Educator
Dr. Yianni Vassiliou
Dr. Yianni (John) Vassiliou was born and raised in the coastal town of Agios Konstantinos, in Fthiotida, Greece, and he moved to the US in May of 1989. He has lived primarily in Florida, as well as in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. Currently lives in Miami with his lovely wife Diana, and he is the proud father of two beautiful daughters, Alexandra and Sophia. He played professional soccer and was a member of the Greek U-19 National Soccer Team from 1980 – 1982. Yianni also played semi-professional soccer with the New Jersey Nationals in the Greek American League, playing alongside with Alexi Lalas, and Juan Ramon Rocha. He was also very instrumental in forming and playing for Hellas FC in the early ‘90s in Miami, FL, a team comprised 100% of Greeks, many ex-professionals, and with a goal to support and serve the local Greek community.
Professionally, Dr. Yianni Vassiliou, is a seasoned educator with over 28 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education serving diverse student populations in large districts in several States such as Florida, Pennsylvania, & Arizona, including thirteen (13) years of experience in Executive Leadership as Vice President of Student Affairs at GateWay Community College (Phoenix, AZ), Vice President of Strategic Initiatives (Maricopa County Community College District, Tempe, AZ), Dean of Student Affairs (Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA) & Student Services Miami Dade College, Miami, FL), Associate Provost for Student Success (St. Thomas University, Miami, FL), and currently is serving as the Executive Director of the Office of Professional Advancement at the University of Miami & its Division of Continuing & International Education (Coral Gables, FL). Yianni (as he prefers to be called) has a unique background and expertise in value-added Strategic Partnerships with regional, national, & international K-12 and higher education institutions, Student & Academic Affairs, Strategic Enrollment Management & Growth, Student Success innovations, Student Success & Retention Technologies, Community Outreach, Fundraising, Institutional Research & Effectiveness, Program Assessment, Curricular Alignment, Strategic Planning & Design Thinking, Professional & Workforce Education, Micro-credentials, Industry Certifications & Performance Funding, Educational Policy, Legislative Advocacy, Budget Analysis, Development, Allocation & Net Revenue Optimization, including vast Profit & Loss (P&L) experience, Grants, Facilities Management, Educational Research & Publications, Articulation Agreements, Contract Negotiations, Accreditation, contributed to the development and execution of Colleges Strategic Plans, and has over 10-years of Community College teaching experience. Dr. Vassiliou holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), a Master’s in Sports Administration from St. Thomas University (Miami, FL), a Bachelor’s from Excelsior University (Albany, NY), an Associates from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), an Associates in Science in Accounting from Promethea’s School of Accounting (Athens, Greece), and he is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Greek. His has also done thirty-eight (38) presentations for College-Readiness, Enrollment, Student Success, Retention, & Degree Completion initiatives at local High Schools, Higher Education Institutions, Regional & National Conferences.
During his career Yianni has envisioned upcoming challenges for higher education institutions and students, and worked collaboratively with administrators, faculty, staff, students, local & state government agencies, community partners, workforce agencies & organizations, Board of Trustees, Governing Boards & Councils, legislators, and the Chancellor’s Offices in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Florida to examine current trends and ensure that enrollment initiatives and programs were proactive, effective, efficient, and responsive to changing needs of the communities and environments. At all institutions he engaged faculty, staff, businesses, and organizations in the creation of curricular experiences and programs leading to workforce skills attainment, and opportunities for employment within the region upon completion. Yianni has been able to bring together multiple constituencies both internal and external, each with unique expertise, skills, ideas, and created transformational change within environments that encouraged and supported implementation and integration of evidence-based student success reforms by analyzing statistical data and making data-informed decisions and bring them to scale. These transformational changes have contributed to documented successful student outcomes with access, enrollment growth even during challenging times, including the Covid-19 pandemic, success, persistence, retention, subsequently degree completion, workforce preparation and job placement, increased revenue, performance funding, and financial resources for institutions. Dr. Vassiliou is politically astute and fully aware that only institutions that exhibit financial stewardship will be able to sustain and enhance their service to students and other stakeholders, and a visionary with excellent leadership skills, charismatic, sensitive and appreciative of cultural diversity, open-minded, self-motivated, innovative, forward-thinking, resourceful, and one who listens well, carefully considers the advice and views of others in reaching final decisions and exemplifies the principles of shared governance as well as shared responsibility.
Furthermore, Dr. Vassiliou developed international partnerships and promoted a global emphasis. During his tenure at St. Thomas University (STU) in Miami, FL Yianni spearheaded the development, signing & execution of Articulation Agreements between STU and two International Institutions, American Community Schools of Athens, an IB K-12 institution, and American College of Thessaloniki (created four 2+2 programs). Those efforts resulted in a 77% yield rate as 10 of the 13 applicants during the first year of implementation enrolled at STU and graduated!
Professionally, Dr. Yianni Vassiliou, is a seasoned educator with over 28 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education serving diverse student populations in large districts in several States such as Florida, Pennsylvania, & Arizona, including thirteen (13) years of experience in Executive Leadership as Vice President of Student Affairs at GateWay Community College (Phoenix, AZ), Vice President of Strategic Initiatives (Maricopa County Community College District, Tempe, AZ), Dean of Student Affairs (Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA) & Student Services Miami Dade College, Miami, FL), Associate Provost for Student Success (St. Thomas University, Miami, FL), and currently is serving as the Executive Director of the Office of Professional Advancement at the University of Miami & its Division of Continuing & International Education (Coral Gables, FL). Yianni (as he prefers to be called) has a unique background and expertise in value-added Strategic Partnerships with regional, national, & international K-12 and higher education institutions, Student & Academic Affairs, Strategic Enrollment Management & Growth, Student Success innovations, Student Success & Retention Technologies, Community Outreach, Fundraising, Institutional Research & Effectiveness, Program Assessment, Curricular Alignment, Strategic Planning & Design Thinking, Professional & Workforce Education, Micro-credentials, Industry Certifications & Performance Funding, Educational Policy, Legislative Advocacy, Budget Analysis, Development, Allocation & Net Revenue Optimization, including vast Profit & Loss (P&L) experience, Grants, Facilities Management, Educational Research & Publications, Articulation Agreements, Contract Negotiations, Accreditation, contributed to the development and execution of Colleges Strategic Plans, and has over 10-years of Community College teaching experience. Dr. Vassiliou holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), a Master’s in Sports Administration from St. Thomas University (Miami, FL), a Bachelor’s from Excelsior University (Albany, NY), an Associates from Miami Dade College (Miami, FL), an Associates in Science in Accounting from Promethea’s School of Accounting (Athens, Greece), and he is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Greek. His has also done thirty-eight (38) presentations for College-Readiness, Enrollment, Student Success, Retention, & Degree Completion initiatives at local High Schools, Higher Education Institutions, Regional & National Conferences.
During his career Yianni has envisioned upcoming challenges for higher education institutions and students, and worked collaboratively with administrators, faculty, staff, students, local & state government agencies, community partners, workforce agencies & organizations, Board of Trustees, Governing Boards & Councils, legislators, and the Chancellor’s Offices in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Florida to examine current trends and ensure that enrollment initiatives and programs were proactive, effective, efficient, and responsive to changing needs of the communities and environments. At all institutions he engaged faculty, staff, businesses, and organizations in the creation of curricular experiences and programs leading to workforce skills attainment, and opportunities for employment within the region upon completion. Yianni has been able to bring together multiple constituencies both internal and external, each with unique expertise, skills, ideas, and created transformational change within environments that encouraged and supported implementation and integration of evidence-based student success reforms by analyzing statistical data and making data-informed decisions and bring them to scale. These transformational changes have contributed to documented successful student outcomes with access, enrollment growth even during challenging times, including the Covid-19 pandemic, success, persistence, retention, subsequently degree completion, workforce preparation and job placement, increased revenue, performance funding, and financial resources for institutions. Dr. Vassiliou is politically astute and fully aware that only institutions that exhibit financial stewardship will be able to sustain and enhance their service to students and other stakeholders, and a visionary with excellent leadership skills, charismatic, sensitive and appreciative of cultural diversity, open-minded, self-motivated, innovative, forward-thinking, resourceful, and one who listens well, carefully considers the advice and views of others in reaching final decisions and exemplifies the principles of shared governance as well as shared responsibility.
Furthermore, Dr. Vassiliou developed international partnerships and promoted a global emphasis. During his tenure at St. Thomas University (STU) in Miami, FL Yianni spearheaded the development, signing & execution of Articulation Agreements between STU and two International Institutions, American Community Schools of Athens, an IB K-12 institution, and American College of Thessaloniki (created four 2+2 programs). Those efforts resulted in a 77% yield rate as 10 of the 13 applicants during the first year of implementation enrolled at STU and graduated!
