Moving from a Degree-Centric Postsecondary System to an Incremental Credentialing System: What Happens to Learners’ Financing Options?

Advisory Board

About the Board

  • More than 125 members
  • Represent key stakeholder groups: postsecondary institutions and providers; higher education state systems; industry and employers; business and professional associations; accrediting, quality assurance, and standards organizations; philanthropy; policy and governmental entities; research organizations; data and learning management industry; workforce boards; direct service intermediaries and advocacy organizations; military; international organizations; communications; and other organizations working on aspects of credentialing
  • Provide perspectives on and advocate for incremental credentials to transform the nation’s credentialing system
Dan
Adams

Advance CTE

DAN ADAMS leads Advance CTE’s Data & Research team where he's responsible for Advance CTE’s data quality and initiatives to promote data-driven decision-making among state...
DAN ADAMS leads Advance CTE’s Data & Research team where he's responsible for Advance CTE’s data quality and initiatives to promote data-driven decision-making among state Career Technical Education (CTE) leaders and within Advance CTE.
Kyle
Albert

The George Washington University

KYLE ALBERT is an associate research professor in the Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University, where he co-chairs the Program on Skills, Credentials,...

KYLE ALBERT is an associate research professor in the Institute of Public Policy at George Washington University, where he co-chairs the Program on Skills, Credentials, and Workforce Policy. He is also an IPA Fellow in the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) for the U.S. Department of Labor, where his evaluation portfolio covers topics related to job training and work-based learning, including apprenticeship and community colleges. He is an expert on public workforce and higher education surveys and data systems and has led several research studies on the labor market value of non-degree credentials.

Julian
Alssid

J. Alssid Associates

JULIAN ALSSID is president of J. Alssid Associates. Previously he served as Vice President of Workforce Partnerships at the Community College of Rhode Island, where...
JULIAN ALSSID is president of J. Alssid Associates. Previously he served as Vice President of Workforce Partnerships at the Community College of Rhode Island, where he led the college’s workforce development efforts. He has also worked as Chief Workforce Strategist for College of America at Southern New Hampshire University; Executive Director of the National Nonprofit Workforce Strategy Center; and Director of Economic Development at LaGuardia Community College in New York City.
Robert
Anderson

State Higher Education Executive Officers

ROBERT ANDERSON is President of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). He previously served as a vice chancellor at the University System of Georgia,...
ROBERT ANDERSON is President of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). He previously served as a vice chancellor at the University System of Georgia, executive vice chancellor for administration at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and director of research and planning at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Stuart
Andreason

The Burning Glass Institute

STUART ANDREASON is Managing Director Workforce Innovation, at The Burning Glass Institute. Previously he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, where he founded...
STUART ANDREASON is Managing Director Workforce Innovation, at The Burning Glass Institute. Previously he worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, where he founded and directed the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity. He led major initiatives at the Federal Reserve including "Investing in America’s Workforce" and contributions to the Rework America Alliance and the Talent Finance Innovation Network. He has published widely on workforce development practice and policy and labor market trends. Stuart has held previous positions at the Penn Institute for Urban Research, where he is now a Fellow, and the Pew Partnership for Civic Change as well as in local economic development.
Sara
Appel

Midwestern Higher Education Compact

SARA APPEL is Associate Director of Policy Initiatives at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC). She maintains the Multi-State Collaborative on Military Credit initiative which...
SARA APPEL is Associate Director of Policy Initiatives at the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC). She maintains the Multi-State Collaborative on Military Credit initiative which focuses on translating competencies acquired through military training and experience toward completing a college degree, earning a certificate/credential or professional. Previously she was academic programs manager at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
Erica
Barreiro

Higher Education Consultant

ERICA BARREIRO is a higher education consultant. Most recently, she served as the Chief Learning & Diversity Officer at Nusenda Credit Union, from which she...

ERICA BARREIRO is a higher education consultant. Most recently, she served as the Chief Learning & Diversity Officer at Nusenda Credit Union, from which she gained an in-depth employer perspective on organizational learning and development. She has been a leader in K-20 education for over 20 years, committed to creating more accessible, equitable, and inclusive learning and work environments. She has served as an academic dean and a Future of Work Strategist at Central New Mexico Community College, where she led the creation of several innovative degree and certificate programs and contributed to local and national efforts to build skills-based learning and work ecosystem.

Christine
Barrow

Education Strategy Group

CHRISTINE BARROW is a Director at Education Strategy Group where she advances collaborative, evidence-based postsecondary initiatives toward improving student outcomes and eliminating equity gaps. Previously...
CHRISTINE BARROW is a Director at Education Strategy Group where she advances collaborative, evidence-based postsecondary initiatives toward improving student outcomes and eliminating equity gaps. Previously she served as Dean of the Division of Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at Prince George’s Community College. She also served as a professor and department chair of biological sciences. Earlier, she served as a molecular genetics research scientist for the National Institutes of Health
Meg
Benke

SUNY Empire State University

MEG BENKE is a professor of Adult Learning at Empire State University, and former Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Empire...

MEG BENKE is a professor of Adult Learning at Empire State University, and former Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Empire State College. Benke also served as a commissioner for the Middle States Association for Higher Education, and participated as a commissioner for the National Commission on Interstate Regulation of Distance Education which served as a foundation for the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).

Kelvin
Bentley

University of Texas System

KELVIN BENTLEY is the founding program manager of the Texas Credentials for the Future, an initiative within the University of Texas System designed to provide...

KELVIN BENTLEY is the founding program manager of the Texas Credentials for the Future, an initiative within the University of Texas System designed to provide learners across the system’s eight universities with access to employer-initiated and validated micro-credential programs to help undergraduates be successful in the world of work. He has more than 22 years’ experience leading online learning initiatives as an administrator and consultant for two- and four-year colleges and universities, and K-12 and for-profit organizations. Kelvin has received various honors including Blackboard’s 2017 Catalyst Award for Inclusive Education, and his selection as a Fulbright Specialist in 2010.

Kathy
Booth

WestEd

KATHY BOOTH is Project Director, Educational Data & Policy, at WestEd, where she leads projects that help translate data into action. For example, she designed...
KATHY BOOTH is Project Director, Educational Data & Policy, at WestEd, where she leads projects that help translate data into action. For example, she designed dashboards linking adult education, community college, workforce training, and employment data; led the design process for the California Cradle to Career Data System; and documents efforts to expand public access to longitudinal data sets. She has conducted research on the returns to short-term community college course taking, which has been integrated into state accountability frameworks and guided pathways implementation. In her previous role as Executive Director of the RP Group, she led research and technical assistance projects in the areas of multiple measures, skills-builder pathways, and student support.
Terry
Bower

Metropolitan State University of Denver

TERRY BOWER is Associate Vice President of Innovative and Lifelong Learning at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Bower has over 20 years of experience in...
TERRY BOWER is Associate Vice President of Innovative and Lifelong Learning at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Bower has over 20 years of experience in higher education specializing in new educational product and program development. In her current position, Bower designs and incubates new revenue-generating programs that also build pipelines to degrees. Prior, Bower was an Assistant Dean at the University of Denver and served as Director of Mayor Hancock’s Denver Education Compact. Originally from Washington, D.C., Bower was Communications Director for the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce and Vice President for Business Development at APCO Worldwide.
Naomi
Boyer

Education Design Lab

NAOMI BOYER is Executive Director, Digital Transformation, at the Education Design Lab where she focuses on product solutions that support the successful deployment/scaling of the...
NAOMI BOYER is Executive Director, Digital Transformation, at the Education Design Lab where she focuses on product solutions that support the successful deployment/scaling of the Lab’s 21st Century Skills Badges and related assets by facilitating the dialogue between the Lab, educational institutions, industry, and product vendors. She is also President and Founder of NOME, LLC.; and former VP/CIO for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation at Polk State College. She has also served as Assistant VP at the University of South Florida.
Debra
Bragg

Bragg & Associates, Inc.

DEBRA BRAGG is President of Bragg & Associates, Inc. and has led program evaluations, strategic planning, and technical assistance projects for over 25 years through...
DEBRA BRAGG is President of Bragg & Associates, Inc. and has led program evaluations, strategic planning, and technical assistance projects for over 25 years through her work founding and leading community college research centers at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign and University of Washington. Her research approaches use logic models; conducts qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods evaluation; designs/conducts remote training; and leads evidence-focused strategic planning and data driven, continuous improvement projects.
Earl
Buford

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

EARL BUFORD is President of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Most recently he served as CEO of Partner4Work, the leader of the...
EARL BUFORD is President of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Most recently he served as CEO of Partner4Work, the leader of the public workforce system for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Previously he served as CEO of Employ Milwaukee; led Milwaukee-based WRTP/Big-Step (recruiting and building a diverse workforce in construction, manufacturing, and emerging sectors); and was appointed in 2014 to serve on Vice President Joe Biden’s Advisory Taskforce on Workforce Development
Gardner
Carrick

National Association of Manufacturers

GARDNER CARRICK is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for The Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers. Previously he served as Communications Director, Chief...
GARDNER CARRICK is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for The Manufacturing Institute at the National Association of Manufacturers. Previously he served as Communications Director, Chief Speechwriter, and Special Projects Director for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.
Scott
Cheney

Credential Engine

SCOTT CHENEY is CEO of Credential Engine, leading efforts to bring transparency to credentials and reveal the marketplace of credentials and competencies. Previously he served...
SCOTT CHENEY is CEO of Credential Engine, leading efforts to bring transparency to credentials and reveal the marketplace of credentials and competencies. Previously he served as the Policy Director for Workforce, Postsecondary Education and Economic Development for Senator Patty Murray and the Senate HELP Committee; with the National Alliance of Business, the Association for Talent Development, and the US Chamber of Commerce.
Cindy
Cisneros

The Conference Board

CINDY CISNEROS is Vice President, Education Programs, at the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of The Conference Board. Previously she served in senior research positions...
CINDY CISNEROS is Vice President, Education Programs, at the Committee for Economic Development (CED) of The Conference Board. Previously she served in senior research positions at the American Institutes for Research addressing high school/postsecondary transition topics and at Education Development Center, and in government positions as Special Assistant at USDOE’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education managing school improvement programs and providing technical assistance to states, and Senior Legislative Aide to Rep. Leon Panetta managing education issues.
Wendi
Copeland

Goodwill Industries International

WENDI COPELAND is Chief Strategy Officer at Goodwill Industries International where she leads professionals who leverage relationships and resources to advance Goodwill’s mission and social...
WENDI COPELAND is Chief Strategy Officer at Goodwill Industries International where she leads professionals who leverage relationships and resources to advance Goodwill’s mission and social enterprises while fueling systems change. She previously served as Goodwill’s Senior Vice President for Strategy and Advancement, Chief Mission and Partnership Officer, and Vice President of Career Services.
Ryan
Craig

Achieve Partners

RYAN CRAIG is the author of books Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America,...

RYAN CRAIG is the author of books Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America, and College Disrupted, A New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College. Craig is also the author of the bi-weekly Gap Letter. He is also Managing Director at Achieve Partners, which is engineering the future of learning and earning.

Lindsey Reichlin
Cruse

National Skills Coalition

LINDSEY REICHLIN CRUSE is a Senior Fellow at National Skills Coalition where she leads the organization’s work on postsecondary education policy, particularly for adults with...
LINDSEY REICHLIN CRUSE is a Senior Fellow at National Skills Coalition where she leads the organization’s work on postsecondary education policy, particularly for adults with low incomes, and access to public benefits, childcare, and holistic supports for postsecondary students. Prior to joining National Skills Coalition in January 2022, Lindsey spent over eight years at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR). Most recently, she served as Managing Director, Student Parent Success Initiative, for which she led IWPR’s research on strategies to increase postsecondary attainment and economic security for families with low incomes, with a focus on families headed by single mothers and mothers of color.
Holly
Custard

Strada Education Foundation

HOLLY CUSTARD is deputy director, Institute Partnerships and Outreach at Strada Education Foundation. She has worked in K-20 education for more than 20 years, across...

HOLLY CUSTARD is deputy director, Institute Partnerships and Outreach at Strada Education Foundation. She has worked in K-20 education for more than 20 years, across non-profit, public, and corporate sectors. She specializes in learner-centered design, qualitative research, cross-sector stakeholder engagement, and strategic program development. Before joining Strada, Custard was Head of Academics at Pearson, leading innovations in online learning and designing new models to serve working learners. She also previously served as Associate Director of Digital Content at the University of Texas at Austin, Product and Solutions Specialist at Pearson, and Education Program Director for PBS.

Jim
Daniels

Credly

JIM DANIELS is the Director of Professional Services for Credly's Customer Success organization with an extensive background in technology and education services strategy and execution....
JIM DANIELS is the Director of Professional Services for Credly's Customer Success organization with an extensive background in technology and education services strategy and execution. Previously, he held several positions at IBM including serving as a global  delivery leader for IBM education and accreditation growth initiatives focused on designing, transforming, and expanding IBM’s training and credential programs across both internal business units and external markets. This work resulted in expanding IBM education services coverage from 70 to 200 countries, development of innovative talent development and skills growth initiatives, transforming skills recognition strategy through digital credentials (Open Badges) and professional certification programs, and maximizing return on customers IT investments by improving access to training and certification tailored to their unique requirements.
Leanne
Davis
LEANNE DAVIS is managing researcher, Postsecondary Success at Education Northwest. She previously served as Senior Learning Specialist at The Hope Center for College, Community, and...

LEANNE DAVIS is managing researcher, Postsecondary Success at Education Northwest. She previously served as Senior Learning Specialist at The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice; and as Associate Director of Research and Policy at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). Previously she served in various roles in research at IHEP, and COO/Director of Counseling at Sparks Consulting LLC. Early in her career she was a Navy CH-46 pilot. As training officer for her squadron, she worked to ensure that workplace training and certifications received would meet the requirements for ACE military credit.

Susan
Deer
SUSAN DEER is retired. Previously, she was Provost and Executive Vice President at Rockland Community College. She was the Certifying Officer for a Title V...
SUSAN DEER is retired. Previously, she was Provost and Executive Vice President at Rockland Community College. She was the Certifying Officer for a Title V grant received by RCC designed to help students become more “real-world ready” thus providing credentialing options that are reflective of the needs of business and industry.
Sarah
Demark

Western Governors University (WGU)

SARAH DEMARK serves as vice president, Workforce Intelligence & Credential Integrity & Interim Director of the Open Skills Network at Western Governors University. She is...

SARAH DEMARK serves as vice president, Workforce Intelligence & Credential Integrity & Interim Director of the Open Skills Network at Western Governors University. She is a strong advocate for creating skills-based credentials that benefit and align both individuals and employers to improve equitable opportunity for all. While at WGU, DeMark has also served as the vice president of program development and the vice president of General Education innovation. She also serves on 1EdTech’s Board of Directors.

Brent
Drake

John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education

BRENT DRAKE is the Senior Vice President Operations and Research at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education.
BRENT DRAKE is the Senior Vice President Operations and Research at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education.
Amy Ellen
Duke-Benfield

Higher Learning Advocates

AMY ELLEN DUKE-BENFIELD is Managing Director, Policy and Research at Higher Learning Advocates. Previously, she was a Senior Fellow at National Skills Coalition, where she...
AMY ELLEN DUKE-BENFIELD is Managing Director, Policy and Research at Higher Learning Advocates. Previously, she was a Senior Fellow at National Skills Coalition, where she serves as the organization’s expert on state and federal higher education policy development and implementation. Previously she served as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).
Amber Garrison
Duncan

Competency-Based Education Network (CBEN)

AMBER GARRISON DUNCAN is Executive Vice President at Competency-Based Education Network (CBEN). Previously, she led a portfolio to scale student learning and success policies and...
AMBER GARRISON DUNCAN is Executive Vice President at Competency-Based Education Network (CBEN). Previously, she led a portfolio to scale student learning and success policies and practices that serve adult minoritized communities, particularly in community colleges at Lumina Foundation. She’s led work in competency-based education, learning frameworks, assessment, credential recognition, digital learner records and open data standards, as well as quality assurance. Prior to Lumina, she spent 15 years as a campus-based professional, designing co-curricular learning experiences and leading assessment.
Lisa
Eads

North Carolina Community College System Office

LISA EADS is Associate Vice President of Programs for the North Carolina Community College System Office. Her career in higher education and early childhood education...
LISA EADS is Associate Vice President of Programs for the North Carolina Community College System Office. Her career in higher education and early childhood education has focused on improving college transfer opportunities, expansion of stackable credentials within career and technical education programs, and the NCCCS Credit for Prior Learning policy development and implementation plan.
Dhanfu
Elston

Complete College America

DHANFU ELSTON is Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President for Strategy at Complete College America. He previously led completion and retention efforts at minority-serving...
DHANFU ELSTON is Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President for Strategy at Complete College America. He previously led completion and retention efforts at minority-serving institutions that garnered national attention, including Georgia State University, Purdue University Northwest, and Clark Atlanta University.
Karen
Elzey

Workcred

KAREN ELZEY is the associate executive director of Workcred where she advances projects that focus on the quality, effectiveness, and market value of workforce credentials....
KAREN ELZEY is the associate executive director of Workcred where she advances projects that focus on the quality, effectiveness, and market value of workforce credentials. Her work includes developing pathways that integrate multiple types of credentials and managing a network of certification bodies to share their administrative data as a way to understand the return on investment for certifications. Previously, she was vice president of the Business-Higher Education Forum and vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce.
Mindy
Feldbaum

AARP Foundation

MINDY FELDBAUM is the Vice President of Workforce Programs at the AARP Foundation. Previously, she served as the Principal of The Collaboratory, a strategic consulting firm...
MINDY FELDBAUM is the Vice President of Workforce Programs at the AARP Foundation. Previously, she served as the Principal of The Collaboratory, a strategic consulting firm working to transform the effectiveness and impact of community college programs and systems to improve student success. She has also served as the Vice President for Strategy and Programs for the ACT Foundation, helping to launch the Foundation and oversee its inaugural investments. She also directed four major grant programs at US Department of Labor and served as the Director of the Employment and Training Council at the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Eric
Fotheringham

University of North Carolina System Office

ERIC FOTHERINGHAM is Assistant Vice President for Transfer Student Success & Partnerships at University of North Carolina System. He has held many roles at the...

ERIC FOTHERINGHAM is Assistant Vice President for Transfer Student Success & Partnerships at University of North Carolina System. He has held many roles at the system including working on adult learner initiatives, non-cognitive skill assessment, policy reviews, and data analysis. Prior to working in higher education work, he supported workforce development programs and international and domestic capacity-building projects.

Sameer
Gadkaree

The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS)

SAMEER GADKAREE is President and CEO of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). He previously served as Senior Program Officer on the Education...
SAMEER GADKAREE is President and CEO of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). He previously served as Senior Program Officer on the Education & Economic Mobility team at the Joyce Foundation. He has also served as a freelance consultant in workforce development, education issues, and philanthropic strategy; and Associate Vice Chancellor for Adult Education with the City Colleges of Chicago. He also served as Business Analyst for Discovery Communications and McKinsey & Co.
Sean
Gallagher

Huron Consulting Group

SEAN GALLAGHER is higher education consulting director at Huron Consulting Group. He is also a part-time lecturer at Northeastern University. He previously served as Chief...

SEAN GALLAGHER is higher education consulting director at Huron Consulting Group. He is also a part-time lecturer at Northeastern University. He previously served as Chief Strategy Officer for Northeastern University and as a business leader at research and consulting firm Eduventures.

Paul
Gaston

Higher Education Consultant

PAUL GASTON is a higher education consultant with accrediting organizations, higher education institutions, and Lumina Foundation. He is also an author of "Credentials" with coauthor...
PAUL GASTON is a higher education consultant with accrediting organizations, higher education institutions, and Lumina Foundation. He is also an author of "Credentials" with coauthor Michelle Van Noy. Since 2019 he has served as a Distinguished Fellow at the Association of American Colleges and Universities. He is Trustees Professor Emeritus at Kent State University, where he served for several years as Provost. Earlier he served as Provost and Executive Vice President at Northern Kentucky University; and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Julie
Gedro

SUNY Empire State University

JULIE GEDRO is Dean of the School of Business at SUNY Empire State University where she has also served as Associate Dean and Professor of...

JULIE GEDRO is Dean of the School of Business at SUNY Empire State University where she has also served as Associate Dean and Professor of Business, Management and Economics. She serves as Series Editor for Palgrave Macmillan’s Human Resource Development book series, Explorations in Workplace Stigma; and served as President of the Academy of Human Resource Development.

Haley
Glover

Aspen Institute

HALEY GLOVER is Director of UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute, scaling employer-driven solutions for talent development and career advancement for frontline workers.  Previously,  Haley...
HALEY GLOVER is Director of UpSkill America at the Aspen Institute, scaling employer-driven solutions for talent development and career advancement for frontline workers.  Previously,  Haley served as a Senior Program Manager for Amazon Career Choice, supporting the program’s college and coaching efforts. She also served for more than a decade as Strategy Director at Lumina Foundation, leading the Foundation’s community and employer mobilization portfolios, and most recently, the Racial Justice and Equity Fund. Prior to Lumina, Haley served in state policy roles in Massachusetts and Indiana.
Sandy
Goodman

World Education, Inc.

SANDY GOODMAN has been a leading member of the National College Transition Network (NTCN) team since 2006. She provides technical assistance, professional development, and project...
SANDY GOODMAN has been a leading member of the National College Transition Network (NTCN) team since 2006. She provides technical assistance, professional development, and project leadership and coaching on designing and scaling effective training and learning pathways to careers for adult learners and workers. Sandy has trained hundreds of frontline staff and agency leaders around the country to design and deliver effective career navigation and coaching programs. She works strategically within and across the adult education, workforce development, and community college systems to leverage to foster innovative and equitable education and employment opportunities.
Melanie
Gottlieb

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

MELANIE GOTTLIEB is the Executive Director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), where she held several earlier leadership positions. She...
MELANIE GOTTLIEB is the Executive Director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), where she held several earlier leadership positions. She also served as Vice President for International Education on the AACRAO Board of Directors.   Previously, she served as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Cottey College; and Director of Admission Operations at Webster University where she admission policy and process for international university network on 8 continents and in 60 cities across the globe. Her functional areas included technology training and development, reporting, events, international education policy, transfer and articulation process and policy, front desk and call centers, management of recruitment communication plan.
Sheryl
Grant

New Trust Lab

SHERYL GRANT is Founder and President of New Trust Lab where she focuses on developing a series of design patterns for microcredential in higher education...
SHERYL GRANT is Founder and President of New Trust Lab where she focuses on developing a series of design patterns for microcredential in higher education on behalf of the Trusted Learner Network at Arizona State University. Previously she served as Director, Digital Credential Strategies at Badgr, and co-chaired the T3 Innovation’s Learner Employment Record Network (LERN) adoption/implementation workgroup.  She authored a  book that captures lessons learned from early badging programs: What Counts as Learning: Open Digital Badges for New Opportunities.  She was a leader in the Badges for Lifelong Learning movement on behalf of HASTAC (Humanities, Arts, Science, Technology Advanced Collaboratory) at Duke University, in collaboration with Mozilla and the MacArthur Foundation.
Tom
Green

Salesforce

TOM GREEN is Director of Strategic Enrollment Management at Salesforce. Previously he served as Associate Executive Director for Consulting and Strategic Enrollment Management for AACRAO,...
TOM GREEN is Director of Strategic Enrollment Management at Salesforce. Previously he served as Associate Executive Director for Consulting and Strategic Enrollment Management for AACRAO, where he led efforts to develop new forms of digital student records based on what is learned in higher education; and coordinates work on digital records across organizations that seek to create digital records and evolving mechanisms to transmit them. He has also served in executive enrollment roles at several colleges and universities.
Tina
Gridiron

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning

TINA GRIDIRON is Vice President at ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning. Previously she served as Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships for the Center. She...
TINA GRIDIRON is Vice President at ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning. Previously she served as Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships for the Center. She also founded and is lead consultant of TLG Solutions, a consulting firm that increases the impact and influence of organizations promoting the public good. Previously she served as an officer and director for Lumina Foundation where she worked extensively with community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and regional comprehensive institutions. She has served as Acting Director of the Black Community Services Center at Stanford University
Alison
Griffin

Whiteboard Advisors

ALISON GRIFFIN is a Senior Vice President with Whiteboard Advisors where she manages the social impact agency’s policy and practice work focused on the intersection...

ALISON GRIFFIN is a Senior Vice President with Whiteboard Advisors where she manages the social impact agency’s policy and practice work focused on the intersection of postsecondary and employment. Previously she served as a policy advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce; policy advisor with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities; and  member of the senior leadership team at Strada Education Network leading their external affairs, government relations, and national engagement activities. Alison is currently a Trustee for Colorado Mesa University, and Vice Chair of the Colorado League of Charter Schools Board of Directors.

Deana
Guido

Bladen Community College

DEANA GUIDO is the Grant Development and Contract Administrator at Bladen Community College. Previously she was the Director of Learning Resource Center at Halifax Community...

DEANA GUIDO is the Grant Development and Contract Administrator at Bladen Community College. Previously she was the Director of Learning Resource Center at Halifax Community College. She also has served as Director of Academic Programs at North Carolina Community College System Office.

Sarah
Heath

Career and Technical Education in Colorado

SARAH HEATH is State Director of Career and Technical Education in Colorado. Previously she worked in CTE as a high school business teacher, state program...
SARAH HEATH is State Director of Career and Technical Education in Colorado. Previously she worked in CTE as a high school business teacher, state program director, and local administrator. She serves as President of Advance CTE and National Past-President of the Association for Career and Technical Education.
Deborah
Hodge

ED2WORK®

DEB HODGE is Managing Consultant for ED2WORK®. She brings nearly 20 years of higher education and program development experience to the role. She was most...
DEB HODGE is Managing Consultant for ED2WORK®. She brings nearly 20 years of higher education and program development experience to the role. She was most recently the Managing Director of the Capital CoLAB, the skills and talent division of the Greater Washington Partnership, where she led and supported implementation of the Digital Tech Credential at 20 regional universities. In previous roles with Excelsior College and SUNY Empire State College, she helped to implement programs centered around non-traditional learners. As CIO at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Deb led the Transformation Initiative aimed at creating accessible and scalable online learning resources for boards of directors.
Roberta
Hyland

National Student Clearinghouse

ROBERTA HYLAND is Chief Data Officer at the National Student Clearinghouse where she is responsible for enterprise data strategy and charting the path forward for...
ROBERTA HYLAND is Chief Data Officer at the National Student Clearinghouse where she is responsible for enterprise data strategy and charting the path forward for data management and data infrastructure and technology, and evangelizing for data literacy and data governance. She has held several positions at the Clearinghouse including Chief of Staff; Assistant Vice President, Research Operations and International Development; Assistant Vice President, Financial Aid Services; and Assistant Vice President, Government Relations.
Natasha
Jankowski

Higher Education Consultant

NATASHA JANKOWSKI is an assessment expert and higher education consultant as well as lecturer with New England College. She is former Executive Director of NILOA...
NATASHA JANKOWSKI is an assessment expert and higher education consultant as well as lecturer with New England College. She is former Executive Director of NILOA (National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment) where she led research focused on increasing the use of evidence of student learning, more equitable recognition and validation of learning, increased involvement of students in assessment, organizational transformation through a learning systems paradigm, and transparency of learning. She has served as Research Associate Professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign.
Parminder
Jassal

Unmudl Skills-to-Jobs Marketplace

PARMINDER K JASSAL is the CEO of Unmudl Skills-to-Jobs Marketplace, a public benefit corp., founded by U.S. community colleges to connect community college students to...
PARMINDER K JASSAL is the CEO of Unmudl Skills-to-Jobs Marketplace, a public benefit corp., founded by U.S. community colleges to connect community college students to employers. Earlier she founded the “Work + Learn Futures Lab” at the Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, California. Jassal also served as Founding Executive Director of ACT Foundation, and before that, as a program officer supporting postsecondary success for low-income young adults at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to joining the Gates Foundation, she held a number of workforce-oriented positions including serving as Director of Workforce Solutions for Greater Louisville Inc.
Lecester
Johnson

Hope Adult Public Charter School

LECESTER JOHNSON is Chief Executive Officer of Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School, in Washington, DC., an adult education provider offering two pathways to...
LECESTER JOHNSON is Chief Executive Officer of Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School, in Washington, DC., an adult education provider offering two pathways to a high school credential (GED or National External Diploma Program), workforce training and college preparation. She brings 25+ years of experience supporting individuals historically underserved in education and workforce development and has developed award-winning workforce training and education programs. She is a trained special educator and certified vocational evaluator with deep knowledge of education and workforce policy and expertise in career assessment and instructional systems design.
Cathrael
Kazin

Volta Learning Group

CATHRAEL KAZIN (“KATE”) is Managing Partner of Volta Learning Group. She previously served as founding Chief Academic Officer of Southern New Hampshire University’s College for...
CATHRAEL KAZIN (“KATE”) is Managing Partner of Volta Learning Group. She previously served as founding Chief Academic Officer of Southern New Hampshire University’s College for America and designed its project-based CBE model. She has served as Executive Director of the Higher Education Division at ETS; civil rights attorney at the US Department of Labor and Special Assistant to Secretary Robert Reich; and former faculty member of the University of Iowa English Department.
Vanessa
Keadle

Student-Ready Strategies

VANESSA KEADLE is a partner and the Chief Strategy Officer at Student-Ready Strategies, a postsecondary technical assistance and consulting organization focused on institutional transformation to...

VANESSA KEADLE is a partner and the Chief Strategy Officer at Student-Ready Strategies, a postsecondary technical assistance and consulting organization focused on institutional transformation to achieve equitable outcomes for Black, Latine, Indigenous, poverty affected and adult students. She previously served as the senior strategy director at Complete College America, coordinator of evaluation and research at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and in various student-focused institutional roles.

Angela
Kersenbrock

Community College Baccalaureate Association

ANGELA KERSENBROCK is President of the Community College Baccalaureate Association. She previously served as a tenured faculty member, Department Chair, Dean and the Associate Vice...
ANGELA KERSENBROCK is President of the Community College Baccalaureate Association. She previously served as a tenured faculty member, Department Chair, Dean and the Associate Vice President of the School of Business, Health and Public Safety at Seminole State College in Florida.
Becky
Klein-Collins

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

BECKY KLEIN-COLLINS is Vice President for Impact at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) where she develops strategic partnerships, advocates for the adult...
BECKY KLEIN-COLLINS is Vice President for Impact at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) where she develops strategic partnerships, advocates for the adult learner, manages research initiatives, and oversees development of public-facing resources. Her prior roles focused on prior learning assessment, competency-based education, public policy change, and system-transforming practices in workforce development. In 2018, she published Never Too Late: The Adult Student’s Guide to College.
Michelle
Lair

NC Community College System

MICHELLE LAIR is a North Carolina native who has spent over 25 years working in the field of education. She has worked in secondary education...
MICHELLE LAIR is a North Carolina native who has spent over 25 years working in the field of education. She has worked in secondary education and in an education serving nonprofit prior to transitioning to higher education. Michelle has served on campus as Director of Admissions, at the NC Community College System office as the CCP Coordinator and currently serves as the Director of Academic Programs for the NC Community College System. Expanding access and increasing success for students in the state of NC is what Michelle seeks to do in her role as she works to contribute to the overall economic development of the state.
Mary Beth
Lakin

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

MARY BETH LAKIN is Director for the Credit for Prior Learning Assessment Network (C-PLAN) at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, which supports 37 campuses in...
MARY BETH LAKIN is Director for the Credit for Prior Learning Assessment Network (C-PLAN) at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, which supports 37 campuses in CPL implementation. Previously she worked at the American Council on Education developing pathways and partnerships through the application of ACE credit recommendations at higher education institutions. She has also been faculty, academic advisor and program director at colleges and universities in California, Japan, and Virginia.
Patrick
Lane

WICHE

PATRICK LANE is Vice President of WICHE’s Policy Analysis and Research unit, overseeing research products and postsecondary policy initiatives focused on improving access to and...
PATRICK LANE is Vice President of WICHE’s Policy Analysis and Research unit, overseeing research products and postsecondary policy initiatives focused on improving access to and success in postsecondary education throughout the West with a focus on those groups that have been poorly served by existing systems. Previously he worked in education policy in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Jessica
Langley-Loep

National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

JESSICA LANGLEY-LOEP is Executive Director of Education and Advocacy for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), a leading allied health learning resource and certification exam provider....
JESSICA LANGLEY-LOEP is Executive Director of Education and Advocacy for the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), a leading allied health learning resource and certification exam provider. She is a clinician by trade with tenure as a health science education leader.
Jeannine
Laprad

National Skills Coalition

JEANNINE LAPRAD is the Managing Director of Policy and Research at National Skills Coalition, where she leads policy research, development, and implementation activities. Previously, she...
JEANNINE LAPRAD is the Managing Director of Policy and Research at National Skills Coalition, where she leads policy research, development, and implementation activities. Previously, she worked with the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce where she held several positions including serving as a Senior Fellow, and later as President and CEO. Throughout her career, she has worked with leaders in the non-profit, government, education, and business sectors to reshape employment and education policy and practice in ways to create more equitable outcomes for workers and communities, at the federal, state and local levels.
David
Leaser

Digital Badge Academy

DAVID LEASER is Co-Founder of Digital Badge Academy. Prior to his current position, Leaser was Senior Executive of Strategic Growth Initiatives for IBM’s Training &...
DAVID LEASER is Co-Founder of Digital Badge Academy. Prior to his current position, Leaser was Senior Executive of Strategic Growth Initiatives for IBM’s Training & Skills program. He developed IBM’s first cloud-based embedded learning solution and is the founder of the IBM Digital Badge program. He is a Fellow at Northeastern University and a member of the IMS Global Consortium Board advisory group for digital credentials. He has provided guidance to the US Department of Labor and US Department of Education as an employer subject matter expert.
Carolynn
Lee

Ascendium Education Group

CAROLYNN LEE is Deputy Director of Education Grantmaking for the Ascendium Education Group, where she partners with institutions and organizations to elevate opportunity and streamline...
CAROLYNN LEE is Deputy Director of Education Grantmaking for the Ascendium Education Group, where she partners with institutions and organizations to elevate opportunity and streamline key transitions for learners from low-income backgrounds, especially from historically underserved groups. Previously, she led the grantmaking programs at Kohler Foundation, Inc., and the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa.
Mary
Lefebvre

ACT State Government Relations

MARY LEFEBVRE is Director of Workforce Policy with ACT State Government Relations, providing education and workforce development expertise and government relations support at the federal,...
MARY LEFEBVRE is Director of Workforce Policy with ACT State Government Relations, providing education and workforce development expertise and government relations support at the federal, state, and local level. Her applied research includes empirical measures of career success, ROI of skills-based employer hiring systems, 21st C. workforce trends, and issues facing an aging and transitioning workforce. Previously she served as Workforce Research Manager at the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, MO Department of Economic Development, providing statewide and local leadership for research and statewide workforce initiatives.
Kerri
Lemoie

Digital Credentials Consortium

KERRI LEMOIE is the Director of the Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC), leading the overall strategy for a global group of higher education institutions working on...
KERRI LEMOIE is the Director of the Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC), leading the overall strategy for a global group of higher education institutions working on developing trusted infrastructure for digital academic credentials. Through her more than 20 years of experience as a web developer she has served in leadership and advisory roles in a number of seminal projects in blockchain, interoperable standards, and decentralized identity. Kerri was one of the founding technical contributors to the widely-referenced Open Badges specification for data-rich verifiable credentials.
Mark
Leuba

1EdTech

MARK LEUBA is Vice President of 1EdTech. 1EdTech’s 750+ member organizations collaborate under transparent governance to power learner potential and advance learner-worker mobility. Since 2015...
MARK LEUBA is Vice President of 1EdTech. 1EdTech’s 750+ member organizations collaborate under transparent governance to power learner potential and advance learner-worker mobility. Since 2015 with 1EdTech, Leuba has worked with leading education, workforce, and technology innovators to adopt open standards such as Open Badges, the Comprehensive Learner Record Standard and CASE, the Competency and Academic Standards Exchange. Prior to joining 1EdTech, he served as CIO for American Public University System (APUS), CTO for MoodleRooms, and managing partner for Pathway Technology Partners, an education technology consultancy.
Dane
Linn

Business Roundtable

DANE LINN is Senior Vice President of Corporate Initiatives at the Business Roundtable. Previously he oversaw the Education & Workforce Committee and advancing positions on...
DANE LINN is Senior Vice President of Corporate Initiatives at the Business Roundtable. Previously he oversaw the Education & Workforce Committee and advancing positions on education reform, U.S. innovation capacity, and workforce preparedness. He also was lead staff for the Immigration Committee. He previously served as Executive Director of State Policy at College Board; Director of Educational Policy Division of National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices; Coordinator of the Office of Special Education Programs for the West Virginia Department of Education; and school principal and teacher.
Charla
Long

Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN)

CHARLA LONG is Executive Director for the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), an international consortium of higher education institutions and statewide systems seeking to design, develop,...
CHARLA LONG is Executive Director for the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), an international consortium of higher education institutions and statewide systems seeking to design, develop, and scale new models of student learning. She also She also leads C-BEN’s Consulting Services, helping institutions with competency-based learning.
Lisa
Lutz

SOLID, LLC

LISA LUTZ is President and CEO of SOLID, LLC., focusing on policy research and analysis and program evaluation related to education, training, workforce development, and...
LISA LUTZ is President and CEO of SOLID, LLC., focusing on policy research and analysis and program evaluation related to education, training, workforce development, and employment of military service members and veterans. She has held appointments to advisory committees by four secretaries of Veterans Affairs. She has served as both committee member and vice chair of the American National Standard’s Institute’s (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Personnel Certification Accreditation Committee (PCAC), and serves as a long-term member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) Government Affairs Committee.
Lisa Sax
Mahoney

National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS)

LISA SAX MAHONEY is Director of National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), University of the State of New York, Board of Regents. Previously she served...
LISA SAX MAHONEY is Director of National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), University of the State of New York, Board of Regents. Previously she served as Director of Corporate and Community Partnerships at SUNY Empire State College, Executive Director of the Adirondack Business & School Partnership, and Director of the Newspapers-in-Education program, Lee Enterprises.
Kathryn Jo
Mannes

Jobs for the Future (JFF)

KATHRYN JO MANNES is Vice President, Impact Partnerships, at Jobs for the Future (JFF). Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Labor where she...
KATHRYN JO MANNES is Vice President, Impact Partnerships, at Jobs for the Future (JFF). Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Labor where she launched the Center for Workforce and Industry Partnerships. She also previously served as senior vice president for workforce and economic development at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); managing director of workforce development at the National Retail Federation Foundation; at Dusco Community Services; the Council for Adult Education and Learning; and American University.
Daniel
Marschall

George Washington Institute of Public Policy

DANIEL MARSCHALL is a Research Professor at George Washington Institute of Public Policy. Previously he served as Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Working for America...
DANIEL MARSCHALL is a Research Professor at George Washington Institute of Public Policy. Previously he served as Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute, which received a U.S. Department of Labor grant to expand registered apprenticeships in manufacturing and service industries. For many years, he was a practitioner in the analysis of workforce and training programs to inform policy frameworks for local, state, and federal government agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
Kevin
Martin

Parchment

KEVIN MARTIN is Chief Growth Officer and member of the Executive Team at Parchment. Previously he worked at Stryker as a Commodity Manager and Aftermarket...

KEVIN MARTIN is Chief Growth Officer and member of the Executive Team at Parchment. Previously he worked at Stryker as a Commodity Manager and Aftermarket Materials; and at Calvin College as a Transfer Coordinator following roles as an Admissions Counselor/Transfer.

Robert
Matthews

Mott Community College

ROBERT MATTHEWS is Associate Vice President, Workforce & Economic Development at Mott Community College. In this position he identifies and leverages city, federal, state, philanthropic,...
ROBERT MATTHEWS is Associate Vice President, Workforce & Economic Development at Mott Community College. In this position he identifies and leverages city, federal, state, philanthropic, and corporate resources to promote and advance community, economic and workforce development, and other strategic initiatives at the college. He has held previous positions at Mott, as Executive Dean, Workforce, Community & Grant Development; and Executive Dean, Workforce & Career Development.
Alexei
Matveev

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

ALEXEI MATVEEV is Director of Training and Research at the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He led recent research to explore...
ALEXEI MATVEEV is Director of Training and Research at the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He led recent research to explore whether and how SACSCOC member institutions recognize and validate college-level learning acquired outside the traditional higher education environment and, consequently, convert external, noncredit learning experiences and competencies into college credit. Previously he worked at Norfolk State University (VA) and Udmurt State University (Russia).
Chris
Mayer

United States Military Academy (West Point)

CHRIS MAYER is a career Army officer and Head of the Department of English & Philosophy at the United States Military Academy (West Point). He...

CHRIS MAYER is a career Army officer and Head of the Department of English & Philosophy at the United States Military Academy (West Point). He previously served as West Point’s Associate Dean for Strategy and Initiatives and is a former Teagle Assessment Scholar and Association of Professional Futurists Emerging Fellow. Chris’ membership on the Advisory Board does not reflect endorsement by the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Army, or U.S. Department of Defense.

Mary Alice
McCarthy

New America

MARY ALICE MCCARTHY is Director of the Center on Education & Labor at New America. She has previously led technical assistance initiatives in career pathways,...
MARY ALICE MCCARTHY is Director of the Center on Education & Labor at New America. She has previously led technical assistance initiatives in career pathways, credentialing, and competency-based education for the USDOE; and career pathways programs with states and tribal entities at the USDOL. She co-founded an interagency working group from USDOE, Health & Human Services, and USDOL on investments related to career pathways; and wrote policy guidance on credentialing and career pathways, and supported the TAACCT Workforce Innovation Fund grant programs.
Kate Drezek
McConnell

VALUE

KATE DREZEK MCCONNELL is Vice President for Curricular and Pedagogical Innovation and Executive Director of VALUE. Previously she served as Assistant Vice President for Research...
KATE DREZEK MCCONNELL is Vice President for Curricular and Pedagogical Innovation and Executive Director of VALUE. Previously she served as Assistant Vice President for Research and Assessment and Director of the VALUE Institute, that enables any higher education provider to collect and upload samples of student work to a digital repository and have that work scored by certified Institute scorers for external validation of institutional learning assessment. Earlier she spent 10 years at Virginia Tech in assessment /evaluation and affiliate faculty in Virginia Tech’s graduate program in educational psychology, teaching courses on cognitive processes and effective college teaching.
Lisa
McIntyre-Hite

Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN)

LISA MCINTYRE-HITE is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer: C-BEN Solutions, at Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN). Previously she was the Founder and Principle of...

LISA MCINTYRE-HITE is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer: C-BEN Solutions, at Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN). Previously she was the Founder and Principle of Learning Ecosystem Design, LLC. She was also Vice President of Learning Innovation at Guild Education. Her research in competency-based education and learning innovation has been published by the Clayton Christensen Institute and is featured in several peer-reviewed journals.

Heather
McKay

Virginia Office of Education and Economics

HEATHER MCKAY is the Executive Director of the Virginia Office of Education and Economics, effective September 2021. She has served as Director of the Education...
HEATHER MCKAY is the Executive Director of the Virginia Office of Education and Economics, effective September 2021. She has served as Director of the Education and Employment Research Center at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations where she conducted research and evaluations on credentials, community college education and teaching, educational and career pathways, and state and federal education and workforce policies.
Michael
Meotti

Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)

MICHAEL MEOTTI is Executive Director of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). Previously he served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and...
MICHAEL MEOTTI is Executive Director of the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). Previously he served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Higher Education and Executive Vice President of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education; consulted on national higher education initiatives and regional and state strategies to increase student access/success supported by foundations; and taught higher education policy at George Washington University.
Sarah
Miller

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

SARAH MILLER is a Senior Adviser with the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Previously she served as...
SARAH MILLER is a Senior Adviser with the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Previously she served as Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development at CAEL where she focused on supports for working learners, regional strategies to increase workforce, education, and economic development alignment, developed approaches to advance learn-and-work systems, identify skills transferability and highlight the value of industry certifications and nondegree credentials.
Wanda
Monthey

Monthey Associates

WANDA MONTHEY leads Monthey Associates where she works with industry and educators to develop high quality programs for youth and adults. In collaboration with Bray...
WANDA MONTHEY leads Monthey Associates where she works with industry and educators to develop high quality programs for youth and adults. In collaboration with Bray Strategies, developed three Department of Labor approved registered apprenticeship programs and implementation plans for five programs. Previously she wworked in leadership roles at the Oregon and Maine Departments of Education supervising and implementing multiple program areas and projects including in career and technical education, adult education, ESEA, higher education, standards, and assessment. Earlier, she worked with The College Board to develop a strategic plan for CTE by designing pathways from middle school through postsecondary education. Together with AdvanceCTE, she also mapped relevant Advanced Placement (AP) courses to the career clusters.
Nick
Moore

Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation (GOEWT)

NICK MOORE serves as the director of the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation (GOEWT) under the leadership of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. Moore...
NICK MOORE serves as the director of the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation (GOEWT) under the leadership of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. Moore focuses on aligning Alabama’s education and workforce programs, implementing Alabama’s state longitudinal database system, establishing Alabama’s non-degree credential quality and transparency system, and curating a competency-based education and skills-based hiring system in Alabama. Under Nick’s leadership, the GOEWT is working to establish a learning and employment record, a skills-based job description generator, and a human-centered public workforce system designed to assist Alabamians with overcoming benefits cliffs and other barriers to entering the workforce.
Jane
Oates

WorkingNation

JANE OATES is a former U.S. Department of Labor official who has played a key role in WorkingNation’s mission to raise awareness about the challenges...
JANE OATES is a former U.S. Department of Labor official who has played a key role in WorkingNation’s mission to raise awareness about the challenges facing the American workforce. Jane served as Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration under Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis after being nominated for the position by President Barack Obama in 2009. Prior to her appointment, Jane was Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and a senior advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine. She also served for nearly a decade as senior policy advisor for Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. Jane began her career as a teacher in the Boston and Philadelphia public schools and later as a field researcher at Temple University’s Center for Research in Human Development and Education.
Suzanne
Ortega

Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)

SUZANNE ORTEGA is President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). She previously served as the University of North Carolina Senior Vice President for Academic...
SUZANNE ORTEGA is President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). She previously served as the University of North Carolina Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of New Mexico; and Vice Provost and Graduate Dean at the University of Washington, and the University of Missouri. She has served on review panels for NSF and NIH, and as principal or co-investigator on state, federal, and private foundation grants.
Amelia
Parnell

NASPA

AMELIA PARNELL is Vice President for Research and Policy at NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Previously she served as Director of Research...
AMELIA PARNELL is Vice President for Research and Policy at NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Previously she served as Director of Research Initiatives at the Association of Institutional Research (AIR) where she also served as Director of National Survey Research. She has worked as a Legislative Policy Analyst for the Florida Legislature, Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability; and Adjunct Professor at Florida State University.
David
Payne

National Student Clearinghouse

DAVID G. PAYNE is the Vice President of Learner Insights at National Student Clearinghouse. Previously, he was a Strategic Consultant who worked across the learn...
DAVID G. PAYNE is the Vice President of Learner Insights at National Student Clearinghouse. Previously, he was a Strategic Consultant who worked across the learn and earn ecosystems. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Global Higher Education Division, Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Chairman of ETS Global B.V. & ETS International Holdings. At ETS he was responsible for GRE, TOEFL and a portfolio of Student Learning Outcomes assessments. He served as Senior Strategic Consultant on the Solutions Team at JFF Labs, Jobs for the Future. David started his career at Binghamton University - SUNY, where he held various positions, including Professor, Psychology Department Chair, Vice Provost, and Graduate Dean.
Julie
Peller

Higher Learning Advocates

JULIE PELLER is Founder and Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates. Previously she was Lumina Foundation’s first Director of Federal Policy where she led the...
JULIE PELLER is Founder and Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates. Previously she was Lumina Foundation’s first Director of Federal Policy where she led the development and advancement of the foundation’s federal policy agenda. Earlier she served as Senior Advisor and the Deputy Staff Director for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Labor.
Jackie
Pichette

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO)

JACKIE PICHETTE is the Director of Research, Policy and Partnerships at the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), an agency that evaluates the postsecondary...
JACKIE PICHETTE is the Director of Research, Policy and Partnerships at the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), an agency that evaluates the postsecondary sector and provides policy recommendations to the government in Ontario, Canada. She guides HEQCO research and evaluation projects, often working with external partners to explore innovations and improvements in higher education. Previously she worked as a consultant, community organizer, and government policy analyst.
Kim
Poast

Colorado Department of Higher Education

KIM POAST is Chief Student Success & Academic Affairs Officer for the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Previously she served as Director, Office of College...
KIM POAST is Chief Student Success & Academic Affairs Officer for the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Previously she served as Director, Office of College and Career Readiness for Denver Public Schools; Director, Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness for Aurora Public Schools; and Deputy Director/Associate Deputy Director, Access & Student Services for the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Earlier she held positions as Executive Director for Institutional Advancement and Dean of Students at the Community College of Denver. She is also an associate professor at the University of Colorado at Denver teaching higher education policy and governance.
Stella
Porto

Inter-American Development Bank

STELLA PORTO is a Learning and Knowledge Management Sr. specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, DC. She is the head of CredencialesBID,...
STELLA PORTO is a Learning and Knowledge Management Sr. specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Washington, DC. She is the head of CredencialesBID, IDB’s Open Badge credentialing platform. She leads a team responsible for design, development and delivery of online courses covering various themes in social and economic development. Prior to IDB, Stella was the Program Director of the Master of Distance Education & E-Learning (MDE) at University of Maryland Global Campus, where she had other leadership roles since she joined UMGC in 2001. Earlier, Stella was a Professor in Computer Science at Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil.
Don
Presant

CanCred by Learning Agents

DON PRESANT is a leading expert on Open Badges in Canada and consults on international projects for badges, micro-credentials and opening up the recognition of...
DON PRESANT is a leading expert on Open Badges in Canada and consults on international projects for badges, micro-credentials and opening up the recognition of people and their skills. He is President of CanCred by Learning Agents, a leading Canadian service for Open Badges and micro-credentials.  Don is a founding member of the international Open Recognition Alliance (ORA), co-author of the 2016 Bologna Open Recognition Declaration and serves as an Open Recognition Ambassador, with a badge to demonstrate. Current files include the Open Recognition Workgroup in Open Skills Network, the Inter-American Development Bank and Canada's Institute for Performance and Learning.
Cynthia
Proctor

State University of New York (SUNY) System

CYNTHIA PROCTOR is Director of Communications and Academic Policy Development in the Provost’s Office, the State University of New York (SUNY) System. Previously she served...
CYNTHIA PROCTOR is Director of Communications and Academic Policy Development in the Provost’s Office, the State University of New York (SUNY) System. Previously she served as Director of Communications & Chief of Staff In the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, SUNY System; and Director of Public Affairs with the SUNY Charter Schools Institute. In earlier positions, she worked in communications including devising strategic communications plans, marketing strategy, and redesigning website and promotional materials. She drafted and leads implementation of SUNY’s multi-faceted microcredential policy, and is updating SUNY’s policy on the award of academic credit by evaluation.
Chris
Rasmussen

Colorado Department of Higher Education

CHRIS RASMUSSEN is Senior Director for Academic Pathways and Innovation with the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Previously held vice presidencies with the Association of...
CHRIS RASMUSSEN is Senior Director for Academic Pathways and Innovation with the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Previously held vice presidencies with the Association of Governing Boards and the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, where he led a multi-state effort on “tuning” the disciplines (aligning coursework to degree-level knowledge and competencies) and helped expand student access to online programs through launching the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement.
Anne
Reed

University at Buffalo

ANNE REED is founding Director of Micro-credentials at the University at Buffalo. She developed a process to propose, review, develop, and implement new micro-credentials at...
ANNE REED is founding Director of Micro-credentials at the University at Buffalo. She developed a process to propose, review, develop, and implement new micro-credentials at the university. She currently serves on multiple advisory boards, including the leadership team for UPCEA, Council for Credential Innovation. Previously she served as Lead Learning Designer for the Graduate School of Education at UB, and as Program Manager for Open SUNY. She has served as principal or co-investigator on state and federal grants, including as Co-PI on the NSF Convergence Accelerator project: A Universal Framework of Micro-Credentials for Nation-Wide Employment.
Kathryn
Regjo

Colorado Mountain College System

KATHRYN REGJO is Vice President of Academic Affairs, Colorado Mountain College System, and previously Vice President and Campus Dean. She has served as President of...
KATHRYN REGJO is Vice President of Academic Affairs, Colorado Mountain College System, and previously Vice President and Campus Dean. She has served as President of Lincoln College of New England; and in several positions at The Princeton Review ─ Regional Vice President, Executive Director, Director of Marketing, and Assistant Director of High School Programs.
Denise
Roosendaal

SmithBucklin

DENISE ROOSENDAAL is Executive Director for the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and Senior Director for SmithBucklin, serving trade associations, professional societies, technology communities, charitable organizations,...
DENISE ROOSENDAAL is Executive Director for the Institute for Credentialing Excellence and Senior Director for SmithBucklin, serving trade associations, professional societies, technology communities, charitable organizations, and corporations. Previously she served as the Executive Director of a regional REALTORS® Association, and the American Evaluation Association. She co-authored the chapter on credentialing in the ASAE Handbook of Professional Practices in Association Management(3rd edition), and serves on the Advisory Group for the ASAE ForesightWorks Project.
Shannon
Rowan

Walmart Foundation

SHANNON ROWAN is a Senior Manager, Opportunity, at the Walmart Foundation supporting Innovative Learning strategy on the Economic Opportunity in Retail team. Her work includes...
SHANNON ROWAN is a Senior Manager, Opportunity, at the Walmart Foundation supporting Innovative Learning strategy on the Economic Opportunity in Retail team. Her work includes learning systems, short-term credential quality, and talent financing. Previously she was a part of Walmart’s Global People team supporting the company’s Live Better U education benefit. She has over a decade of field operations leadership experience and a passion for lifelong learning.
Lauren
Runco

Solutions for Information Design (SOLID)

LAUREN RUNCO is Director of Strategy for Solutions for Information Design (SOLID), LLC. Previously, she served as Strategy Officer for military-based learning at Lumina Foundation;...
LAUREN RUNCO is Director of Strategy for Solutions for Information Design (SOLID), LLC. Previously, she served as Strategy Officer for military-based learning at Lumina Foundation; Director of Education and Employment for the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University; and founding Director of the Office of Military and Veteran Services at Marywood University.
Casey
Sacks

BridgeValley Community and Technical College

CASEY SACKS is President of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in Charleston, WV. She is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges at the...
CASEY SACKS is President of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in Charleston, WV. She is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges at the US Department of Education. She has also served in WV as the Vice Chancellor for the State higher education system, and in Colorado in several roles with the Colorado Community College System. She holds a senior scholar appointment with Rutgers University in the center for work and a faculty appointment with NC State in the BELK Center for Community College Leadership and Research.
Ken
Sauer

Indiana Commission for Higher Education

KEN SAUER is Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Executive Director of the Indiana Board for...
KEN SAUER is Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and Executive Director of the Indiana Board for Proprietary Education. He serves on the Governor’s Health Workforce Council, leads Indiana’s interagency effort to scale up Credential Engine, and is a recent past Chair of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. Previously he worked at the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
Greg
Schmidt

CVS Pharmacy

GREG SCHMIDT is Director of Workforce Initiatives at CVS Pharmacy. Previously he held several positions at CVS ─ Manager in Training at a CVS/pharmacy in...
GREG SCHMIDT is Director of Workforce Initiatives at CVS Pharmacy. Previously he held several positions at CVS ─ Manager in Training at a CVS/pharmacy in Albany, New York; Store Manager; Training Store Manager; and Workforce Initiatives Manager in New York and New England. He currently oversees a team of 10 Workforce Managers who partner with state and federal workforce agencies to provide employment services and training to underserved communities.
Wendy
Sedlak

Lumina Foundation

WENDY SEDLAK is Strategy Director for Research & Evaluation at Lumina Foundation, where she establishes and synthesizes evidence and data to advise Lumina’s strategic direction...
WENDY SEDLAK is Strategy Director for Research & Evaluation at Lumina Foundation, where she establishes and synthesizes evidence and data to advise Lumina’s strategic direction and documents effective practices and policies to inform the foundation and the field. Her work builds the evidence-base for what works for adult students of color on their pathway to earning a quality credential that leads to employability. Previously she served as Senior Director at Equal Measure, managing and directing large-scale national systems-change evaluations; and Research Assistant and Data Specialist at Temple University.
Katie
Sievers

AdeptID

KATIE SIEVERS serves as Partner Experience Lead at AdeptID, whose talent matching models get more people into better jobs, faster. Prior to AdeptID, Katie led...

KATIE SIEVERS serves as Partner Experience Lead at AdeptID, whose talent matching models get more people into better jobs, faster. Prior to AdeptID, Katie led professional services at Pearson Workforce Skills, where she took a human-centered approach to helping organizations structure, launch, and scale skill recognition strategies and credentialing programs. She is also a Teaching Fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she focuses on systems change, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship in education.

Mike
Simmons

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

MIKE SIMMONS is Strategic Projects Director for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO).  He is also CEO of the Mike Simmons...
MIKE SIMMONS is Strategic Projects Director for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO).  He is also CEO of the Mike Simmons Group and formerly an assistant vice president of Academic Affairs at the University of North Texas. His work spans 20 year of direct support for faculty, course development, instructional design, and research. Implementing innovation at scale, measuring impact on learning outcomes, and advancing the relationship between high-impact practices (HIPs) and job skill attainment have been areas of focus, including implementation of a marketable skills comprehensive learner record based on HIPs at UNT. He was previously Assistant Vice President for Lifelong Learning at Texas Woman's University.
Peter
Smith

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)

PETER SMITH holds a five-year term as the Orkand Endowed Chair and Senior Advisor to the President at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)....
PETER SMITH holds a five-year term as the Orkand Endowed Chair and Senior Advisor to the President at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). He has served as founding president of California State University Monterey Bay and the Community College of Vermont. He has also served as Assistant Director General for Education for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in Paris, France. Smith has been a lifelong champion for the assessment of prior learning and credential flexibility for adult learners.
Louis
Soares

American Council on Education

LOUIS SOARES is Chief Learning & Innovation Officer at American Council on Education, where he incubates and scales executive leadership networks and catalyzes compelling research...
LOUIS SOARES is Chief Learning & Innovation Officer at American Council on Education, where he incubates and scales executive leadership networks and catalyzes compelling research and innovation initiatives across the Council. Previously he served as Director and Fellow with the Center for American progress; Director of Business and Workforce Services for Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation; Manager of Education/Training Programs at Rhode Island Technology Council; and Manager of Education Grants Program at the Northern Rhode Island School to Career Partnership.
Karen
Solomon

Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

KAREN SOLOMON is Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). She leads initiatives on innovation, student success, and quality awareness...
KAREN SOLOMON is Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). She leads initiatives on innovation, student success, and quality awareness including transparency for learners and the expansion of recognized credentials. She also serves as Director of the Standard Pathway and staff liaison to a portfolio of member institutions. Previously she was engaged with outcomes assessment at ACT, Inc., founding Executive Director at Illinois Campus Compact and served in administrative roles at several postsecondary institutions in the Midwest.
Mitchell
Stevens

Stanford University

MITCHELL STEVENS is a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, where he also holds a courtesy professor appointment in Sociology and...
MITCHELL STEVENS is a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, where he also holds a courtesy professor appointment in Sociology and serves as faculty affiliate at the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. He also co-directs the Stanford Pathways Lab (pathwayslab.stanford.edu). Previously he served as associate professor, New York University; and assistant to associate professor at Hamilton College. As an organizational sociologist, his work focuses on educational sequences, lifelong learning, alternative educational forms, and the formal organization of knowledge.
Jeff
Strohl

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW)

JEFF STROHL is Director of Research at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) where he designs and implements research projects focused...
JEFF STROHL is Director of Research at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) where he designs and implements research projects focused on the nexus between labor markets and education. Previously he worked at Westat where he conducted studies including evaluation of the Teacher Incentive Fund grants which provided significant insight on K-12 education.
Kevin
Stump

Ed Design Lab

KEVIN STUMP is vice president of impact at Ed Design Lab. He was previously vice president of Economic Mobility and Workforce Innovation at SUNY Rockland....

KEVIN STUMP is vice president of impact at Ed Design Lab. He was previously vice president of Economic Mobility and Workforce Innovation at SUNY Rockland. He has also worked at Rockland Community College and JobsFirstNYC, an intermediary positioned between private philanthropy, public policy and practice to expand economic mobility to opportunity youth. This is where he co-founded Invest In Skills NY. As founding Northeast Director for Young Invincibles, he co-launched DegreesNYC. He has also served in roles in policy, research, and advocacy at the Roosevelt Institute and New York Public Interest Research Group.

Roy
Swift

Workcred

ROY SWIFT is Executive Director of Workcred, an affiliate of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Previously he served as Chief Workforce Development Officer at...
ROY SWIFT is Executive Director of Workcred, an affiliate of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Previously he served as Chief Workforce Development Officer at ANSI, and Senior Director of Personnel Credentialing Accreditation Programs. He formerly served as Executive Director of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), following a long career in the U.S. Army Medical Department where he was Chief of the Army Medical Specialist Corps in the Army Surgeon General’s Office with policy responsibility for Army occupational therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, and physician assistants throughout the world.
Wayne
Taliaferro

Lumina Foundation

WAYNE TALIAFERRO is a strategy director at Lumina Foundation where he works to support the creation of a system in which student success and equitable...
WAYNE TALIAFERRO is a strategy director at Lumina Foundation where he works to support the creation of a system in which student success and equitable outcomes are scaled up significantly, particularly at community colleges as the start of a success trajectory. He previously served as a senior policy analyst in the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at the Center for Law and Social Policy; and earlier as a research analyst at the University of Maryland College Park’s Office of Institutional Research, where his work informed enrollment, budget, and planning decisions, as well as reporting and special projects for institutional and systemwide audiences.
Van
Ton-Quinlivan

Futuro Health

VAN TON-QUINLIVAN is CEO of Futuro Health, with a mission to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of credentialed...
VAN TON-QUINLIVAN is CEO of Futuro Health, with a mission to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of credentialed allied healthcare workers in the nation. Her distinguished career spans the private, public, and now non-profit sectors. Previously she served as Executive Vice Chancellor for the California Community Colleges and named a White House Champion of Change under the Obama Administration. She is a mediaX distinguished visiting scholar at Stanford University.
Monica Parrish
Trent

Achieving the Dream

MONICA PARRISH TRENT is Vice President of Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream. Previously she served as Provost and Vice President of Academic & Student...
MONICA PARRISH TRENT is Vice President of Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream. Previously she served as Provost and Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs at Delaware County Community College; Instructional Dean and Montgomery College; and Assistant Professor of English at Brookdale Community College. She has also served as a commissioner on ACC’s Commission on Research, Data and Accountability; and peer reviewer for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Jason
Tyszko

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

JASON TYSZKO is Vice President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation where he advances policies and programs that enhance workforce readiness. This includes the...
JASON TYSZKO is Vice President at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation where he advances policies and programs that enhance workforce readiness. This includes the Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) initiative, the Jobs and Employment Data Exchange (JEDx), T3 Innovation Network, and Talent Finance initiative. Previously he served as Policy Adviser to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s administration; and as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Adviser to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
Julie
Uranis

University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA)

JULIE URANIS is Vice President for Online and Strategic Initiatives at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) where she serves as Managing Director...
JULIE URANIS is Vice President for Online and Strategic Initiatives at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) where she serves as Managing Director of the National Council for Online Education and shepherds various efforts for the association, including the Council of Chief Online Learning as well as the Council for Credential Innovation Officers. Previously she led the distance learning and continuing and professional education teams at Western Kentucky University and oversaw the creation of a competency-based undergrad program. She has held teaching and administrative positions at Eastern Michigan University.
Matthew
Valdez

Learn & Work Ecosystem Library

MATTHEW VALDEZ is the Librarian for the Learn & Work Ecosystem Library, where he updates and maintains the library’s collection and ensures stakeholder access to...
MATTHEW VALDEZ is the Librarian for the Learn & Work Ecosystem Library, where he updates and maintains the library’s collection and ensures stakeholder access to key resources. Valdez has almost twenty years of experience in academic libraries and higher education, working with institutions at the community college, state college and private university level.  Previously he served as a Reference and Instruction Librarian and Archivist for the Pikes Peak State College system, and Technology Specialist at the University of Denver. His work in higher education has focused on information literacy instruction, digital accessibility, Open Educational Resources, and educational technology.
Natalie
Van Kleef Conley

Google

Natalie Van Kleef Conley is the Chief Learning Officer for Qwiklabs at Google. She founded the Google IT Career Certificates that are designed to bring...
Natalie Van Kleef Conley is the Chief Learning Officer for Qwiklabs at Google. She founded the Google IT Career Certificates that are designed to bring nontraditional talent into technology, and drove the company’s workforce development strategy. Previously, she ran the IT Residency Program that staffs Google’s global support function, and launched a hiring pipeline and community college scholarship program with the nonprofit, Year Up. She previously served as the Assistant Director of Admissions at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a fellow at JFF and Northeastern University, and has appeared on CNN, in HBS’s Managing the Future of Work podcast, and in Fortune, Forbes, Wired, Axios, and other publications.
Michelle
Van Noy

Rutgers University

MICHELLE VAN NOY is Director at Education and Employment Research Center, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University. Previously she served as Research Affiliate...
MICHELLE VAN NOY is Director at Education and Employment Research Center, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University. Previously she served as Research Affiliate and Research Associate at the Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University; and Research Analyst at Mathematica Policy Research. Her research focuses on technician education, community college noncredit education, student decision-making about majors and careers, quality in nondegree credentials, higher education labor market alignment, and effective practices in workforce education.
Alyssa
Vine

The City University of New York (CUNY)

ALYSSA VINE is University Director of Credit for Prior Learning at The City University of New York (CUNY).
ALYSSA VINE is University Director of Credit for Prior Learning at The City University of New York (CUNY).
Brett
Visger

Education Strategy Group

BRETT VISGER is Senior Director, Postsecondary Attainment, at Education Strategy Group. Previously he served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Collaboration and Completion for the...
BRETT VISGER is Senior Director, Postsecondary Attainment, at Education Strategy Group. Previously he served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Institutional Collaboration and Completion for the Ohio Department of Higher Education; Vice President for College & Career Access at KnowledgeWorks Foundation; Director of Student Advocacy Program at Wesleyan University; and Advisor for UConn Upward Bound.
Thomas
Walker, Jr.

University of North Carolina System

THOMAS A. WALKER, JR. began his role as Senior Advisor for Economic Development and Military Affairs with the University of North Carolina System on August...
THOMAS A. WALKER, JR. began his role as Senior Advisor for Economic Development and Military Affairs with the University of North Carolina System on August 1, 2021. Prior to this role Walker served as President of Wayne Community College, as Campus President of the Grand Island campus of Central Community College, as well as Vice President for Student and Enrollment Services for all locations of Central Community College. He has served in many roles in education throughout his career including Vice President for Student Affairs at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park, founding Executive Director of K.I.P.P. (Knowledge is Power Program) St. Louis, Dean of Administrative Services at Metropolitan Community College, Kansas City MO., Dean of Student Services and Enrollment Management at Davidson County Community College (NC) and Southwest Tennessee Community College (Memphis), as well as, having served as a full – time faculty member and an academic dean. Walker’s military service experience was as an officer in The Unites States Marines Corps, where he served as a tank officer.
Thomas
Weko

George Washington University Institute of Public Policy

THOMAS WEKO is a Senior Scholar in the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy.  Prior to joining GW, he led the higher education policy...
THOMAS WEKO is a Senior Scholar in the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy.  Prior to joining GW, he led the higher education policy program in the OECD Education and Skills Directorate. In that capacity he advised governments in Europe, East Asia, and Latin America about the design and implementation of higher education policy, and he initiated and led the OECD’s work on alternative (nondegree) credentials.  He has served as Research Manager for Higher Education at the American Institutes for Research; Director of the Policy Planning and Studies Service in the US Department of Education; and Associate Commissioner for Postsecondary, Adult, and Career Education at the (US) National Center for Education Statistics. His work in higher education has also included serving as a senior policy analyst for the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, and as an Atlantic Fellow with the Higher Education Funding Council for England.  His recent work has focused on funding higher education institutions and learners, on assuring the quality of their provision, on the design of academic contracts and careers, the role of higher education systems in providing opportunities for non-degree learning, and the design of data systems for monitoring performance.
Melissa
Wells

SUNY Empire State University

MELISSA WELLS is Interim Director of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development at SUNY Empire State University. She is also a faculty member in the Educational...
MELISSA WELLS is Interim Director of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development at SUNY Empire State University. She is also a faculty member in the Educational Studies Department at the university, where she specializes in special education and holds Board Certifications in Inclusion in Special Education, and Advocacy in Special Education. She previously served as a New York City Department of Education educator for students with disabilities for grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Bill
West

Cornerstone Strategies, LLC

BILL WEST is Chief Credentialing Solutions Officer at Cornerstone Strategies, LLC. He is also a senior market leader and 25+ year veteran of the assessment...
BILL WEST is Chief Credentialing Solutions Officer at Cornerstone Strategies, LLC. He is also a senior market leader and 25+ year veteran of the assessment industry. He has served in a variety of operational and sales capacities for test administration and credential management organizations as well as an NCCA-accredited non-profit credentialing association. Roles have included customer service, program management, business development. operations, and strategy. In these roles, Bill launched and managed numerous national and global assessment programs across higher education, US federal, local government, corporate hiring & advancement, and professional credentialing. In these roles Bill has assisted clients with expanding their programs, implementing strategic partnerships, and developing new markets. Bill currently serves on the board of directors for the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.
Tiffani
Williams

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

TIFFANI WILLIAMS is a Senior Advisor in the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Most recently she served...
TIFFANI WILLIAMS is a Senior Advisor in the Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Most recently she served as Associate Director at the Education Strategy Group where she led efforts to improve the transition between postsecondary education and the workforce. Prior to ESG, Williams held roles as senior researcher and policy analyst at several impact-driven organizations including the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University, Education Trust – New York, and Public Agenda. Her areas of expertise include building evidence for and implementing strategies to advance economic mobility, especially through research, education policy, and workforce development.
Amanda
Winters

National Governors Association

AMANDA WINTERS is a Program Director at the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. She oversees a team that supports governors offices and state...
AMANDA WINTERS is a Program Director at the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. She oversees a team that supports governors offices and state policymakers on issues that connect postsecondary pathways to economic mobility and workforce outcomes. She focuses on economic recovery for families and communities, serving adult students, work-based learning, postsecondary financing, and quality postsecondary credentials. Previously she served as Senior Policy Analyst at NGA; Assistant Director of Academic Affairs at the Illinois Board of Higher Education; and Academic Program Coordinator at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Eboni M.
Zamani-Gallaher

University of Pittsburgh, School of Education

EBONI M. ZAMANI-GALLAHER is the interim dean of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. Previously she was professor of Higher Education and Community College...
EBONI M. ZAMANI-GALLAHER is the interim dean of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. Previously she was professor of Higher Education and Community College Leadership and Director of the Office for Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL). She previously served as Associate Head of the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership and Associate Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She serves as the Executive Director of the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC).
Jennifer
Zeisler

ECMC Foundation

JENNIFER ZEISLER is a Senior Program Director at ECMC Foundation, where she oversees the Career Readiness portfolio, which invests approximately $15 million annually to support...
JENNIFER ZEISLER is a Senior Program Director at ECMC Foundation, where she oversees the Career Readiness portfolio, which invests approximately $15 million annually to support innovative approaches and promising practices to improve the success of students from underserved backgrounds seeking academic credentials in postsecondary CTE programs. Previously, she worked at the Clinton Global Initiative where she helped stakeholders implement new, specific, and measurable projects aimed at addressing pressing challenges.

Improving Education and Employment Outcomes