Title: Manager, Academic Org, People Development
Company: WGU
Location: TX/USA
Education: PhD in Education, Learning, Instruction, and Innovation, Walden University (2015); Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, Nova Southeastern University; BE in Elementary Education and Teaching, MidAmerica Nazarene University
Career History: Manager, Academic Org, People Development, WGU (2024-Present); Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Robyn’s N.E.S.T (Nurturing Early Success & Teaching) (2017-Present); Lead People Development Partner, WGU (2020-2024); Faculty, Instructor, Teachers College, WGU (2016-2020); Educator, Northeast Independent School District (2008-2016); Educator, Private School Education (1993-2008)
Robyn Tresnak, Manager of Academic Org and People Development at Western Governors University, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of education.
Driven by her unwavering dedication to education, strong commitment to community service, and desire to help children grow, Dr. Tresnak has found success in her field across four decades. Since 2016, she’s made a significant impact at WGU, starting as a faculty instructor within its Teachers College for four years and advancing to a Lead People Development Partner before assuming her current position in 2024. In this capacity, among myriad responsibilities, she leads a team of 10 people focused on faculty development; works with new faculty members to prepare them for teaching in a competency-based model, and educating them about the unique needs of non-traditional students; implements social and emotional learning strategies; and conducts live sessions and on-on-one interactions with faculty.
Backed by a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching from MidAmerica Nazarene University and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Tresnak launched her career as a private school educator, from 1993 to 2008, and then served as a teacher within the Northeast Independent School District from 2008 to 2016. In the midst of her teaching duties, she bolstered her own education by attaining a PhD in education, learning, instruction, and innovation at Walden University in 2015.
As a further testament to her passion for education, especially for children in underserved communities, Dr. Tresnak established her nonprofit foundation, Robyn’s N.E.S.T., in 2017: as a former elementary school teacher, she saw that many parents felt disconnected from their children’s education, not realizing they could help at home. To address this, she would invite families into her classroom, wanting to show them how they learn and how they could better support them. As a result, she decided to create a nonprofit that would reach families in their neighborhoods—many can’t access after-school programs or other educational resources, so she came up with a solution: she turned a school bus into a mobile classroom, traveling to various neighborhoods and allowing children and their families to participate in learning activities together.
As of 2025, her foundation focuses primarily on involving family members in the learning process, with the aim of empowering parents, grandparents, and older siblings by showing them effective methods for teaching. Her ultimate goal is to create a supportive educational approach for all families, particularly those in rural communities that may not have access to traditional educational opportunities. Having published numerous works throughout her career, including her PhD dissertation and several articles, she has released nine activity books through Robyn’s N.E.S.T., which are funded through grants and distributed free of charge to families. She also recently initiated a new series titled the “Encouragement Series,” featuring such topics as optimism and creativity, and featured across a dozen publications.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Tresnak strives to keep learning and helping others. She’s currently pursuing certifications in project planning and artificial intelligence, recognizing its growing importance in her field. Raised in an environment that valued learning, she developed her passion at an early age, which has been passed down to her son, Jordan, who served in the Army for five years as an entomologist.