Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) welcomes alumna and WakeMed Health and Hospitals Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Officer Dr. Jeronica Goodwin, ’98, back to her alma mater to serve as the keynote speaker for the university’s 92nd Commencement Ceremony on May 6, 2023.

“Dr. Goodwin’s service to the Raleigh community as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at WakeMed provides us as students the vision of how high a Falcon can soar,” said Zachary Barco, SAU’s Student Government Association President. “As we each embark on our next chapter, I am confident that my classmates will continue to blaze the trail set by Dr. Goodwin and the many alumni who have positively impacted the world, unquestionably representing the best of Saint Augustine’s University.”

The commencement ceremony will occur at 9 a.m. in the George Williams Athletic Complex.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Goodwin home to share with the class of 2023 the tradition of strength, resilience, and ambition that have come to define Saint Augustine’s University,” said SAU President Dr. Christine Johnson McPhail. “I am incredibly proud of what this class has achieved, and I am confident that their impact as Falcons, just as Dr. Goodwin’s, will extend far beyond the walls of our university. This class embodies our institution’s core values. Moreover, it is a testament to the bright future that awaits them as they step forward into the world as SAU graduates.”

Dr. Jeronica Goodwin is a seasoned healthcare human resources professional with more than twenty years of experience. She has experience working in both large and mid-size hospitals and healthcare organizations. Recently Dr. Goodwin worked for Unity Health Care as the Vice President of Human Resources and for Howard University Hospital as the Associate Administrator overseeing HR and several support departments. Before that, she held various executive-level roles in human resources at the Dimock Community Health Center, Providence Hospital, and Suburban Hospital, a Johns Hopkins Medicine member. Dr. Goodwin started her career in human resources at WakeMed Health and Hospitals. She has returned after several years and is their Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Officer overseeing all human capital functions.

Dr. Goodwin is a frequent presenter at national conferences, speaking about healthcare and human resources-related topics. She also participates in dissertations and advisory committees. Besides her work as a full-time executive, she occasionally teaches healthcare and human resources subjects as an adjunct professor.

Dr. Goodwin received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Augustine’s University, a Master of Science in Human Resources Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Doctor of Health Administration from Central Michigan University. Dr. Goodwin was a Fellow with The Washington Center in Washington, DC. She spent a semester working for a Presidential cabinet member. She has completed global immersion studies in Belize, Central America, with ProHealth Belize and Geneva, Switzerland, at the World Health Organization and the International Office of the Red Cross, researching international healthcare systems.

Dr. Goodwin is very active in her community. She serves on the boards for InterAct and Urban Ministries of Wake County. She is also a member of the Provost Advisory Council for Wake Tech Community College’s Perry Health Sciences Campus and NC State’s Poole College of Management HR Advisory Board. In addition, Dr. Goodwin received the appointment to serve on the City of Raleigh’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC). Commissioner Goodwin will serve two years.

She enjoys international travel, dancing, cycling, and the arts in her spare time.

Dr. Goodwin belongs to the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), and the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE). In addition, she chartered the Raleigh/Triangle Chapter of the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources (NAAAHR).

The ceremony will stream live on the university’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Click here for more information about the SAU 2023 commencement ceremony.