Meet Dr. Harriet Watkins, a woman whose love of higher education specifically online (distance) education is only matched by her love of partaking in lattes. Her career spans adult education working both in the private and public sectors.
Currently, Dr. Watkins is the Chief Academic Officer at Instructional Connections (IC), a provider of high quality instructional support services to colleges and universities offering online courses and degree programs. As Chief Academic Officer she serves as the liaison between IC and institutions of higher learning, conducting research and ensuring that the academic support needs of the institutions are met.
Additionally, Dr. Watkins teaches graduate students in the Educational Technology Program at University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. Formerly, Dr. Watkins was the Director of Online Learning for the newly established University of Arkansas System, eVersity. She was responsible for building the core team of Instructional Designers to develop innovative online courses and programs for the university.
Previous to this she was the Manager of Academic Partnerships at the University of Texas at Arlington. She oversaw the logistics and implementation of distance education programs with contracted vendors at the Center for Distance Education. Dr. Watkins served as the past president of the International Leadership Council, and served as a board member for Golden Key International Honour Society. She holds an Ed.D in Distance Education from Regent University. Dr. Watkins has a passion for leadership mentoring and loves spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren whom she adores.