Gina M. Raimondo • Governor of Rhode Island • Chair


Connecticut 

Andrea Comer • Vice President, Workforce Strategies • Connecticut Business & Industry Association

Freddy Cruz • Student • Eastern Connecticut State University

Maura Dunn • Vice President of Human Resources & Administration • Electric Boat

Mae Flexer • Representative • Connecticut General Assembly

Tyler Mack • Student • Eastern Connecticut State University

Elsa Núñez • President • Eastern Connecticut State University

Mark Ojakian • President • Connecticut State Colleges and Universities

Jennifer Widness • President • Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges

Jeffrey Wihbey • Assistant Superintendent • Connecticut Technical High School System


Maine 

Margaret Harvey • State Director of Career and Technical Education • Maine Department of Education

Laurie Lachance • President • Thomas College

Desirae LeBlanc • Student • University of New England

Cary Olson-Cartwright • Director, Corporate & Social Responsibility • Unum

James Page • Chancellor • University of Maine System

Janet Sortor • Chief Academic Officer • Maine Community College System

Paul Stearns • Representative • Maine State House


Massachusetts 

Rosalin Acosta • Secretary of Labor & Workforce • Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Mohamad Ali • President and CEO • Carbonite

Susan Brennan • Associate Vice President of University Career Services • Bentley University

Alec Carstensen • Vice President, Human Resources and Talent • Carbonite

Christine Cruzvergara • Executive Director and Associate Provost for Career Education • Wellesley College

Nyal Fuentes • Coordinator, College, Career, and Technical Education • Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Kerry Healey • President • Babson College

Ellen Kennedy • President • Berkshire Community College

Jacqueline Moloney • Chancellor • University of Massachusetts Lowell

Carlos Santiago • Commissioner • Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

Alexandria Steinmann • Student • Bentley University


New Hampshire 

Heather Bollinger • Alumna • Great Bay Community College

Sara Colson • Director, Workforce Accelerator 2025 • Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire

Frank Edelblut • Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education • New Hampshire Department of Education

Ross Gittell • Chancellor • Community College System of New Hampshire

Rick Ladd • Representative • New Hampshire House of Representatives

Todd Leach • Chancellor • University System of New Hampshire

Paul LeBlanc • President • Southern New Hampshire University


Rhode Island 

Brenda Dann-Messier • Acting Commissioner of Postsecondary Education • Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education

Lou DiPalma • Senator • Rhode Island General Assembly

Dan Egan • President • Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Rhode Island

Donald Farish • President • Roger Williams University

Janet Hasson • President and Publisher • The Providence Journal

Meghan Hughes • President • Community College of Rhode Island

Kim Keck • President & CEO • Blue Cross Blue Shield Rhode Island

Mariela Lucaj • Student • Community College of Rhode Island

Stefan Pryor • Secretary of Commerce • State of Rhode Island

Frank Sánchez • President • Rhode Island College

Rosanne Somerson • President • Rhode Island School of Design

Margaret Van Bree • President • Rhode Island Hospital

Ken Wagner • Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education • Rhode Island Department of Education


Vermont 

Joyce Judy • President • Community College of Vermont

John Neuhauser • President • Saint Michael’s College

Peter Pollak • Chief Executive Officer • Dynapower

David Rosowsky • Provost & Senior Vice President • University of Vermont

Jeb Spaulding • Chancellor • Vermont State Colleges

Kate Webb • Representative • Vermont General Assembly


Regional 

James Brett • President & CEO • The New England Council

Kurt Heissenbuttel • Vice President & Head of University Relations • Fidelity Investments

The Commission on Higher Education & Employability is generously supported by the following partners:

 

Strada Lumina Nellie Mae