OnlineEd 2026

Dr Carrie Berger, Executive Director of Online Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, Purdue University

Dr Carrie Berger serves as Executive Director of Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives at Purdue University Online, where she leads pan-university program development and aligns academic and industry partnerships to advance workforce-focused education at scale. She led the development of Purdue’s interdisciplinary online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, recently shortlisted for a QS Reimagine Education Award for innovation, and has built a comprehensive AI portfolio spanning graduate degrees and noncredit offerings.

Under her leadership, Purdue’s AI microcredentials were designed to provide just-in-time, workforce-aligned learning for working professionals. The portfolio spans foundational technical topics such as machine learning principles, data pipelines, and model evaluation; applied domains including generative AI and real-world implementation strategies; and non-technical content focused on governance, ethics, policy, and organizational AI adoption. These noncredit, asynchronous offerings were the first university-delivered noncredit credentials to receive QA certification from ABET. 

In addition to program development, Carrie convenes cross-sector leaders to shape the future of AI in education and workforce development, including spearheading the inaugural Purdue/Google AI Summit, which brought together business, government, and academic leaders to address AI’s transformative impact on learning and work. With a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and more than 20 years of leadership experience in research administration and academic operations, she has guided interdisciplinary growth initiatives, enterprise-level grant development, and institutional transformation.