At the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) 2025 Leadership Summit, join fellow CEOs and Executive Directors from NCAN member organizations for a unique opportunity to
engage in thought leadership and collaborative discussions with peers and field leaders. NCAN's executive leadership team will facilitate conversations on the most pressing topics facing education leaders today.
This retreat will also provide dedicated planning time to help leaders identify actionable next steps to strengthen their organizations in one or more of the following critical areas:
Addressing the "college isn't for everyone" narrative
Understanding affordability policies and practices at the state, federal and institutional levels
Navigating policies that threaten opportunities to attainment
An Executive Leaders' Working Lunch will also be provided.
Register today to secure your spot and take advantage of our early-bird pricing before January 31! Registration includes access to the rest of the Leadership Summit programming.
The retreat is specifically designed for CEOs and Executive Directors who:
Have the organizational capacity to influence and drive meaningful change.
Can allocate staff and financial resources toward strategic initiatives.
Are prepared to engage in high-level discussions that will shape the future of college attainment and equity.
This session will run concurrently with other policy content workshops on Monday morning, before all Summit attendees gather in the afternoon for advocacy training. The retreat will provide CEOs and Executive Directors an opportunity to engage in
thought leadership and collaborative discussions with peers in NCAN’s membership. The retreat will be capped at 45 participants, so be sure to register early. You will be able to indicate your participation in the retreat
on the Summit registration form.
Speakers
Kathy Valle-Palacios Senior Vice President, Public Policy Strada Education Foundation
Sophie Nguyen Senior Policy Manager, Higher Education New America
Addressing the "college isn't for everyone" narrative
Understanding affordability policies and practices at the state, federal and institutional levels
Navigating policies that threaten opportunities to attainment
12:00-12:50PM: Lunch
1:00-1:45PM: Panel
Promoting Access to Higher Education for Students from Immigrant Families
Students from immigrant families often face additional challenges when it comes to applying to, affording, and completing college. This session will highlight the ongoing challenges facing immigrant-origin students, how recent executive actions are playing out on the ground, and best practices for communication when working with students from immigrant backgrounds.
1:50-2:10PM: NCAN Policy Priorities and Federal Policy Update
Members will be briefed on NCAN’s key policy priorities for the 119th Congress and learn more about recent happenings in federal policy.
2:20-4:00PM: Policy and Advocacy Training
Participants will attend either:
Policy and Advocacy 101 (for students and those new to federal policy advocacy, or those looking for a refresher) or
Advanced Policy Advocacy (for seasoned advocates and policy experts).
4:00-4:45PM: Hill Meeting prep time in state teams
Members and students will gather with their state teams to prepare for Tuesday’s Hill meetings.
Kathy Valle-Palacios
Sophie Nguyen
Art Coleman