Heather Farmakis, Ph.D. joined Texas International Education Consortium (TIEC) in August 2018. Dr. Farmakis’s expertise is in online learning, leadership and executive education programs, educational product development, accreditation, business development, and program evaluation. Prior to joining TIEC, Dr. Farmakis offered professional development and consulting services for association executives, school leadership, and business owners.

Dr. Farmakis relocated from Florida to Texas in 2013, where she had the opportunity to serve as the Director of Academic Services for Academic Partnerships, a private higher education consulting firm. In this role, she consulted with universities both domestic and abroad about online curriculum and program development to offer universal access to students from all over the globe. She was instrumental in the development of unconventional educational product innovations, increasing accessibility to higher education around the world. To meet the market demands for professional development in the area of online teaching, Dr. Farmakis founded a web series that delivered on-demand professional development for online teaching. Additionally, Dr. Farmakis was the co-author and MOOC facilitator for Game Elements for Learning.

In 2014, Dr. Farmakis served as the Chief Learning Officer for the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the largest professional association in the world, with over 28,000 sonographers. As a senior management executive, she was responsible for strategic management, learning and development programs, products and industry collaboration. Dr. Farmakis propelled member involvement through effective communications and marketing for key initiatives including major events, products, services and legislative advocacy. She directed staff at the department and organizational level, managed a multi-million dollar budget, and worked in cooperation with the Board of Directors, leadership team, and volunteers to drive organizational goals. Dr. Farmakis served as spokesperson to internal and external audiences; negotiated contractual relationships; and effectively managed volunteer committees and task forces reporting to the Board of Directors.

From 2001 through 2013, while in Florida, Dr. Farmakis worked for Palm Beach County Schools, the 11th largest public school district in the nation. During her tenure at the school district, Dr. Farmakis served in many leadership roles, including Technology Program Specialist, Professional Development Specialist, and numerous school leadership roles. Dr. Farmakis co-hosted local cable television shows Palm Breeze Café and Teaching with Technology, which promoted technology integration for learning. She developed leadership institutes for principals and assistant principals, maintaining the school district “A” grade.

Dr. Farmakis has taught graduate programs with a focus on leadership. Initially, at her alma mater, Lynn University, where she developed a technology for school leadership course, and served as a member of the Ross College advisory committee. Since 2017, Dr. Farmakis has been an academic associate for the online doctoral program for Teaching and Innovation at Arizona State University. Dr. Farmakis has served as the Assistant Editor for the Journal of Organizational Innovation, and has been a reviewer for MERLOT Journal of Online Learning Technology (JOLT).

Dr. Farmakis earned a Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Master of Educational Leadership from Lynn University. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Florida Atlantic University with a concentration in Psychology and Criminal Justice, and holds a Certificate in Women’s Studies. Dr. Farmakis’s research interests include online instructional design, cognitive learning style, and instructional technology. Dr. Farmakis is Quality Matter certified and trained in several learning management systems, such as Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, and more. Dr. Farmakis holds Florida Professional Educator Certifications in English for Speakers of Other Languages, Educational Leadership, and Elementary Education.