Matt Gianneschi is resigning as deputy executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education to become vice president of policy and programs for the Denver-based Education Commission of the States, an education policy think tank and information clearinghouse.
Gianneschi will help ECS commissioners work on major initiatives, such as transitions from high school to college, high school feedback systems, remedial education, financial aid and postsecondary governance, according to a news release.Gianneschi has had a high profile at DHE because his boss, department executive director and Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia, has to split his time between two jobs. Gianneschi previously worked as vice president of student services at the Community College of Aurora and as director of Colorado’s P-20 Council under Gov. Bill Ritter. Working with ideas developed by the council, Gianneschi was a key figure in drafting the 2008 Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids, the law that required new state academic content standards, new tests and tighter alignment between K-12 and higher education.
Gianneschi will begin his new job on June 3 and will lead the ECS Postsecondary Education and Workforce Development Institute, which is intended to advise state legislators and higher education leaders across the country on best practices for college readiness, college completion and improving remediation programs.