Powell will lead a portfolio of advocacy activities to support NACAC’s focus on improving equity and access in college admission.

Arlington, VA (April 20, 2023) – The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is pleased to welcome CJ Powell, as the association’s new Director of Advocacy. Powell will begin in this role on May 2.

Powell’s work will focus on NACAC’s advocacy priorities: student- and equity-centered college admission practices, support for ethical college admission counseling practice, and support for school counselors and college advising. As part of NACAC’s strategy for a more focused advocacy and policy research program, this newly added role will allow NACAC to act on membership feedback regarding the need to retool the association’s approach to advocacy.

“NACAC’s advocacy work will help lead the college admission counseling profession toward a more equitable future for college access,” said David Hawkins, chief education and policy officer at NACAC. “CJ’s considerable experience in the profession and in education policy will be invaluable as we elevate NACAC member voices to the full range of stakeholder audiences that affect college admission policy and practice, including public policymakers, institutional leaders, the public, and the profession itself.”

Powell most recently served as chief of staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. He also has experience leading the Higher Education Civil Rights coalition as the inaugural higher education program analyst with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and working with institutions as a member relations manager with the Common Application.

Early in his career, Powell worked as a college adviser with the College Advising Corps in North Carolina.

Powell’s experience with the federal government, higher education organizations, and as a college adviser will provide him with a broad base of knowledge to support the wide range of policy and advocacy issues that impact NACAC members.

“I am passionate about educational equity and removing any barriers to higher education that may exist whether they be student-facing or institution-facing,” Powell said. “This role allows me to use my skills and knowledge to address the day-to-day and global concerns of those in the college admission counseling profession.”

CJ Powell