About Us

Robert Shireman, Founder and President

Robert Shireman is the president of The Institute for College Access and Success, a non-profit policy research organization best known for the Project on Student Debt and the Economic Diversity of Colleges database. One of the nation's leading experts on college access and financial aid, Mr. Shireman served as an education policy advisor at the White House National Economic Council, in the U.S. Senate, and at foundations and think tanks. He has played leading roles in student loan reforms, the creation of the GEAR UP college preparation program, the implementation of the federal higher education tax credits, and other initiatives.

In addition to his role at TICAS, Mr. Shireman serves as a congressional appointee to the Federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. He holds a B.A. in economics from U.C. Berkeley, and masters degrees from Harvard (education) and the University of San Francisco (public administration).

Lauren Asher, Vice President

Lauren Asher is an expert in policy analysis and issue-based communications with more than a decade of management experience in nonprofit, government, and philanthropic organizations. After serving in senior positions at the Kaiser Family Foundation, National Partnership for Women & Families, and U.S. Department of Labor, Ms. Asher founded and ran Asher Policy Consulting from 2002-2005. Her clients included national, state, and local nonprofits and foundations working to improve the lives of children, youth, and working families. She holds an M.P.A. from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and a B.A. from Brown University.

Kelly Solari, Finance Director

Kelly Solari spent the last ten years honing her business management, financial, and human resources skills in the for-profit sector. Prior to working at the Institute, she spent seven years overseeing finance and human resources for a successful brand strategy firm. Her pre-financial career included management in private post-secondary education and volunteer teaching in local and international settings. She earned her BA from UC Berkeley in English and Practice of Art.

Hilda Hernández-Gravelle, MSW, Ed.D., Senior Research Analyst

Hilda Hernández-Gravelle has more than two decades of experience in higher education administration, and an extensive background in college counseling, student affairs and diversity programming. She has served as Assistant Dean of Harvard College and founding director of its Office of Race Relations and Minority Affairs. She has also served in senior roles at Simmons College and Mills College and worked as a Program Officer at the James Irvine Foundation, Campus Diversity Initiative. She has taught at several universities in the Northeast. Dr. Hernández-Gravelle earned her bachelors' degree from the University of Puerto Rico, her masters from Simmons School of Social Work, and her doctorate in administration, planning and social policy in higher education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Deborah Frankle Cochrane, Research Analyst

Debbie Cochrane's background includes work in policy analysis, research, labor, and social services. Before joining the Institute's staff, Ms. Cochrane worked as a policy analyst at the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, focusing primarily on community college affordability and finance policy issues. Prior to that she worked as a researcher with AFSCME Local 3299, which represents service and patient care technical workers at the University of California. Other experience includes direct service and management roles within a variety of non-profit settings. She holds an M.S.W. with a focus on social policy from San Francisco State University and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Matthew Reed, Policy Analyst

Matt Reed's background is in education, public policy, and information technology. He spent six years as a high school math teacher and technology coordinator in the Chicago Public Schools. During this time, he helped develop school and district policies on technology staffing and procurement and multimedia curricular materials on computer maintenance and human relations. He has also had the privilege of working on education projects in South Africa and Angola. Mr. Reed’s policy analysis experience includes projects in urban planning, education reform, housing, labor policy, and higher education affordability. He holds an M.P.P. from the Goldman School of Public Policy at University of California-Berkeley, an M.S.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Northern Illinois University, and a B.A. from Swarthmore College.

Cedrick Andrews, Policy Associate

Cedrick Andrews is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Philosophy. He worked as Director of Programs at Center for Student Opportunity in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting higher education opportunities for first-generation and other historically underserved college-bound students. As an undergraduate, Mr. Andrews interned in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with responsibilities and exposure in student recruitment, multicultural programming, and institutional marketing. In the summer of 2003, he served as a Finance and Legislative Affairs Intern in the Office of Governor Bob Riley (Alabama) during an historic constitutional reform effort to improve public education. His academic background includes a focus on the challenges to civic life resulting from the confluence of key social, economic, and political considerations, especially in education.

Laura Szabo-Kubitz, Policy Associate

Laura Szabo-Kubitz is passionate about working with underserved students and communities. She has worked as an educator and in the non-profit sector, most recently as the Recruiting Coordinator for American Student Assistance, a student loan guarantor with a mission to make student loans more manageable and affordable. Before ASA, Ms. Szabo-Kubitz worked at Aim High, a non-profit that creates empowering environments for the educational and personal growth of middle school students. She also has experience with non-profit direct service and finance, having worked as the Parent Voices Project Associate and Assistant to the CFO at the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. She received her MA in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and her BA in English from Oberlin College.

Melissa Tooley, Policy Associate

Melissa Tooley is dedicated to using her diverse professional experience to promote social justice. Ms. Tooley has significant research and analysis experience, including seven years conducting market research projects for BASES, a service of The Nielsen Company, and one year evaluating and performing research on nonprofits’ online communication programs at Donordigital. She has worked in the nonprofit sector as both Director of Programs & Education, and Director of Government Relations at the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater New York, where she developed and grew the Foundation’s advocacy program. Before moving to the Bay Area, Ms. Tooley volunteered her research skills at Centro Andino Accion Popular, an NGO in Quito, Ecuador that conducts policy research to improve the economic situation of underserved communities in that country. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Drew University.

Srikanth Sivashankaran, Research Associate

Srikanth Sivashankaran is a graduate of Yale College with a B.A. in History. As an undergraduate, he served as a coordinator of Yale's student center for public service and social justice, a legislative intern in the office of New Haven mayor John DeStefano, and an intern in the New Haven Public Schools. Prior to joining the Institute, he worked as a student adviser and instructor for Kaplan Test Preparation and Admissions.

Robyn Bowers, Research Associate

Robyn Bowers has a background in both higher education and the non-profit sector. Most recently, she served as an Admissions Counselor and Territory Manager for The Ohio State University, where she oversaw three recruitment territories and advised both prospective freshmen and transfer student applicants. Prior to working at Ohio State, Ms. Bowers was the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach and Assistant Director of Sports Information at Denison University. Ms. Bowers has also served as a campus organizer for the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan (PIRGIM) at the University of Michigan and served as coordinator of the organization’s YouthVote campaign in Ann Arbor in 2003. She holds an M.A. in Higher Education from The Ohio State University and a B.A. in English and Latin from Denison University.

Edie Irons, Communications Director

Edie Irons coordinates the Institute's online communications, media relations, and web development. She has worked as a researcher with the Alameda Central Labor Council, an assistant canvass director at Grassroots Campaigns, a volunteer fundraiser for the League of Young Voters, and as a ceramic artist. Since joining the Institute's staff in April 2005, Ms. Irons has developed a thorough understanding of student aid issues and policies. She has traveled extensively in Mexico, including as an international human rights observer in Chiapas, and a leader of educational youth trips to the US/Mexico border. She has a B.A. in History from Barnard College.

Shannon Gallegos, Communications Associate

Shannon Gallegos is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Communication and a minor in Ethnic Studies. As an undergraduate, Ms. Gallegos worked for educational equality for students from underrepresented backgrounds as a peer mentor with UCSD’s Office of Academic Support & Instructional Services. Before coming to the Institute, she worked for Rescue Social Change Group, a San Diego social marketing firm, and in various positions within San Diego area Upward Bound programs. Ms. Gallegos’s outside interests include the study of popular culture, with a focus on the commodification of “cool,” urban art, and dance. She plans to pursue a Masters degree in Non-Profit Business Administration, with hopes of someday starting her own non-profit benefiting underrepresented youth in the San Diego area.

Andrea Teodorini has an extensive and diverse professional background. She has worked in the banking and mortgage fields, in customer service, accounting and administrative capacities. With a daughter in college, she appreciates the work the Institute is doing and is delighted to be a part of it. She holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Rowan University in New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College).