training and development of the existing workforce, to ensure that OIT has the right skills to do the right jobs for the State’s technology needs of the future. Another initiative in this role is establishing talent pipelines for internship programs for both students and veterans by partnering with higher education partners and businesses. Additionally, she handles the oversight of recruitment, retention, and succession planning, professional development and workforce matters for the OIT.

Prior work experience includes working for a fortune 500 company, a private school grades 5 though post-graduate, and in higher education.  In her most previous job, Kelly was the human resource and benefits manager for a university. She was also a program coordinator and an adjunct professor in the School of Education and Human Development, Teacher Career Switcher Program; and a co-adjunct at the Harry F. Byrd School of Business, Human Resource and Leadership courses. She has extensive work as a facilitator and presenter in the subject matters relating to human resource leadership, strategic planning and human relations, with an emphasis on workforce planning.  She is continuing her research focus on the five generations in the workplace, and the emotional aspect of retirement planning.