GUEST SPEAKERS
Kristen Soares
President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
Kristen Soares is the fourth president of AICCU. Soares works in partnership with leaders around the state to shape policy for California’s independent colleges and universities. Under her leadership to advance new policy initiatives to address the needs of today’s students, AICCU adopted an agreement with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to adopt the Associate Degree for Transfer pathway, a groundbreaking program to improve community college transfer for students. Soares has an extensive background in higher education, policy, administration, and governmental advocacy. Before coming to AICCU, Soares spent nearly 25 years at the University of Southern California (USC). She served as the senior associate vice president for government relations and civic engagement, where she provided strategic direction and leadership for USC’s government and community relations offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.
Alex Graves
Vice President for Government Relations, AICCU
Alex Graves is the chief lobbyist and is responsible for legislative advocacy and public policy leadership in support of independent higher education. Graves serves as the liaison between AICCU and the Governor’s Office, the California Legislature, California Student Aid Commission, and other public bodies. Prior to joining AICCU, he worked as the legislative advocate at the California State University Office of Advocacy & State Relations, where he staffed legislation pertaining to admissions, financial aid, K-12 and teacher preparation, student basic needs, and transfer. He has also worked as a legislative assistant at the Alzheimer’s Association, and as a graduate research assistant at the Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy. In 2016-17 he completed the California Education Policy Fellowship Program, a year-long program designed to help equip education leaders address the state’s unique education policy needs.
Thomas Vu
Vice President for Policy, AICCU
Thomas Vu develops and manages the execution of AICCU’s agenda on state and federal policy. This includes outreach and engagement responsibilities with federal and state policymakers; providing original policy development; and cultivating and managing the internal and external stakeholders required for successful policy development and implementation. Vu leads AICCU’s federal advocacy—engaging with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and national higher education associations—and manages the association’s communications efforts. He also represents the independent higher education sector on the governing board of the Cradle-to-Career Data System Office, staffs the AICCU Education Deans and Directors Council, and liaises with the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Vu’s career has been spent in government relations and public policy. Prior to joining AICCU, he worked at the California Chamber of Commerce as a policy advocate with a portfolio that included transportation and infrastructure, workers’ compensation, and international relations and trade.
G. Gabrielle Starr
President, Pomona College & Chair, AICCU Executive Committee
Starr took office as the 10th president of Pomona College in 2017 with a track record of promoting greater access to higher education. As dean of New York University’s College of Arts and Science, she had led the development of new cohort and first-year programs and launched a partnership with New York City’s largest community college. A Pomona College professor of English and neuroscience, Starr was appointed the McConnell Professor of Human Relations in 2022. Starr served on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Higher Education Recovery with Equity Taskforce, charged with envisioning a new approach for post-secondary education preparation and workforce readiness as the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, The Financial Times and The Boston Globe, among other publications. She is an energetic advocate for engaging in challenging conversations and developing the skills for deep collaboration in an age of socio-political polarization and digital immersion.
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Heidi Tseu
Assistant Vice President for National Engagement, ACE
​Tseu is a higher education and government relations professional with experience executing public policy strategies and community engagement initiatives. She comes to American Council on Education (ACE) from Georgetown University, where she was the associate vice president for local government and community engagement. Prior to joining Georgetown in 2016, Tseu served in a variety of leadership positions within the Council of the District of Columbia (DC). Tseu was the legislative committee director for DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson when he served as chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, and she was later senior counsel to Councilmember Tommy Wells during his transition to chairing the committee. Tseu has served on various boards, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s State Office of Career and Technical Education. She currently holds board leadership positions with the Uniform Law Commission and the ACLU of DC.
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Tim Powers
Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development, NAICU
Tim Powers leads the development and execution of NAICU’s public policy strategy and agenda, in coordination with NAICU’s board of trustees, institutional presidents, state associations, and secretariat members. NAICU’s broad public policy agenda covers issues critical to independent institutions of higher education, with a particular focus on federal regulations, student financial assistance programs, and tax policy. A dedicated advocate for independent higher education, Powers brings a wealth of experience in government relations, policy development, and strategic advocacy to this critical role. His deep understanding of the sector, combined with his ability to build strong coalitions and effectively navigate complex policy and political landscapes, has established him a trusted voice among policymakers, institutional leaders, and higher education stakeholders.
Michael Horowitz, Ph.D.
Chancellor, The Community Solution Education System
As the founding president of The Community Solution (TCS) Education System, Dr. Horowitz has more than 30 years of experience in higher education in roles that include faculty member, program director, and dean. Prior to founding TCS, Dr. Horowitz served as president of The Chicago School for nearly a decade. Under his direction, The Chicago School grew from a single-program, single-campus institution with 215 students, to a prominent multi-campus leader in graduate psychology and behavioral sciences education, with more than 2,500 students educated annually. Inspired by this success, he envisioned a community model that could provide not just stability but sustained growth—where universities collaborate, gain resources, and share expertise.
Breeda McGrath, Ph.D.
President, Pacific Oaks College
Dr. McGrath has over 20 years of experience in higher education leadership and an extensive background in school psychology. She previously served as Associate Dean for the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at The Chicago School. During her nearly 17 years at The Chicago School, she held several leadership positions that included Dean of Academic Affairs for the Online and Chicago campuses. Under her direction, the university achieved significant growth in online student enrollment and greatly expanded academic offerings. She was also instrumental in securing accreditation for several programs and integrating innovative technologies such as AI, telehealth training, and simulation software into the school’s curriculum. In addition to her background in higher education, Dr. McGrath brings to the role years of experience working as a school psychologist in the Chicago area and an eagerness to further develop partnerships between Pacific Oaks and school districts across California.
Jason Sisney
Budget Advisor, Office of the Speaker of the Assembly
Sisney advises the California State Assembly Speaker and Democratic Caucus on the state budget. He serves as the Assembly’s lead staff negotiator on the state budget with counterparts representing the governor and the State Senate. He also advises assemblymembers on preparations for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Sisney provides information to the public on the California state budget and state tax revenues at jasonsisney.substack.com. Prior to joining the Assembly in 2018, he was chief deputy legislative analyst at California’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office and a senior rating analyst for bonds issued by universities, local governments, and states at Fitch Ratings in New York. Sisney is a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians and graduated from West Virginia public schools, the University of Virginia, and the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.
Tani Cantil-Sakauye
President and CEO, Public Policy Institute of California
From 2011 to 2022, Cantil-Sakauye served as the 28th Chief Justice of California and led the judiciary as the chair of the Judicial Council—the constitutional policy and rule making body of the judicial branch—the first person of color and the second woman to do so. Before she was elected statewide as the Chief Justice of California, she served more than 20 years on California appellate and trial courts and was appointed or elevated to higher office by three governors. Earlier in her career she served as a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office and on the senior staff of Governor Deukmejian, first as deputy legal affairs secretary and later as a deputy legislative secretary.
Rachel Fishman
Director of Higher Education, New America
Fishman is a researcher, award-winning writer, and advocate, dedicated to centering students and their needs in federal policymaking discussions. She has the honor of leading a diverse team of talented individuals who work together to make higher education more equitable and inclusive. Fishman is a consumer advocate at heart and focuses much of her work on predatory and other practices that harm students, particularly low-income and students of color. She and her work have been cited in such media outlets as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR. Fishman previously worked as an education advisor for The College Planning Center in Boston, where she provided guidance to students and families on how to plan and pay for college.
Michele Chang
Chief Strategy Officer, Strada Education Foundation
Chang leads strategy development and implementation for Strada, a nonprofit organization dedicated to better connecting education to work. Chang most recently served in President Joe Biden’s administration as deputy assistant secretary for policy for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. In that position, she led the department’s $3 billion American Rescue Plan grant programs — including the Build Back Better Regional Challenge and the Good Jobs Challenge — to help communities across the country accelerate their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before joining the Department of Commerce, Chang was executive director for the Markle Foundation’s Rework America Business Network, for which she created and led a coalition of 12 Fortune 500 companies committed to adopting practices to place underrepresented workers without four-year degrees into quality jobs.
Kimberly Rodriguez
Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Director to President pro Tempore Mike McGuire
Rodriguez has been working in the Legislature for over 25 years with positions both in the Senate and Assembly. With over 10 years of experience in the Pro Tem’s office, she began as Chief Education Advisor to previous Pro Tems. Currently, Kimberly manages an 11-person staff for the Senate Democratic Caucus, working to advance the caucus’ agenda. In her role as deputy chief of staff, she also helps the Secretary of Senate in managing legislative administrative matters for Senate.
Lyndsay Mitchell
Senior Consultant, Assembly Republican Caucus Office of Policy & Budget
Mitchell began in the caucus in 2019 and serves as the caucus consultant for the Higher Education Committee, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, and the Budget Public Safety Subcommittee. Prior to joining the caucus, Lyndsay worked in both the Assembly and the Senate for nearly 15 years and served as a legislative director to Assembly members Chavez, Hadley, and Senator Vidak. In her tenure, she has mentored seven legislative fellows through the California Assembly and Senate fellowship programs. Lyndsay received her undergraduate degree from Gettysburg College, PA, a member of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. She graduated with a double major in Political Science and Globalization Studies.
Ted Mitchell
President, American Council on Education
Ted Mitchell has served as president of the American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, since September 2017. Mitchell and his team work closely with Congress, the executive branch, and the private sector to develop policies and innovative practices that serve our country’s postsecondary learners. Mitchell’s leadership of ACE and the entire higher education community is informed by a career committed to increasing access to high-quality education and improving outcomes for all students. Mitchell served in the Obama administration as U.S. under secretary of education. Mitchell and his team at the Department of Education reinstated Pell Grants for incarcerated adults, created the College Scorecard, and restored millions of dollars to students who were defrauded by their institutions.
Tom Stritikus
President, Occidental College
Tom Stritikus is the 17th president of Occidental College. Stritikus comes to Occidental from Fort Lewis College, a public liberal arts college in Durango, Colorado, where he served as president. He brings to Occidental more than three decades of higher education leadership experience, as well as an abiding commitment to values of inclusive excellence and equity. In his six years at Fort Lewis, Stritikus helped to reinvigorate a campus that served high percentages of first generation students and students of color. He oversaw record increases in fundraising and more than doubled the College’s cash endowment. He also led the college as it embraced its role as a Native American-serving institution, which included engaging with Tribal Nations as partners and reckoning with the college’s complicated history as a former Native American boarding school.