We are an impact-driven consulting firm that believes in the transformative power of education to improve social and economic mobility
HCM Strategists is a synthesis of solid policy acumen, strong communications know-how and effective advocacy in building & maintaining deep, long-standing partnerships.
We started out in 2008 with a goal:
to be practical problem solvers as we contribute to meaningful and equitable change for communities who are underserved by our education systems.
Since then, we have brought together the country’s leading experts in education with a passion for and impactful record of improving social and economic mobility for all.
We are proud to be at the forefront of companies that intentionally work across the political aisle to achieve the greatest impact. We consider the unique context of every state in which we work, bridging the gap between public policies and the people they affect, while never wavering from our core mission of equitable outcomes for all learners.
We firmly believe that achieving the best outcomes takes a combination of high-level government acumen, a lived experience, an understanding of underserved communities, a network of strong relationships, a keen analytical ability and a creative approach.
HCM is proud to have leading experts who have experience across the entire education ecosystem
HCM staff has served at every level in the White House, governors’ offices, Congress, state and federal agencies, top philanthropic organizations, major state-level education systems, and institutions and classrooms.
HCM has been at the center of change that has touched millions of lives and is striving for more equitable systems of education.
HCM’s client work today directly engages leaders and influencers nationally and in all 50 states, with a team based in state capitals and every region of the country. Our reach is nationwide; our expertise is unparalleled.
Our TEAM
Ashsali Hamlet
Project Administrator
Ashsali is a single-parent and first-generation college graduate dedicated to supporting public policy initiatives that advocate for students who face the same challenges she did in pursuing a postsecondary degree. She brings deep expertise in project management and data collection.
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Chris Mathias
Senior Affiliate
Chris brings two decades of policy experience spanning roles in K-12, higher education, and as a State Representative in Idaho. A veteran and leader in both actions and title, his primary focus is on reimagining education and workforce systems that create opportunity for all.
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Darryl Hill
Partner
Darryl is a values-led academic and policy practitioner with experience spanning more than 20 years in large urban school districts, major philanthropic organizations, and on nonprofit boards. Darryl brings his math and business expertise to the firm’s work on accountability systems, work and learning opportunities, evaluation, and STEM pathways expansion.
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Jessica Collis
Director of Advocacy & Change Management
Jessica brings a student and employer lens to her work on issues of postsecondary value, affordability, and degree attainment. Combining a passion for qualitative and quantitative research, messaging, coalition-building and project leadership, Jessica’s decade of work for HCM touches all major clients.
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Jimmy Clarke
Senior Advisor
Jimmy’s five decades of higher education and public policy experience spans academic & student affairs, enrollment management, leadership of a statewide technical college system, service to a Governor as her chief of staff and now chairing the board of Louisiana’s largest public university system. Jimmy pioneered HCM’s work for Lumina Foundation and its state policy platform, Strategy Labs.
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Julie Ajinkya
Principal
Julie is a skilled political strategist, researcher and educator with more than two decades of experience merging fields of civil rights and higher education. Her research and advocacy expertise focuses on innovative models that improve degree completion for underserved populations, such as students of color, returning adults, justice-involved communities, and rural communities.
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Katie Lynne Morton
Director of Project Management and Client Relations
Katie Lynne is an expert in project management and HCM’s go-to for managing complex public task forces, commissions and sensitive policy development processes.
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Kelley Ditzel
Senior Affiliate
Kelley brings scholarship, teaching practice, community building and nonprofit management acumen to her work on behalf of HCM’s clients. By leveraging her diverse expertise and deep commitment to empowering minoritized students, a particular client focus is to develop and implement impactful, research-driven solutions to drive transformative change for Black learners across communities, states, and nationally.
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Marissa Molina
Director of Career Competitive Learning
Marissa is a passionate advocate for education equity and immigration rights. Her expertise lies in connecting state and institutional leaders to bridge research with policy and advocacy. At HCM, she focuses on expanding STEM access, improving affordability, and promoting equitable funding.
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Kristin Hultquist
CEO, Founding Partner
Kristin’s 30-year career includes advising foundations, Governors, legislators, entrepreneurs, university and nonprofit CEOs, the U.S. Secretary of Education and Congress on ways to align financing, policy, governance, and practice to improve the postsecondary education ecosystem.
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Lauren Asher
Senior Affiliate
Lauren is a skilled public policy strategist, researcher, and nonprofit leader. Her expertise in federal financial aid policies, state and institutional funding models, and research-driven, student-centered college affordability initiatives is sought by community college systems, foundations, and nonprofit organizations.
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Martha Snyder
Partner
Martha is a nationally-recognized postsecondary policy expert who provides non-partisan advice and capacity building support to federal and state policymakers and institutions. She is particularly skilled at listening to diverse stakeholders, synthesizing data and research, and building consensus for strategic and sustainable policy agendas and strategic financing of educational pathways leading to economic development.
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Mitza Luna
Firm Administrator and Executive Assistant
Mitza is a detail-oriented and executive-level support professional providing operational administrative guidance and support to HCM’s partners and mission-driven team.
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Nate Johnson
Senior Affiliate
Nate is a renowned data scientist and consultant on higher education policy, affordability, finance and student success metrics. He has worked in postsecondary policy, planning and institutional research at the national, state, and institutional levels.
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Tom Allison
Director of State Policy & Finance
Tom brings a decade of experience in education policy and finance with a particular focus on state-level strategy, advocacy and engagement. He specializes in designing funding models that enhance affordability and workforce alignment.
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Nicole Brown
Director of Communications
Nicole is a communications and advocacy specialist who develops and leads firm-wide communications initiatives and strategic support for HCM’s team of experts and public policy clients.
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Jailain Hollon
Associate Director of Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
Jailain is a seasoned media strategist with expertise in media planning, digital strategy, and stakeholder engagement. At HCM, Jailain supports communications initiatives that align with the firm’s goals in postsecondary education, ensuring impactful campaigns.
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Stephanie Murphy
Director of State Policy & Research
Stephanie is a state policy expert with more than a decade of experience in government relations, data and policy research, and coalition building. She specializes in postsecondary access and opportunity, economic mobility, strategic planning, and analyzing trends in state investments and policies tied to short-term credential pathways.
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Will Carroll
Managing Director of Strategic Finance & Student Success
Will is a skilled policy analyst and strategic adviser with almost 15 years of federal and state education policy experience. His expertise is in financing higher education at the institutional, state, and federal levels, and his work centers on state funding formulas, affordability proposals, college transfer, and strategic planning to provide equitable opportunities and improve student outcomes and systems.
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Brenae Smith
Associate Director
Brenae is a data-driven, analytical research expert who brings a strong student-centered and equity-focused lens to her work in improving outcomes for all students.
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