Deborah A. Santiago, co-founder and vice president for policy and research at Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization advocating for Latino success in higher education, has been named to the Board of Directors of The National Hispanic University.
“We are honored to welcome Deborah Santiago to our board, and we look forward to the value and knowledge she will bring to the great work already being done at NHU to provide a quality postsecondary education,” said Jonathan Kaplan, chair of NHU’s Board of Directors. “Her focus and insight on supporting student success in higher education will be paramount as we continue to expand NHU’s presence nationwide.”
Ms. Santiago has spent more than 15 years leading research and policy efforts at the community through national levels to improve educational opportunities and success for all students. She has served as a policy analyst at the Congressional Research Service, where she addressed legislative issues in higher education, and at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. Ms. Santiago also served as the deputy director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Her current research focuses on state and federal policy, financial aid, Hispanic-serving institutions, evaluation of effective institutional practices and student success in higher education.
“NHU has worked tirelessly for more than 30 years to prepare the Latino community and other students to be the leaders of tomorrow,” said Ms. Santiago. “I am honored to be serving on NHU’s board and to have the opportunity to provide increased educational opportunities for all students.”
Ms. Santiago also serves on the boards for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Latin American Youth Center and the National Student Clearinghouse.