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Office of Postsecondary Education - Contacts

|| Office of the Assistant Secretary || Senior Management Staff || Accreditation Group || Institutional Service Staff || FIPSE || Student Service Staff || TRIO || Other || OPE Main Telephone: 202-453-6914

OPE Senior Management Staff

TitleName
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary EducationVacant
 
Chief of Staff to the Assistant SecretaryVacant
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education ProgramsChris McCaghren
Senior Director for Institutional ServiceVictor Shirley
Senior Director for Student ServiceGaby Watts
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and InnovationJeffrey Andrade
Senior Director, Policy Development, Analysis, and Accreditation ServicesScott Prince

Policy, Planning, and Innovation

TitleNamePhone #
Accreditation Group, DirectorElizabeth Daggett202-453-6190
Administrative and Auxiliary Services, DirectorValerie Lefor202-453-7724
Policy Coordination Group, DirectorTamy Abernathy202-453-5970
Policy Development Group, DirectorVacant 
National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)George A. Smith202-453-7757
National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA)George A. Smith202-453-7757

Institutional Service

ProgramContact PersonPhone #
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions
(Title III, Parts A and F)
Robyn Wood202-453-7744
American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities
(Title III, Parts A and F)
Everardo Gil202-987-0431
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions
(Title III, Parts A and F)
Pearson Owens202-453-7997
Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher EducationShedita Alston202-453-7090
Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (Title V)Njeri Clark202-453-6224

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

ProgramContact PersonPhone #
FIPSE -- Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students ProgramNjeri Clark202-453-6224
FIPSE -- Center for Education Excellence for Black Teachers Program at HBCUsWendy Lawrence202-453-7821
FIPSE -- Center of Excellence in Spatial Computing ProgramJason Cottrell202-453-7530
FIPSE -- Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student SuccessKelly Harris202-453-7346
FIPSE -- Digital Learning Infrastructure and IT Modernization Pilot ProgramPearson Owens202-453-7997
FIPSE -- Modeling and SimulationRobin Dabney202-453-7908
FIPSE -- National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with DisabilitiesShedita Alston202-453-7090
FIPSE -- Open Textbooks Pilot ProgramKurrinn Abrams202-987-1920
FIPSE -- Postsecondary EarmarksJason Cottrell202-453-7530
FIPSE -- Postsecondary Student Success ProgramNemeka Mason-Clercin
Nalini Lamba-Nieves
202-987-1340
202-453-7953
FIPSE -- Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) ProgramJason Cottrell202-453-7530
FIPSE -- Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) ProgramKurrinn Abrams202-987-1920
FIPSE -- Transitioning Gang-Involved Youth to Higher EducationJymece Seward202-453-6138
ProgramContact PersonPhone #
Hispanic-Serving Institutions - Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics and Articulation Programs (STEM)Jymece Seward202-453-6138
Historically Black College and University Capital FinancingDonald Watson202-453-6166
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Title III, Parts B and F)Wendy Lawrence202-453-7821
Historically Black Graduate Institutions (Title III, Part B)Bernadette Miles202-453-7892
Master's Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and UniversitiesDarryl Davis202-453-7582
Minority Science and Engineering ImprovementBernadette Hence202-453-7913
National Center for Information and Technical Support for Postsecondary Students with DisabilitiesShedita Alston202-453-7090
Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (Title III, Parts A and F)Don Crews202-453-7920
Predominantly Black Institutions - Competitive GrantsKelly Harris202-453-7346
Predominantly Black Institutions - Formula GrantsBernadette Miles202-453-7892
Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic AmericansMargarita Melendez202-260-3548
 
Strengthening Institutions, (Title III, Part A)Nalini Lamba-Nieves202-453-7953
Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual DisabilitiesShedita Alston202-453-7090
Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Coordinating CenterShedita Alston202-453-7090

Student Service

ProgramContact PeronPhone #
Child Care Access Means Parents in SchoolHarold Wells202-453-6131
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)Ben Witthoefft202-453-7576
Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)Rebecca Ell202-453-6348

TRIO Programs

ProgramContact PersonPhone #
TRIO - Educational Opportunity CentersRachael Wiley 202-987-0396
TRIO - Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate AchievementCarmen Gordon202-453-7311
TRIO - Student Support ServicesJames Davis202-453-7814
TRIO - Talent SearchAntoinette Clark202-453-7121
TRIO - Training Program for Federal TRIO Program StaffSuzanne Ulmer 202-453-7691
TRIO - Upward BoundKenneth Waters202-453-6273
TRIO - Upward Bound Math/ScienceTanisha Hamblin-Johnson (202) 453-6090
TRIO - Veterans Upward BoundDana Foreman202-987-0437
TRIO - Student Programs Development DivisionEmory Morrison202-453-6963

Other Program and Office Contacts

ProgramContact PersonPhone #
Howard UniversityDonald Watson202-453-6166
Policy and Budget InformationVacant 
Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)
Page Last Reviewed:
September 23, 2025