National Student Success Nonprofit Taps Three Higher Education Leaders to Join National Advisory Board

InsideTrack welcomes higher education leaders from Illinois Central College, Johnson C. Smith University, and the University of Utah to advise on high-impact initiatives designed to scale student success and completion

PORTLAND, ORE. (May 21, 2026) — InsideTrack, the nonprofit student success organization that has served more than 3.6 million learners over the past 25 years, today announced the appointment of three senior higher education leaders to its national advisory board. Bringing more than 50 years of combined experience across community colleges, HBCUs, and research universities, the new members will contribute their expertise in student success and evidence-based practice as InsideTrack works to expand the reach and impact of its coaching solutions.

"Colleges and universities are navigating one of the most challenging moments in higher education — a demographic cliff that is shrinking enrollments and declining resources, while students and families are demanding greater proof of return on investment," said Ruth Bauer, president of InsideTrack. "In that environment, the pressure to retain every learner and deliver on the promise of a degree has never been more intense, especially for students who have historically faced the greatest barriers to completion. We're thrilled to welcome these three leaders to InsideTrack's national advisory board and are grateful for the insight they'll bring as we work to accelerate our impact in addressing those challenges."

The new advisory board members, joining InsideTrack's board as of May 2026, are:

• Thomas Chase Hagood, Ph.D., vice provost for student success at the University of Utah, leads institution-wide efforts to create exceptional educational experiences for every student. A first-generation college graduate from rural, working-class America, his personal journey informs a deep commitment to access, innovation, and equity. He has championed data-informed strategies and cross-campus collaborations that strengthen retention, completion, and post-graduate outcomes — from a student's first day through graduation and beyond. Prior to joining the University of Utah, he held faculty and leadership roles at the University of Georgia and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
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• Kari Schimmel, Ed.D., associate vice president for integrated programming and dean of corporate and community education at Illinois Central College, leads efforts to design and scale a more connected, workforce-responsive educational model. Her work includes advancing noncredit-to-credit pathways, developing microcredentials, expanding industry-aligned programming, and building employer engagement strategies that keep education aligned with workforce needs. She previously served as ICC's associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and innovation, and her research focuses on improving outcomes for first-generation and historically underrepresented community college students.
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• Angela M. White, Ph.D., senior vice president for strategic enrollment and retention management at Johnson C. Smith University, provides executive leadership for admissions, student success, retention, and student affairs at the Charlotte, North Carolina HBCU. A scholar-administrator with more than 16 years of experience at HBCUs — including 13 years at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University — she is recognized for designing data-driven enrollment and persistence models that advance access and completion for historically underserved students. White implemented and scaled JCSU's evidence-based Student Success Coach initiative, which has contributed to measurable gains in student retention and achievement.

Hagood, Schimmel, and White join an advisory board whose members lend their perspective, insight, and expertise to InsideTrack's leadership team as the organization works to elevate student success and expand its impact across a broad range of learners, institutions, and workforce development organizations. Current members of the advisory board include: 

• Greg DeSantis, associate vice president of the Education Practice at Jobs for the Future
• Kai Drekmeier, co-founder of InsideTrack
• Zakiya Smith Ellis, Ed.D., consultant at EducationCounsel
• Carrie Felton, program director at Shift Work Forward
• Marla Franco, Ph.D., vice president for Hispanic-Serving Institution Initiatives at the University of Arizona
• Abby Marquand, managing partner of New Profit
• David Morales, former chief information officer and senior vice president of technology at Western Governors University
• Eugene So, partner and vice president of solutions at Kin & Commons Strategy Group
• Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., president of Complete College America
• Julian Thompson, senior director of strategy development at UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building

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About InsideTrack: InsideTrack is a mission-driven nonprofit that leverages the transformative power of coaching to advance learners along their educational and career pathways. Our expert coaches use an evidence-based methodology to build personalized relationships with learners — helping them develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to complete their credentials and obtain quality jobs. We also partner with institutions to train and upskill their leaders and staff, creating a ripple effect that reaches even more learners. Since 2001, we've served more than 3.6 million students across 425 institutions. InsideTrack is a division of Lemnis, a public charity dedicated to expanding learning for all. To learn more, visit www.insidetrack.org and follow us on LinkedIn @InsideTrack.

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