BRIDGET BURNS
As a trusted advisor to university presidents and policymakers, Dr. Bridget Burns is on a mission to transform the way institutions think about and take action on the behalf of low-income, first generation, and students of color. She is the founding executive director of the University Innovation Alliance, a unique consortium of public research universities collaborating to close achievement gaps through testing, scaling, and sharing innovative and successful practices.
Named one of the “16 Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly magazine, her work has helped the UIA campuses increase their low-income graduates by 37%, and increase graduates of color by 73%. The University Innovation Alliance has been highlighted in national outlets like The New York Times, Fast Company, 60 Minutes, and was featured in the documentary “Unlikely”.
Bridget served on her first presidential hiring committee at age 22, and has spent the past two decades helping to hire, advise, and advocate on behalf of more than 30 presidents and chancellors from around the country. She received her Doctorate of Education from Vanderbilt University in Higher Education, Leadership & Policy.