# Certified Federal HR Advisor (cFHRA) Level II Certificate Program Become a trusted HR advisor to agency leadership with this live online certificate Canonical URL: ## Overview This program is built on OPM’s HR Management Competencies Model to ensure real-world applicability across the federal HR landscape. It builds on the foundational cFHRP certification, enhancing your ability to support strategic decision-making. Courses focus on expanding your advisory capabilities and advancing the competencies needed to provide actionable insights to agency leadership. ## What you'll learn - Explore job analysis and applicant assessment methods to improve hiring decisions. - Navigate federal employee relations challenges at an intermediate level. - Learn precise pay-setting rules under the General Schedule system. - Apply FLSA criteria correctly when classifying positions as exempt or nonexempt. ## Curriculum 1. **Federal Employee Development Course** 2. **Making Exempt/Nonexempt Determinations Course** 3. **Federal Employee Relations Course (Intermediate)** 4. **Job Analysis for Federal Hiring Course** 5. **Pay Setting: General Schedule Course** 6. **Qualifications Analysis Course** 7. **AI for Federal Employee Relations Course** ## Instructors ### Judy Mintze — Instructor Judy Mintze is a retired Federal HR instructor with over 30 years of experience specializing in Federal Human Resource Processing and Personnel Actions (FPPA). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and has dedicated her career to teaching federal HR professionals. Judy is known for creating engaging and inclusive learning environments where participants feel empowered to ask questions and apply federal laws, rules, and regulations to their work. Her expertise spans a wide range of HR topics, including recruitment, pay setting, and personnel action processing. During her tenure as an HR Specialist at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), Judy served as a Senior Human Resource Instructor, training newly hired HR staff on complex topics such as developing assessment materials, adjudicating veterans' preferences, and setting pay. She also developed course materials, lesson plans, and examinations, ensuring her students were well-equipped to navigate the complexities of federal HR processes. Judy’s passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom, as she has also conducted federal resume writing workshops and contributed to process improvement projects to streamline hiring practices. ### Natalya H. Bah — Instructor Natalya Bah has been a part-time instructor at the Graduate School USA for over fifteen years. Natalya teaches across multiple curricula, including Leadership and Management, Project Management, and Human Resources. She has created a curriculum for the school, including Change Management Workshops and project management courses. She has served as an action learning coach, instructor, and facilitator for government leadership programs in the Center for Leadership and Management. Natalya also provides self-assessments and dynamic team-building sessions on behalf of the Graduate School USA. Outside of Graduate School USA, Ms. Bah is a self-employed business owner providing executive coaching, training, and consulting services to the public and private sectors. She created the Define and Achieve Your Goals Process™ and is a certified Birkman Method© Consultant. She received her Master of Science degree in Project Management from George Washington University’s School of Business, where she served as a teaching assistant and received the Project Management Award. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). ### Victoria Cox — Instructor Dr. Victoria Cox is a seasoned professional with over 31 years of distinguished service in the federal government. She holds a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership and brings a wealth of expertise to her role as an instructor. Since joining Graduate School USA in 2023, Dr. Cox has been dedicated to teaching Human Resources courses, leveraging her extensive experience to guide and inspire the next generation of HR professionals. ### Adrianna Harden — Instructor Adrianna is a retired federal Human Resources (HR) Senior Leader who dedicated her civil service career to serving America’s veterans. She retired after spending over 32 years in HR, working at Veterans Affairs Headquarters, Regional Office, and Field facilities. She passionately shares her wealth of HR knowledge with all who are interested. She loves learning and intentionally commits to learning “something new” every day. In addition to her extensive HR experience, she has a Master’s degree in Management Technology and HRM. She is certified as a Senior HR Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management organization. ### DeShanta Hinton — Instructor DeShanta N. Hinton is a Human Resources Professional who has experience serving in various capacities across the HR industry. She has a proven track record of leading Staffing, Recruitment, and Classification teams. During her 35-year tenure as a federal government employee, she has worked in 5 different agencies where she became well-versed in the following HR areas: Recruitment & Staffing, Personnel Processing, eOPF administration & maintenance, Quality Assurance, Benefits & Compensation, and Employee & Labor Relations. DeShanta is enthusiastic about writing and mentoring. In 2018, she became a published author. Collaborating with other women of influence and information, this humbling experience provided DeShanta with a therapeutic process for healing, growing, maturing, and becoming a better version of herself. Through her heart’s work, in 2016, DeShanta began partnering with a few non-profit organizations across the Washington, DC metro area to formally mentor low-income Washingtonians. Leaning into her love for learning, DeShanta furthered her education by obtaining the following degrees: an Associate and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, as well as a Master of Science in Human Resources and a Master of Business Administration. Her passion for Human Resources ignited her journey to becoming an Instructor at the Graduate School, where she now facilitates Human Resources Management courses. She is a native Washingtonian and enjoys spending time with her family, spending time outdoors, and growing plants in her spare time. ### Rhonda Coachman-Steward — Instructor Rhonda Coachman-Steward is a seasoned federal human resources leader with more than 30 years of experience in recruitment, staffing, classification, employee relations, executive resources, and HR policy development. She has held senior HR roles across multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Secret Service. She is known for her strong analytical skills, strategic leadership, and deep expertise in federal HR operations and systems. At Graduate School USA, Ms. Coachman-Steward teaches a range of Federal HR training courses, drawing on her extensive experience overseeing major HR functions and advising senior executives. She is proficient in systems such as NFC, DFAS, DCPS, PeopleSoft, QuickHire, and USA Staffing, and holds a Certificate in Computer Programming from Strayer University, along with Computer Science studies at the University of Maryland. Her work has been recognized with numerous federal awards, including multiple Special Act or Service Awards, Quality Step Increases, Time Off Awards, and Inspector General commendations. ### Kristin Aurelia Kristin Aurelia is a senior human resource and business management leader with over 25 years of expertise transforming organizations through strategic HR initiatives, leadership development, policy innovation, and operational excellence, with a specialty in global workforce management across high-stakes defense and federal environments. During her distinguished career at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), she spearheaded the agency's first-ever Remote Work Program, supported by a comprehensive 275-page business case analysis and post-pandemic expansion, and led Phase I and Phase II of the Cyber Excepted Service (CES) implementation, impacting more than 5,500 positions. She also revitalized the Next Level Leaders Program and launched the Civilian Workforce Agility, Mobility, and Development (AMD) Program, which earned a Director's Coin as one of the Agency Director's Top 10 Initiatives. Kristin has advised DoD-level workgroups on civilian personnel, telework and remote work, and quality of work life, while overseeing policy creation and compliance across Title 5, Title 10, OPM, and DCPAS frameworks. Today she serves as a Curriculum Program Manager and HR and Leadership instructor at the Graduate School. An entrepreneur at heart, she is owner and senior consultant at KC Consulting Solutions, LLC, providing business and communication plan development for start-ups, personalized career consulting, and grant writing. She is also Co-Founder of SHE Wise Publications & SHE Wise Wellness, the author of eight published books in the spiritual, healing, and self-help genres, and host of the globally syndicated _Surviving the Human Experience Podcast_ on Boston's Dreamvisions7 Radio Network. Kristin holds an MBA and an MA in Human Resource Management with an Instructional Design Certificate, as well as a BA in Psychology with an HR Certificate from Marymount University in Arlington, VA, and she completed a graduate-level Leadership & Development Program at George Washington University. Her wellness credentials include NASM Certified Nutrition (CNC) and Wellness Coach (CWC), Trinity Certified Health Coach (CHC), and Biofield Tuner, and she has completed the Certified Holistic Health Practitioner Program (CHHP) at Trinity School of Natural Health. ### Robin Fortner — Instructor Robin Fortner is a Marine Corps Veteran, Strategic Executive Advisor, and Leadership Strategist known for elevating leaders and organizations operating in high-stakes environments. With over three decades of military leadership including service as Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary of the Navy, Robin has guided senior decision-makers through complex challenges requiring clarity, readiness, and bold strategic alignment. As a combat veteran deployed to both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, she brings an extensive and hard-won operational knowledge set that informs every dimension of her leadership practice. As President of R.C. Fortner Enterprises, Robin works with senior leaders and organizations to accelerate mission-focused growth, strengthen executive leadership capability, and navigate complex organizational dynamics with confidence and precision. As an instructor and facilitator, Robin translates decades of real-world leadership experience into high-impact learning environments. She is known for bridging rigorous strategic frameworks with human-centered leadership development. Her instructional approach draws from operational experience, making complex leadership concepts immediately applicable and actionable. Robin holds dual Master's degrees in Leadership and Management and Human Resource Management, a Bachelor's degree in Intelligence Studies, and is pursuing her Doctorate in Strategic Leadership at Liberty University. ### Francis Connor — Instructor Frank Connor has been an Instructor with Graduate School USA since 2010. He has presented over 375 courses, including: Pay Setting: General Schedule; Pay Setting: Federal Wage System; Qualifications Analysis; Federal Staffing and Placement; Adjudicating Veterans Preference; and Preparing and Conducting Reduction In Force. Mr. Connor retired from the federal government in April of 2010 following 34 years of service, most recently as the Associate Regional Director for Administration for the National Park Service’s Northeast Region. Mr. Connor had a decade of experience leading human resources programs. He served as the Civilian Personnel Director for the Naval Air Propulsion Center in Trenton, NJ, and the Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station in Philadelphia, PA. He was Human Resource Director of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center and Deputy Human Resource Director for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. He also had assignments in human resources and administration at the Detroit Arsenal, Warren, MI; Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, NJ; and the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Labor and Navy in Philadelphia. Frank holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA and a Master of Arts in Management from Central Michigan University. He has done additional graduate study at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He was an NDFL fellow of the University of Washington, Seattle. He completed the Certificate Program of the Administrative and Service Institute of the University of Tennessee. ### Christina Pacunas — Instructor Christina Pacunas is an Air Force Veteran and senior-level Human Resources Officer with more than 11 years of experience leading human capital initiatives across diverse environments. She brings proven expertise in talent acquisition, workforce planning, employee development, and organizational change management, with a track record of aligning HR strategies to business objectives that drive performance, strengthen culture, and boost employee engagement. Christina is recognized for building high-performing teams and implementing data-driven HR solutions. She has extensive experience delivering virtual training to federal employees, specializing in the federal recruitment and staffing lifecycle. Her subject matter expertise spans strategic recruitment discussions, hiring flexibilities, job analysis, job announcement development, adjudicating veterans' preference, pay setting, onboarding, calculating service computation dates, coding personnel actions, electronic personnel file management, and process improvement. Her deep knowledge of federal HR is grounded in applying key authorities and resources, including the Guide to Personnel Processing, Guide to Data Standards, Title 5 of the U.S. Code, the Delegated Examining Handbook, Executive Orders, and Office of Personnel Management policies. She held a Delegated Examining Unit (DEU) Certification valid through March 2025 and maintains an active SHRM-CP credential. A former federal employee, Christina has served in key HR roles with the Department of the Army, Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Agency for International Development, Department of Justice, and the Federal Transit Administration. Christina holds a master's degree in Human Services Administration and a bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family. ## Pricing **Tuition:** $6599