Trina Hoefling

Trina Hoefling serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California (USC) teaching HRM 500: Human Resource Strategy and HRM 530: Learning & Development in the Online MS in Human Resource Management program. With over 30 years of experience, she founded GroupONE Solutions LLC and co-founded The Smart Workplace and Virtual Workplace University, establishing herself as a pioneer in virtual workplace transformation since developing remote management training in 1984.

She earned dual Master's degrees from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville: an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and an MA in Speech Communication. Her educational background underpins her expertise in workplace dynamics and communication systems.

Hoefling's research centers on the strategic integration of virtual work models, emphasizing trust-building in digital environments and HR's evolving role in the data-driven workplace. She champions systemic thinking in organizational development and identifies written communication as a critical competency for mobile workforce success. Her work bridges academic theory with practical implementation, focusing on how technology enables—but doesn't replace—human connection in professional settings.

Her publications analyze trends where digital transformation reshapes workplace learning and team dynamics, highlighting how organizations must adapt leadership models for distributed teams. She documents the shift from traditional training to agile, technology-mediated learning ecosystems that respond to real-time business needs.

As an educator, Hoefling prioritizes practical application, designing coursework that students immediately implement in their professional roles. She leverages her consultancy experience to create experiential learning opportunities centered on virtual team taxonomy, remote leadership frameworks, and strategic HR interventions. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes grounding students in nature-inspired perspectives to prevent burnout in high-stakes professional environments.