Archives: People

Jim Burger is a partner in the Thompson Coburn Lobbying & Policy and Intellectual Property groups. He works on legal and policy issues at the intersection of digital technology, copyright, and government regulation. Jim represents FIRST (the K-12 STEM program) on federal issues; represents technology companies on copy protection rules for DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and digital downloads; and advises clients on artificial intelligence IP issues. Jim represents education and technology clients before the Administration, Congress, and Copyright Office on IP law issues. Jim taught Copyright at Georgetown Law School and served seven years as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia School of Law.

The author of multiple books on educational technology, online, and distance learning, Tony’s most recent work is Teaching in a Digital Age. A lifelong educator in the United Kingdom and British Columbia, Canada, Tony has been at the forefront of education technology and the development of online coursework. He has also worked as a consultant, specializing in advising universities, colleges, and government agencies on strategies for online and blended learning. In this role, Tony worked with more than 50 universities and colleges, and several governmental agencies, in Canada, the USA, and Europe, and has consulted worldwide with the World Bank, UNESCO, and the OECD.

Jeannie Yockey-Fine is general counsel at NC-SARA. She analyzes federal and state regulations, SARA policies, professional licensure issues and their impacts on SARA institutions, and related policy conversations. Prior to joining NC-SARA, Jeannie held roles as senior state regulatory services specialist with Hogan Lovells, US, LLP, state regulatory services advisor with Cooley, LLP, and senior manager, state regulatory services at Dow Lohnes. In those roles, she assisted her clients with state-related authorizations, NC-SARA applications and related requirements, and state-level professional licensure issues. Previously she was licensure manager/education policy analyst at the Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education. Jeannie has been an attorney since 1991.

Shari Miller provides practical higher education regulatory consulting services to educational organizations. While director of state authorization at Northern Arizona University, she received the 2016 SANsational Award for the innovative solution of identifying where its 30,000 students are physically located. She was a founding member of the Arizona SARA Council and has served on NC-SARA working committees. She continues to mentor in the SAN Back to Basics Workshop and recently wrote Professional Licensure Disclosures – Implementation Handbook which addresses compliance with the 2019 Federal Regulation. A retired attorney, Shari previously practiced health care law (including licensure).

Aaron Lacey regularly represents institutions in administrative proceedings before state licensing entities, accrediting agencies, and the U.S. Department of Education, including matters arising from audits, program reviews, and investigations of the Office of Inspector General. Aaron is a frequent writer and speaker on topics relating to higher education policy and federal financial aid programs. He is also the editorial director of REGucation, the Thompson Coburn LLP’s higher education law and policy blog, and host of the firm’s higher education webinar series.

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.

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.

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.

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.