Co-Founder, Defense of Freedom Institute
Jim Blew is a co-founder of DFI, the Defense of Freedom Institute for Public Policy Studies, and president of DFI Action. These DC-based nonprofits promote education freedom, civil rights, and a limited federal role in education and workforce development.
Jim served as U.S. assistant secretary for policy and budget under Betsy DeVos. Prior to his federal service, he worked in state-based education reform for more than 20 years, including leadership roles at StudentsFirst, 50CAN, and the predecessor to the American Federation for Children. He also helped guide the education reform investments of the Walton Family Foundation for nearly a decade until 2014. Before committing himself full time to education reform, Jim worked at political and communications firms in New York and California. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College and a master’s in business administration from the Yale School of Management.
Senior Director, Government Relations, American Council on Education
Emmanual A. Guillory is an advocate, policy expert, and motivational speaker who currently serves as the senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). In this role, he manages an extensive portfolio of legislative and regulatory issues as a primary government relations resource for the broader higher education community to the United States Congress, the White House, the United States Department of Education, and other agencies as warranted. His portfolio includes a primary emphasis on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), especially Title IV programs, and the budget and appropriations process. Other issues within his portfolio include accreditation, college costs, student aid, institutional accountability, institutional aid in Titles III and V of the HEA, oversight, privacy, technology, accessibility, and disability, among others.
Previously, Guillory served as the director of student and institutional aid policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, leading the private, nonprofit sector of higher education on policies such as student financial aid, institutional aid programs in Titles III and V of the HEA, and certain regulatory issues. Guillory also served as the director for public policy and government affairs at UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.) for two years. He worked for a decade in the House of Representatives, most recently as a professional staff member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He was recognized as one of The Hill’s top lobbyists in Washington, DC in both 2020 and 2021 and as a top executive by Marquis Who’s Who. Guillory was a federal negotiator for the Department of Education in 2019 and 2022 and a former president of the Committee for Education Funding—the largest educational coalition in our country—in 2022. He has his own nonprofit organization through which he awards scholarships to students, and he serves as a lecturer with the Archer Fellowship Program in The University of Texas System.
Guillory earned his bachelor of science in psychology from Texas A&M University, and he also serves on its leadership council through The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University. He obtained his master of arts in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). He serves on BGSU’s Alumni Board of Directors and on the leadership council in its College of Education and Human Development. He is currently pursuing his doctorate of education in higher education management at the University of Pennsylvania.
Former principal deputy under secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Diane Auer Jones recently retired from a thirty-year career as an educator, scientist, administrator, and public policy official. Although she began her career as a nursing assistant, upon completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology and applied molecular biology, she worked as a molecular biology research and later as the founding director of an EPA-certified analytical chemistry laboratory. Through an adjunct faculty position at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), she realized that working with students was her true passion and she joined the full-time faculty at CCBC. Over the course of her career, her work in higher education also included leadership positions at Princeton University, The Washington Campus and Career Education Corporation. Despite her passion for teaching, after serving as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Diane’s career focus shifted to science and education policy. She subsequently served as a professional staffer and acting staff director for the Research Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology and as the deputy to the associate director for science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She was nominated by President George W. Bush, and confirmed by the Senate, to serve as the assistant secretary for post-secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. She returned to the U.S. Department of Education to conclude her career, serving as the principal deputy undersecretary delegated the duties of undersecretary during the Donald J. Trump administration.
Director and Senior Fellow, Education & Workforce, Stand Together Trust
Dr. Steven Taylor is director and senior fellow, education & workforce at Stand Together Trust, a philanthropy that supports policy education to empower individuals to improve their lives and society through lifelong learning and purposeful work. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, workforce training, and organizational development, Taylor educates policymakers on responsible approaches to unleash innovation and entrepreneurship and expand access to myriad education and work pathways. He also founded and leads ED2WORK®, a consulting organization that helps various stakeholders address the needs of adult and working learners. He leverages his expertise in teaching and learning transformation, alternative credit and credentials, and quality assurance to create and scale effective and sustainable solutions. He is a skilled facilitator and strategist, having worked alongside higher education, nonprofit, and workforce leaders, led three major postsecondary education practice and research grants, and built issue-focused coalitions with social entrepreneurs, employers, policy groups, and advocacy groups. Taylor was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in July 2024 to serve a four-year term on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. As a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient, he is passionate about expanding educational opportunities for underserved learners and improving the value and relevance of education and credentials. Taylor earned his bachelor’s and master’s at Texas A&M University, Commerce and a doctorate in business from Wilmington University.
Co-Founder, Defense of Freedom Institute
Jim Blew is a co-founder of DFI, the Defense of Freedom Institute for Public Policy Studies, and president of DFI Action. These DC-based nonprofits promote education freedom, civil rights, and a limited federal role in education and workforce development.
Jim served as U.S. assistant secretary for policy and budget under Betsy DeVos. Prior to his federal service, he worked in state-based education reform for more than 20 years, including leadership roles at StudentsFirst, 50CAN, and the predecessor to the American Federation for Children. He also helped guide the education reform investments of the Walton Family Foundation for nearly a decade until 2014. Before committing himself full time to education reform, Jim worked at political and communications firms in New York and California. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College and a master’s in business administration from the Yale School of Management.
Senior Director, Government Relations, American Council on Education
Emmanual A. Guillory is an advocate, policy expert, and motivational speaker who currently serves as the senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). In this role, he manages an extensive portfolio of legislative and regulatory issues as a primary government relations resource for the broader higher education community to the United States Congress, the White House, the United States Department of Education, and other agencies as warranted. His portfolio includes a primary emphasis on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), especially Title IV programs, and the budget and appropriations process. Other issues within his portfolio include accreditation, college costs, student aid, institutional accountability, institutional aid in Titles III and V of the HEA, oversight, privacy, technology, accessibility, and disability, among others.
Previously, Guillory served as the director of student and institutional aid policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, leading the private, nonprofit sector of higher education on policies such as student financial aid, institutional aid programs in Titles III and V of the HEA, and certain regulatory issues. Guillory also served as the director for public policy and government affairs at UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.) for two years. He worked for a decade in the House of Representatives, most recently as a professional staff member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He was recognized as one of The Hill’s top lobbyists in Washington, DC in both 2020 and 2021 and as a top executive by Marquis Who’s Who. Guillory was a federal negotiator for the Department of Education in 2019 and 2022 and a former president of the Committee for Education Funding—the largest educational coalition in our country—in 2022. He has his own nonprofit organization through which he awards scholarships to students, and he serves as a lecturer with the Archer Fellowship Program in The University of Texas System.
Guillory earned his bachelor of science in psychology from Texas A&M University, and he also serves on its leadership council through The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University. He obtained his master of arts in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). He serves on BGSU’s Alumni Board of Directors and on the leadership council in its College of Education and Human Development. He is currently pursuing his doctorate of education in higher education management at the University of Pennsylvania.
Former principal deputy under secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Diane Auer Jones recently retired from a thirty-year career as an educator, scientist, administrator, and public policy official. Although she began her career as a nursing assistant, upon completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology and applied molecular biology, she worked as a molecular biology research and later as the founding director of an EPA-certified analytical chemistry laboratory. Through an adjunct faculty position at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), she realized that working with students was her true passion and she joined the full-time faculty at CCBC. Over the course of her career, her work in higher education also included leadership positions at Princeton University, The Washington Campus and Career Education Corporation. Despite her passion for teaching, after serving as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Diane’s career focus shifted to science and education policy. She subsequently served as a professional staffer and acting staff director for the Research Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology and as the deputy to the associate director for science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She was nominated by President George W. Bush, and confirmed by the Senate, to serve as the assistant secretary for post-secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. She returned to the U.S. Department of Education to conclude her career, serving as the principal deputy undersecretary delegated the duties of undersecretary during the Donald J. Trump administration.
Director and Senior Fellow, Education & Workforce, Stand Together Trust
Dr. Steven Taylor is director and senior fellow, education & workforce at Stand Together Trust, a philanthropy that supports policy education to empower individuals to improve their lives and society through lifelong learning and purposeful work. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, workforce training, and organizational development, Taylor educates policymakers on responsible approaches to unleash innovation and entrepreneurship and expand access to myriad education and work pathways. He also founded and leads ED2WORK®, a consulting organization that helps various stakeholders address the needs of adult and working learners. He leverages his expertise in teaching and learning transformation, alternative credit and credentials, and quality assurance to create and scale effective and sustainable solutions. He is a skilled facilitator and strategist, having worked alongside higher education, nonprofit, and workforce leaders, led three major postsecondary education practice and research grants, and built issue-focused coalitions with social entrepreneurs, employers, policy groups, and advocacy groups. Taylor was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in July 2024 to serve a four-year term on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. As a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient, he is passionate about expanding educational opportunities for underserved learners and improving the value and relevance of education and credentials. Taylor earned his bachelor’s and master’s at Texas A&M University, Commerce and a doctorate in business from Wilmington University.
Co-Founder, Defense of Freedom Institute
Jim Blew is a co-founder of DFI, the Defense of Freedom Institute for Public Policy Studies, and president of DFI Action. These DC-based nonprofits promote education freedom, civil rights, and a limited federal role in education and workforce development.
Jim served as U.S. assistant secretary for policy and budget under Betsy DeVos. Prior to his federal service, he worked in state-based education reform for more than 20 years, including leadership roles at StudentsFirst, 50CAN, and the predecessor to the American Federation for Children. He also helped guide the education reform investments of the Walton Family Foundation for nearly a decade until 2014. Before committing himself full time to education reform, Jim worked at political and communications firms in New York and California. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College and a master’s in business administration from the Yale School of Management.
Senior Director, Government Relations, American Council on Education
Emmanual A. Guillory is an advocate, policy expert, and motivational speaker who currently serves as the senior director of government relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). In this role, he manages an extensive portfolio of legislative and regulatory issues as a primary government relations resource for the broader higher education community to the United States Congress, the White House, the United States Department of Education, and other agencies as warranted. His portfolio includes a primary emphasis on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), especially Title IV programs, and the budget and appropriations process. Other issues within his portfolio include accreditation, college costs, student aid, institutional accountability, institutional aid in Titles III and V of the HEA, oversight, privacy, technology, accessibility, and disability, among others.
Previously, Guillory served as the director of student and institutional aid policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, leading the private, nonprofit sector of higher education on policies such as student financial aid, institutional aid programs in Titles III and V of the HEA, and certain regulatory issues. Guillory also served as the director for public policy and government affairs at UNCF (United Negro College Fund, Inc.) for two years. He worked for a decade in the House of Representatives, most recently as a professional staff member on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He was recognized as one of The Hill’s top lobbyists in Washington, DC in both 2020 and 2021 and as a top executive by Marquis Who’s Who. Guillory was a federal negotiator for the Department of Education in 2019 and 2022 and a former president of the Committee for Education Funding—the largest educational coalition in our country—in 2022. He has his own nonprofit organization through which he awards scholarships to students, and he serves as a lecturer with the Archer Fellowship Program in The University of Texas System.
Guillory earned his bachelor of science in psychology from Texas A&M University, and he also serves on its leadership council through The Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University. He obtained his master of arts in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University (BGSU). He serves on BGSU’s Alumni Board of Directors and on the leadership council in its College of Education and Human Development. He is currently pursuing his doctorate of education in higher education management at the University of Pennsylvania.
Former principal deputy under secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Diane Auer Jones recently retired from a thirty-year career as an educator, scientist, administrator, and public policy official. Although she began her career as a nursing assistant, upon completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology and applied molecular biology, she worked as a molecular biology research and later as the founding director of an EPA-certified analytical chemistry laboratory. Through an adjunct faculty position at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), she realized that working with students was her true passion and she joined the full-time faculty at CCBC. Over the course of her career, her work in higher education also included leadership positions at Princeton University, The Washington Campus and Career Education Corporation. Despite her passion for teaching, after serving as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Diane’s career focus shifted to science and education policy. She subsequently served as a professional staffer and acting staff director for the Research Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology and as the deputy to the associate director for science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She was nominated by President George W. Bush, and confirmed by the Senate, to serve as the assistant secretary for post-secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. She returned to the U.S. Department of Education to conclude her career, serving as the principal deputy undersecretary delegated the duties of undersecretary during the Donald J. Trump administration.
Director and Senior Fellow, Education & Workforce, Stand Together Trust
Dr. Steven Taylor is director and senior fellow, education & workforce at Stand Together Trust, a philanthropy that supports policy education to empower individuals to improve their lives and society through lifelong learning and purposeful work. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, workforce training, and organizational development, Taylor educates policymakers on responsible approaches to unleash innovation and entrepreneurship and expand access to myriad education and work pathways. He also founded and leads ED2WORK®, a consulting organization that helps various stakeholders address the needs of adult and working learners. He leverages his expertise in teaching and learning transformation, alternative credit and credentials, and quality assurance to create and scale effective and sustainable solutions. He is a skilled facilitator and strategist, having worked alongside higher education, nonprofit, and workforce leaders, led three major postsecondary education practice and research grants, and built issue-focused coalitions with social entrepreneurs, employers, policy groups, and advocacy groups. Taylor was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in July 2024 to serve a four-year term on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. As a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient, he is passionate about expanding educational opportunities for underserved learners and improving the value and relevance of education and credentials. Taylor earned his bachelor’s and master’s at Texas A&M University, Commerce and a doctorate in business from Wilmington University.
FAFSA and the Future of Higher Education
Jim Blew, Emmanual Guillory, Diane A. Jones, Steven Taylor
This year's roll-out of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has changed...
FAFSA and the Future of Higher Education
Jim Blew, Emmanual Guillory, Diane A. Jones, Steven Taylor
This year's roll-out of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has changed...
FAFSA and the Future of Higher Education