SAN FRANCISCO / PRNewswire-USNewswire / — College Futures Foundation—formerly College Access Foundation of California—announced the appointment of Jane Wellman as senior advisor to the foundation. Wellman joined the staff in January.

An independent policy analyst, Wellman is an expert in state and federal policy for higher education specializing in changing finances, cost analysis and management, institutional governance, and change management.

As senior advisor at College Futures, Wellman will work with the leadership team to develop the foundation’s strategies for increasing bachelor’s degree attainment in California, particularly among low-income students and those underrepresented in higher education.

“Jane Wellman is a respected expert in the field of higher education policy,” said Julia Lopez, president and CEO of College Futures Foundation. “She is a sharp thinker with a practical orientation who understands the importance of leadership for change. We are lucky to have someone of her caliber who also embodies our values—an interest in supporting and improving college success for students, the educational institutions that serve them, and the state as a whole.”

“There is a lot at stake now in California in terms of who gets to go to college and how well they are served when they get there,” said Wellman. “The choices being made today will shape the type of society we have in the future. I feel fortunate to join the foundation at this point in California’s history and hope that we can contribute to those discussions in a constructive and balanced way.”

Wellman has held numerous leadership positions in higher education in the nonprofit and government sphere, including as founding director of the Delta Cost Project, executive director of the National Association of System Heads, executive director of the Association of Governing Boards Commission on College and University Governance, and vice president for Government Relations for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. She currently serves as a public commission member of the WASC-Senior College and University Commission. She began her career in California, where she served as deputy director of the California Postsecondary Education Commission, staff director of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, and an analyst in the University of California Office of the President. She received her BA and MA degrees from the University of California at Berkeley.

About College Futures Foundation

College Futures Foundation operates on the beliefs that a vibrant future for California’s economy and communities requires more bachelor’s degrees, and that every student in California should have the chance to succeed in college. College Futures works to increase opportunities for low-income and underrepresented students by removing barriers to college degrees. Established in 2005, the foundation awards nearly $20 million in grants annually. Together with its grantees and partners, College Futures works towards more graduates for a thriving California. Visit www.collegefutures.org.