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2024 CCA Policy Summit
Tuesday, June 11
Arnold & Porter
601 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC
Event Materials and Resources
CCA Federal Policy Priorities (PDF)
Equitable AI Federal Policy Priorities (PDF)
View the slides from Arnold + Porter in preparation for Day on the Hill.
Agenda
| Time | Event | Speakers |
| 8 – 9 a.m. | Breakfast | |
| 9 – 9:15 a.m. | Welcome / Overview of the Day | Yolanda Watson Spiva, PhD, President, Complete College America |
| 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. | Shaping the Future: Policy for Advancing Equitable Student Success | Kalila Hines Winters, MA, Senior Advisor, White House Initiatives, Office of the Secretary of Education Grace Mukupa, PhD, Policy Director, Complete College America |
| 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Enhancing Engagement Between Higher Education and State Governments | Katharine Meyer, PhD, Fellow, Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Funding Toward Higher Education Attainment | Christian Perry, MPA, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Partnership for College Completion Mike Abrahamson, MPP, Senior Manager for Research and Policy, Partnership for College Completion Charles Ansell, MS, Vice President for Research, Policy, and Advocacy, Complete College America |
| 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:30 – 2:15 p.m. | Federal Policy and Student Voice | Grace Mukupa, PhD, Policy Director, Complete College America Complete College America Policy and Advocacy Student Fellows |
| 2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Empowering College Completion Through Postsecondary Student Success Grants | Solomon Chen, BA, Professional Staff Member, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Michelle Dimino, MSEd, Director, Education Program, Third Way Kyle Southern, PhD, Associate Vice President, Higher Education Quality, The Institute for College Access and Success Charles Ansell, MS, Vice President for Research, Policy, and Advocacy, Complete College America |
| 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Preparing for CCA Day on the Hill | Vincent Brown, JD, Associate, Arnold & Porter Amy Budner Smith, MA, Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter Amy Davenport, BA, Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter Lucas Gorak, MA, Policy Specialist, Arnold & Porter |
| 5 p.m. | Networking Reception |
For CCA Day on the Hill on Wednesday, June 12, all attendees will receive group assignments to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Speakers
Yolanda Watson Spiva, PhD
President, Complete College America
Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva is president of Complete College America (CCA), a bold national advocacy organization for increasing college completion rates and closing institutional performance gaps.
Dr. Spiva has over 25 years of professional experience in postsecondary education, with a career spanning executive leadership, general management, federal government, public affairs, and academic officer positions. She is the former president and CEO of College Success Foundation, a national nonprofit college readiness, access, success, and scholarship organization that serves thousands of low-income students annually. She also served as CEO/executive director of Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) Atlanta Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on increasing the number of low-income, first-generation students of color in Atlanta graduating from high school and college.
Dr. Watson Spiva has held various positions with the U.S. Department of Education in the Offices of Postsecondary Education, Student Financial Assistance, and Policy Planning and Innovation, culminating in her service as Region IV public affairs director in the southeast regional Office of the Secretary of Education. She earned her undergraduate degree in economics from Spelman College, her master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and her PhD in higher education from Georgia State University.
Kalila Hines Winters, MA
Senior Advisor, White House Initiatives, Office of the Secretary of Education
Kalila Hines Winters is the senior advisor for White House Initiatives at the Office of the Secretary of Education. A fierce advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, she advises and manages the four White House Initiatives housed at the U.S. Department of Education. These initiatives support the HBCU, Black, Latino, and Native communities and the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. She also leads the team that spearheads the Department’s Equity Action Plan.
Kalila was previously part of the Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, where her portfolio included budget, appropriations, COVID funding, and civil rights. She has also worked for Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE) as director of operations, and she served as a legislative paralegal in the Office of the City Solicitor at the City of Wilmington, Delaware, and at various litigation firms.
She is a Wilmington, Delaware, native and holds degrees from the University of Delaware and the Robertson School of Government at Regent University.
Grace Mukupa, PhD
Policy Director, Complete College America
Her career includes roles as a professor in global gender studies, director of Greek Life, and residence hall director. She previously served as senior associate for student success at the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), supporting 37 tribal colleges and universities. Before her time at AIHEC, she held roles with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, the World Food Programme, and the United Nations.
Dr. Mukupa holds a Ph.D. in International Development from SUNY Buffalo and an MBA from SUNY Oswego, and she was a Fulbright Scholar in Tajikistan and a Peace Corps Volunteer in North Macedonia.
Katharine Meyer, PhD
Fellow, Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution
Katharine Meyer is a fellow in the Governance Studies program for the Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings. Dr. Meyer focuses on how individuals access knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their postsecondary education opportunities – and how to build successful, scalable strategies to ensure greater access to that information. Her current work explores how to support college retention and completion through virtual advising, the effect of school counselors on college access, and the design of state financial aid programs. Her work has previously been published in journals such as the Journal of Human Resources, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, and Daedalus. She holds a PhD in Educational Policy, a Master of Public Policy, and a BA in Government from the University of Virginia.
Christian Perry, MPA
Director of Policy and Advocacy, Partnership for College Completion
Christian is the director of policy & advocacy for the Partnership for College Completion, where he leads a dynamic policy team working to ensure Illinois has the most equitable higher education landscape in the country. Before joining the Partnership, Christian worked as the state director of community development at the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. He later served as deputy political director to Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton and most recently as political director to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Mike Abrahamson, MPP
Senior Manager for Research and Policy, Partnership for College Completion
Mike Abrahamson is the senior manager of research and policy for the Partnership for College Completion, where he works on policy affecting equitable college access, affordability, and accountability in Illinois.
Before joining the Partnership, Mike worked as a fellow for the Chicago Mayor’s Office and for One Million Degrees while completing a master’s degree from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.
Charles Ansell, MS
Vice President for Research, Policy, and Advocacy, Complete College America
As vice president for research, policy, and advocacy at Complete College America, Charles uses research to advocate for legislation and resources that help students graduate college and close socioeconomic, racial or generational disparities that exist in college completion.
In his previous role as COO of the Community College System of New Hampshire, Charles directed research, strategy, finance, and technology for a statewide system of colleges. In this role, he developed a data and reporting infrastructure that enabled an evidence-driven policy agenda to influence state legislation and higher education appropriations. Before that, Charles led student success efforts at the City Colleges of Chicago, overseeing the development of a pathways program that ensured students enrolled for classes along semester-by-semester plans, aligned with individual academic aspirations. Charles has also worked in various positions in higher education administration and information technology.
He holds an MS in Business Information Technology from DePaul University and a B.A. from Carleton College. He is engaged in numerous local boards devoted to education and workforce.
Solomon Chen, BA
Professional Staff Member, House Committee on Education and the Workforce
Solomon Chen is a professional staff member for the House Committee on Education & the Workforce under Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC). He covers the Higher Education Act (HEA), particularly focusing on college
costs, free speech, and foreign influence. Before joining Congress, Solomon worked at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom and at the Philanthropy Roundtable’s civic education program. His writing has been featured on The Hill, Washington Examiner, and RealClearEducation. Solomon is a former Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) Fellow and former Falls Church Anglican Fellow. Solomon holds a BA in political science from Biola University and was a member of Biola’s Torrey Honors Institute.
Michelle Dimino, MSEd
Director, Education Program, Third Way
Michelle Dimino is the director of Third Way’s Education Program, where she leads a team working to elevate value and return on investment in the national higher education debate. Michelle’s research and advocacy focus on improving student outcomes, promoting quality and
transparency, and strengthening accountability through pragmatic policy reforms that put today’s students first. Her writing and commentary on these issues have been featured in media outlets such as The Washington Post, CNBC, The Hill, POLITICO, and Inside Higher Ed.
Prior to Third Way, she worked in communications and public affairs roles helping universities share their stories of impact and advocating for international education and exchange programs. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature from Harvard University and a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania.
Kyle Southern, PhD
Associate Vice President, Higher Education Quality, The Institute for College Access and Success
Kyle Southern leads work on higher education accountability at TICAS, with the goal of strengthening protections for students against predatory practices and burdensome loan debt.
Prior to joining TICAS, Kyle served as policy and advocacy director for higher education and workforce at Young Invincibles, a national organization that works to build the economic security of young adults. He previously worked in several policy and research roles for both K-12 and postsecondary advocacy groups based in Nashville, Tenn. Kyle began his career in the DC area as an education specialist with a nonprofit research and analysis firm. Kyle holds both a bachelor’s degree in American Studies and a master’s in education policy from Vanderbilt University. He also completed the doctorate in higher education program at the University of Michigan.
Vincent Brown, JD
Associate, Arnold & Porter
Vincent Brown has a real understanding of how the legislative process works. His multiple years of experience touching the federal, state, local, and private sectors allow him to counsel clients in numerous industries, including transportation, infrastructure, trade, energy, and technology.
Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Vincent worked for the Senate Rules & Administration Committee under Chair Amy Klobuchar, where he developed expertise in the operations of the Senate, as well as generated legislation in voting, election security, and election reform. He has prior experience as a legislative aide for then Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams as well as spent time at several private firms where he offered general government affairs and lobbying compliance advice.
Amy Budner Smith, MA
Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter
Amy Budner Smith has extensive experience in Washington, D.C. providing policy guidance to and advocating on behalf of public, nonprofit, and private organizations before Congress and the Executive Branch. As co-leader of the Education & Workforce Policy practice, she focuses on developing comprehensive strategic plans to raise her clients’
national profile and counsel them on the potential impact of federal policies (regulatory and legislative). She also has a keen understanding of the budget and appropriations processes and assists clients in securing wins through those mechanisms.
Before moving to DC, Amy worked for the Colorado State Legislature, where she led teams in reviewing the operations of various state government agencies and universities, making policy recommendations and proposing legislative changes. In addition, Amy was a congressional aide to Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1), where she focused on developing and maintaining community relations and addressing a number of policy issues in the district.
Amy Davenport, BA
Policy Advisor, Arnold & Porter
Amy Davenport is a strategic advocate who works with clients to help them understand and navigate the complexities of the federal government to further their business and organizational goals. As co-leader of the Education & Workforce Policy practice, she uses her
experience and understanding of the policymaking process to advise clients on how to engage with policymakers on Capitol Hill and within the Executive Branch to solve their challenges, as well as secure key opportunities to benefit their organizations.
Amy advises clients on a range of legislative and regulatory matters, including those related to federal financial aid, innovative learning, student loans, Title IX, education technology, student-athletes, student data privacy, and workforce development. She also advises clients working on technology and trade policy issues.
Lucas Gorak, MA
Policy Specialist, Arnold & Porter
Lucas Gorak works with clients on a wide range of legislative and regulatory matters relating to environmental, energy, infrastructure, and technology policy issues. He analyzes legislation and monitors policy developments to support client outreach with Congress and the
executive branch. With a deep interest in the policymaking process and an eye for nuance, he is skilled at providing helpful insights to advise client strategy.
Lucas received his BA in Political Science and Art History and MA in Political Science from American University. During his studies, he completed a range of internships, including in the office of Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA), the Department of State’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs, and a government affairs firm.
Policy and Advocacy Student Fellows
Complete College America Policy and Advocacy Student Fellows – Spring 2024
 Shadiaya Austin
|  Darryl Cooper |  Akilah Hanson |
 Cheyenne Kilgore |
Joanna Jebasingh |  Nathan Noel |
 Ahnieyah Owens |
Malaika Patounas |  Will Marcus Sanders |
Bernice Sheenan | 
Lungowe Siloka | 
Linh Tran (Louise) |
