Chief Academic Officer Skip to content Skip to Chat UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE Chief Academic Officer Meet Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth Courtney Hills McBeth has served as Western Governors University's chief academic officer and provost since January 2024. In this role, she leads WGU’s schools of business, education, health, and technology and is responsible for program development, accreditation, and mentoring. Previously, she was senior vice president at Strada Education Foundation, promoting equitable outcomes in postsecondary education. McBeth’s career began at the University of Utah, where her leadership roles involved strategic planning and innovation efforts at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, the Eccles School of Business, and the Sorenson Impact Institute. In the president’s office at the U of U, McBeth led university-wide strategic planning, presidential initiatives, and innovation efforts. McBeth earned a doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the U of U. "WGU has made a bold commitment to empower every student with a personalized, affordable, and career-advancing postsecondary education. WGU is uniquely poised to equip students to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving workforce.” —Dr. Courtney Hills McBeth Chief Academic Officer and Provost Expanding Access to Quality Education Western Governors University’s mission is to ensure everyone has access to a higher education. This means we are continually innovating for the benefit of students and developing educational pathways that provide opportunity, promote lifelong skill development and lead to long-term economic value. WGU’s academic organization places students at the center of everything we do. Graduation Is The Goal Access without attainment does not deliver on the promise of higher education. To measure whether we're expanding access, we must measure growth in credentials earned. Source: 2024 Annual Report Making College Work—For Everyone Providing access to higher education for populations from aspirational communities is the first step toward closing the opportunity gap and ensuring our collective well-being. These populations include students from communities of color, low-income families, rural locations, and/or families in which they are the first to attend college. According to self-reporting at the time of enrollment, 74% of WGU’s students come from at least one of these communities.* *Source: 2024 Annual Report Recognized for Innovating WGU is recognized year after year as a leader in higher education. Our employees take pride in making a difference by providing value to our students and offering high-quality programs and courses at scale. Working with industry partners, developing a robust competency-based education program, and delivering strategic innovations to bring educational access and economic mobility to more students are just some of the ways we are focused on making a difference. This work earned WGU recognition in 2025 as an Opportunity College and University from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation. WGU and Skills WGU recognizes the importance of skills and their transformative role in education, hiring, and the workforce. With the right support, skills have the potential to connect each of these sectors and make transitions between them seamless. WGU’s skills work ensures credential integrity and relevance for our learners by utilizing verified frameworks that are recognized by educators and employers alike. Learn more about WGU's approach to ensuring students have the skills they need to succeed in today's rapidly evolving workforce: WGU Councils Assessment Council As a competency-based education institution, the core of our practice is to prove competency through assessments, not time spent in a class. To maintain WGU’s credential value, we partner with our Assessment Council to advance innovation and integrity in our assessment and evaluation processes. Current Assessment Council members: Randy Bennett Norman O. Frederiksen Chair in Assessment Innovation ETS Ph.D., Columbia University Peter Ewell Vice President National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) Ph.D., Yale University Brian Gong Executive Director Center for Assessment Ph.D., Stanford University Neal Kingston Distinguished Professor in Educational Psychology, Director Achievement and Assessment Institute University of Kansas Ph.D., Columbia University Sue Lottridge Chief Scientist Natural Applications at Cambium Assessment Ph.D., James Madison University Ric Luecht Professor of Education Research Methodology University of North Carolina at Greensboro Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Liberty Munson Director of Psychometrics Microsoft Ph.D., University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign Maria Elena Oliveri Research Associate Professor Purdue University College of Engineering Ph.D., University of British Columbia One University, Four Schools BUSINESS Bachelor's Degrees Master's Degrees See All Degrees TECHNOLOGY Bachelor's Degrees Master's Degrees IT Certifications HEALTH & NURSING Bachelor's Degrees Master's Degrees Certificates EDUCATION Bachelor's Degrees Master's Degrees State Licensure Information The University Accreditation Newsroom Careers WGU Store For Students Student Portal Admissions Catalog Title IX Alumni Services Achievement Wallet Most Visited Links Business Programs Bachelor's Degrees Student Experience Online Degrees Scholarships Support Military Scholarships Financial Aid Faculty Testimonials Student Communities Cookie Policy