• WSCUC Welcomes New Vice President – Chief Learning Officer

    July 31, 2024 - WSCUC

WSCUC welcomed Dr. Katie McAllister as Vice President – Chief Learning Officer (VP-CLO) on August 1, 2024. Dr. McAllister will spearhead learning initiatives for all WSCUC stakeholders, shaping conversations on current themes in higher education and developing educational programming that advances the agency’s strategic equity, evidence, and innovation priorities. She will also be the liaison for a portfolio of WSCUC institutions.

Dr. McAllister brings a deep understanding of national higher education issues and firsthand insight into WSCUC’s educational programs. She was a WSCUC fellow in 2021 and today serves as faculty director for the Accreditation Leadership Academy (ALA), WSCUC’s signature, nationally recognized professional development program.

Dr. McAllister was professor of cognitive neuroscience, teaching and learning, and complex systems; head of social sciences; and accreditation liaison officer at Minerva University, a WSCUC-accredited institution reinventing the traditional undergraduate experience. Earlier Dr. McAllister worked on strategy in the London office of Boston Consulting Group. She earned a bachelor’s degree in cognitive systems from the University of British Columbia and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Cambridge.

WSCUC’s educational programs, available to member institutions and higher education leaders, explore emerging ideas and evidenced-based strategies for institutional improvement. Led by recognized experts, programs range from hour-long workshops and informal interest group discussions to an annual multi-day conference that draws higher education leaders from around the world.

“Dr. McAllister’s leadership, creativity, and intense care for her students will help us take WSCUC’s learning initiatives to new heights,” said WSCUC President Jamienne S. Studley. “Her ALO, faculty, and research experience suit her well to support member institutions and innovations for improvement.”