Cyndi Gaudet, Ph.D.
Center Director and Associate Professor
Tel: 228.214.3344; Fax: 228.214.3343
cyndi.gaudet@usm.edu

Cyndi Gaudet serves as the Director of the Jack and Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute and Associate Professor/Coordinator for the Workplace Training and Development Degree Programs in the College of Science and Technology at The University of Southern Mississippi. Gaudet's professional efforts include developing and maintaining a competent Workplace, determining the most appropriate academic preparation for training professionals (pre-service and in-service), and the impact of technology on learning and performance in the workplace. She has served as principal investigator for Workplace training and development research projects, and is currently project lead for NASA's National Workplace Education and Training Initiative (NWDETI) and the US Department of Labor Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program (GTAP). She has presented professional papers for regional, national, and international conferences, including the American Society for Training and Development, the American Society of Engineering Education, the Academy of Human Resource Development, the National Business Education Association, the American Society for Mechanical Engineers, the Urban Regional Information Systems Association, and the Association of American Geographers. Her research has been published in journals such as the HRD Quarterly, International Journal of Instructional Media, NABTE Review, URISA Journal, and the Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. Dr. Gaudet has been successful in helping individuals from diverse industries implement a systematic approach for delivering and measuring the impact of Workplace development programs.

Dr. Gaudet founded the NASA-sponsored GeoSpatial Workplace Development Center, developed and implemented undergraduate and master's degrees in Workplace Training and Development at USM, created a multimedia courseware authoring center to develop interactive instruction materials at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and created a training and development non-degree trainer certification program (designated as a Microsoft Authorized Train the Trainer course). Cyndi earned a Ph.D. from the Louisiana State University School of Human Resource Education and Workplace Development, and holds a B.S. and M.Ed. in Business Education from The University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Gaudet's university teaching experience includes the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Finally, Dr. Gaudet's experience includes working as an HRD consultant, as industrial administrative support in the petrochemical industry and as a free-lance court reporter.

Heather Annulis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Tel: 228.214.3348; Fax: 228.214.3343
heather.annulis@usm.edu

Dr. Annulis has taught and conducted research in the Colleges of Science and Technology and Business and Economic Development at The University of Southern Mississippi since May 2000. Subjects taught include Human Performance Technology; Human Performance Technology II; Research in Workplace Development; Senior Project in Workplace Development; and Internship in Workplace Development. Previously, Dr. Annulis was a Training Manager at a gaming facility where she started a training program for over 1,200 employees. Dr. Annulis earned a Ph.D. in International Development and a Master's in Organizational Communication from The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, respectively.

Dr. Annulis has been instrumental, as a co-principal investigator in generating over $3.5 million in external funding in three years. Associated with this funding was research conducted through NASA to help develop a well-trained geospatial Workplace. Results of the research include a Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM), a GTCM Online Assessment Tool, a Web Portal for Geospatial Workplace Development Information, and a Workplace Readiness Scorecard for implementation of the GTCM. Dr. Annulis has also been funded through the Department of Labor to implement the GTCM in a Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program. She regularly speaks to national audiences on the results of this research.

Since joining the Southern Miss team, Dr. Annulis has been involved in curriculum improvement and executive format program design for the Workplace Training and Development master's program. In addition, she serves as Director of the Training and Development Certificate Program designed for Human Resource Development professionals to gain workplace competencies. In 2002, the Southern Growth Policies Board recognized Dr. Annulis at the Governor's Association Conference as an Innovator in Workplace Development. In 2003, the National Aeronautics Space Administration honored Dr. Annulis with the Public Service Group Achievement Award for her work on the National Workplace Development Education and Training Initiative team.

Dr. Annulis' special research interests include developing and implementing competency models, determining return of investment of performance improvement programs, creating change readiness in organizations, and identifying perceived organizational support.

Dr. Annulis is a member of the American Society of Training and Development, the International Society of Performance Improvement, the Society for Human Resources Management, and the Academy of Human Resource Development.
 

Bruce Waguespack, Ph.D., CPLP
Assistant Professor
bruce.waguespack@usm.edu

Bruce Waguespack is an assistant professor at the WLPI and teaches graduate courses in Human Capital Development (HCD) and Workforce Training & Development (WTD) degree programs. Dr. Waguespack has served as an adjunct professor at The University Southern Mississippi and Louisiana State University for over ten years. He worked with WLPI in a part-time basis to help establish the Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program standards and industry partners. He is a facilitator in the Training and Development Certificate Program. His innovative teaching style is grounded by practical, real life experience. Dr. Waguespack is an independent consultant through his company, Potential Unlimited Inc., where he designs and aligns performance improvement strategies that achieve key organizational objectives. Waguespack was, for seven years, the corporate manager for training and development at Georgia Gulf Corporation where he was responsible for employee performance improvement and organizational development. Dr. Waguespack was instrumental in establishing the industry-driven Process Technology Associate Degree program in Louisiana. He served two terms as president of the Baton Rouge chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Waguespack is a Certified Professional in Learning & Performance (CPLP) pioneer, as he is among the first in the industry to earn this certification. Waguespack now serves on the CPLP review team for ASTD. Waguespack holds a B.S. in Agriculture Business from Nicholls State University, an M.S. degree in Adult & Extension Education and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Education and Workforce Development from Louisiana State University.

Suzy Parker-Knight,
Administrative and Logistics Coordinator
Tel: 228.214.3344; Fax: 228.214.3515
suzanna.knight@usm.edu

Suzy Knight is a long-time resident of Long Beach Mississippi.  She serves as the Administrative and Logistics Coordinator for the Jack and Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute (WLPI). Prior to joining the WLPI, she served as the administrative assistant for Marketing and Public Relations at Southern Miss on the Gulf Park Campus. In the past, Suzy has also supervised a staff of nine caseworkers for a state-funded social services program, which encompassed Harrison and Stone counties.

Some of her duties include coordinating both on and off campus activities for the WLPI, processing all travel paperwork for the WLPI team members and maintaining a comprehensive database of travel to conferences and meetings that is used for the team’s professional development. Suzy is trained in the financials and student administration portion of PeopleSoft software implemented at Southern Miss several years ago. She maintains all the budgets for the WLPI which includes completing all interdepartmental invoices, physical plant work requests, and orders from various vendors. Suzy also manages all physical inventories and is instrumental in creating and maintaining a database system to track all equipment and electronic items purchased by the institute. This system keeps the center in compliance with Southern Miss’ policies and state audits.

Suzy completed her undergraduate degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems (MIS) and a minor in Geography with an emphasis in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) at Southern Miss.  She hopes to enter the Workforce Training and Development master’s program at Southern Miss Gulf Coast in the future.