Kathleen Lis Dean

About Kathleen Lis Dean

I partner with mission-driven organizations at the intersection of evaluation, organizational learning, and culture. For 30 years, I\'ve worked with higher education institutions, philanthropy, and nonprofits to design strategic learning and evaluation approaches that move beyond compliance-driven measurement to learning as organizational infrastructure so that insights shape strategy, not just reports. Using a systems thinking approach, I focus on how people, processes, and structures function across boundaries to drive collaboration, alignment, and continuous learning. Whether serving as a thought partner to executive teams or facilitating cross-functional learning, my goal is to help organizations learn in ways that inform decision making, build capacity, and strengthen impact.I’ve led and supported evaluation and institutional effectiveness efforts for colleges and universities, foundations, and initiatives supported by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Labor to advance goals related to student success, institutional transformation, ecosystem building, organizational capacity, and workforce development.Areas of focus include- strategic learning system design- program evaluation- learning culture and reflective practices- executive and board-level learning- knowledge management and sensemaking- higher education accreditation

Experience

1. Mentor - Assessment Academy

   Higher Learning Commission

   Oct 2015 — Present

   Coach cross-functional teams through the development and implementation of strategies for improving student learning assessment including articulating goals, navigating campus systems, increasing collaboration and engagement, and improving communication.

Education

• University of Delaware

  B.A.

• University of Delaware

  M.Ed.

• University of Maryland

  Ph.D.

Skills

• Research
• Strategic Planning
• Technology Needs Analysis
• Staff Development
• Program Development
• Teaching
• Data Analysis
• Student Development
• Public Speaking
• Higher Education
• Resume Writing
• Qualitative Research
• Student Affairs
• Student Engagement
• Career Counseling
• Curriculum Mapping
• Program Evaluation
• Leadership
• Curriculum Development
• Leadership Development
• Organizational Development