Jessica Colorado (she/her) joined SHEEO in 2021. She currently serves as a senior policy analyst. Colorado assists in a variety of policy areas, including research and data, finance, and student success projects. Colorado primarily oversees the development, administration, and analysis of SHEEO’s Strong Foundations survey of state postsecondary data systems to highlight the value of student unit record systems and promote the use of the survey data for increased advocacy for data collaborations across state agencies and nationally among peers. Colorado also contributes to the development of technical assistance and professional development materials for state practitioners attending SHEEO’s Community of Practice convenings. In addition to Strong Foundations, Colorado also supports the SHEEO Tuition and Fee survey administration.

Before joining SHEEO, she was the assistant director for the Center for First-generation Student Success at NASPA where she led the execution of a national student success conference for student affairs professionals. Before NASPA, she was a data analyst for the David T. Kearns Center at the University of Rochester serving first-generation undergraduate and graduate students where she managed student unit record data in institutional and federal grant reports. She also served as associate director for the TRIO Upward Bound Math and Science program at Bronx Community College in New York City where she led high school students through the college application process.

Colorado is a first-generation college student who holds a master’s degree in educational policy from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester. She also earned a master’s degree in chemistry from St. John’s University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester.