Chief Operating Officer
University of Advancing Technology (UAT)
Tempe, AZ
Karla Aragon-Joyce is the Chief Operating Officer at University of Advancing Technology (UAT), an intimate technology University focused on educating students in advancing technology who desire to innovate for our future.
Karla has worked in higher education for over 20 years, joining UAT in 1999 as a Dial-Up Support Technician. She grew to be the IT Coordinator and then IT Manager, where she oversaw IT, Business Intelligence, and Internal Marketing. Karla was then promoted to her current role of Chief Operating Officer, where she oversees Organizational Development, Student and Career Services, Financial Aid, Safety, and Legal.
Karla is a compassionate leader with strong morals, which help to bolster her insight and decision-making in talent and operations. Her strategic leadership continuously creates healthy, positive metrics at UAT. Karla has created a family atmosphere within the University, and her tenure helps reflect her attention to detail and operational excellence.
Karla is a mentor. She has worked pro bono with CampusVue/Nexus to help schools, such as Santa Barbara Business College, implement the system from beginning to end and import previous data into the new system.
Outside of UAT, Karla has run five businesses: Gift Basket Impressions, Karla Elena Designs, HigherEd Recruiting, Shopping With Fido, and Alpaca Passion Farms. In her free time, Karla likes to garden, hike, read, make jewelry, and spend time with her family.
Karla has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from proprietary schools (and a second master’s from a NFP private school).