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BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) today announced the appointment of Dr. Danielle Rowdy as the Department’s inaugural Chief Innovation Officer. In this newly established role, Rowdy will lead the Higher Education Innovation Hub, a first-of-its-kind statewide initiative designed to identify, pilot, and scale innovative approaches to college access, affordability, and student success across the Commonwealth.
The Innovation Hub was launched following a $2.1 million grant from the Axim Collaborative, a non-profit joint endeavor between Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Under Rowdy’s leadership, the Hub will advance a portfolio of high-impact initiatives focused on strengthening education-to-workforce pathways and leveraging data and technology to improve outcomes for learners across Massachusetts
"Providing innovative and life-changing opportunities to more students across Massachusetts cannot wait," said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. "Dr. Rowdy brings a combination of academic and private-sector executive experience that is essential for this role. Her proven track record in leveraging emerging technologies to drive student enrollment and support services will be a tremendous asset as we work to lift barriers for all learners in the Commonwealth."
Rowdy joins DHE from Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she served as Head of US Higher Education Strategy. In that role, she led a national portfolio and a team of cross-functional higher education leaders developing cloud-based technology solutions to help institutions streamline campus operations and develop new services and supports to enhance student success. Prior to AWS, she held leadership positions at the Education Advisory Board (EAB), where she directed research and product strategy focused on digital transformation and data systems across institutions in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
The appointment marks a major milestone in the Department’s broader innovation agenda, which is in service to the Board of Higher Education’s Innovation Strategic Priority. The launch of the Hub was led by Senior Deputy Commissioner José Luis Santos, who led the search for its inaugural leadership and team and will oversee its alignment with other agency priorities and operations.
“Danielle is exactly the kind of leader we set out to recruit for this role,” said Santos. “She brings a unique combination of strategic vision, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of how to translate innovation into real, scalable impact for students and institutions. We conducted a national search and were intentional about finding someone who could build, not just advise - someone who could take this from concept to execution at scale. I could not be more excited that Danielle is joining us from AWS to lead this work. I look forward to working closely with her to drive and execute on the Department’s broader innovation agenda and to build a first-of-its-kind engine for innovation in public higher education here in Massachusetts.”
“I am honored to join Commissioner Ortega, José Luis and the entire DHE team at such a pivotal moment for higher education in Massachusetts," said Rowdy. "The creation of this Innovation Hub reflects a bold commitment to reimagining how we deliver on the promise of higher education. I look forward to working alongside our public colleges and universities and partners across sectors to design, test, and scale solutions that expand opportunity and drive economic mobility for all learners in the Commonwealth.”
Rowdy holds a Ph.D. in Renaissance Literature and an M.St. in English from the University of Oxford, as well as a B.A. from Durham University. Her appointment aligns with the Board of Higher Education’s (BHE) recently adopted "Innovation Strategic Priority," which calls for seeding talent, partnerships, and resources at the state level to accelerate system-wide transformation and position Massachusetts as a national leader in higher education innovation.
The Innovation Hub is also being supported by two new project managers: Dr. Katy Coutley, who is joining the Hub after serving as director of Professional Studies and Continuing Education at Rhode Island College; and Daniel Curtis, who joins from Social Impact Partners where he served as director of consulting services.
In addition to Innovation, the Board of Higher Education’s strategic priorities include Student Success and Financial Aid, Economic Mobility, and Public Good.
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