Image: by Jewel Caruso On October 27th, President Joe Biden announced 14 key appointments to the National Board for Education Sciences. Among these individuals was Denisa Gándara, an alumnus of McBee Institute's PhD Program. The National Board for Education Sciences holds 15 voting members appointed by the President. These individuals are responsible for advising the director, setting the Institute's priorities as proposed by the director, recommending individuals to serve as commissioners of the education centers, and ensuring the priorities of the Institute of Education Science (IES) and the National Education Centers are consistent with the organization's mission. The complete list of the board's duties can be found on the Institute of Education Sciences website. Gándara is an assistant professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research in higher education examines the development of policies and their impact on students who have been excluded from and underserved in higher education. Gándara also explores the relationship between how colleges and universities are funded and the hindrance to social equity. Gándara graduated with her PhD from the McBee Institute in 2016. Additionally, she is a William T. Grant Scholar, a Ford Foundation Fellow, a McNair Scholar, and a Head Start alumnus. We congratulate Gándara on her work in Higher Education and this opportunity to make a lasting impact while working with the White House. Type of News/Audience: Alumni