Fairfield University has announced the appointment of Paul C. Fama as its new vice president for Human Resources. Fama brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in human capital management to his new role.

Reporting directly to President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, Fama will oversee talent management, compensation, benefits, employee relations, and other critical HR functions. His appointment comes at a pivotal time for the university as it continues to expand and innovate.

"Paul's deep understanding of human capital dynamics and his passion for cultivating high-performing teams make him the ideal leader to drive our people strategy forward,” said President Nemec. “His strategic approach and proven track record of delivering results will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve as a university."

In his new role, Fama will focus on building and sustaining a culture where staff members are prepared and motivated to tackle the challenges facing higher education while embracing the opportunities for workforce development in the post-pandemic future.

"I am thrilled to become part of the Fairfield University community and share my global and HR expertise with the team,” said Fama. “It is an honor to be able to serve as Fairfield’s VP of HR, and I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, and senior leadership to build upon Fairfield’s momentum as a leader in higher education.”

Fama’s distinguished career spans 10 years of developing strategic plans as part of a variety of consulting assignments, 25 years leading global human resources teams at General Electric, and most recently reorganizing the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)—a 70,000 employee, $17B transit organization.

Throughout his tenure at General Electric, Fama led GE's learning organization, oversaw the development of a digital learning platform, and implemented global programs to build talent in newly developed regions.

As chief people officer at MTA, Fama led the transformation of HR functions, centralizing operations and providing leadership during challenging times such as the pandemic. He has a proven track record of navigating complex organizational changes and delivering results.

Fama's proficiency in talent management also extends to workforce analytics, where he has demonstrated a superior ability to use data to drive decision-making and optimize talent strategies.

In addition to his corporate experience, Fama is deeply committed to community service and education. He has served on multiple education boards including as board chair at the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Lauralton Hall, in Milford, Conn. He currently advises Cornell University's Executive Master of Human Resource Management program.

Fama earned a master of science in foresight studies from the University of Houston, and a bachelor of science in communications and marketing from American University.