Dr. Watson Spiva’s more than 30-year career in postsecondary education spans a range of executive leadership, general management, the federal government, public affairs, operations and academic officer positions. Dr. Spiva serves as the President of Complete College America (CCA). Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, CCA is a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates … Continue reading Yolanda Watson Spiva

Dr. Yoon Choi drives her vision to improve outcomes for underrepresented youth with more than a decade of leadership in education non-profits. Her career demonstrates a track record of creating organizational scalability by building partnerships with funders, community organizations, and schools. As CEO of CollegeSpring, she has led the organization to triple the number of … Continue reading Yoon S. Choi

Larry, a 2021 TED Fellow, is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Brothers Empowered to Teach (BE2T). He is the chief fundraiser and ensures that the vision and culture match the mission. Larry is the creator and mastermind of ‘The Cipher’, which is BE2T’s in-house personal and professional development space. Before this role, Larry … Continue reading Larry Irvin

Linda García is the Executive Director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). Prior to this role, she served as the Assistant Director of College Relations at CCCSE. Previously, Linda was Vice President of Community College Relations at the Roueche Graduate Center at National American … Continue reading Linda Garcia

Melissa Connelly is the CEO of OneGoal, a national postsecondary access and success organization. Prior to becoming CEO, Melissa served as the organization’s first Chief Program Officer. In this role, she was responsible for executing the programmatic vision to ensure all students have an equitable opportunity to earn a postsecondary degree or credential. As a … Continue reading Melissa Connelly

Throughout her career, Niamani has developed a reputation for her skill in connecting people and ideas. She joined AGAG in 2001 and has guided its evolution from an idea to a vibrant network, working in partnership with the Steering Committee, members, and other colleagues working at the intersection of philanthropy and Africa. Before joining AGAG … Continue reading Niamani Mutima

Noël Harmon is President and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars, formerly, the Asian Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund. She joined the organization in June 2018. Harmon comes to APIA Scholars from Say Yes to Education, where she was Senior Vice President for Strategic Partnerships. Harmon has also held positions at the Brookings … Continue reading Noel Harmon

Born in Alameda County and raised in Richmond, Christopher is a proud product of the City of Richmond and the East Bay. Equally driven by the racial, educational, health, and economic disparities he experienced around him and the dedication he saw throughout the community to secure a more equitable future for the city, Christopher aspired … Continue reading Christopher Whitmore

David Johns is the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black LGBTQ+/SGL people, including people living with HIV/AIDS.  Johns was appointed the first executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans by President Barack Obama and served from 2013-2017. Johns … Continue reading David J. Johns

Deborah A. Santiago is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Excelencia in Education, America’s premier authority on efforts accelerating Latino student success in higher education. As an innovator, thought leader, and educational visionary, she has led research and advanced evidence-based practices and strategies for more than 20 years at national levels to improve educational … Continue reading Deborah Santiago