Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D.
DIRECTOR OF STATE POLICY AND RESEARCH
Stephanie Murphy, Ph.D. is HCM’s director of postsecondary state policy and research. Her passion for education policy reform stems from her personal experiences as a first-generation college student from a low-income, immigrant household who directly experienced many of the adversities that underserved populations face throughout the education continuum. Through her various experiences, Stephanie has come to understand the power that research and advocacy have to affect policy reform.
Stephanie brings more than 10 years of experience conducting policy research, building and managing external relationships, and developing state-level higher education policy across 17 U.S. states. Prior to joining HCM, she served as director of postsecondary education policy at the Commit Partnership in Austin, Texas, where she was responsible for leading Commit’s policy research and analysis agenda, as well as its state government relations strategy, specifically with an eye to driving systematic change, economic mobility, and student success.
Stephanie received a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in political science from the University of North Texas. In 2020, she earned her Ph.D. in political science from the University of Toronto.
A Texas native, Stephanie currently lives in Tempe, Arizona with her partner Evan. In her free time, she enjoys a good Netflix binge but can also be found reading a classic novel, exploring one of Arizona’s many scenic hiking trails, or making a mess of her kitchen while trying out a new recipe.
Publications
A Typology and Policy Landscape Analysis of State Investments in Short-term Credential Pathways
Mapping Community College Finance Systems to Develop More Equitable and Effective Finance Policy
Insights Blog Posts
Short-term Credentials Continue to Grab Attention of State Lawmakers
The Equitable Big Dance: An Equity and Student Success Bracket