Sammy Elzarka

Sammy Elzarka is a seasoned higher education leader with over 25 years of experience in accreditation, institutional effectiveness, assessment, and faculty development. He currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Accreditation Compliance and Institutional Effectiveness at Southwestern, where he oversees regulatory compliance, strategic planning, and continuous improvement efforts aligned with ABA and WSCUC standards.

Sammy's career spans multiple leadership roles, including Director of Institutional Research at Westcliff University and Chief Advancement Officer at Michelman and Robinson. In these roles, he developed robust data systems, led strategic assessment initiatives, and implemented learning and development programs that enhanced organizational performance.

Previously, he served as Director of Learning, Teaching, and Assessment at the University of La Verne, where he led campus-wide ePortfolio initiatives, supported faculty in pedagogical advancement, and contributed to successful regional and specialized accreditation reviews.

He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Claremont Graduate University and has published and presented extensively on topics such as learning analytics, faculty development, and the integration of assessment with mission-driven practices. His work reflects a commitment to evidence-based decision-making, institutional quality, and student success.