Title
Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives, Extended Learning
Company
University of New Mexico
Bio
Debby Knotts is executive director with extended learning at the University of New Mexico. She heads the strategic initiatives unit of the organization, overseeing compliance and regulatory issues, institutional accreditation for distance learning, data analytics and reporting, distance learning student services, and the development of strategic partnerships and outreach. She has over thirty years of experience in development and support for university-level computer and web-based academic technologies, with 28 of those years supporting distance learning. Knotts led the unit at the University of New Mexico that would become its distance learning department, and spearheaded University of New Mexico legislative efforts in support of New Mexico becoming a member of SARA. Knotts earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Nebraska and her graduate degree from the University of Tennessee, in addition to performing extensive post-graduate research in distance learning, design for children’s technology, and telecommunication at the University of New Mexico. In 2014, she became an alumna of the Penn State/Online Learning Consortium’s Institute for Engaged Leadership in Online Learning (IELOL) and served as an IELOL moderator in 2015 and 2016.