IOWA CITY, Iowa—September 27— Today ACT, the nonprofit learning organization and provider of college and career readiness assessments, announced the appointment of three new board members who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience leading efforts to make education and training after high school more equitable, accessible, and successful for all students.

“The entire team at ACT is excited to welcome prominent leaders to our board who’ve been influential and meaningful leaders in the field,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “They each have dedicated their careers to actively pursuing the kinds of policies, practices, and mindsets that create more equitable opportunities for all students. Their work aligns with ACT’s mission to help all people achieve education and workplace success, and we are honored that they will advise us as we continue our efforts to support learners and their champions.”

The new board members will serve a three-year term. They are:

Shirley M. Collado, president and CEO of College Track and president emerita of Ithaca College, is nationally known for designing and implementing innovative approaches that expand student access and success. Dr. Collado has previously served as president of Ithaca College, executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer at Rutgers University-Newark, dean of the college and vice president of student affairs at Middlebury, and executive vice president of The Posse Foundation, where she scaled its operations nationally. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Collado is the first Dominican-American in the U.S. to serve as president of a four-year institution.

Jamie Merisotis is the president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, the nation’s largest private foundation committed solely to enrolling and graduating more adult students of color from college. Before joining Lumina in 2008, Merisotis was the founding president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, an independent, nonpartisan organization regarded as one of the world’s premier education research and policy centers. Merisotis also served as executive director of the National Commission on Responsibilities for Financing Postsecondary Education, a bipartisan commission appointed by the U.S. president and congressional leaders. Jamie is also the author of two recent books: Human Work in the Age of Smart Machines and America Needs Talent.

Richard M. Rhodes is the chancellor of Austin Community College, where he has worked to improve pathways into higher education, strengthen awareness of the community college mission, and give students the tools to accomplish their educational, professional, and personal goals. He previously served as president of El Paso Community College. His professional associations include past chair of the American Association of Community Colleges; board member of the Texas Workforce Investment Council; and past chair of the Texas Association of Community Colleges.


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About ACT
ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Grounded in more than 60 years of research, ACT is a trusted leader in college and career readiness solutions. Each year, ACT serves millions of students, job seekers, schools, government agencies, and employers in the U.S. and around the world with learning resources, assessments, research, and credentials designed to help them succeed from elementary school through career. Visit us at https://www.act.org/.


Media Contact
publicrelations@act.org