Accreditation Commission Nominee Bios

Organization: College of Western Idaho

Position: Dual Credit, Coordinator

Briefly description of the nominee's work in concurrent enrollment and with NACEP:

Jacob is the most recent addition to the world of Dual Credit at the College of Western Idaho and brings a unique perspective founded in his previous work with Ameri-Corps and Jobs Corps. Jacob is a member of our NACEP Reaccreditation Committee and has attended the NACEP National Conference in Saint Louis. He is a committed servant-leader and passionate about how Dual Credit can better empower and engage at-risk and underserved communities.

Prior service as a NACEP accreditation peer reviewer, knowledge of NACEP's standards, and other relevant experience (e.g. with other accrediting organizations):

Jacob brings a fresh perspective to NACEP Accreditation Standards. His previous experience in education and passion for assuring students are receiving a rigorous equitable and supportive education in Dual Credit, make him a unique lens through which to view and comment on the larger NACEP Accreditation process.

A brief statement describing the nominee's interest in the position.

Jacob is highly motivated to pursue rolls within NACEP and support the mission of NACEP Accreditation Standards. He wants to see programs be successful and to uphold the rigorous standards of higher educational curriculum in high schools. He believes a rigorous program can help change the lives of students considering college and can help to engage underserved students.

Briefly list any additional information related to the nominee’s responsibilities, other volunteer service, or awards and recognition.

Jacob is a two time AmeriCorps Alumni, a previous Site Director for the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers AmeriCorps in Seattle,  worked for Idaho State Job Corps, is pursuing a Master's in Public Administration, and is a dedicated educator.

Organization: Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Position: Director of Secondary Partnerships

Brief description of the nominee's work in concurrent enrollment and with NACEP:

Abbie has served as the backbone of ARCC's Concurrent Enrollment program since 2015. She is, quite honestly, much of the reason we maintain such strong partnerships with our high schools, as she is organized, diligent, responsive, knowledgeable, and incredibly intelligent. She has helped us create the position of a CE Transition Advisor at ARCC, the first of its kind in our state. She works tirelessly with our high school administration, students, teachers, deans, and advisors to ensure adherence to NACEP standards. Abbie is also key to working with many of our ARCC faculty and deans to approve new HS teachers, communicate updates, and problem solve enrollment/grading/credentialing/etc. issues. She was also appointed to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Post Secondary Enrollment Options Workgroup, charged with evaluating and improving MinnState system policies and procedures for Dual Enrollment.

Prior service as a NACEP accreditation peer reviewer, knowledge of NACEP's standards, and other relevant experience (e.g. with other accrediting organizations):

Abbie has served as a NACEP Peer Reviewer every year since the fall of 2019. She was instrumental in helping ARCC achieve its first NACEP accreditation that year as well, and has grown increasingly versed in all NACEP standards. We attend the NACEP National Convention each year (except 2023, as we attended the Accreditation Institute in Seattle in lieu of the conference this year). She also continues to be informed as a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling Organization (NACAC).

A brief statement describing the nominee's interest in the position.

Having been in the concurrent Enrollment space for almost 8 years, Abbie is ready for a new challenge and the opportunity to learn even more from national partners. She believes in the mission of NACEP and has a passion for taking complicated processes and policies and making them easier to understand for various constituent groups. She would value the opportunity to share her experiences and knowledge gained through years of statewide and national engagement in the field of dual enrollment. Abbie is also analytical by nature, so she will provide honest and straightforward feedback to ensure the strength of the NACEP accreditation process and policies.

Briefly list any additional information related to the nominee’s responsibilities, other volunteer service, or awards and recognition.

Abbie’s position covers all aspects of our Dual Enrollment programming from on campus (PSEO in MN) and off site (Concurrent Enrollment and College Faculty Provided options). In addition to serving as a NACEP peer reviewer, Abbie assisted with the coordination of one of the High School Visits offered as a part of the NACEP 2022 Conference when it was held locally in Minneapolis. Just this past year, Abbie was recognized with an achievement award from the President of Anoka-Ramsey for her contributions to leading/supporting the college’s strategic Plan Goal 4 (Establish a Strong Reputation and Valuable Partnerships).

In Minnesota, concurrent enrollment offices are fairly isolated and that was particularly true when her role was created in 2015. We have a strong MNCEP organization but only meet twice a year. Abbie coordinated a Metro (Minneapolis and St. Paul) area Concurrent Enrollment Director’s group in 2016 when she was relatively new in her position. The group is still active, and meets every other month to discuss alignment and troubleshoot issues that arise within other Concurrent Enrollment programs in the Minnesota State system, locally.

Organization: Edmonds College

Position: College in the High School Director/Political Science Faculty

Brief description of the nominee's work in concurrent enrollment and with NACEP:

Travis Nelson has worked with NACEP concurrent enrollment programs for four years. He started as the political science department’s faculty liaison for Edmonds College’s Concurrent Enrollment Program. Travis was the faculty liaison for two years before agreeing to become the CEP director, initially as interim, and then permanent. During this time Travis has volunteered as a NACEP peer reviewer and a NACEP peer review team lead for accreditation.

Prior service as a NACEP accreditation peer reviewer, knowledge of NACEP's standards, and other relevant experience (e.g. with other accrediting organizations):

Travis has volunteered as both a peer reviewer and as a peer review team lead for NACEP. Travis has attended several training sessions in NACEP endorsement and standards and is eager to further refine his knowledge by volunteering as a commissioner.

A brief statement describing the nominee's interest in the position.

Travis is excited to play a larger role in the NACEP community by working to further his own knowledge of accreditation standards while also working with others as they work through the accreditation process. Concurrent and dual enrollment is an incredibly important component to any post secondary institution and Travis hopes to help institutions further develop their programs and ensure that they offer quality learning experience to their students.

Briefly list any additional information related to the nominee’s responsibilities, other volunteer service, or awards and recognition.

Travis has been a leader in Concurrent Enrollment in Washington State.