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Biography

Dr. Danette G. Howard, a member since 2015, is the Director, Global Education at Cummins, Inc.  She is also the inaugural executive in residence at the USC Race and Equity Center, University of Southern California. Prior to her current appointment, she was chief strategy officer and senior vice president for the Lumina Foundation, the nation's largest private foundation focused solely on increasing student access and success in postsecondary education, where she led the foundation's integrated approach to implementing its strategic state and federal priorities. Dr. Howard previously served as vice president for policy and mobilization at Lumina.  

Prior to joining Lumina, Dr. Howard was appointed by the governor of Maryland to serve as secretary of higher education where she led the Maryland Higher Education Commission. In this capacity, she oversaw Maryland's statewide financial aid program, approved new academic programs and institutions seeking to operate in the state, and advised the governor and legislators on higher education policies and initiatives. 

A nationally regarded analyst and thought leader, Dr. Howard has served as director of research and policy analysis at the Maryland Higher Education Commission and has held policy and research positions with the Education Trust in Washington, D.C. and the University of Maryland, College Park.  She has also served as a student affairs administrator and admissions counselor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 

Dr. Howard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Howard University; a master's degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education; and a doctorate in higher education policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. She was honored for her outstanding success and national distinction in the fields of education and policy with Howard University's Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.