2025 SKILLS SUMMIT SPEAKERS

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Alphabetized by last name.

A

Bishara Addison

Director, Workforce Innovation, The Fund for Our Economic Future

Bishara Addison is the Director of Workforce Innovation at the Fund for Our Economic Future, leading talent development initiatives in support of the Fund’s agenda to achieve equitable economic growth. Bishara’s work focuses on convening and aligning regional and national partners to support innovative solutions related to labor market participation and job quality. Her initiative portfolio spans numerous sectors and workforce entry points, including a hospitality recovery effort in Cuyahoga County, shaping a regional blueprint for increasing opportunities for Black and Brown workers in tech jobs, and testing interventions to strengthen workplaces. As a part of her role, she also serves as the Northeast Ohio site director for the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. Collectively, these efforts aim to dismantle systemic racial exclusion from family-sustaining work, produce actionable data to drive decision-making and ultimately contribute to a body of evidence in the field of workforce for systems change.

Before joining the Fund in 2021, Bishara managed the policy and advocacy agenda for Towards Employment, was an executive fellow and project manager for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and was engaged in a statewide advocacy effort to shape policies around collateral sanctions before that.

In 2022, Bishara was appointed to complete the term as State Representative for Ohio House District 9 when it became vacant, and through this role, she worked to raise awareness and engage stakeholders on maternal health, education, workforce development, and economic development issues outside of her time at the Fund. She is currently appointed to the Adult Drug and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County, serves as a member of the Cleveland Foundation’s African American Philanthropy Committee, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency Community Advisory Council, a Global Ambassador with the Cleveland Council on World Affairs 2023-34 cohort and served on the Cuyahoga County Executive Transition Team.

Bishara earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from The George Washington University in 2010 and a master’s in policy management from Georgetown University in 2020 through the National Urban Fellowship.

B

Lisa Bly-Jones

Chief Execurive Officer, Chicago Jobs Council

Dr. Lisa M. Bly-Jones joined the Chicago Jobs Council as CEO in 2021. As CEO, she leads the organization’s capacity building, member engagement, and policy advocacy agenda.

Prior to taking the helm as the Jobs Council’s CEO, Dr. Bly-Jones was the executive director of The Workforce Connection in Rockford, Ill. She was responsible for leadership and implementation of strategic workforce development initiatives serving Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties in Northern Illinois.

With oversight of Workforce Development, Community Education and Continuing Education divisions on community college campuses in Illinois and Tennessee, she led numerous national workforce projects for public and private funders by designing and developing occupational training programs that led to employment.

Prior to her work in community colleges, she was the Chief Professional Officer (CPO) of the South-Southwest Suburban United Way where she responsible for merging and restructuring a regional organization. Utilizing strategic planning, board management and community outreach to build strategic business alliances, Dr. Bly-Jones increased their annual giving campaigns every year to allocate funds to health and human service agencies in diverse communities throughout the suburban Cook County region.

She has more than 20 years of experience in training and development and shares her expertise as a speaker at national and state conferences. She teaches courses and leads workshops for large and small groups, in addition to facilitating round-table discussions and town hall meetings.

Dr. Bly-Jones has an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with Stewardship, Leadership & Learning as a concentration from the University of St. Francis, an M.A. in Communications and Training and a B.A. in Media Communications from Governors State University, and an A.A. from Moraine Valley Community College.

She has served as the Midwest regional liaison for the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) to advance workforce development policy and programs at the local, state, and federal level and is part of NAWB’s taskforce to improve racial equity in the Workforce System. Dr. Bly-Jones was president of the Illinois Workforce Partnership (IWP) and co-chairs the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board (IWIB) Equity Taskforce. She was a board member of the Regional 1 Planning Council (R1PC) and named one of Rockford’s 2021 People You Should Know. She hosted the Workforce Wisdom Podcast and spoke with business and industry leaders from across the country.

Dr. Bly-Jones is humbled and inspired by what she accomplishes with others. She integrates her workforce development expertise with her community college campus experiences and applies an equity lens to increase diversity and establish inclusive communities that provide a sense of belonging.

Her first job was as a receptionist/clerk for a cleaner’s in her apartment building. She was responsible for tagging and bagging clothes that went out to the cleaners for the residents.

D

Therese Daly

President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of New York State

Plenary

Therese Daly is the currently the President and CEO of the United Way of New York State.

Therese was most previously the Chief Advocacy and Government Affairs Officer at NYATEP and prior, Vice President for Mercury Public Affairs and worked out of Albany and New York City’s office. She brings a track record of accomplishments in the political, transportation, and financial sectors. Therese’s background includes a decade of experience with strategy development, business development, sales, communication, public relations and government relations.

Prior to joining NYATEP, Therese served as the Director of Correspondence in Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart Cousins’ office. In this role she oversaw all direct correspondence and facilitated office communications between lobbyists, constituents, advocacy groups, and individuals as well as covid response, and special events to name a few.

Earlier in her career, Therese worked at New York Public Transit Association, handling their communications, legislative and advocacy efforts as well as their annual conference. Therese was drawn to transportation from her work as a commodities trader on the Chicago Mercantile Market prior.

Therese received a B.A. in political science from Siena College and has been the recipient of awards for her advocacy efforts and leadership such as Nominee for Forbes 30 under 30, YWCA Resourceful Woman Award, A Siena Saint Who Don’t Sit On The Sidelines, Friends of Recovery 2022 Recovery Community Spotlight Award Recipient. Therese was featured on City and State’s 2022 40 under 40 as part of a feature on the best and the brightest of Albany, a Rising Power Player in New York State by Politics NY and AM Media, City & State's 100 Most Responsible Leaders in NYS, 100 Most Powerful People in Economic Development in NYS, and most recently named a 2024 Trailblazer in the Nonprofit Sector in New York State.

Therese serves on the board of the Shaker Heritage Site and Elenaor’s Legacy.

E

Robert Espinoza

Chief Executive Officer, National Skills Coalition

Robert Espinoza serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Skills Coalition, which envisions a future where every person in America is guaranteed skills training, good jobs, and economic prosperity.

National Skills Coalition mobilizes broad networks—including working people, businesses, training providers, and workforce leaders—to champion policies that expand access to skills training, create clear pathways to quality jobs, and support essential services like childcare and transportation, ensuring today’s students and workers can thrive in an evolving economy.

Robert is a prominent advocate and thought leader in the workforce, aging, and caregiving fields, who has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing public policy and fostering a greater general understanding of some of our most pressing societal issues. He has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, Forbes, and The Washington Post, among others. In 2020, Robert was selected for the inaugural CARE100 list in 2020, recognizing him as one of the most forward-thinking individuals reshaping the caregiving landscape in America. Additionally, he was named one of Next Avenue’s 2020 Influencers in Aging.

Before his role at National Skills Coalition, Robert was the Executive Vice President of Policy at PHI, the nation’s foremost organization focused on the direct care workforce, where he directed its renowned national advocacy, research, and public education division for nearly a decade. In 2021, he testified before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen workforce interventions in direct care.

In addition, Robert served as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and currently sits on the board of directors for the National Academy of Social Insurance, the FrameWorks Institute, and the American Society on Aging, where he serves as Board Chair. Since 2023, he has hosted A Question of Care, an award-winning podcast exploring the many challenges facing our country’s caregiving system.

Robert received his MPA from New York University and his BA in English and BS in Journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he graduated summa cum laude. He is a 2014 Rockwood Leadership Institute graduate, living in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his husband, Michael, and their dog, Gracie.

Megan Evans

Senior Government Affairs Manager, National Skills Coalition

As Senior Government Affairs Manager, Megan works closely with members of Congress and their staff as well as the Administration to advocate on behalf of NSC’s legislative agenda. She provides in-depth policy analysis of legislation and works to set advocacy strategy to move the needle on NSC’s priorities.

Before Joining NSC in 2021, Megan served as a lobbyist for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers working on a portfolio including trade, infrastructure, and workforce development. She also spent several years performing legislative analysis research on a variety of federal issues in the Legislative Department for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Prior to that role, Megan served as a Staff Assistant for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where she performed legislative research and provided administrative support to Committee Democrats.

Megan graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Politics and Government; History; and Pre-Law. She is based in Washington, D.C.

H

Jacob Hofstetter

Policy Analist, Migration Policy Institute

Jacob Hofstetter is a Policy Analyst at MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, where he conducts research related to language access as well as educational and workforce programs for immigrant adults and youth. His work focuses on the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of immigrants and refugees in the United States. In the language access space, he analyzes the design and implementation of federal, state, and local policies that aim to expand access to government services for individuals with limited proficiency in English. In his work related to adult education and workforce development, he researches programs that promote the integration of immigrants and examines the broader policies that govern adult skills systems. He holds a master’s degree in global policy studies with a focus on immigration and refugee policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, Austin and a BA in history from Miami University.

Nicole Howell

Director, Direct Care Workforce Development,
National Council on Aging

Nicole is a passionate advocate for aging services and the rights of older adults and is dedicated to creating meaningful change to strengthen the aging services workforce and expand care for older adults and their families. A lifelong learner and avid baseball fan, she’s always up for an adventure, particularly with her sidekick(dog), Walter. Nicole has a knack for connecting people and ideas, fueled by her love for collaboration and problem-solving.

Nicole is the Director of Direct Care Workforce Development at National Council on Aging where she directs the work of the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center at the Administration for Community Living. Prior
to joining NCOA Nicole was the Director of Workforce Policy for LeadingAge where she championed innovative workforce policy to support the aging services sector. Prior to that she was the Health Policy Advisor to Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. (NJ 9th) overseeing a portfolio that includes health, social security, and veteran affairs.

Ms. Howell was a 21-22, Health and Aging Policy Fellow working with the Committee on Ways and Means, Health Policy subcommittee where she focused her attention on long-term care, aging services, elder justice and workforce
policy. Prior to her time in Washington DC, Nicole was the Executive Director of Empowered Aging, providing advocacy and support for older adults, through the long-term care ombudsman programs, in three of California’s most diverse counties. Nicole was honored as one of Congressman Garamendi’s 2020 Women of the Year for her work serving the residents of long-term care during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

When Nicole is not at work she spends her time on various crafts and DIY projects, exploring her
Capitol Hill neighborhood with her neighbors and exploring various consignment and antique
stores.

K

Molly Kinder

Fellow, Brookings Institute

Molly Kinder is a fellow at the Brookings Institution, where she leads a project exploring the impact of generative AI on work and workers. She is a nationally recognized expert in labor policy, economic inequality and the present and future of work. Kinder’s scholarship on work and workers has been covered widely by national media, has influenced federal policy and state-level programs, and was cited in dozens of city and county government mandates requiring higher pay for frontline workers. Kinder has more than two decades of experience in public policy, social innovation, research, and philanthropy. Kinder was a nonresident senior fellow at New America and directed research for its Work, Workers, and Technology initiative. As a professor of practice at Georgetown University, she taught a new graduate-level course on the social, economic, and policy implications of AI. Previously, Kinder co-founded a $200 million social impact fund and was its vice president of policy and served in the Obama administration as a director in a new innovation program.

Rachel Korberg

Executive Director, Families and Workers Fund

Rachel Korberg is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Families and Workers Fund, a coalition of more than 25 diverse philanthropies working together to help increase economic opportunity in the United States. Supported by the Gates Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, and Siemens Foundation, among others, the $125+ million fund makes grants and builds strategic partnerships to advance uplifting careers for all in the United States.

Previously, Rachel served at the Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation and worked in impact investing. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, and Fortune. She was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar in 2023 and New York Times DealBook Groundbreaker in 2022. A proud mom who brings lived experience to her work, she was also the first woman elected as President of the Board at the Stonewall Community Foundation, one of the country's largest funders of LGBTQ+ causes.

M

Atheena "TT" Martinez

Student Advisory Council Member, National Skills Coalition
Hayden, Arizona

I’m 33 years old, a mother of 4 and I currently attend Pima Community College. This will be my third year attending Pima Community College in pursuit of my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, which started as me just wanting to get my GED. I decided while achieving my GED to pursue my certifications in electrical training and before I knew it one year became two. I will be graduating this May with an AAS in electrical.

I am a first-generation college student. I am also a school leader at Pima Community College this year. I represent the online campuses and I hold the position of co-chair on the Aztec Student Senate. This is my second term and I know that I have learned the leadership and advocating skills I need to better represent the student body and my community. I believe education is key and is powerful beyond measure.

N

Sarita Nair

Cabinet Secretary, New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions

Sarita Nair currently serves at the Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Prior to her appointment at the Department, she served as Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Albuquerque, Chief Governmental Accountability Officer, and General Counsel of the Office of the State Auditor. She holds a law degree and masters of community and regional planning from the University of New Mexico.

O

Brent Orrell

Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

Brent Orrell is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), specializing in job training and workforce development with a special focus on disconnected and disadvantaged populations, including youth, justice-involved, veterans, and neurodivergent persons. His recent work has focused on the workforce opportunities and challenges resulting from generative AI and automation, as well as strategies for improving economic mobility in rural, redeveloping, and non-metropolitan areas throughout America. Brent has spearheaded AEI’s involvement with the Workforce Futures Initiative, in collaboration with the Brookings Institution and the Harvard Kennedy School, which has produced multiple reports, working group sessions, and interest from communities across the US.

He has written, coauthored, and edited multiple reports for AEI, and frequently contributes to the popular press, including The Bulwark, Deseret News, The Dispatch, Law and Liberty, The Hill and RealClearPolicy.

P

Scott Paul

President, Alliance for American Manufacturing

Scott N. Paul is president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established in 2007 by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. Scott and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing and “Made in America” top-of-mind concerns for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, policy development, and data-driven research.

Scott is a sought-after expert on trade and manufacturing matters, testifying before numerous congressional committees and penning op-eds for The New York Times and other leading publications. He authored a chapter in the 2013 book ReMaking America and has written extensively about Alexander Hamilton’s role in forming U.S. national economic policy. Scott also hosts the The Manufacturing Report podcast.

Scott is the past board chair of the National Skills Coalition and sits on the Board of Visitors of the Political Science Department at the Pennsylvania State University. He also is on the Advisory Board of Indiana University’s Manufacturing Policy Initiative.

Scott earned a B.A. in Foreign Service and International Politics from Penn State and an M.A. with honors in Security Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Raised in the small town of Rensselaer, Indiana, he currently resides in the Washington, D.C. area with his family.

You can follow Scott Paul on X: @ScottPaulAAM

Karen Phillippi

Senior Policy Fellow, Welcoming America

Karen Phillippi is a Senior Policy Advisor/Fellow for Welcoming America. She supports the organization in navigating federal and state policy and creates greater alignment among state and local actors and national partners. She also serves as a strategic thought partner for the state Office for New Americans network.

Karen has been working in the field of immigration law and immigrant/refugee integration for over 30 years. She worked in various law firms for 20 years developing and managing employment-based immigration practices before joining the State of Michigan where she built and directed the Office for New Americans for over 9 years, developing programs and policies supporting immigrant and refugee inclusion at the state level. Most recently, she completed a one-year Fellowship as a Senior Advisor with the US Citizenship & Immigration Service’s (USCIS) Office of Citizenship, Partnership & Engagement (OCPE). At OCPE, Karen served as a liaison with state and local governments on the development of outreach and informational programs. She also strategized and partnered with federal government colleagues to develop sustainable efforts of inclusion within the federal government. Karen is active in promoting the cultural and economic benefits that immigrants and refugees have on communities and striving for a more welcoming nation.

Karen has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Michigan State University.

S

Carrie Schum

Executive Vice President, Hattaway Communications

Carrie is an account planner and brand strategist who focuses on matching deep audience insight with communications execution. She’s been called a strategic unicorn because of her two big strengths—the ability to discover a big idea that unifies and elevates perceptions of a brand or issue, matched with breakthrough ways to bring it to life.

Carrie’s work brings together research, insight, and creativity, along with powerful practicality that makes complex, integrated campaigns work to drive attitude and behavior change. From helping Americans file their taxes properly to encouraging seniors to find the right Medicare program, leading COVID-19 response outreach, and helping small businesses convert to an exmployee ownership model, she specializes in turning complex topics and programs into meaningful and measurable communications outreach.

She has both bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature and has lectured on communications and integrated marketing at The George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. She is also a capstone advisor at the Georgetown University Master's Degree Program in Integrated Marketing Communication.

Katie Spiker

Managing Director, Government Affairs, National Skills Coalition

Katie Spiker is the Managing Director of Government Affairs at National Skills Coalition, where she works to advance NSC’s Washington-based policy efforts through federal legislation, agency regulation, and national funding initiatives. As a workforce policy expert, Katie works closely with members of Congress and their staff, as well as Cabinet agencies – like the Departments of Labor and Education – to develop and implement bipartisan workforce policy solutions to help workers and businesses succeed. Katie also partners with state and local workforce leaders to elevate their advocacy efforts to lawmakers in Washington.

Katie has authored numerous publications on workforce policy issues and her policy expertise, insights, and commentary have been cited and published in local and national media outlets, including CNN, The Hill, Bloomberg, Morning Consult, Inside Higher Ed, The Hechinger Report, IndustryWeek, San Diego Union-Tribune, and many other outlets.

Prior to joining NSC in 2015, Katie was the Associate Director of the National Center for Women’s Employment Equity at Wider Opportunities for Women where she managed the design and provision of on-site and virtual technical assistance and the creation of case studies and policy briefs related to nontraditional occupations and occupational segregation. Katie has also consulted with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and the National Women’s Law Center. She served as policy counsel for Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the National Partnership for Women and Families as a Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow. Katie is a 2015 Ford Foundation Public Voices Fellow.

She holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami. She is based in Washington, DC.

T

Deniece Thomas

Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Labor and
Workforce Development

Commissioner Deniece Thomas started with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development in 2007 as a career specialist at the Clarksville American Job Center.

Over the years, the Commissioner has worked at every level within the Department, leading to roles as the Assistant Commissioner for the Workforce Services Division, Deputy Commissioner, and now, the agency’s leader.

Commissioner Thomas’s experience is recognized nationally as the chair of the National Governor’s Association’s Association of Liaisons, a board member for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, and an executive leader on several collaborative committees with peers from the southeastern states.

Caroline Treschitta

Senior Government Affairs Manager, National Skills Coalition

In her capacity as Senior Government Affairs Manager, Caroline (she/her & they/them) spearheads the implementation of NSC’s federal advocacy strategy while conducting thorough analyses of workforce development and education policies at the federal level and actively engaging partners nationwide, fostering opportunities for them to showcase their impactful work to key stakeholders in Congress and the administration.

Caroline’s journey with NSC began in April 2019 as a Communications Associate, where they orchestrated the coordination of NSC’s written, digital, social, and video content. This included managing the organization’s social media platforms, producing webinars, and editing publications and blogs. Caroline transitioned to the Government Affairs team as a Policy Analyst in November 2020, where they continued to make significant contributions to NSC’s mission by advancing the organization’s skills platform with Congress and the administration.

Prior to joining NSC, Caroline interned and then worked for Women in Government, where they researched state-based economic policy. They also worked as a legislative intern for the office of Senator Murphy, where she conducted legislative research and attended briefings for staffers on a variety of policies; and then as a Support Specialist for RAINN, where she used crisis-intervention skills to assist those impacted by sexual assault. Caroline graduated from American University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and is based in Washington, DC.

Kate Tromble

Vice President, Federal Policy, Data Quality Campaign

Kate leads DQC’s federal policy and advocacy work, identifying and acting upon high-impact federal opportunities that could support or improve the state data ecosystem. Part of her work involves managing the Data Champions Collaborative, a 40-organization effort to reimagine the federal role in supporting state efforts to develop high-quality, accurate, secure and timely data systems that meet the most pressing needs of students, families, and communities today. She guides DQC and the Collaborative in implementing this shared vision for how federal policy can promote improved data systems in a manner that supports innovative work in states that improves students’ educational and career pathways.

Prior to joining DQC, Kate was Vice President of The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) and Vice President for Federal Policy at Results for America where her work focused on supporting governments at all levels in using evidence and data to advance economic mobility. Before Results for America, Kate served as the pastoral associate for social justice at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, DC, and the Director of Legislative Affairs at the Education Trust. Before Ed Trust, Kate practiced law at Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and Williams & Connolly. She also served as Legislative Counsel to Senator Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD) and as Legislative and Policy Advisory to Maryland Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

Kate holds a juris doctor from Vanderbilt Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, Dan, and their two daughters.

W

Saba Waheed

Director, UCLA Labor Center

Saba Waheed is the director of the UCLA Labor Center. Prior to this role, she spent 11 years as the center’s research director. With nearly 20 years of experience developing community-led research projects for labor advocacy organizations, Waheed’s work is grounded in the “research justice” framework, which she co-developed to address structural inequities in research.

In her time at the UCLA Labor Center, Waheed built the research infrastructure for, and led, more than 40 studies in partnership with low-wage workers. Among these was the first-ever study of domestic work employers, a multi-year study of workers and learners, and the first national study on nail salon workers and owners. She has also conducted research related to gig workers, young workers, Black workers, LGBTQ+ grocery workers, retail workers, fast food workers and restaurant workers. For six years, Waheed led the Labor Summer Research Program, a UCLA Labor Center schools-to-movement applied research program.

Waheed is deeply committed to community storytelling as a powerful tool for narrative change. In addition to her research work, Waheed is an award-winning radio producer and writer. She co-produces the podcast Re:Work, a storytelling show about workers, and she co-wrote and co-produced the animated film, “I am a #YoungWorker.” Her short stories are regularly featured in literary magazines, anthologies, and live readings.

Previously, Waheed was a part of the shared leadership team and the research director of DataCenter, and a researcher at the Urban Justice Center.

Waheed received an MA in Anthropology from Columbia University and a BA in English and Religious Studies from UC Berkeley.

Rachel Wilkerson

Student Advisory Council Member, National Skills Coalition
New Orleans, Louisiana 

As the Coordinator for the Office of Strategic Initiatives, I am currently realizing my career goals and aspirations. Working within higher education, I have the opportunity to positively influence students’ lives on a daily basis. Moreover, as a former single mother, I understand the importance of providing for my child. Through my experiences, I’ve come to recognize that policymakers must acknowledge the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all solutions. Non-traditional students, often found in community colleges, face unique challenges such as balancing work commitments during the day or on weekends. Therefore, our focus should extend beyond mere enrollment and retention rates; it should encompass addressing the multifaceted barriers that students encounter.