As Chief Program Officer at College Possible, Traci Kirtley oversees programming across new and emerging sites, leads the organization’s advocacy network and policy initiatives, and coordinates the organization’s evaluation efforts. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Nebraska, and in 2000 received a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. A former high school Spanish teacher, Traci also worked in electoral politics and with Caliber Associates (now ICF International), a government contracting firm providing research and technical assistance services in the Washington, D.C. area. There, she focused her efforts on evaluating and providing training to schools and community organizations. In 2013 she was appointed by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad to serve as a commissioner for the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service.