Derk Riechers

Dr. Derk Riechers is a dedicated higher education leader passionate about transforming lives through academic innovation, inclusive practices, and advocacy for underserved students. He currently serves as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina, where he leads initiatives focused on academic excellence, student engagement, and workforce alignment. With extensive experience spanning faculty and administrative roles in both student and academic services, Dr. Riechers also co-founded Virtical Education, where he previously served as Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Dr. Riechers is a recipient of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award and the Gwen Mundy Endowment Doctoral Scholarship. He is an alumnus of the Instructional Technology Council Leadership Academy, the South Carolina Technical College System Leadership Academy, and The League for Innovation in the Community College Executive Leadership Institute. His past leadership roles include serving on the boards of the Global Online Learning Development and Extended Network (GOLDEN) and the Instructional Technology Council (ITC).

Dr. Riechers earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Economics from Francis Marion University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration and a Post-Master's Certificate in College Teaching from Capella University, as well as a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development and Management and Leadership from Webster University, where he graduated with honors. Additionally, he earned an Instructional Leadership Certificate from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education with a specialization in Teaching and Learning from Brenau University. He maintains active membership in the academic honor societies Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Delta Mu Delta.