Briana Houlihan, MBA

About Houlihan

Briana Houlihan is committed to providing inclusive learning experiences and access to higher education for all students. She’s inspired by our working learners who strive to achieve their educational goals with so many competing priorities and the challenges of everyday life. Houlihan was hooked from her very first position as an Academic Counselor when she regularly talked to students who overcame tremendous obstacles to pursue their academic goals. There is nothing more motivating to her than that. 

As Dean for the College of General Studies, Houlihan is responsible for all academic operations impacting students, including curriculum, programs, faculty, student support and resources, and academic policies. She takes a lot of pride in the work her team does to support students early in their academic journey. She believes courses must strike the right balance between imparting skills with obvious career relevance and preparing students with the fundamentals needed for long-term academic success.  

Houlihan has a long tenure in higher education, having served in various roles at University of Phoenix over the years, including assistant dean of operations, campus and academic director, director of student services, corporate and community outreach, as well as being a long-time faculty member.

Houlihan earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management from University of Phoenix. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from University of Wisconsin-Madison.