Julianne Konopa

Dr. Juli Konopa is a seasoned academic leader dedicated to advancing operational excellence and student success at Walden University. Since joining Walden in 2010, she has served as Director of Academic Operations within Academic Affairs and Administration, where she leads strategic planning and day-to-day operations and systems that support academic programs and events, faculty engagement, and institutional compliance. Juli drives initiatives that optimize workflows, strengthen retention, and enhance the experiences of students, faculty, and staff. She also oversees major academic events, including Walden commencements, academic residencies, and leadership meetings. She leads faculty/staff and student communications and engages in a variety of university-wide priorities and initiatives.
With nearly 30 years in post-secondary education, Dr. Konopa has held roles that include program director, faculty member, curriculum developer, research advisor, student teaching supervisor, and assessment coordinator. She earned a B.S. in Business Administration, an M.S. in Training and Development, and an Ed.S. in Industrial and Vocational Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Minnesota.
A frequent presenter at local, national, and international conferences, Dr. Konopa shares expertise on online teaching and learning, faculty development, student engagement, and communities of practice. Her work reflects a deep commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in higher education.

Education

PhD, University of Minnesota

EdS, University of Wisconsin-Stout

MS, University of Wisconsin-Stout

BS, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Awards / Honors

Phi Delta Kappa Emerging Leader Award, Phi Delta Kappa, 2008

Professional Excellence Award – Full-Time Career and Technical Education Teacher, Wisconsin Association for Career and Technical Education (WACTE), 2007

Publications

Morgan, A., Jobe, R. L., Konopa, J. K., Downs, L. D. (2022). Quality Assurance, Meet Quality Appreciation: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Define Faculty Quality Standards. Higher Learning Research Communications

Schulz, W. C., Konopa, J. (2022). Developing a Rubric for a Person-Centered Approach to Teaching in Inclusive Online Learning Spaces.

Presentations

Konopa, J. K. (2007). A Study of Student Engagement in Online Classes. Miami University

Konopa, J. K. (2008). Problem Based Learning and Communities of Practice: Global Implementation and Assessment. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Konopa, J. K. (2006). Problem-Based Learning in an Introductory Teacher Education Course. Miami University

Konopa, J. K. (2007). Problem-Based Learning in an Introductory Teacher Education Course.

Konopa, J. K. (2007). Problem-Based Learning in Professional Teacher Education and Organizational Development. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning