Gordon Harmon Named New HR Director

Mr. Gordon Harmon has been selected as DoDEA’s director of human resources (HR).

Harmon assumes the new position after serving as the acting HR director since July 2019. Prior to this assignment, he served as the HR special assistant to the HR director.

“DoDEA’s focus is on people and Mr. Harmon brings remarkable leadership skills and experience in federal human resources and a deep vested commitment to DoDEA’s mission,” said DoDEA Director Thomas Brady. “He is an extraordinary leader, staff developer and mentor, and proven manager in maximizing staff customer service, responsiveness, engagement, and partnership.”

Prior to joining DoDEA in 1993, Harmon served in the U.S. Army and supported the U.S. Army Civilian Personnel Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District as a civilian employee.

Harmon brings 38 years of combined military and civilian service in the HR field.

Twenty-six years of leadership assignments has taken Harmon on a journey across DoDEA. He has served at Headquarters, the Pacific Regional Office, Guam, the Camp Lejeune District Office, and the Americas Regional Office in various roles to include chief of Labor Management and Employee Relations, chief of Pacific Recruitment, acting chief in Americas, and chief of Headquarters HR Policy.

Brady commented on the expertise and caliber that Harmon brings to the Human Resources Directorate.

“The Human Resources director is a critical leadership position in DoDEA,” said Brady. “Mr. Harmon has an outstanding vision. He possesses high quality attributes and skills required to move this organization and its people forward to maximize student achievement.”

In his new capacity, Harmon will coordinate all HR management activities and provide staff guidance and policy support to the DoDEA director and subordinate program managers.

“I am excited because I have a strong desire to serve military-connected students, our DoDEA employees, and our DoDEA leadership team,” said Harmon.

Harmon and his wife, Arlene — a current DoDEA teacher at Fort Benning, Georgia — have a daughter, Jaime, who attended DoDEA schools and is currently a graduate student studying engineering.

“Our family is happy to be part of the DoDEA family for so many years and look forward to future experiences with DoDEA. We have built so many wonderful relationships with military-connected families and our colleagues — these authentic relationships have been a pure joy.”

DoDEA's Human Resources Directorate manages human capital programs and policies affecting more than 14,000 civilian employees in 163 schools around the world.

Harmon has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.