Breaking Into I/O Psychology
- Date: April 21, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM EST
- Registration Link: https://blacksinio.org/event-6603899
- Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/94804154674?pwd=ZMrLiNiQ6h6oUDCXPjuCfaX4mHlRc2.1
About This Event
You're interested in I/O Psychology — now what? This session is all about giving you a practical roadmap for turning that interest into a career. We'll talk about the classes to take, the skills to build, how to get real experience while still in undergrad, and which graduate programs are widely recognized in the field. Come ready to take notes and ask questions.
What We'll Cover:
- Undergraduate courses and skills to start building now
- How to get relevant experience (research labs, leadership roles, capstone projects)
- Top Master's and PhD programs to explore
- Internship opportunities and industries to consider (consulting, corporate, government, higher ed)
- A real look at what early- to mid-career I/O professionals do day-to-day
- Top Graduate Programs to Know
You’ll also leave with a downloadable toolkit filled with practical tools, resources, and support materials to guide and support you throughout your I/O journey.
Presenters:
Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson, PhD, SPHR is a strategic organizational leader and people analytics expert with more than 15 years of experience applying Industrial–Organizational Psychology to drive workforce strategy, leadership effectiveness, and organizational performance across public sector, higher education, and Fortune 500 environments.
Dr. Johnson currently serves as Director of People & Culture within the Tennessee Board of Regents, where he leads enterprise human resources strategy, workforce planning, and organizational development initiatives. Throughout his career, he has built and scaled people analytics functions, advised executive leadership, and led large-scale transformation efforts impacting organizations with thousands of employees.
His professional experience includes leadership roles with Cox Communications, Cox Automotive, Tesla, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hyundai/MOBIS and the City of Memphis. His work has focused on translating complex data into actionable insights to improve employee engagement, retention, and business outcomes. He also is experienced in job analyses, competency modeling, and government agency entry and promotional testing.
Dr. Johnson holds a PhD and MS in Industrial–Organizational Psychology from Auburn University and a BA in Psychology from Morehouse College. He is also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Compensation Professional (CCP), and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
Brianna Lockhart
Briana “Brie” Lockhart is the Associate Director of Human Resources & Operations at the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) and an accomplished human resources and operations professional with over a decade of experience in HR strategy, employment law compliance, and organizational operations. With a background spanning C-suite support, government affairs, and PAC operations, she brings a well-rounded, multidisciplinary perspective to people operations and strategic execution.
In her current role, Brie oversees all HR operations across ZETA’s dual-entity structure — and built the organization’s HR function entirely from the ground up, establishing the systems, processes, and infrastructure needed to support a high-performing team while contributing to broader organizational strategy and initiatives.
A proud Hampton University alumna, Brie holds a Master of Jurisprudence in Employment Law and Human Resources, a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Professional Studies in Applied Industrial-Organizational Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and the SHRM-CP certification. She is a member of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the National Human Resources Association (NHRA), and Blacks in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (BIOP), where she also serves as a Committee Member. Brie is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
