Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier
SENIOR AFFILIATE
Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier has worked her entire career expanding educational opportunities for low-income youth and adults with a special focus on developing foundational academic and workforce skills for adult learners, CTE students, the incarcerated, and immigrants.
She started her career as the Director of the Rhode Island Educational Opportunity Center and Educational Talent Search (TRIO) programs at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI). While at the CCRI she was nominated by Senator Pell to work for the Clinton administration as Secretary of Education, Richard Riley’s Regional Representative for New England. After leaving the USDE Brenda went to work at Brown University for the Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Lab. From Brown University Brenda went back to work in the community as the President of Dorcas Place Adult and Family Learning Center and stayed for a decade when she was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the US Senate to become the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical and Adult Education under Secretary Duncan. Her last year at the Department she was also the Acting Assistant Secretary of Postsecondary Education. When she returned to Rhode Island she was appointed by Governor Raimondo to be RI’s Postsecondary Commissioner. She left that position to work as an Education Consultant for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE).
Brenda serves on numerous boards including as member and former board chair of the Reentry Campus Program, a program that assists incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals access education and work skills opportunities. It was founded by a formerly incarcerated individual. She also serves on the Governor’s Commerce Corporation, Progreso Latino and Linked Learning boards, and the National Advisory Committee for the Rural Talent Lab at Appalachian State University.