“With her skills and experience, she will contribute significantly to our goals of raising the profile of our university, encouraging advocacy and building community. I’m happy to welcome her to our team.”

Douglas will guide the strategic direction of the university’s public relations, social media and local marketing efforts across a nine-state territory, which includes Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. She will work closely with WGU’s Strategic Partnerships, Government Relations and Advancement teams to ensure university messaging effectively aligns with the varying objectives of those departments.

“More than ever, individuals and families across the Northwest are considering online learning as an option to achieve their goals of university degrees,” said Douglas. “WGU has long been a leader in online education, and I feel I’m joining the organization during an important time. I’m excited to apply my expertise and support WGU’s outstanding mission to improve lives through access to quality higher education.”

Douglas is a passionate supporter of higher education. She serves as an Affiliate Board Member for The Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University and Advisory Board member for the Alliance for International Women’s Rights, an online mentoring program for women leaders and future women leaders in developing countries.

Douglas is principal and founder of Carolyn Douglas Communications, a strategic communications consultancy. In that role, she has led successful initiatives supporting the University of Washington, the City of Edmonds, Operation Military Family Cares and many other organizations. She is also an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist who worked at television stations across the country, including more than a decade as a reporter and anchor at KING-TV in Seattle.