Dr. Katie McAllister joined WSCUC as Vice President – Chief Learning Officer (VP-CLO) in August 2024.  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 previously served 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. Her book Beyond the Lecture: Interacting with Students and Shaping the Classroom Dynamic, focused on research and strategies for engaging students in active learning, both online and in-person. She is passionate about interdisciplinary approaches to undergraduate education that develop critical thinking, creative problem solving, and effective interaction skills.

Prior to Minerva, Dr. McAllister worked on strategy in the London office of Boston Consulting Group for a diverse group of clients, including the those in the public and private sector. 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.