Dr. Kathy Wigal currently serves as the Project Director for the Building University-Industry Learning and Development through Innovation and Technology (BUILD-IT) Alliance: a consortium of academic, government, and industry partners committed to transforming undergraduate STEM education in Vietnam by strengthening educational leaders, developing applied curriculum, improving program quality, and enabling university–private sector collaboration. Dr. Wigal also serves as Project Director for the Leadership in Engineering Education Program (LEEAP): a special initiative supporting Indonesian university level engineering programs to become more globally competitive, achieve international accreditation standards, and cultivate Indonesian leaders and experts that can mentor others.
Dr. Wigal leads assessment and quality assurance for the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program (HEEAP), focused on modernization and transformation of teaching and learning in undergraduate engineering programs in Vietnam and the companion project, the Vocational University Leadership and Innovation Institute (VULII), which emphasizes development of academic leadership, continuous program improvement, and accreditation. She has co-developed and implemented ASU campus-based and in-country workshops including instructional pedagogy, development for academic leadership, quality assurance and assessment training, as well as coaching strategies to facilitate the incorporation of assessment, evaluation, and continuous program improvement into the fabric, culture and practice of the Vietnamese and Indonesian partner institutions.
Her experience includes includes over 25 years in higher education, with college and university classroom teaching experience, and university and department level administrative experience. She has developed partnership agreements between community colleges, universities and tribal colleges; facilitated articulation and faculty collaboration spanning over 40 disciplines; authored training materials; and served as one of the founding faculty of Coconino Community College, developing policy, structure, curriculum, and assessment, and establishing community and institutional relationships. She served as co-chair, editor, and contributing author of the initial self study for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission.
Dr. Kathy Wigal holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ed.D), a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and a Masters in Community College Education (M.Ed) from Northern Arizona University. She has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in educational administration and educational pedagogy, as well as courses in accounting and business administration.