Robyn Parker, Ph.D. is a seasoned higher education leader, executive coach, and strategic change facilitator with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and opportunities within the higher education landscape. She currently serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer at Saybrook University, where she brings decades of administrative and instructional expertise to her role.
Dr. Parker has held leadership positions across a wide range of institutional types—including large public universities, regional colleges, and private religious and secular institutions—serving as Dean, Director of Instruction, Program Coordinator, and Vice President of Academic Affairs. She earned the rank of full professor with tenure and remains an active teacher-scholar, with over 50 refereed presentations, publications, and creative works.
Her diverse experience across institutional contexts has equipped her with a deep and nuanced understanding of higher education systems, governance, and culture. A systems thinker and skilled facilitator, Robyn helps leaders and teams envision future possibilities and navigate the strategic, tactical, and emotional dimensions of change. She encourages embracing the natural tensions that arise in evolving environments and provides frameworks to support effective decision-making and collaboration. Her work has led to the successful design and implementation of restructuring strategies that reduce costs, streamline processes, and foster innovative learning environments.
Dr. Parker holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication and a master’s degree in Human Resource Development. Her research spans relationship-building among remote teams, effective online teaching and learning environments, and organizational performance improvement. She is highly experienced in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including needs assessments, communication audits, and data analysis from focus groups, surveys, and interviews.