Executive Director

We are pleased to announce that the Partnership for College Completion (PCC) has appointed Kyle Southern, Ph.D. as its new Executive Director.

Dr. Southern brings over 15 years of experience in advancing equity in higher education policy, having served in leadership for both national and state-based organizations.

As Executive Director, Dr. Southern will lead PCC into its next chapter, spearheading its strategic direction, leading organizational development, and promoting advocacy initiatives, all aimed at building a more equitable and accessible higher education system in Illinois.  

Dr. Southern most recently served as Associate Vice President for higher education quality at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). In that role, he led federal policy strategy—from development to execution—aimed at improving outcomes for low-income students and students of color. This included many successful projects and grant acquisitions, including a $2 million grant renewal to support student borrower protections. As the Director of Accountability at TICAS, his work focused on protecting students from high-cost, low-quality programs, and addressing affordability and equity in higher education.

Prior to TICAS, Dr. Southern served as Policy and Advocacy Director for Higher Education and Workforce at Young Invincibles, championing policy reforms on behalf of young adults, developing strategic communications campaigns, and securing major grants. He also led research and policy efforts at Complete Tennessee and the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), where he published influential reports that shaped statewide advocacy priorities.

Dr. Southern earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Vanderbilt University, and his doctorate in higher education from the University of Michigan.

Jeff Kessner led this search with Janette Martinez and Jenny Rubin.