Janelle Sokolowich

Dr. Sokolowich is an accomplished visionary academic leader. She has been an academic leader for over a decade, having held various roles, including dean of academic operations, interim dean, and faculty. Dr. Sokolowich serves as the Academic Vice President/Dean for the Leavitt School of Health at Western Governors University (WGU), providing leadership to undergraduate, graduate nursing, and health professions programs. WGU has been a leader in competency-based education for 25 years. The School of Health has had over 118,000 graduates with 17% BSN nurses nationwide being a School of Health graduate. Her passion for student success, specifically the underserved, is marked by her drive for innovation to reach all who desire a degree. Her research includes the successful orientation of nursing faculty and intentional, focused academic support of culturally and linguistically diverse students. She most recently was a co-author of the first Diversity and Inclusion toolkit by the American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) in ten years. Dr. Sokolowich has presented nationally and internationally, highlighting the use of technology in the classroom, non-academic support strategies for high-risk students, and cultural inclusivity in the school. She is a member of the inaugural AACN, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leadership Network, American Organization for Nursing Leadership, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, and numerous other academic societies. Dr. Sokolowich earned her bachelor's and master's in the science of nursing degrees from the University of Phoenix and Ph.D. in Education, with Distinction from Capella University.