By Rachel Sincore, NACAC Communications
ARLINGTON, VA (Aug. 28, 2026) — Starting Sept. 8, Edgar G. Montes, Ed.D., an experienced leader whose career in education has sat at the intersection of innovation, equity, and systems change, will become the new director of the Center for Innovation in College Admission.
As director, Montes will lead the center’s efforts to redesign the college admission process for greater equity. Launched in 2025, the center’s goals are:
• To redesign structures around the college application process
• To advance alternatives for assessing merit and college readiness
• To shape the future of a healthy and diverse admission workforce
Montes comes to NACAC from the National Coalition for Improvement in Education, where as director of external relations, he led engagement strategies with some of California’s largest public-school districts to advance continuous improvement practices and equitable outcomes. He has experience working at the Center for Research on Equity and Innovation, the Orange County Department of Education, the Mastery Transcript Consortium, the College Board, and the University of San Diego, where he began his career as an admission counselor. He also taught college counseling courses at the University of California, San Diego and served as director of college counseling at High Tech High Media Arts in San Diego.
“Throughout my career, I have experienced the college admission ecosystem from multiple vantage points, including as an admission counselor reviewing applications, a college counselor supporting students and families, a higher education engagement leader partnering with colleges and universities, and a systems leader focused on improving postsecondary outcomes at scale,” said Montes, a first-generation college graduate. “Those experiences have strengthened my belief that meaningful innovation in college admission requires not only new ideas, but also trusted relationships, thoughtful governance, rigorous inquiry, and a willingness to bring diverse stakeholders together around a shared vision for the future.”
Montes earned a doctorate of education degree from the University of Southern California, and a master’s degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of San Diego.
In March, the center held its inaugural Innovation Summit where more than 130 education change-makers from around the country convened in Washington, D.C. to collectively rethink, redesign, and reimagine how the admission system could better serve students and institutions. The discussions and findings were published in the Innovation Summit report, which was developed in partnership with Education First and will help guide the work of the center.
“As we work to redesign outdated college admission systems, it’s imperative that we have a leader who understands the college admission landscape from multiple perspectives,” said Angel B. Pérez, NACAC CEO. “I am thrilled that Edgar has agreed to join us in this life-changing work, and to build upon the momentum of the center.”
Since its launch, the center has engaged in other meaningful initiatives, such as Admissions Success Coaching. In partnership with Augsburg University (MN), Admissions Success Coaching is exploring how admission counselors’ roles can be reimagined to support a student’s sense of belonging at an institution prior to matriculation.
Learn more about Admissions Success Coaching and other center initiatives.
The center is supported by philanthropist Alexander Clark, The Stuart Foundation, Strada Education Foundation, Lumina Foundation, and the Youth Thriving Through Learning Fund.
Visit the Center for Innovation in College Admission website for more information.