Alabama, New Jersey, Tennessee recognized
WASHINGTON – The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2025 SHEEO Excellence Awards. The awards recognize the leadership, dedication, and innovation of exceptional SHEEOs, agency staff, and agencies at a time when state postsecondary policy is increasingly linked to student success, social mobility, and states’ workforce and economic prosperity.
- The Exceptional Leader Award recipient is Jim Purcell, Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
- The Exceptional Agency Award goes to the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.
- The David L. Wright Memorial Award recipient is Amanda Klafehn, Chief Strategy Officer at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Reflecting on the SHEEO Excellence Awards, Dr. Robert Anderson, SHEEO President, said: “We are honored to recognize the unwavering commitment of our state higher education executive officers, their agencies, and the dedicated professionals who serve within them. Their tireless efforts, innovative thinking, and steadfast resolve play a crucial role in shaping systems that better serve students and advance our nation’s postsecondary landscape. The recipients of this year’s SHEEO Excellence Awards exemplify this mission, and it is a privilege to celebrate their contributions.”
Exceptional Leader Award
The Exceptional Leader Award is presented to a current state higher education executive officer from a member agency who has shown exceptional leadership, a commitment to higher education, a contribution to the greater good, and service to the SHEEO association.
This year’s recipient of the Exceptional Leader Award, Dr. James E. Purcell, is the Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). Dr. Purcell has dedicated over three decades to public service and higher education leadership. His distinguished career at state-level coordinating and governing higher education boards spans five states – Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Alabama. He is the only individual to serve as a SHEEO in four states. He currently holds the longest active tenure among all SHEEOs, with more than 17 years of service under the leadership of governors across the political spectrum.
Purcell is nationally recognized for championing access, affordability, and alignment between postsecondary education and workforce needs. His leadership has consistently driven performance-based funding reforms and initiatives to improve student outcomes and institutional effectiveness.
Since 2017 in Alabama, Purcell has tripled the state’s need-based aid, significantly increased FAFSA completion among high school seniors, and launched several workforce-focused initiatives for postsecondary undergraduates, including All in Alabama, Retain Alabama, (Re)Engage Alabama, and Recall Alabama. Most recently, he led the development of Pathway to Progress, a 2025 state-funded initiative that aligns workforce training and credentialing efforts with the needs of communities facing sizable economic challenges.
Purcell’s career is marked by vision, adaptability, and sustained excellence. His leadership has transformed educational systems, expanded students’ opportunities, and established a legacy of bipartisan collaboration and measurable impact on the future of higher education.
“Congratulations to Alabama’s own, Jim Purcell, on being awarded the 2025 SHEEO Exceptional Leader,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “I applaud him for the work he has done for our state and public higher education. Here in Alabama, we have a variety of exceptional public colleges and universities that I am proud to continually support.”
Amy Price, ACHE Board Chair, said, “Congratulations to Dr. Purcell on this outstanding honor! We could not be more proud of the work he has done on behalf of ACHE in Alabama. Dr. Purcell has built bridges with higher education leaders across our state and has been an advocate for student success at all levels. His work on FASFA completion rates, coupled with his work on expanding dual enrollment, has positively impacted the lives of many Alabamians.”
Exceptional Agency Award
The Exceptional Agency Award is presented to a member agency whose innovative actions, policies, or practices advanced student success in their state; which displayed exceptional governance practices; overcame exceptional challenges; or displayed other meritorious attributes. SHEEO has selected the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (NJ OSHE) as this year’s awardee.
Recent initiatives in New Jersey reflect OSHE’s continued commitment to students, the state’s future workforce, and institutional stability.
Through its Some College, No Degree Initiative, OSHE—together with ReUp Education and 22 partner institutions—has helped more than 11,800 New Jersey residents re-enroll in postsecondary education, with over 1,100 earning their degrees so far. Nearly $5 million has been awarded to campuses to support returning students, cover basic needs, application fees, credit for prior learning assessments, and to support campuses in developing personalized programming and adult-friendly policies for returning learners.
New Jersey is leading the way with its first-in-the-nation Statewide Student Mental Health Partnership, which provides free, 24/7/365 access to teletherapy and wellness services at 45 institutions. More than 18,200 students have registered for the platform, logging over 78,000 counseling sessions—saving students an estimated $2.2 million in out-of-pocket costs.
To promote institutional sustainability, OSHE launched its Inaugural State-Level Fiscal Monitoring Program, offering a comprehensive review of public higher education finances under new fiscal accountability laws. While no institutions were found to be at imminent risk of closure, the program has encouraged proactive financial planning and long-term stability across the sector, supported by training and a statewide CFO community of practice.
Finally, OSHE continues to expand its Career Accelerator Internship Grant Program, helping students gain early-career experience with New Jersey employers. In summer 2024 alone, the program placed 574 students in paid internships with 133 organizations across key industries. Since 2022, over 1,200 students have benefited from this initiative, with growing interest for 2025.
It is these innovations that make New Jersey a fitting choice for the Exceptional Agency Award.
“Higher education is a cornerstone of New Jersey’s education and workforce continuum,” said Dr. Brian Bridges, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education. “In recent years, NJ OSHE has worked intentionally with our community colleges and public and private four-year institutions to build an ecosystem rooted in equity and student success, one that proactively reengages stopped-out learners, offers expanded mental health and financial supports, and collaborates effectively. By implementing New Jersey’s first fiscal accountability measures, we’ve also worked to safeguard returns on the investments of students, their families, and the state in higher education. And with a focus on partnerships across education, health, labor, innovation, and economic development, we are creating aligned, scalable strategies that accelerate upward mobility and promote meaningful postsecondary pathways for the benefit of all New Jerseyans.”
“Under Dr. Bridges’ leadership, NJ OSHE has sought to build and deepen partnerships across higher education sectors, state agencies, and national organizations to ensure more residents are afforded the opportunity to start, stay, and succeed through college and into careers,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. “Higher education is an important part of our vision for a stronger and fairer New Jersey, and this recognition is evidenced in all we have worked to accomplish. By supporting our institutions and learners through increased strategic investments and innovative initiatives, we are better positioned than ever before to create opportunity for communities and ready the workforce needed to fuel our future.”
“This award is evidence to the fact that New Jersey’s higher education community is strongest when we work together at every level to center the student experience,” said Dr. Michael Avaltroni, Chair of the New Jersey Presidents’ Council. “We have particularly appreciated Secretary Bridges’ thoughtful and collaborative approach to leadership at NJ OSHE, fostering trust and creating space for innovation while working to align institutional goals with state priorities. This has ensured that every student, no matter where they begin, has the opportunity to benefit from a diverse ecosystem that is responsive, coordinated, and deeply committed to their success.”
David L. Wright Memorial Award
The David L. Wright Memorial Award is named in honor of the late David Wright, an esteemed colleague and leader in state higher education who served in the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association, and the Florida Governing Board. This award recognizes a current SHEEO agency staff member from a member agency who embodies the exceptional commitment, work ethic, and ethical practices of David Wright and who has made outstanding contributions to their agency. This year’s David L. Wright Memorial Award is presented to Amanda Klafehn, Chief Strategy Officer at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC).
Klafehn reflects the wisdom, vibrancy, and thoughtful leadership that David Wright brought to the field of higher education. Her contributions, both visible and behind the scenes, have made a profound difference to Tennessee and the broader SHEEO community.
With nearly nine years at THEC, Klafehn restores trust across sectors by confronting cultural and leadership challenges, owning her mistakes with humility, and championing policies rooted in fairness and evidence. Her candor and courage have improved data quality statewide and fostered an environment where transparency and innovation can thrive.
Klafehn leads the Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Research, which oversees THEC’s data collection, management, reporting, and analytics functions, as well as strategic partnerships for the agency. Through her leadership of THEC’s Fiscal Policy Division, she stewards the state’s Outcomes-Based Funding Formula to allocate approximately $1.7 billion annually to Tennessee’s public institutions. Klafehn is also the architect of THEC’s ambitious data modernization strategy and THEC’s Data Strategy Division, which positions quality information as a cornerstone for effective public policy. Under her guidance, the agency has moved toward more transparent, accessible, and actionable data—benefiting not only state leadership but also the institutions, students, and communities they serve.
Before assuming her current role, Amanda served as Senior Director of Research and Strategy, guided the division through multiple leadership transitions, established partnerships with worldclass research universities to evaluate the state’s merit- and need-based financial aid programs, and streamlined THEC’s analytics to maximize both impact and clarity.
Some of Klafehn’s recent accomplishments include:
- Spearheading the state’s higher education master plan, a strategic vision for higher education in the state of Tennessee for the next decade.
- Advanced the sharing of state financial aid data into Tennessee’s statewide longitudinal data system, TN DATA, to facilitate research and evaluation on state financial aid.
- Initiated THEC’s Data Strategy effort, which led to the establishment of the agency’s first data governance program, a partnership with the Harvard Strategic Data Project, and enhancements to THEC’s data quality, usage, and literacy.
- Launched the state’s inaugural college-going report, providing critical information about high school college-going patterns and information by student groups, sparking a multi-year campaign to address college-going challenges coming out of the pandemic.
“I’m incredibly proud that Amanda Klafehn has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the SHEEO David L. Wright Memorial Award,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “From her first day at THEC, Amanda has brought extraordinary care and focus to our mission of advancing opportunities for students, supporting institutions, and strengthening the promise of higher education for all Tennesseans. While this award honors staff from any SHEEO agency, it’s especially meaningful to see someone I trust and respect so deeply carry forward the legacy of David Wright—my former supervisor, colleague, and friend. Tennessee has struck gold once again.”
Jonathon Attridge, Chief Evaluation Officer, Tennessee’s Office of Evidence and Impact, had the following to say, “Amanda Klafehn is one of those rare leaders who not only sees what’s possible but actually brings it to life. Her vision for using data and evidence to strengthen higher education in Tennessee is bold and inspiring—but what truly sets her apart is her ability to make things happen and bring people along with her. She’s collaborative, strategic, and deeply committed to the work. Amanda is incredibly deserving of the David Wright Memorial Award, and I can’t think of anyone better to carry forward his legacy of using data to drive meaningful change.”
During the 2025 Annual Meeting on July 15, SHEEO also recognized outgoing Executive Committee Board Chair Clayton Christian, Commissioner of Higher Education, the Montana University System.
Learn more about SHEEO Excellence Awards, including past winners: https://sheeo.org/membership/sheeo-awards/.