Author Profile
Tonya Troka | Vice President of Academic Operations, Cleary University
Current Position and Past Experience
Dr. Tonya Troka is currently serving as Vice President of Academic Operations at Cleary University, where she provides leadership for all things academic operations. In this role, she oversees core academic systems and processes, supports strategic decision-making, and partners closely with senior leadership to strengthen academic quality, compliance, and operational alignment in support of the university’s long-term strategy.
Prior to this role, Troka served as Assistant Provost for Academic Operations and University Registrar, where she led institution-wide academic operations. During this time, she played a central role in stabilizing and modernizing academic processes, strengthening cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring institutional readiness for accreditation and regulatory review.
Troka previously served as Chief Academic Officer at Northwestern College, where she provided executive oversight for academic affairs during a period marked by organizational change and the global COVID-19 pandemic. She also guided the rapid transition to fully online instruction within days of the pandemic onset, led the development of institutional reopening and safety plans, and executed an academic department restructuring that resulted in significant annual cost savings while preserving academic quality.
Earlier in her career, she held senior academic leadership roles at Colorado Technical University, including University Dean and Program Director for General Education and Psychology. In these roles, she provided executive oversight for large-scale academic units serving thousands of students and hundreds of faculty, led multi-year strategic and assessment planning initiatives, and advanced curriculum innovation through one of the largest adaptive learning implementations in higher education at the time. She began her career in higher education in student advising and learning services, where she developed a strong foundation in student success, retention, and operational leadership.
In addition to her institutional roles, Dr. Troka has served as a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since 2012 and currently serves as an Accreditation Liaison Officer, contributing to the continuous improvement of higher education through peer review and quality assurance.
Education, Honors and Achievements
Troka holds a Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University. Her dissertation, titled Understanding Directed Self-Placement as it Relates to Student Success and Persistence, explored placement practices within higher education. She also earned a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Northern Illinois University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus on Media Studies. She is a first-generation college graduate.
Personal Details and Community Involvement
Dr. Troka is committed to mentoring emerging leaders in higher education and advancing institutional practices that support student success, academic integrity, and organizational sustainability. During the winter months she enjoys skiing with her family. She also is an avid Chicago sports fan.
Dr. Tonya Troka is currently serving as Vice President of Academic Operations at Cleary University, where she provides leadership for all things academic operations. In this role, she oversees core academic systems and processes, supports strategic decision-making, and partners closely with senior leadership to strengthen academic quality, compliance, and operational alignment in support of the university’s long-term strategy.
Prior to this role, Troka served as Assistant Provost for Academic Operations and University Registrar, where she led institution-wide academic operations. During this time, she played a central role in stabilizing and modernizing academic processes, strengthening cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring institutional readiness for accreditation and regulatory review.
Troka previously served as Chief Academic Officer at Northwestern College, where she provided executive oversight for academic affairs during a period marked by organizational change and the global COVID-19 pandemic. She also guided the rapid transition to fully online instruction within days of the pandemic onset, led the development of institutional reopening and safety plans, and executed an academic department restructuring that resulted in significant annual cost savings while preserving academic quality.
Earlier in her career, she held senior academic leadership roles at Colorado Technical University, including University Dean and Program Director for General Education and Psychology. In these roles, she provided executive oversight for large-scale academic units serving thousands of students and hundreds of faculty, led multi-year strategic and assessment planning initiatives, and advanced curriculum innovation through one of the largest adaptive learning implementations in higher education at the time. She began her career in higher education in student advising and learning services, where she developed a strong foundation in student success, retention, and operational leadership.
In addition to her institutional roles, Dr. Troka has served as a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since 2012 and currently serves as an Accreditation Liaison Officer, contributing to the continuous improvement of higher education through peer review and quality assurance.
Education, Honors and Achievements
Troka holds a Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University. Her dissertation, titled Understanding Directed Self-Placement as it Relates to Student Success and Persistence, explored placement practices within higher education. She also earned a Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Northern Illinois University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus on Media Studies. She is a first-generation college graduate.
Personal Details and Community Involvement
Dr. Troka is committed to mentoring emerging leaders in higher education and advancing institutional practices that support student success, academic integrity, and organizational sustainability. During the winter months she enjoys skiing with her family. She also is an avid Chicago sports fan.
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