Caroline D’Andrea is a program manager at JFF, supporting postsecondary initiatives and programs. She provides assistance to the Student Success Center Network, which supports state-level community college reform efforts that help students across the nation succeed.
Her skills and areas of expertise include:
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Network collaboration
- College-to-career programming
- Student mentorship
- Data- and research-driven decision making
Caroline began her career in education and workforce development at the Chicago office of the Posse Foundation, a leadership development and college success organization, where she oversaw college-to-career programming, employer relations, and volunteer engagement.
After that, she worked with the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, supporting outreach and partnership efforts. As an inaugural participant in the Dean’s Education Fellows program of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, she helped the Bibb County School District in Georgia respond to challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just before joining JFF, Caroline supported work-based learning initiatives at Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University, providing technical assistance to communities across Illinois and researching equity-centered policies in work-based learning.
Caroline says she was drawn to JFF because the organization explicitly emphasizes equity in its work. “By working with systems and communities across the country,” she says, “JFF is positioned to advance programs and policies so that historically marginalized and underserved communities receive supports they need to succeed.”
Caroline loves practicing yoga and is a certified instructor. She also continues to stay engaged with the Posse Foundation by volunteering with the organization’s Chicago office to help Posse Scholars improve their writing and resume skills as they transition from high school to college.