AIR Announces the Creation of the Data Policy Advisory Panel, Appointed Members

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) has established the AIR Data Policy Advisory Panel, designed to strengthen AIR’s ability to engage in—and help shape—higher education data policy discussions.

The panel brings together nationally respected professionals with deep experience and recognized leadership in postsecondary data, analytics, and policy. Members were appointed to two-year terms from January 2026 through December 2027 and represent a wide range of institution types, sectors, roles, and perspectives across higher education.

Strengthening AIR’s Policy Voice

The AIR Data Policy Advisory Panel provides practitioner-grounded insight to inform AIR’s policy and advocacy work, particularly related to federal data collections and the use of postsecondary data. By centering the expertise of professionals who collect, manage, analyze, and use higher education data every day, the panel helps ensure that AIR’s policy positions are technically sound, operationally feasible, and grounded in institutional realities.

Panel members advise the AIR Executive Office and its partners on emerging and ongoing data policy issues, helping AIR enter policy discussions with clarity, credibility, and a strong practitioner perspective.

Advancing AIR’s Public Policy Work

AIR engages in public policy by providing data-informed analysis, elevating practitioner perspectives, and educating policymakers and the higher education community. These efforts emphasize advocacy, education, and technical guidance rather than direct lobbying.

Examples of AIR’s policy engagement include partnerships with organizations such as the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and the Postsecondary Data Collaborative; participation in joint advocacy letters through AIR’s membership in the Washington Higher Education Secretariat; and sustained engagement related to the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS).

Looking Ahead

The creation of the AIR Data Policy Advisory Panel reflects AIR’s commitment to grounding its policy engagement in practitioner expertise, strengthening coordination across policy efforts, and raising the visibility of the higher education data community as trusted experts.

As data policy continues to evolve at the federal and state levels, the panel will play a key role in helping AIR engage thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively on behalf of its community.

2026-2027 AIR Data Policy Advisory Panel Members

Aida Ali Akreyi, Pennsylvania State University, Director of Institutional Reporting
Eric Atchison, Arkansas State University System, Vice President for Strategic Research
Todd Bailey, Universities of Wisconsin System, Policy & Planning Analyst
Paige Borden, University of Central Florida, Chief Analytics Officer
Ace Charette, Turtle Mountain Community College, Director of Research, Assessment, and Accreditation
Donyell Francis, Community College of Allegheny County, Director of Institutional Research
Michele Hansen, Ohio State University, Associate Vice President Institutional Research & Planning
La Toya Hart, Jackson State University, AVP, Institutional Research, Planning & Effectiveness
Braden Hosch, Stony Brook University, Vice President for Educational & Institutional Effectiveness
James Hunt, Florida State University, Associate Vice Provost, Chief Data & Analytics Officer
Michael Johnston, Pensacola State College, Associate Vice President
Olivia Kew-Fickus, Vanderbilt University, Chief Data Officer
Jillian Kinzie, National Survey Student Engagement, Associate Director of NSSE Institute
Michael Le, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, Chief Data Officer
Jed Marsh, Princeton University, Vice Provost for Institutional Research
Kristin McKinley, Lawrence University, Director of Institutional Research 
Laura Palucki Blake, Harvey Mudd College, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research and Effectiveness
Monte Schaff, United Tribes Technical College, Dean of Enrollment Management
Bill Schneider, North Carolina Community College System, Associate Vice President
Jessica Shedd, Tulane University, Assistant Provost for Assessment and Institutional Research
Joe Stankovich, Skidmore College, Director of Institutional Research
Loralyn Taylor, Ohio University, Associate Provost, Institutional Effectiveness & Analytics
Tara Webb, Rhodes College, Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness
Henry Zheng, Carnegie Mellon University, Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning