Dr. Barbara Vacarr
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ___________________________________________________________________________
Visionary Education Executive focused on leadership and professional development.
Experienced ambassador for the mission and effective public face of nationally recognized organizations; manages media
attention and relationships with ease and candor; works effectively with other senior leaders, boards and community
organizations.
Supporting and developing high-potential leaders founded Lesley University’s first adult learning doctoral program based
on a leadership development model; created curriculum that develops mid-career leaders in the private and social sectors.
Transforming education institutions: as President of Goddard College, restructured the Board, more than doubled the
annual fund, orchestrated a major reorganization and solidified over a dozen strategic partnerships.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE_____________________________________________________________________
ENCORESan Francisco, CA/ Brimfield, MA
2014-present
National Non-profit building a movement to leverage the skills and experience of those in mid-life and beyond to improve communities and the world.
Director, Higher Education Initiative. Develops and leads strategies to catalyze innovations in higher education in
response to seismic national and global demographic shifts through the cultivation of critical relationships across the industry.
 Spearheading a consortium of Encore leader higher education institutions to share knowledge and practice and provide
resources, accessible programs and continuing career development opportunities for the new demographic of adults.
 Advising higher education institutions on developing initiatives for the 50+ demographic.
 Convened and led a group of 32 VP’s, provosts and senior administrators to shape the EncoreU brand by producing and
driving the spring 2015 EncoreU Summit.
 Established a national press presence for EncoreU by attracting coverage in the New York Times and Forbes.
 Negotiated an institutional home for EncoreU.
GODDARD COLLEGEPlainfield, VT
Goddard is a 150-year old progressive college serving adult undergraduate and graduate students.
2010-2014
President and Chief Executive Officer. Oversaw and managed fiscal health, academic direction and campus operations.
Developed a successful leadership team and managed a staff of 120, faculty of 111, and an annual budget of $12M.
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Increased the Annual Fund from $165K to just under $380K.
Developed the first five-year strategic plan, increasing college inquires by 33%.
Solidified over a dozen strategic partnerships with public colleges in California and Washington State, in addition to
private organizations such as the Center for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, The Waldorf High School and the VT
Dept. of Labor.
Diversified revenue through campus leases and establishment of town gown arts non-profit to produce calendar of
performing arts.
Restructured the Board by recruiting, training and integrating 13 new trustees; built Board infrastructure with new set
of by-laws, increased Board contribution by 15%.
Conducted major reorganization and strengthening of the campus units; created a cross-college advisory group to
ensure accountability.
Raised public profile of college regionally and nationally in VT press and the Chronicle of Higher Education and
reintegrated college with central Vermont community.
Stewarded sustainability initiatives across the college and in 2013 was awarded the prestigious Second Nature Climate
Leadership Award.
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Dr. Barbara Vacarr| 413-885-7885 | bvacarr@gmail.com
LESLEY UNIVERSITYCambridge, MA
1988-2010
One of the 10 largest master’s degree-granting institutions in the U.S., Lesley serves 9,000 students and has been at the progressive forefront of
interdisciplinary learning that merges liberal arts and sciences with hands-on professional training.
Director, PhD Educational Studies Programs, School of Education (2009-2010). Provided academic leadership for the
School of Education’s three doctoral programs.
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Managed a budget of approx. $4M.
Convened and chaired a cross-university council to assess and maintain academic program quality.
Lead the development of a broader range of online options for doctoral students
Established collaboration across faculty and programs
Oversaw professional development of administrators, faculty, and staff.
Founding Director, PhD in Adult Learning, School of Education (2003-2010). Established and managed the first hybrid
doctoral program for mid-career adults.
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Managed a budget of $1.2M.
Recruited, trained, supervised and evaluated faculty and staff.
Facilitated collaboration among faculty across the institution
Established cutting edge low-residency/online competency based doctoral program.
Successfully marketed and enrolled new Adult Learning program.
Connected adult graduate program with Adult Baccalaureate programs
Director Adult Learning Community/Associate Professor, Adult Learning and Liberal Studies Division (2000-2009).
Provided academic and administrative leadership for low residency, individually designed adult learning program.
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Doubled enrollments.
Developed comprehensive, competency-based assessments; introduced outcome-based system.
Created the first joint BA/MA program.
Developed training program for academic advisors.
Built cross-college collaborations to support adult learners in accessing programs across the University.
Associate Professor, Director Academic Advising Division of Outreach and Alternative Education (1990-2000)
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Designed and taught integrative seminars for continuing career development.
Created interdisciplinary majors to support teacher certification programs.
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Taught undergraduate and graduate courses
Coordinator of Academic Advising/Assistant Professor, Division of Outreach and Alternative Education (1988-1990).
 Developed protocols and training for faculty academic advising
 Developed and stewarded through institutional and state approval -- first joint BA/MA program in Counseling
Psychology and certificate in alcohol and addiction counseling.
 Taught undergraduate and graduate courses
University-wide Committee Service
 Co-chair, Faculty Development Committee.
 Chair, Advanced Graduate Council
 Chair, IRB
 University Faculty Rank and Promotion Committee.
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Dr. Barbara Vacarr| 413-885-7885 | bvacarr@gmail.com
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Liberal Studies Task Force
Undergraduate School Restructuring Task Force
Graduate School and School of Undergraduate Studies Curriculum Committees
Graduate School Transition Team
PRIVATE PSYCHOTHERAPY PRACTICE, Cambridge MA
Individual, and group counseling focused on life work balance.
1991-2009
CURRENT BOARD LEADERSHIP ___________________________________________________________________
Advisory Board, College for Social Innovation
2015-present
Advisory Board, RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies
2015-present
Board of Directors, Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
2014-present
Board of Directors, Central Vermont Community Action Council
2010-2013
COMMUNITY SERVICE AND GRANT PROJECTS ____________________________________________________
Cambodian Youth and Missing History ProjectLowell, MA
2000-2003
Project leader for grant funded documentary project with at-risk Cambodian youth and Khmer Rouge survivors.
Intergenerational Women’s Mentoring Collective,—Brimfield, MA
2003-2015
Founder and leader of an Intergenerational Women’s Mentoring Collective, a group that supports emerging women leaders.
Visual History of the Shoah FoundationPalo Alto, CA
Interviewed Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg’s “Visual History Project.”
1996-2000
Minnesota Early Learning and Development ProjectAlbuquerque, NM
Team Leader for primary prevention pilot program. Developed, implemented, and evaluated pilot curriculum.
1977-1981
HONORS AND AWARDS___________________________________________________________________________
2015 Next Avenue’s 50 Influencers in Aging in America—Leading the Effort to Make Colleges Age Friendly
Honor a Teacher Award, Harvard Graduate School of Education, May 2003
EDUCATION ____________________________________________________________________________________
Ph.D. Transpersonal Psychology, Union Institute and University--Cincinnati,OH
Post-graduate Certificate in Transpersonal Psychology, Theravision InstituteJamaica Plain, MA
M.A. Counseling and Psychology, Lesley UniversityCambridge, MA
B.S. Human Services, Lesley CollegeCambridge, MA
RECENT INVITED PRESENTATIONS
Vacarr, B. Keynote Speaker, “Embracing the Demographic Opportunity”. Annual Meeting, Association for Continuing
Education. November, 2015, St. Louis Missouri,
Vacarr, B. “Creating Age Friendly Universities”. Inaugural Age Friendly Universities Conference, November 2015, Dublin City
University, Dublin Ireland.
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Dr. Barbara Vacarr| 413-885-7885 | bvacarr@gmail.com
Vacarr, B. Keynote Speaker, “Talk of the Ages Summit: A vision for Aging education and Age-Friendly Campuses”.
RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies, June 2015, Lasell College, Boston, MA.
Vacarr, B. “Capitol Conversations: Overcoming Challenges, Exploring New opportunities”. National Association of
Independent Colleges and Universities Annual Meeting, February 2015, Washington D.C.
Vacarr, B. “EncoreU The Demographic Imperative and Opportunity for Higher Education”. American Association of State
Colleges and Universities Winter Meeting, February, 2015, New Orleans, LA.
Vacarr, B. “The Demographic Imperative and Opportunity for Higher Education”. League for Innovation in Community
Colleges Annual Meeting, March, 2015, Boston, MA.
Vacarr, B. Invited Panel Member. “Reinvention of Higher Education,” Annual American Council of Education conference
for the Chronicle of Higher Education. March 2013, Washington, D.C.
Vacarr, B. Invited Panel Member “Egos, Money and Power: How Higher Education’s Leadership and Governance Paradigm
Limits Sustainability – and How to Transform that Culture”. Conference Exposition: Association for the Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher Education, Investing in the Future, October, 2012, Los Angeles, CA
Vacarr, B. Limmud International Conference, Developing Globally Engaged Learners, November 2010. Istanbul, Turkey.
Vacarr, B. Lilly Arctic Institute on Innovations and Excellence in Teaching, Celebrating the Learning Community and the Community
of Learners, March 2010, Valdez, Alaska
Vacarr, B. Invited Speaker and Plenary workshop presenter Lilly Arctic Institute on Innovations and Excellence in Teaching,
Celebrating Adult learning and Cultural Attunement, March, 2008, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Dolamore, J. Mandell, A. Vacarr, B. Preconference Workshop AHEA
26th Annual conference The Futures of Adult Higher Education, October 2007
Dayton, OH
Vacarr, B. “From Silence to Engagement” Annual Conference: Innovation and Excellence in Teaching Adult Learners:
Celebrating the International Polar Year and the Adult Learner, February, 2007 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
Vacarr, B. Keynote Speaker “Who Transforms” “Annual Conference: Innovation and Excellence in Teaching Adult Learners,
February, 2006 University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
Selected Papers and Presentations
Rutstein Riley, A. and Vacarr, B. “Communities of Practice: A Model for Program Development,” CAEL International
Conference: Working Together To Make Learning Lifelong, November, 2009 Chicago, IL
Cohen, J., Vacarr, B. Vrattos, C. “Walking the Talk of Adult Learning: A Model for Program Development,” 28th Annual
Conference Animating Change in Adult Higher Education, October, 2008 Mobile, Alabama
Vacarr, B. “Narrating Lives: From Silence to Civic Engagement,” CAEL International Conference: Learn Engage, Change;
Making A Difference in Lifelong Learning, November, 2006 Boston, MA
Gammel, J. Vacarr, B. “From Metal to Gold: The Alchemy of Teaching and Learning,” AHEA 25th Annual Conference:
Building Visions on a Firm
Foundation: Transformation in Adult Higher Education, October, 2005 Boston,
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Dr. Barbara Vacarr| 413-885-7885 | bvacarr@gmail.com
MA
Counts, C., Jones, M., Nieves-Squires, S., Vacarr, B. “Diversity and the Core
Curriculum: Curriculum Transformation,” University Of Massachusetts Lowell
Center for Diversity and Pluralism, March 2000 Lowell, MA
Baldwin, L. & Vacarr, B. “Peer Mentoring and the Epistemological Development of Adults,” paper presented at the annual
meeting of the International Mentoring
Association, May, 1990 Kalamazoo, MI
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
Vacarr, B (December 2014) “An Aging America: Higher Education’s New Frontier.” The Chronicle of Higher Education
http://chronicle.com/article/An-Aging-America-Higher/150425/
Vacarr, B (2011) “Barbara Vacarr: Empathizing with Adult Learners”. Chronicle of Higher Education Audio: Interview.
https://player.fm/series/chronicle-of-higher-education-audio-interviews/barbara-vacarr-empathizing-with-adult-learners
Vacarr, B. (December 12, 2011). Vacarr: the Occupy Movement is Right. VTDigger. Retrieved from
http://vtdigger.org/2011/12/12/vacarr-the-occupy-movement-is-right/
Vacarr, B. (Summer 2001) “Moving Beyond Polite Correctness: Practicing Mindfullness in the Diverse Classroom.” Harvard
Educational Review. Cambridge, MA
Vacarr, B. & Mills, L. (Fall 2003) “Challenging Correctness: Engaging a Developmental Process of Dialogue and
Mindfulness,” Extending the Boundaries of Adult Learning, Proceedings of the 23rd National AHEA Conference, Ashville,
NC: Montreat College.
Vacarr, B. (Spring 2003) “Moving Beyond Polite Correctness: Practicing Mindfulness in the Diverse Classroom.” Race and
Higher Education: Rethinking Pedagogy in Diverse College Classrooms. Harvard Educational Review Reprint No. 36.
Vacarr, B. (Summer 2001) “Moving Beyond Polite Correctness: Practicing Mindfulness in the Diverse Classroom.” Harvard
Educational Review. Cambridge, MA
Baldwin, L., Cochrane, S., Counts, C., Dolamore, J., Mckenna, M., & Vacarr, B. (1991) “Adult Learning Communities:
Passionate Museum Anthology II. Museum Education Roundtable.
Baldwin, L., Cochrane, S., Counts, C., Dolamore, J., Mckenna, M., & Vacarr, B. (Spring 1990) “Adult Learning Communities:
Passionate and Purposeful.” Journal of Museum Education.
RECENT PRESS
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/16/your-money/taking-on-the-phd-later-in-life.html?_r=1
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/04/your-money/over-50-and-back-in-college-preparing-for-a-newcareer.html?emc=eta1&_r=1
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Dr. Barbara Vacarr| 413-885-7885 | bvacarr@gmail.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julian-l-alssid/three-reasons-why-2015-wi_b_6432868.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-boyte/white-house-civic-summit-_b_6006642.html
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