Kara Monroe

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Dr. Kara Monroe is founder and President of Monarch Strategies, a consulting firm providing expert consulting to higher education organizations across the country as well as leadership development to organizations of all types.  As President of Monarch Strategies, Monroe also serves in several corporate advisory capacities including Senior Advisor to Packback - an educational technology firm that uses artificial intelligence to help students improve their writing.

Prior to founding Monarch Strategies, Monroe spent 25 years in education - both in the classroom and in institutional administration.

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Dr. Monroe's most recent position was as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Student and Academic Experience of Ivy Tech Community College – Indiana's 19 campus community college.  A native of Indiana, Monroe holds a B.S. in Mathematics Education from Ball State University, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Capella University.  Dr. Monroe’s research interests include Creative Problem Solving, needs of adjunct and contingent faculty populations, the use of technology in education and in life, and innovative methods for teaching and learning.

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Kara began her career as a high school mathematics teacher at Lakeland Senior High School Florida.  She has taught high school, undergraduate, and graduate courses in multiple delivery formats. 

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Monroe felt the call to return home to Indiana and began her higher education career at Ivy Tech in 1998 as an Instructional Technology Manager at the Richmond campus.  Monroe steadily rose through the ranks of campus leadership culminating in her appointment in 2004 to Executive Director of Finance, Facilities, and Information Technology.  In 2007, Kara began her time at the College’s statewide office beginning as Executive Director of the Center for Instructional Technology.  Kara began service to Ivy Tech as its Provost in 2018.

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In addition to her professional roles at Ivy Tech, Kara supported the college through philanthropic work. Kara has been named as an Ivy Tech Benefactor of the Year; is a lifetime member of and served as chair of Circle of Ivy, the foundation’s women’s philanthropy organization; and has created multiple endowed scholarships and supported the development of several others. While at Ivy Tech, Monroe loved telling Ivy Tech’s story creating, hosting, and producing the College’s podcast, “Our College, Your Voices.”

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Monroe maintains involvement with several professional organizations including WCET and she serves as a consultant/evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission where she is both a team member and team chair. 

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Together with her miniature double doodle Kona, Monroe is an active volunteer with hospice - doing pet visits with patients and their families. Monroe and Kona are also on the path to become a registered therapy team. Monroe dedicates additional volunteer time to mentoring young professionals, and volunteering with organizations that support education, literacy, and animals.