Public Policy Advising & Policy Research
What I Do: Shape state and national conversations by translating research into actionable recommendations, advising on multi-year strategies, and crafting policy that drives meaningful outcomes for learners and communities.
Work & Impact
Played a central role in launching Tennessee Promise and authoring the Tennessee Reconnect Act, resulting in the nation’s first statewide tuition-free college program.
Advised the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences on redesigning college access resources to better serve students and families.
Conducted policy research and contributed to “Keys to Scale” (Education Strategy Group in partnership with The Gates Foundation and Walton Family Foundation), a national report offering strategies to expand education-to-career pathway intermediaries. Led interviews with leaders from 60+ communities and synthesized findings to identify conditions for student success, sustainable funding models, and scalable practices. The work continues to inform national efforts to strengthen intermediary infrastructure and expand access to high-quality pathways.
Served as a senior advisor on major strategic initiatives for The Education Trust, Tennessee SCORE, tnAchieves, The Ayers Foundation Trust, the Bill & Crissy Haslam Foundation, and Education Strategy Group.