By Bill DeBaun, Senior Director, Data and Strategic Initiatives
Reading time: Four minutes
After the National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) 2024 National Conference in Anaheim, CA earlier this month, our Board of Directors looks a little bit different. NCAN thanked three long-time board members, including an outgoing chair, for their
years of dedication and service to our organization and to the college access and attainment field. NCAN also welcomed three new board members with a dedicated commitment to advancing equity and excellence within postsecondary pathways.
The new additions to NCAN’s Board of Directors include:
Alison De Lucca is the Executive Director of the Southern California College Attainment Network (SoCal CAN). In that role, De Lucca works with 129 organizations to expand college access and
completion for low-income students in the region. The network plays an important role in the field by bringing together direct service organizations to exchange effective practices, address existing service gaps, and weigh in on policies and practices
that help or hinder students’ ability to smoothly reach their goal of college graduation.
De Lucca has worked on social change issues in both the United States and Central America for more than 25 years. She’s contributed to the women’s, environmental, and immigrant rights fields. Prior to joining SoCal CAN, she served as Program Officer for
the Los Angeles Immigrant Funders’ Collaborative, Program Director for Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Campaign Director for Friends of the Earth International, and Women’s Micro-enterprise Developer for the Costa Rican Ecologist
Association.
De Lucca graduated from University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in International Development and received her M.A. in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
With more than 35 years of professional experience in higher education, philanthropy and public policy advocacy, Jacob Fraire became President of ECMC Foundation in February
2023. He leads the Foundation’s strategic grantmaking and investing to transform the postsecondary ecosystem and improve higher education and career outcomes for students from underserved backgrounds. Before joining the Foundation, Fraire served as
director of policy and strategy for the Diana Natalicio Institute at the University of Texas at El Paso. Previously, Fraire was President and CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC)
where he represented the presidents and chancellors of the state’s 50 public community college districts, which enroll more than 700,000 students.
Before joining TACC, Fraire served as Vice President of Philanthropy at Trellis Company (formerly Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation). As the Chief Architect of Corporate Philanthropy,
Fraire stewarded $80 million in competitive grants to advance college access, need-based financial aid, student success and research. His leadership led to the creation of today’s Trellis Foundation.
The son of migrant farmworkers, Fraire grew up in El Paso, TX. He holds a B.S. from St. Edward’s University and a M.P.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Nick Watson isaSenior Program Officer on the Education team leading on all things College Access and Success at Bloomberg Philanthropies. He brings more than 17 years of experience in admissions, college counseling and advising, career counseling and advising and program management to hiswork.
In his current role, Watson leads the College Access and Success portfolio which include a first of its kind free nationwide virtual college advising program,CollegePoint, which has assisted over 60,000 low-income, high-achieving students in enrolling in America's top colleges as well as the American Talent Initiative,
which aims to increase the number of low-income, high-achieving students at America's top colleges.Before joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, Watson held various roles across the education sector
at organizations such as KIPP DC, Northeastern University, and ScholarMatch.
He holds a Master’s of Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University and a B.A. in Communications from Purdue University.
These directors were confirmed at the Annual Membership Meeting held at conference.
Making way for the new additions were three outgoing directors with a combined 27 years of service to NCAN and our field. The departing members of the board included:
Steve Colón, CEO, Bottom Line; outgoing Board President
Adam Berg, Director, AEM Corporation; outgoing Board Treasurer
Jamie Sears, Head of Community Affairs and Corporate Responsibility, UBS Americas
The Board also confirmed a new slate of officers. Catalina Cifuentes, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness, Riverside County Office of Education, moved from Vice
President to President of the Board. She will be joined by:
Caroline Altman Smith, Deputy Director, Education Program, The Kresge Foundation (Vice President)
Bernard McCune, Senior Executive Director for Career and College Success, Denver Public Schools (Secretary)
Braulio Colón, Executive Director, Florida College Access Network (Treasurer)
NCAN remains immensely grateful for our Board of Directors’ service to our organization and mission.
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