Karilyn Van Oosten

Karilyn Van Oosten is a strategic consultant specializing in higher education and healthcare workforce development. With a career dedicated to bridging education and industry, she partners with organizations like Pacific College of Health and Science in NYC to create innovative workforce solutions that expand career pathways, enhance professional development, and drive long-term sustainability. Karilyn currently serves as the Sr. Manager of Partnerships at American College of Education.
Previously, Karilyn served as Vice President of Strategic Business Development at Unitek Learning, where she led initiatives to strengthen employer partnerships and improve workforce pipelines. Before that, she held senior leadership roles, including Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development at Herzing University, National Director of Strategic Alliances at Chamberlain University, and Executive Director of Strategic Alliances at Grand Canyon University.
Beyond her professional achievements, Karilyn is deeply committed to philanthropy, civic leadership, and social impact. She has served as Board President of Arizona Family Health Partnerships, ensuring equitable access to reproductive healthcare. She is a Board member of Leading for Change (LFC), a non-partisan leadership training organization.
Her dedication to women’s leadership is evident in her work with the International Women’s Forum (IWF), where she served as IWF-Arizona's president. She now sits on the board of IWF Northern California, co-chairing the Engagement Committee to foster collaboration among accomplished women. Additionally, she serves on the Monterey County Film Commission board, recognizing the intersection of business, culture, and economic development.
Karilyn has also shared her expertise as a faculty member in the Art and Photography Department at Glendale Community College and Spanish at Grand Canyon University and has contributed to multiple non-profit boards, including serving as a board trustee for the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) and an active member of the California Association of Health Facilities Workforce Committee. She also dedicated over a decade to the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, helping to shape leadership opportunities for young women.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Belmont Abbey College, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and a Master of Arts in Language and Culture from Arizona State University. She also pursued doctoral coursework in Applied Cognitive Neuroscience at Universidad Maimonides in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With a career marked by visionary leadership and a deep commitment to workforce innovation, education, and philanthropy, Karilyn continues to drive impactful change—expanding access, opportunity, and leadership development for the next generation.