Narrowing the Digital Divide: Pragmatic and Student-Centered Approaches

Mordecai Ian Brownlee

WCET Executive Council, President, Community College of Aurora

@ItsDrMordecaiLinkedIn Profile

Dr. Mordecai I. Brownlee is an inclusive educator who proudly serves as the sixth president of the Community College of Aurora. Within the first two years of his presidency, President Brownlee has already brought about significant change and improved the student success agenda at the Community College of Aurora. These successes include CCA embarking upon its first capital project in 24 years, record-breaking capital and scholarship fundraising, hiring CCA’s largest and most diverse faculty ranks in the college’s history, and improved student completions by more than 20%. 

Dr. Mordecai publishes frequently, including serving as a columnist for EdSurge. He also teaches at Lamar University and the University of Charleston. In 2023, Dr. Mordecai was named 40 Under 40 by the prestigious Denver Business Journal and Community Leader of the Year by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce recipient. Recently, Dr. Mordecai was featured as a “champion” of the U.S. Department of Education Unlocking Career Success Initiative. 

Jarret Cummings

Senior Advisor, Policy and Government Relations, EDUCAUSE

In his role as senior advisor for policy and government relations, Jarret Cummings oversees EDUCAUSE’s efforts to address federal policy issues with significant implications for higher education IT, particularly regarding information security and data privacy, e-learning, IT accessibility, and networking and telecommunications. Jarret previously served EDUCAUSE as a policy specialist in its Washington Office, special assistant to the president, and program administrator for the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI), the association’s primary teaching and learning with technology program.

Robin DeRosa

Director, Open Learning and Teaching Collaborative, Plymouth State University

Robin DeRosa is a professor and the director of the Open Learning and Teaching Collaborative at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. An advocate for public higher education in the United States, Robin is interested in how educational institutions can integrate more fully with the communities that they serve, and in how innovation can be driven by public need rather than private markets.

Nate Southerland

Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Coconino Community College

Nate Southerland leads Coconino Community College’s efforts to create and deliver outstanding undergraduate and CTE programs and provide support for students to access and succeed in postsecondary education. In addition to supervising the faculty and academic leadership of CCC, he oversees student development and support and takes an active role in community partnerships, including dual credit programs. Prior to joining Coconino Community College, Nate held a variety of roles at Salt Lake Community College and served as the adult education specialist for the Utah Education Network, a unique state agency devoted to providing telecommunications infrastructure, distance learning systems, and instructional content for public and higher education providers.

Sharon Leu

Senior Policy Advisor, Higher Education Innovation, U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology

Sharon Leu leads the Office of Educational Technology’s higher education innovation initiatives, including next generation assessments, individualized learning pathways, use of open resources and platforms, and strategic partnerships with stakeholders. Sharon also works in offices across the Department to design programs that improve quality of education and increase success of students and adult learners. Prior to joining OET, Sharon oversaw the design and implementation of the Department of Labor’s $2 billion Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program, the largest federal investment in postsecondary innovation and systematic infrastructure change.