SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Oct. 12, 2023) – U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal will join the Equity Avengers as their featured guest on #EquityChat, a weekly conversation held on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
James Kvaal was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Education on September 14, 2021, and leads the Department’s work on higher education, career and adult education and student financial aid. He works to build an inclusive higher education system that helps all students graduate and go on to a better life. His work has led to millions of borrowers receiving student loan forgiveness, more affordable repayment plans for future students and stronger safeguards against future unaffordable loans.
“Undersecretary Kvaal is a champion for equity in higher education, as demonstrated by his transformative work at the Department of Education, and it’s our honor to host him,” said Dr. Keith Curry, President of Compton College and Equity Avenger. “He has consistently used his platform to advance greater inclusion in postsecondary education, advocating for a more just and equitable landscape for all. We are excited to have him as our featured guest on #EquityChat.”
Earlier in his career, Kvaal served in the White House under both President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama, including more than three years as deputy domestic policy adviser to Obama. He was the policy director on Obama’s 2012 campaign, a co-chair of the Biden-Harris campaign’s education advisory committee and the deputy lead of President Joe Biden’s Department of Education transition team. Kvaal has also served as Deputy Under Secretary at the Department of Education and as a professional staff member in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Immediately prior to joining the Biden administration, Kvaal was president of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a research and advocacy nonprofit dedicated to affordability and equity in higher education. Kvaal taught at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy. He graduated with honors from Stanford University and Harvard Law School.
#EquityChat is held weekly on Wednesday evenings from 5 – 6 p.m. on the X platform from September through June. Follow the Equity Avengers on Twitter @EquityAvengers or LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/equity-
To learn more about the Equity Avengers, visit equityavengers.com.
Media Contact:
Lauren McDermott
(415) 933-9975
About the Equity Avengers
The Equity Avengers are community college presidents, Dr. Keith Curry of Compton College, Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson of Evergreen Valley College, and President Emerita Dr. Pamela Luster of San Diego Mesa College. The Equity Avengers have made it their mission to lead the charge for a more equitable higher education landscape, increasing access for those historically marginalized by academia.
The Equity Avengers host the popular #EquityChat on Wednesday evenings on Twitter and are regularly invited to speak at state and national conferences to share their vision. The College Futures Foundation has generously supported the Equity Avengers’ mission through a grant, allowing them to support and develop leaders who act and drive large-scale change toward achieving racial equity in higher education nationwide.