UNLV IT Leadership

Bob Soulliere proudly serves as assistant vice president for digital services and solutions at UNLV, where he helps lead a truly exceptional IT team. Bob oversees the vital customer-facing services that keep UNLV running smoothly, including the IT Help Desk, lifecycle management, field services, training, RebelCard Services, classroom technology, eLearning technology, and computer labs.

Beginning his career in youth ministry, Bob's path took an unexpected turn into information technology, where he explored web development, accessibility, and instructional technology before finding his true calling: helping brilliant minds simplify complex problems. With 20 years in higher education across for-profit, non-profit, and state institutions, Bob has carved out his niche at the intersection of academics, administration, and technology.

When he’s not supporting the chief information officer in driving digital transformation, Bob brings humor and energy to his role, often leading the IT team in their “shenanigans and unauthorized adventures.” A servant leader at heart, Bob’s nontraditional path to IT leadership is a testament to his adaptability and mission to improve technology for everyone.

The Assistant Vice President for infrastructure and operations is responsible for strategic direction and operational oversight of core infrastructure services, including networking (wired and wireless), operations center, cloud and hybrid-cloud platforms, servers and storage, and related enterprise and research systems ensuring these mission-critical services are reliable, secure, and scalable to meet university needs.

Dr. Crooker is the Vice Provost of Decision Support at UNLV, a position he has held since 2023 after serving as Interim Vice Provost in 2022–23. He joined UNLV in Spring 2018 as Associate Vice Provost. His office leads institutional research, data governance, enterprise data warehousing, and business intelligence for UNLV’s academic enterprise. Dr. Crooker also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor of Economics in the Lee Business School and is a member of the UNLV Graduate Faculty. He teaches Econometrics and Data Modeling and Analytics in the MBA program, and he has also taught Game Theory in the Honors College and Sports Analytics in the Intercollegiate and Professional Sport Management graduate program.

Dr. Crooker’s recent research focuses on higher education and student success. He has published work on course analytics and DFW diagnostics (Journal of Teaching and Learning with Technology, conditionally accepted), grading leniency and reliability during the COVID shock (Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 2025), student fixed effects and “revealed grit” in grade outcomes (Journal of Economic Insight, 2024), and the effect of first-year seminars on student success (Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 2021). That last study received the Association for Institutional Research’s Charles F. Elton Best Paper Award. He is also a sports economist, and his current research examines the economics of Major League Baseball’s integration era (1947–1959), including wage discrimination against Black players, race-specific entry thresholds, and the productivity distributions of players crossing the color line.

Dr. Crooker earned his Ph.D. in Economics at Iowa State University in 1998. His first faculty appointment was at Texas Tech University, where he joined the Department of Economics in 1999. In 2002, he returned to his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Central Missouri (UCM), where he had earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics in 1993. He was promoted through the faculty ranks and became a Full Professor of Economics in 2011. At UCM, he also served as Chair of the Department of Economics and Finance (2008–2010), Associate Dean of the Harmon College of Business (2010–2012), and Director of Institutional Research (2013–2018).

Toolika Ghose, Ph.D., GISP, is the assistant director for research and teaching, cyberinfrastructure at UNLV, where she leads strategic efforts to enhance the university’s research computing and data IT capabilities. In this role, she works closely with faculty, IT teams, and academic leadership to design and implement secure, efficient, and innovative cyberinfrastructure solutions that support UNLV’s growing research and educational portfolio. Her leadership fosters institutional alignment between research needs and technology services, ensuring compliance with relevant data governance and security policies.

Toolika brings extensive experience from previous roles at major higher education institutions, where she partnered with faculty to support research through thoughtful, responsive, and future-ready technology solutions. She has helped researchers navigate complex technical and regulatory challenges by co-developing workflows and environments tailored to project-specific needs.

Her work has spanned research computing ecosystems, including high-performance computing, data storage, cloud services, and compliance support for projects involving human subjects and export controls. Toolika has also contributed to the advancement of institutional cyberinfrastructure through successful National Science Foundation CC* funding collaborations. At UNLV, she is focused on developing robust research computing and data support services to empower the university’s research community.

A dedicated advocate for workforce development in research computing and IT, Toolika actively supports initiatives that build capacity and cultivate emerging talent in cyberinfrastructure fields. She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Wichita State University and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Texas at Tyler. With a commitment to collaborative problem-solving and a passion for enabling research success, she continues to play a pivotal role in advancing UNLV’s mission as a leading public research institution.

As UNLV’s director of IT strategic planning and communication, Karen Asquith helps connect experts in university experience (academic leaders, students, faculty, researchers, and staff) with technology experts to shape forward-thinking initiatives grounded in practical impact. Facilitating strategic planning, communication, marketing, governance, and new initiatives, she aims to ensure that innovation enhances the campus experience with IT services that are intuitive, responsive, and aligned with institutional goals.

Karen guides a talented communication and marketing team dedicated to keeping the campus informed and engaged around key IT efforts. Together, they craft communication strategies  (web, video, marketing, events, social media, and branding) that help stakeholders understand and make the most of university technology. She also assists the chief information officer in guiding the university’s IT governance framework, promoting direct outreach and connection to campus governance for broader involvement, shared decision-making, transparency, and real-world impact.

With a bachelor’s degree in computer science, a master’s in psychology, and over 20 years serving at the intersection of technology and humanity within academia, Karen is always happy to hear about new opportunities to collaborate on projects that serve UNLV. Having served in varied roles in technology (support, programming, project management, planning), research, and workforce development throughout her career, her latest endeavors include connecting UNLV with the national research community and improving the connection between campus technology and workforce readiness.