The QA Commons is mindful of the dramatic and transformational impact COVID-19 is having on all institutions of higher education. As an organization, we are adapting our services to support preparing graduates for the workplace that is now changing more precipitously than ever.
To ensure today’s learners are prepared for the changing dynamics of the workforce and economy.
QA Commons bridges the gap between education and work by focusing on employability—the durable skills, behaviors, judgment, and awareness needed to succeed in a rapidly changing, AI-enabled economy. We help make the often-unspoken expectations of professional life visible and teachable, particularly for learners who may not have grown up with access to professional networks, workplace norms, or insider guidance.
At our core, we are an applied research organization: we learn what works by working alongside colleges, workforce programs, and employers. Through these partnerships, we embed employability into programs, train educators to develop and assess it, and strengthen how readiness is demonstrated—so learners can apply their skills, adapt to change, and advance over time.
Work is changing faster than ever. AI is transforming tasks, roles, and expectations—and shortening the useful life of many technical skills. What endures are employability skills: communication, judgment, adaptability, teamwork, and the ability to learn from experience. Employers consistently say these are critical—and consistently struggle to find them.
Yet these skills are rarely taught explicitly. Instead, they are assumed, unevenly developed, and often invisible in traditional credentials. For learners without prior exposure to professional environments, this creates an additional barrier: success depends not just on ability, but on whether you already understand how work works.
The result is a disconnect. Learners complete programs without a clear understanding of workplace expectations, and employers lack reliable signals of readiness. In an AI-enabled economy, success depends not just on what you know, but on how you apply, adapt, and grow. That requires a more intentional, transparent approach to employability development.
Quality Assurance (QA) Commons was founded in 2016 with a grant from the Lumina Foundation and support from the National Center for Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), before becoming its own nonprofit entity in 2019.
In its tenure, QA Commons has partnered with more than 125 academic and workforce programs across 68 institutions in 28 states, impacting more than 90,000 students.
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Convened national leaders and launched Lumina-funded research to define the gap between education and the workplace.
Co-designed and piloted the Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs) and EEQ Certification with institutions nationwide, establishing a new model.
Established early adoption through partnerships with higher education systems, accreditors, and select workforce initiatives.
Expanded into new populations and use cases—including workforce, justice-impacted, and high school settings—while introducing student badging.
Scaling the full EEQ Suite—Certification, Professional Development, and Skills Badging—across education and workforce systems nationwide.
The Board of Directors oversees the organization, with a focus on mission, strategy and goals.
Senior Operating Partner, Avathon Capital
Senior Operating Partner, Avathon Capital
Jeffery brings decades of leadership at the intersection of education, finance, and governance, helping organizations scale their impact through strategic investment and board leadership. With more than 25 years of executive and board leadership experience spanning financial services, industrial and commercial real estate, and education, he has guided organizations across the country through periods of growth and transformation. As Senior Operating Partner at both Avathon Capital and Sterling Partners, he advances a vision for educational excellence through strategic investments and leadership across a diverse portfolio of organizations.
Jeffery is chairman of the board of Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology, Alliant International University and Edcura LLC. He also serves on the boards of Calumet College of St. Joseph, University of Dubuque, UMass Global, and ReUp Education, among others. He was the chief architect and visionary for TCS Education’s groundbreaking nonprofit system, a consortium that includes The Chicago School, Saybrook University, The Colleges of Law and others.
Jeffery has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2016.
Jeffery holds a BS in Economics and Management and an MBA in Finance from Purdue University. He also holds certificates from Kent College of Law, Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Yale School of Management Investment.
VP, Employer Alignment & Managing Director, Strada Institute for the Future of Work
VP, Employer Alignment & Managing Director, Strada Institute for the Future of Work
Peter is a nationally recognized scholar whose research examines the intersections of public policy, postsecondary education, and economic opportunity. Much of his work focuses on the roles of broad-access institutions—like community and technical colleges—in providing pathways to stable employment and self-sustaining wages for students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, adult learners, and individuals returning from incarceration. He works closely with policymakers, state leaders, and higher education institutions to develop evidence that informs educational and workforce policy and practice. His research has shaped national conversations around economic mobility, workforce alignment, credential value, community colleges, adult learners, postsecondary education in prison, and equitable student success.
Peter currently serves as Vice President of Employer Alignment and Managing Director for the Institute for the Future of Work at Strada Education Foundation. Previously, he served for twelve years as a faculty member at the University of Michigan, where he was a tenured Associate Professor of Higher Education, following his appointment as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Wayne State University.
Peter joined the QA Commons Board of Directors in 2026.
Peter holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Davis, a bachelor’s degree in Criminology from California State University, Sacramento, and associate degrees in Chemistry and Water and Wastewater Technology from Solano Community College.
Professor of Sociology, Montclair State University; Senior Researcher, Rutgers Employment and Education Research Center
Professor of Sociology, Montclair State University; Senior Researcher, Rutgers Employment and Education Research Center
Daniel brings nationally recognized expertise in workforce pathways, student success, and the transition from education into meaningful employment. He serves as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Montclair State University, a Senior Researcher at the Education and Employment Research Center at Rutgers University, and a Faculty Research Fellow at Rutgers University’s John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. His research examines community college student success, mathematics remediation reform, workforce pathways, skills-based hiring, and the transition from education into the labor market. Widely published in leading journals, including Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Researcher, The Journal of Higher Education, and The Sociological Quarterly, his work helps inform policy and practice that expand economic opportunity through education.
Dan has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2026.
Dan holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the City University of New York Graduate Center, a Master’s degree in Sociology from St. John’s University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. John’s University.
Director of People & Culture, RALLY
Director of People & Culture, RALLY
David brings deep expertise in talent strategy, organizational culture, and employer expectations, helping ensure QA Commons remains grounded in the qualities today’s workplaces value most. As Director of People and Culture at We Are Rally, a mission-driven communications and advocacy agency, he leads the organization’s human resources strategy. Throughout his career, he has recruited, developed, and supported talent across mission-driven organizations, including leadership roles at Envision Education, KIPP Public Schools Northern California, and the Paulo Freire Charter School in Newark, New Jersey. His experience driving organizational change, strengthening workplace culture, and expanding leadership diversity helps QA Commons stay closely connected to the evolving expectations of today’s employers.
David has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2025.
David holds a BA in American Studies from Williams College, where he was co-President of the class of 2009.
Director and Head of Payments, General Motors
Director and Head of Payments, General Motors
Kendra brings executive leadership experience from global companies, offering practical insight into employer needs, innovation, and the changing world of work. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in consumer electronics and financial services, she currently serves as Director, Head of Payments at General Motors. Earlier roles at Rocket Lawyer, Walmart, Apple, and Visa have given her deep experience leading payments, risk operations, and organizational transformation. Her perspective helps ensure QA Commons remains closely connected to evolving employer expectations and the skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce.
Kendra has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2024.
Kendra holds a Bachelor’s in Economics and a Master’s in Sociology, Organization Behavior, both from Stanford University. She also earned an MBA from London School of Economics.
Vice President of Fintech Research, Fidelity Investments
Vice President of Fintech Research, Fidelity Investments
Jeff brings decades of experience building strategic partnerships across technology and financial services, helping connect innovative ideas with the organizations that can bring them to scale. With more than 30 years of business development and partnership leadership experience, he currently serves as Vice President of Fintech Research at Fidelity Investments. Earlier leadership roles at Brightside and Envestnet | Yodlee centered on building strategic partnerships that expanded innovation and market reach. His experience helps QA Commons identify opportunities for growth, strengthen strategic relationships, and bring promising ideas to a broader audience.
In addition to being a member of the board of the QA Commons, Jeff was also a board member of Compass Family Services in San Francisco. Jeff has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2024.
Jeff holds a Jeff holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Stanford University and a Master’s in Religious Studies from Harvard University.
Director of Research and Bay Area Center of Excellence, Cabrillo Community College
Director of Research and Bay Area Center of Excellence, Cabrillo Community College
Marcela brings expertise in educational research, equity, and institutional effectiveness, helping QA Commons strengthen opportunities for historically underserved learners. With more than 20 years of experience as a research scientist, she currently serves as Director of Research and the Center of Excellence at Cabrillo Community College. Previously, she served as Director of Research Practice Partnerships at the University of California, Irvine, where she connected faculty with school district administrators to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. She also worked as a Research and Planning Analyst at Irvine Valley College. Her research examines how K–12 and community college policies influence learning, persistence, and success for low-income, first-generation, and historically underrepresented students, bringing valuable insight into the systemic barriers and opportunities that shape educational and workforce outcomes.
Marcela has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2024.
Marcela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Mount Saint Mary’s University and a Master’s in Social Research Methodology from UCLA. At UC-Irvine, she completed both a Master’s and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Social Context.
President of Education and Workforce Policy, LLC
President of Education and Workforce Policy, LLC
Bob brings decades of national leadership in workforce and education policy, helping connect QA Commons’ work to broader public policy and systems change. He is the President of Education & Workforce Policy, LLC, a policy consulting firm whose singular focus is the advancement of education, training, and workforce policy.
He has served as the President and CEO of the National Alliance of Business, the Assistant Secretary of Labor under President Reagan and again under President Bush, senior positions in two major U.S. corporations, and as a Chief of Staff to two members of the US House of Representatives. Bob was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award by President Reagan.
In addition to being a member of the board of the QA Commons, Bob is on the board of Centerpoint Education Solutions and is a Commissioner on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges(AACJC). Bob has been a board member of The QA Commons since 2016.
Bob is a graduate of University of the Redlands and served as an officer in the United States Air Force.
QA Commons is led by a full-time Executive Director and a national team with deep expertise in education, workforce development, evaluation, organizational learning, and the future of work.
Executive Director
Michelle has led all Employability programs at QA Commons since 2019, working with colleges, universities, workforce development boards, K-12 schools, and carceral institutions around the country.
Before joining QA Commons, Michelle served as Director of Organizational Strategy at the RP Group, a research-based organization focused on student success and equity in the California Community Colleges. As a consultant, she has authored a Labor Market and Career Pathways report for a community college in Oregon and served as a qualitative researcher on a Talent Pathways Initiative report for a Workforce Development Board in Virginia. Prior to her work in the field of higher education, Michelle held corporate roles at Atlas Capital Advisors, Merrill Lynch, and Oracle Corporation. She has served on the boards of numerous education-focused non-profit organizations.
Michelle holds a BS in Rural Sociology from Cornell University and an MA in Demography from UC Berkeley. She also earned a Higher Education Teaching certificate from the Harvard BOK Center for Teaching and Learning and completed Design Futures Training at the Institute for the Future. In 2025, she is serving on Lumina Foundation’s BA Credentials of Value Advisory Committee.
Contact: michelle@theqacommons.org
Learning and Organizational Development
Annie brings more than 15 years of experience designing and scaling learning, organizational development, change-management, and operational systems across nonprofit and enterprise environments. Her work focuses on translating strategy into practical learning experiences, tools, technologies, and processes that improve performance and support adoption at scale.
At Dine Brands Global, the parent company of IHOP and Applebee’s, Annie led enterprise learning and organizational-development initiatives serving a workforce of more than 100,000 employees. She implemented a learning management system for more than 50,000 users, directed the development of learning resources and assessments reaching 75,000 employees, and led technology and operational change initiatives across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Her work improved training participation, strengthened communication and execution across corporate and field teams, and produced measurable operational efficiencies and cost savings.
Earlier in her career, Annie served as Director of Educational Outreach at MakerGear, an industrial 3D-printer manufacturer, where she built partnerships with universities and schools, translated complex technical information into accessible learning resources, and trained faculty and students in emerging manufacturing technologies. This work strengthened connections between education and technology-driven industries and expanded the company’s educational partnerships into new regions.
Annie is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner and brings particular expertise in instructional design, digital learning, organizational change, technology implementation, and scalable operations. At QA Commons, she helps translate employability concepts into practical learning experiences, learner-recognition systems, and technology infrastructure that institutions can implement and sustain.
M.A., Wheaton College Graduate School
B.A. with Honors, The College of Wooster
Workforce Innovation and Skills
Miriam brings more than two decades of experience across higher education, workforce systems, and public-sector transformation. Her work focuses on studying how workplace expectations operate and translating demonstrated capability into structured tools, rubrics, and documentation that make employability explicit and actionable.
She has held senior leadership roles at Portland Community College, including Dean of Students, Grants Office Director, Workforce Development Manager, and Sylvania ROOTS (Federally Funded TRIO Program) Director, where she led cross-sector initiatives connecting education, workforce development, and regional economic priorities.
Through her consulting work, Miriam has led statewide initiatives and partnered with colleges, workforce systems, and employers to design employability frameworks, validation models, and implementation strategies. She is known for converting qualitative and quantitative insight into practical artifacts—frameworks, assessments, guides, and decision tools—that help institutions embed employability intentionally and strengthen pathways to long-term mobility.
Her work supports QA Commons’ mission to make workplace expectations visible, strengthen alignment between education and industry, and expand opportunity through coherent, equity-conscious employability systems.
M.S., Education Policy, Foundations & Administration focused on Postsecondary,
Adult, and Continuing Education, Portland State University
B.A., Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Education Program Evaluation
Gary Lichtenstein, Ed.D., has over 50 years’ experience designing, implementing, and evaluating education-related programs. His practice centers on mixed-methods, community-engaged research and program evaluation using designs that yield practical, actionable recommendations.
Dr. Lichtenstein was founder and principal of Quality Evaluation Designs, a firm he ran for 30 years that conducted program evaluation and strategic planning for K-12 school districts, universities, foundations, and government agencies nationwide. He has directed teacher education at two universities, directed the University of Colorado’s Healthy Eating, Lifelong Learning grant program across 13 school districts in south central Colorado, and co-led the entrepreneurial mindset initiative in the engineering college at Arizona State University. As an adjunct faculty member at Denver, Stanford, and Rowan Universities, he has taught mixed- methods and community-engaged research and evaluation.
In addition to being a thought partner to QA Commons, Dr. Lichtenstein is founder and principal of GDL Consulting, a Senior Evaluation Consultant for Quality Evaluation Designs LLC, affiliate faculty of the Experiential Engineering Education (ExEED) program at Rowan University, and Executive Director of MEA, a non-profit whose mission is to empower vulnerable youth and families to become agents of their own transformation.
Dr. Lichtenstein’s undergraduate degree is in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley. He earned Master’s degrees in program evaluation and education policy from Stanford University. His doctorate in Education, also from Stanford, focused on mixed methods research and teacher education.
Workforce Program Evaluation
Abby is a highly skilled mixed-methods researcher and analytical, results-oriented strategic thinker with substantial expertise in quantitative and statistical analysis, including inferential statistical methods, as well as qualitative inquiry, research design, and the synthesis of complex evidence. She has extensive experience designing and conducting evaluations of program effectiveness and scalability, with particular expertise in workforce development policy and programming, health policy, and public health practice. She is especially adept at selecting and applying rigorous methods and translating complex findings into practical, actionable insight.
Abby has successfully guided organizations of different sizes and capacities to capture data necessary to understand impact and demonstrate progress more effectively and has developed creative utilization-focused program evaluation methodologies with a laser focus on providing useful results to clients for real-time program improvement. Her catalog of clients includes the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Centerstone Research Institute, the Appalachian Ohio Manufacturers Coalition, the Indiana University School of Nursing, and numerous community and technical colleges and Workforce Development Boards across the nation.
Abby earned a Master of Public Affairs in Health Policy Analysis from Indiana University’s top-ranked O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University.
Workforce Policy & Systems
Mason brings 25 years of experience in employment policy, workforce development initiatives, postsecondary education and training, and entrepreneurship, and has the rare experience of having worked at both the federal and state/local levels in both workforce development and postsecondary education. He understands the strengths of, and challenges faced by, workforce agencies, community colleges and universities, federal agencies, and community organizations. He particularly enjoys implementing new initiatives and program reforms, as well as improving service delivery and opportunities for people to be upwardly mobile. Mason has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US Department of Labor, Legislative and Marketing Director for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, Public Affairs Director for the Utah Department of Workforce Service, and Vice President at Salt Lake Community College.
Mason earned an MPA (Public Administration) and a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University.
Future of Work & Higher Education
Chris Mayer, Ph.D., is Head of the Department of English & Philosophy at the United States Military Academy (West Point). He previously served as West Point’s Associate Dean for Strategy and Initiatives where his responsibilities included strategic planning, curriculum development, assessment, and accreditation. He focuses his work on delivering and continually improving a top-ranked undergraduate experience that prepares West Point graduates to be Army officers and develops them into leaders of character.
Chris has served as a Teagle Assessment Scholar at the Center of Inquiry at Wabash College and as an Association of Professional Futurists Emerging Fellow. He is an evaluator and committee member for a regional accreditor and a board member for a school of professional studies and an education-focused non-profit organization.
Chris holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in philosophy from Virginia Tech, an M.P.A. in public administration from Murray State University, and a B.S. in American Politics from West Point. Chris’ work as a consultant reflect his views and not the views of the United States Military Academy, the United States Army, or the Department of Defense.
Executive Advisor
Donna Hay brings more than 20 years of experience across higher education, workforce development, and national talent strategy. She most recently served as President and CEO of the National Job Corps Association (NJCA), where she led national strategy, federal engagement, and cross-sector partnerships supporting one of the country’s largest workforce training systems. Prior to NJCA, Donna held senior leadership roles in postsecondary education and research organizations focused on student success, employability, and employer alignment. Her work has included advising institutions and companies on hiring practices and talent pipelines, leading teaching and learning strategy across community college networks, and advancing early-career access initiatives for historically underserved learners. At QA Commons, Donna focuses on institutional strategy, revenue alignment, and operational clarity to support the scaling and sustainability of the EEQ Framework and EEQ CERT. She works with leadership to strengthen portfolio discipline, earned revenue pathways, and cross-sector positioning.
Donna holds a J.D. from Georgetown University, an M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Nursing from Oakwood University.
Contact: donna@theqacommons.org
Project Support Associate
Chloe is a writer and early-career associate working with QA Commons. She brings a strong writing voice and a reflective perspective shaped by her own experience navigating post-graduation job searches, early-career roles, and the transition from graduate school into professional work.
She is the author of the “Young in Napa” column for the Napa Valley Register and contributes essays and commentary to other publications, focusing on place, work, health, and the lived experiences of young adults. Her writing emphasizes observation, narrative clarity, and making sense of complex personal and social transitions.
Alongside her consulting and writing work, she is active in disability advocacy. She serves as President of the Silicon Valley Ostomy Support Group and has been involved with the United Ostomy Association of America (UOAA) for more than a decade, including work focused on education and young adult outreach.
Chloe earned a BA in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MA in English Language and Literature from San Francisco State University.
Contact: chloe@theqacommons.org
Read about the programs that have been through the EEQ Certification process.
QA Commons is supported by both fee-for-service partnerships and philanthropic investment. While earned revenue sustains our core work, grants allow us to innovate, reach underserved populations, and generate insights that strengthen employability practice across the field.
Selected Funders:
Lumina Foundation
Ascendium Education Group
USA Funds (now Strada Education Foundation)
Roger Trinchero Family Foundation
Selected published articles and media coverage featuring
or referencing QA Commons and its work.
The Future is Creative
Inside Higher Education
May 6, 2026
Project Tests New Approaches to Employability for Justice-Impacted Learners
Yahoo! Finance
March 26, 2026
History Degrees Prepare Students for Careers – New National Project Makes That Visible
Associated Press
February 4, 2026
Culinary Arts Program Earns National Certification
The Journal (Martinsburg, WV)
May 15, 2025
SU Art, English, and Philosophy Programs Earn Essential Employability Qualities Certification
Salisbury University
September 17, 2024
Success Coaching Program to Support Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
Yahoo! Finance
July 23, 2024
Health and Physical Education program receives highest score for Essential Employment Qualities certification
Murray State University
May 22, 2024
Teach Your Children/Students Well
Inside Higher Education
March 12, 2024
Moving Beyond the Dependence on College Degrees
Forbes
November 11, 2022
Judging Institutions Based on Employment Outcomes
Inside Higher Ed
March 2, 2022
Measuring Job Market Success
Open Campus
January 27, 2022
A troubling lack of skills in literacy and numeracy
Open Campus
June 10, 2021
How Colleges Can Increase Equity Through Employability Standards
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
February 1, 2021
New benchmarking tool for higher ed seeks to address workplace soft skills gap
Chief Learning Officer
October 15, 2020
Student’s own experience helped launch KCTCS training program
ABC 36 WTVQ Lexington
October 1, 2020
UK Equine Undergrad Program Earns Employability Certification
US Ag Net
June 22, 2020
Grant-Funded Study Helps Prepare Connecticut’s 12 Community College for Consolidation
Connecticut Examiner
June 17, 2020
Kentucky Campuses Lead the Charge on Employability
Northern Kentucky Tribune
June 3, 2020
Schools Offer Certification for Employability Skills
US News & World Report
November 5, 2019
Do Your Academic Programs Actually Develop ‘Employability’? There’s an Assessment for That
Chronicle of Higher Education
April 16, 2019
CPE Launches Employability Initiative to Prepare Graduates for Workplace Success
Kentucky Business & Economic News
November 16, 2018
Group Attempts New Twist on Accreditation
Inside Higher Education
October 9, 2017
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