Staff Highlights

Debbie Altenburg, APLU’s Vice President for Research Policy and Advocacy, co-authored an article on the far-reaching implications of the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance proposal in National Council of University Research Administrators magazine. The article published prior to Senate passage of legislation that would temporarily block the proposed changes, if signed into law.

Levi Shanks, APLU’s Assistant Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, presented at the State University of New York (SUNY) Presidents Retreat, where he shared insights from APLU’s recently released A Decade of Student Success report and discussed emerging strategies for advancing student success across public higher education. Following the presentation, he participated in a fireside conversation with four SUNY presidents, exploring how institutions can build more coordinated, institution-wide approaches that strengthen student outcomes while advancing their broader institutional missions.

Riccardo Purita, Assistant Director for Digital Transformation for Student Success at APLU, co-led a workshop to help institutions consider ways to move AI initiatives toward scalable, sustainable approaches aligned with institutional priorities and student success goals at the AASCU Summer Meeting for Academic and Student Success Leaders in mid-July.

Megan McKeown, Director of Government Relations at APLU, spoke on a panel last month in the U.S. Capitol on the value of university-driven tech transfer and IP licensing. The panel, titled Industry-University Spotlight: How IP Licensing is Essential to Academia Spin-Outs was part of the Licensing Executives Society’s IP Forum. McKeown spoke on challenges facing university tech transfer and why supporting federal policies that strengthen IP rights are important for U.S. innovation and competitiveness.

Doug Steele, Senior Vice President for Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources at APLU, delivered a keynote address about the importance of Cooperative Extension in supporting communities during times of change at the Joint Council of Extension Professionals Public Issues Leadership Development Conference.

Craig Lindwarm, APLU’s Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs, provided a federal policy update at the Coalition of State University Aid Administrators Annual Conference in San Antonio, sharing the association’s engagement to protect Pell Grants amidst a budget shortfall, status of Department of Education interagency agreements, and state of play in implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, among other key issues.

Jennifer Keup, Vice President for Urban Initiatives at APLU and Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, will present on designing and implementing high-impact practices for modern learners at urban universities at the AAC&U Conference on Learning and Student Success in mid-April.

Kim Scotto, a Manager in APLU’s Office Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources, spoke at the National Extension and Research Administrative Officers Conference about the National Land-grant Impacts Database (NIDB) and the critical role that impact reporting plays across the land-grant system.

Alvaro J. Muñiz, Director of International, Community, & Economic Engagement at APLU, moderated a panel on how university partnerships around talent, innovation, and place drive economic growth at QS Global Skills Week.

Jennifer Keup, Vice President for Urban Initiatives at APLU and Executive Director of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, spoke on a panel about first-year experiences across different institutional contexts at the National Resource Center’s Annual Conference in Seattle, WA on February 16.