The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) recently welcomed two new staff members to support state policy initiatives to help advance student success and strengthen postsecondary systems. Lily Cuellarsola joined SHEEO as a Senior Policy Analyst on July 20, while Joshua Walker joined as a Policy Analyst on July 27. Lily will support SHEEO’s policy initiatives and projects in basic needs data, academic programs, and student success. Before SHEEO, Lily…

Montana, Rhode Island, Utah recognized WASHINGTON – The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to announce recipients of the 2026 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 Clayton Christian, Commissioner of…

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is pleased to welcome Sachith Patabendi to the team. Sachith joined the SHEEO staff as Executive Assistant and Operations Manager earlier this week. In this role, Sachith will manage the daily operations of the organization and the Washington, D.C. office. He will focus on supporting the SHEEO staff, streamlining organizational workflows, managing complex scheduling, assisting with SHEEO events, and ensuring the office…