Submitted by lgreco on Sun, 07/13/2014 – 12:40

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) appointed former Vice President of Government Affairs for Apollo Education Group Dr. John Lopez to direct the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) for the compact.

Lopez brings nearly 20 years of thought leadership in higher education. In his role as vice president, his responsibilities included managing the department, corporate staff, and contract lobbyists in as many as 36 states, legislative and political strategy development and implementation, and advocacy efforts.

Prior to joining Apollo, John was vice president of Planning and Research for the Institute for Professional Development, a higher education management consulting company, overseeing strategic and operational planning, institutional research, accreditation, and managing the academic research, market research and information technology teams. And during six years at the University of Arizona he led institutional re-accreditation, completed a variety of research and policy analysis projects, coordinated program reviews, and represented the University in various political settings including the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting.

John has served on the WICHE-SARA Steering Committee, taught graduate courses and served as a dissertation reviewer for the University of Phoenix, and served four years as legislative aide for a state senator in the Nebraska Legislature.

Dr. Lopez earned his Ph.D. in higher education specializing in management and policy from the University of Arizona. His hobbies include golf, traveling and philanthropic work in his native country of Belize.

Contact information:
John Lopez, Ph.D.
Director, W-SARA
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
3005 W. Center Green Drive, Suite 130
Boulder, CO 80301
303.541.0277
jlopez@wiche.edu
www.wiche.edu/sara

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