Tonette S. Rocco

Tonette S. Rocco (born 1954) is an American academic in the field of educational policy studies, adult education, and human resource development. She is recognized for her contributions as a social justice advocate and her dedication to mentoring emerging scholars. Rocco serves as a professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at Florida International University (FIU). She was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in 2016, a recognition that honors her extensive contributions to adult education and human resource development, particularly through the lens of social justice education.

Education Rocco’s educational journey began at The Ohio State University, where she pursued four degrees across multiple disciplines. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, followed by a Master of Science in Labor and Human Resources, a Master of Education, and ultimately, a Doctor of Philosophy in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. Rocco co-founded the student organization Students for Disability Awareness. She received the Board of Trustees Recognition from Ohio State University for her role in founding a student organization, a rare honor listed among her notable awards.

Career While completing her graduate studies, Rocco worked for the university’s Center of Special Needs Populations, where as part of a team worked to assist school systems to meet the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1990. Rocco also played an instrumental role in the development and transformation of the academic journal New Horizons in Adult Education, which was the first U.S. gold open access scholarly journal first published in 1987 by Syracuse University and later published by Nova Southeastern University. She eventually became editor-in-chief of the journal, which was later renamed New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.

As of February 2024, Rocco is a professor of Adult Education and Human Resource Development in the Department of Educational Policy Studies. In 2014, two of her major publications, Handbook of HRD and Routledge Companion to HRD, received the Forward Award from the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). In 2015, Rocco was honored with two awards from AHRD: the Monica M. Lee Research Excellence Award for the article “Connection, Value, and Growth,” co-authored with Maria S. Plakhotnik, Joshua C. Collins, and Hilary Landorf, and the Laura Bierema Excellence in Critical HRD Award, which recognized her advocacy for social justice in human resource development.

Books

The Sage Handbook of Human Resource Development. (2024). United Kingdom: SAGE Publications. The Routledge Handbook of LGBTQ Identity in Organizations and Society. (2024). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis. Building Peace and Community: Alternatives to Violence Project Around the World. (2024). Innovative Ink Publishing/Kendall Hunt

Journal articles