Teresa L. van Athen
Operations & Learning | Building High-Performing Cultures through Data & Systems Thinking | Six Sigma Green Belt | Prosci Certified Change Practioner
- Role
- Interim Program Director at Merit America
- Location
- Vancouver, WA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Teresa L. van Athen
I am a systems driven leader that believes that the most impactful organizations are those that operate with the precision of a high growth tech company. With a career spanning 13 years in the social impact sector and over 20 years in research and marketing, I specialize in building the operational \"connective tissue\" that allows organizations to scale without losing their heart.My expertise lies in taking complex, ambiguous environments and creating the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and workflows necessary for sustainable growth. Currently as an Interim Program Director at Merit America, I sit at the cross roads of human-centered mission and Product Led Growth (PLG). I translate complex learner and staff data into actionable SOPS and OKR aligned dashboards.What I bring to the table:* The SaaS Mindset: I treat programs like products. By applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies (Green Belt) and data driven at risk indicators, I eliminate friction in the user journey and build systems that are meant to scale.* Operational Excellence: From overseeing the build of 300+ ecommerce stores to directing staff logistics for national non-profits, I turn organizational ambiguity into structured and repeatable success. I firmly believe that no process should ever live in anyone\'s head and that anything that will be done more than once should be written down and structured.* Social Impact Heart: I understand the nuances of mission and purpose driven work. With my PhD studies in Educational Psychology I am able to design curriculum, development and enablement strategies that aren\'t just efficient, but are grounded in how people actually learn and succeed. The Benefits: For SaaS and Tech companies, I bring the \'human element\'- I understand how to drive deep engagement and user success. For Social Impact organizations, I bring the \'tech eds\' through implementing the automation, data rigor and process improvement needed to maximize every dollar of impact.Let\'s connect to discuss scaling systems, educational technology or how to lead teams through growth with unity and purpose.
Experience
Interim Program Director
Oct 2025 — Present
Education
Azusa Pacific University
MA, Educational Technology
2005 — 2008
Rancho Bernardo High School
High School
Southern Utah University
Bachelor of Science, History
1993 — 1999
Capella University
PhD, Educational Psychology
2008 — 2013
Skills
- Higher Education
- Educational Technology
- Research
- Curriculum Development
- Leadership Development
- Qualitative Research
- Student Affairs
- Curriculum Design
- Adult Education
- Instructional Design
- Staff Development
- Training
- Teaching
- E-Learning
- Public Speaking
- Admissions
- Coaching
Find verified contacts for anyone on LinkedIn
Unifers gives sales teams verified emails and direct dials, enriched profiles, and outreach that lands in the inbox.
Free plan included · No credit card required
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.