“Phyllis has an unbelievable ability to connect people and abstract ideas and synthesize them. She works to create new partnerships and new academic opportunities that we wouldn’t have considered or thought of because they seem too disparate.” -- Rich Barnhouse, Ph.D., WCTC president
PEWAUKEE, Wis. (Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025) – Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) is excited to welcome veteran education administrator, strategist, and community and nonprofit leader Phyllis King, Ph.D., to the newly created position of chief strategist for AI advancement. Starting later this month, King will lead the growth and development of the College’s artificial intelligence programs, strengthening collaborations and strategic partnerships in the community, statewide, nationally and beyond.
“Phyllis has an unbelievable ability to connect people and abstract ideas and synthesize them,” said WCTC President Rich Barnhouse, Ph.D. “She works to create new partnerships and new academic opportunities that we wouldn’t have considered or thought of because they seem too disparate.”
Additionally, Barnhouse said, King is admired, respected and revered in many professional, academic, business and community circles, and her poise, grace and intelligence undoubtedly draw people in.
“She is unbelievably well known regionally and nationally,” Barnhouse said. “Phyllis is is going to amplify what we’re doing in AI, connect us to critical parts of the economy related to artificial intelligence and really advance our mission as it relates to AI.”
King’s distinguished and multifaced career spans multiple areas, among them leadership and administration, research, strategic planning and program development in the spaces of higher education, healthcare, business development and others. She’s recently completed a short-term, interim role as executive director for Farming for the Future Foundation, and she’s looking forward to helping WCTC shape the future of AI, recognizing how fast the College is moving in the rapidly growing field.
“I am just so amazed at WCTC because I really think (the College) is on the forefront of AI education and innovation.” King said, noting the AI associate degree and certificate programs, and the Applied AI Lab. “I attribute that to the leadership and the faculty WCTC has. They have a shared vision – to really think about visioning the future with AI. Because it’s here, we have to work with it, but how do we best use it from a consumer standpoint and an industry standpoint, and ultimately, an economic benefit standpoint? WCTC has that going for them, in terms of vision, but they’re also building on the future, and I’m thrilled about that. WCTC is performing tremendously in this (AI) space.”
King spent almost 30 years at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she served as the associate vice chancellor/vice provost for Partnerships and Initiatives for nearly 14 years, leading efforts to improve student success through partnerships tied to academic and technological initiatives.
She participated in and led several efforts involving technology-focused initiatives and collaborations, including serving on the steering committee for the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute (NMDSI), a groundbreaking partnership that establishes southeastern Wisconsin as a national tech hub while creating a local talent pipeline; working with the Mke Tech Hub and Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA) to develop a micro credentialing platform; serving on the steering committee of UWM’s Connected Systems Institute, which develops manufacturing specialists and advances the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), among others.
King has also been involved in curriculum development, helping shape the courses for UWM’s Bachelor of Science in Data Analysis and Master of Science in Data Science programs, and she helped develop a workforce development learning platform TechEd Frontiers, designed to help people upskill in their jobs.
Additionally, at UWM, King was the director of Campus Ergonomics Services, associate director for the Center for Ergonomics, associate dean for the College of Health Sciences, and department chair, program director and professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
Beyond her work in academia, King is actively involved in community leadership, serving on various boards focused on issues related to education, business development, banking and healthcare – including some in Waukesha County. Her work and community leadership involvements have earned her many awards and recognitions.
In her new role, King will divide her time on campus in the Applied AI Lab and in the community. She is looking forward to helping fuel the growth of AI and work closely with faculty and staff, leaders in the Applied AI Lab, and community and business professionals.
“Building curriculum, building programs, building partnerships, launching new initiatives and innovation – that’s been my space. I love that space and that’s what really attracted me to this position,” she said.