Over the last four months, the College has been actively recruiting its next Vice President of Teaching and Learning. Following a nationwide search that garnered a robust response, the College has selected three candidates who will proceed to a second-round interview.
The interview process is expected to be finalized in April, with the public announcement planned for mid-May.
Caroline Geary serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Curricular Affairs and Student Academic Achievement at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where she leads institutional strategy for curriculum, academic policy, and student success. She brings more than 20 years of higher education experience as a faculty member, department chair, associate dean at a multi-campus institution, and senior academic leader.
Dr. Geary began her career as a chemistry professor at UW–Manitowoc and UW–Sheboygan, two of the UW access and transfer campuses, where she taught extensively in health sciences and pre-professional programs. Throughout her career, she has focused on strengthening academic pathways that improve student success, degree completion, and workforce outcomes. She led the development of an innovative cohort-based pre-nursing pathway that included embedded service learning and credit-bearing coursework aligned with Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) licensure. Her work has emphasized guided pathways, transfer alignment across educational sectors, and academic structures that reduce barriers for students pursuing their goals.
At UW Oshkosh, Dr. Geary provides executive leadership for curriculum development, accreditation, academic policy, and student success initiatives. She serves as Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission and works closely with academic deans, faculty, and student services leaders to advance institutional priorities, strengthen academic quality, and align academic programs with regional workforce and employer needs.
Dr. Geary is a UW System LEAP Fellow through the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) and participated in the American Council on Education (ACE) and National Association of System Heads (NASH) Leadership Academy. She is a two-time recipient of UW Colleges Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence, including the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
She holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Trinity College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. A Wisconsin resident, Dr. Geary is deeply committed to collaborative leadership and strengthening educational pathways that serve students, employers, and taxpayers.
Nikki Gullion is a seasoned higher education leader with more than twenty years of experience in teaching, learning and academic innovation, including over a decade dedicated to advancing student success in a community college setting.
Gullion currently serves as the dean of curriculum and concurrent enrollment at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, a multi‑campus district, where she leads academic quality, faculty development, and early college partnerships. Before moving into administration, she was an assistant professor of teacher education, where she provided academic leadership in the classroom and advanced high‑impact instructional practices. Gullion also holds the role of board president for the Iowa Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (IACEP) and is the secretary on the board of directors for the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), helping establish state and national standards for quality, equity, and program integrity.
Gullion earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a minor in Psychology from Cornell College. She later earned a Master of Arts in Effective Teaching, Learning and Leadership with an emphasis in curriculum design from Drake University and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education in Leadership at the American College of Education, specializing in Generational Leadership.
A committed student and faculty advocate, Gullion leads with a blend of servant and transformational leadership. She oversees new faculty development at her current institution and is known for empowering teams, strengthening instructional quality, and building cultures where innovation and collaboration thrive. Her work is driven by a belief that technical colleges are engines of economic mobility, and that Moraine Park Technical College is poised to become the most innovative and trusted workforce developer in Wisconsin.
An avid reader and lifelong learner, Gullion enjoys both professional literature and reading for personal enjoyment, bringing curiosity and continuous growth into her leadership practice. Gullion and her family enjoy camping, boating, cheering on the Green Bay Packers, and spending time with extended family.
John Sorenson is a strategic and collaborative higher education leader with more than 18 years of leadership experience at Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC), complemented by 28 years of public service. As Dean of the Public Safety Division, he provides leadership for a comprehensive portfolio of credit, non-credit, and workforce training programs that advance teaching excellence and student learning while aligning with regional and statewide workforce priorities. Known for building strong partnerships and high-performing teams, Sorenson collaborates closely with executive leadership, industry partners, and community stakeholders to advance instructional innovation, workforce alignment, and student success across the college district.
As Dean, Sorenson oversees instructional programs including Fire Protection, Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Forensic Science, and American Heart Association training. He provides strategic direction for division-wide planning, curriculum development, accreditation, faculty success and engagement, and program evaluation while stewarding a multi-million-dollar operating budget and nearly $1 million in annual contract training.
Sorenson directs the Public Safety Training Center (PSTC), a nationally recognized 96,000-square-foot training complex situated on 80 acres and supported by approximately 25 full-time staff and more than 350 adjunct instructors across multiple instructional disciplines. He also oversees the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Training Center, a specialized 25-acre facility developed in partnership with Appleton International Airport. Together, these centers provide advanced, simulation-based training for students, incumbent workers, and public safety professionals while serving as a regional hub for workforce development and industry collaboration.
Previously, Sorenson served as Associate Dean of the Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Engineering Technologies Division (AMET), where he supported multi-department operations, faculty development, curriculum planning, and new program implementation. Earlier in his career, he served as Social Science Faculty and Department Chair.
Prior to his career in higher education, Sorenson served with the Wisconsin State Patrol, where he developed a passion for teaching as a Wisconsin Department of Justice–certified instructor.
Sorenson holds a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior from Silver Lake College, a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, and an Associate of Liberal Arts and Science from the University of Wisconsin–Barron County.
Moraine Park Technical College—one of 16 technical college districts in Wisconsin—seeks its next Vice President of Teaching and Learning. This new leader will serve on President Bonnie Baerwald’s cabinet and be influential in shaping Moraine Park’s future.
Moraine Park serves nearly 15,000 students across ten counties at all stages of life and careers and plays a crucial role in training students for industry-critical jobs through traditional and online instruction.
The Vice President of Teaching and Learning will be a forward-looking academic leader with a vision, strong leadership, and strategic management experience to take Moraine Park to the next level of academic excellence and student success.
Embracing the mission of public technical college education and Moraine Park’s values—collaboration, continuous improvement, impactful learning and inclusivity—is critical.
Additionally, the Vice President of Teaching and Learning must have strong skills to implement an academic unit plan, including an aggressive enrollment strategy; recruiting and empowering a team of deans; advancing Moraine Park’s prominence and productivity; and championing diversity at its core.
Moraine Park’s next Vice President of Teaching and Learning will have the opportunity to contribute to the College’s future successes and achieve the following professional and personal aspirations:
Students
Employees
Moraine Park Technical College secured a historic win on Nov. 15, 2022, when voters across all 10 district counties approved the College’s referendum with 57.4% support. With three of the four projects now complete, the College is advancing its final initiative, the remodel and addition to the Fond du Lac Health and Human Services Wing.
The Vice President of Teaching and Learning serves as the chief academic officer of Moraine Park. This executive serves as a senior officer for the College and plays a leadership role in all aspects of the organization’s management, including working with the president, senior leadership team and the Board of Trustees. The Vice President of Teaching and Learning works with the Board and appropriate committees and external stakeholders on issues related to academic affairs.
The Vice President of Teaching and Learning assumes a lead role in strategic planning for the College—fostering the development and enhancement of certificate, technical, associate degree and lifelong learning opportunities, ensuring strong academic standards and compliance. They oversee the process for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) as well as the professional accreditation of individual academic programs.
Recent Worksplace Accomplishments:
Named the top Wisconsin public sector employer, earning the state Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Pro Patria Award for the second consecutive year. Continue reading…
Named one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. Continue reading…
Moraine Park’s first submission for the Wellness Council of Wisconsin’s (WCWI) Mental Health in the Workplace Certificate Program has been officially accepted. Continue reading…
Moraine Park’s Vice President of Teaching and Learning will provide strategic and innovative leadership, advocacy and support for all areas of Teaching and Learning including educational planning, program development, program review and assessment, accreditation, economic and business development, curriculum, grants, faculty relations and development, transfer and articulation agreements and academic support systems. In this role, the Vice President of Teaching and Learning will oversee the development, design, delivery and implementation of the strategic plans, priorities and objectives for the unit, which support the current and changing needs of the College and community.
In collaboration with other campus vice presidents and leaders, the new VP will coordinate the cross-functional activities of the College to ensure an effective and efficient College operation and to create an engaging culture for all employees. The VP will work closely with Student Services to maximize student success to ensure a seamless student experience from inquiry through graduation as well as develop and maintain transfer and dual enrollment agreements with public and private K12, College and University partners.
Moraine Park’s next Vice President of Teaching and Learning will have earned a master’s degree in an academic discipline, with preference toward an earned doctorate degree. They will also have seven years of progressively more responsible experience in higher education administration, preferably in a technical/ community college setting as an academic leader. Moraine Park’s preferred candidate will also have three years of secondary or post-secondary teaching experience. This academic leader will be able to demonstrate their experience with regional accreditation, credit and non-credit program development, curriculum development, online delivery, assessment and evaluation of programs and services and their leadership ability to guide, lead, support and direct a diverse team.
The Vice President of Teaching and Learning has five direct reports who oversee numerous faculty, management and support staff positions:
Use data to explore and create expanded delivery and credential options, build new pathways and collaborate with employer partners—all to ensure academic quality, while creating equity and access for all learners.
Foster an environment for flexible, high-quality learning experiences across the Moraine Park district.
Academic quality, assessment and accountability are critical to Moraine Park’s success. This role oversees course success rates, licensure pass rates, employer satisfaction, student earning power, transfer performance and more.
This Vice President of Teaching and Learning is the academic face of the institution.
Strategic communicator and external champion with many stakeholders across the district, including board members, donors, legislators, K-12 superintendents, university partners, chamber CEOs and parents.
Qualified professionals are invited to submit an application, cover letter and resume/CV.
We will accept applications until the position is filled; however, applicants who apply by January 9, 2026 will be considered in our first review of applicants.
Following the first review date, applications will be evaluated against posted qualifications—and Moraine Park may ask candidates to submit additional information such as a written questionnaire, references and a formal interview (virtual and in-person) to a select few. This announcement will remain posted, and Moraine Park will continue to accept applications until an agreement is reached with a finalist.
For more information, please contact:
Beth McCreary
Associate Vice President of Talent and Culture
bmccreary1@morainepark.edu
920-929-2139
Moraine Park Technical College is an equal opportunity and affirmative action College, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age, race, creed, color, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and any other class protected by law, in employment, admissions and/or educational programs and activities. Inquiries may be reported to the Title IX Coordinators at 262-335-5881 or 920-929-2139 TTY/VP: Use Relay/VRS or kschwamn@morainepark.edu or bmccreary1@morainepark.edu.
