Mr. Aaron D. Traphagen

Co-founder, President & Chief Operations Officer

Upon retiring from the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Aaron Traphagen was first introduced to online education as a student in 2005 and quickly took a staff position with a large international online program. Over the next several years, Mr. Traphagen had the opportunity to work in departments related to online operations as well as academics, expanding his view and understanding of the online ecosystem. Earning a faculty position in 2013, Mr. Traphagen acted as part of subject matter expert teams for online and residential courses related to first year students, taught courses in both formats, and managed the university’s core competency program.

Mr. Traphagen has developed, or managed the development of, programs and courses for a variety of areas including corporate, K-12, and all levels of higher education. Having a passion for, and understanding of, online education and what it can do to expand access to education for individuals and organizations, his focus is on developing transformational learning experiences.

Mr. Traphagen lives in Virginia with his wife and two daughters. In his personal time, he enjoys photographing wildlife and spending time with his family.

“My passion is simple; education has the potential to change people’s lives for the better. Everything I do in this space is centered around that concept – every curriculum decision, every administrative task, and every teaching opportunity – they are all grounded in the idea that this little part I get to play has the potential to significantly change lives. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my life.”