From 2009 to his retirement in 2023, Jim was the Vice President of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness for College of DuPage. In this capacity Jim was the cabinet officer responsible for developing and leading the strategic and annual planning processes; ensuring institutional effectiveness; leading and managing accreditation activities; and meeting the data and research needs of the institution. In addition, from 2019 to 2023 Jim was the College's Chief COVID-19 Officer, providing guidance and counsel to the President's Cabinet on matter related to the pandemic.

For the past 31 years Jim has been an adjunct assistant professor of Health Systems at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1997 to the present, Jim has taught in the Masters of Medical Management program, one of the nation's top ranked business graduate programs for physician executives. Between 1994 and 2000, Jim taught in Carnegie Mellon's Master of Public Management program.

Before starting at College of DuPage in 2009, Jim was a healthcare executive at several health systems in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and from 1989 through 1995, Jim served as Vice President of Quality & Organizational Development for VHA Pennsylvania, a regional health care alliance.

Jim has presented at numerous local, state, and national conferences and is a published author. Jim has served on the Panel of Judges for the Illinois Performance Excellence Awards, was a board member for the Chicago Chapter of the International Association for Strategy Professionals, and was a senior member of the American Society for Quality.

Jim received a diploma in professional nursing (RN) from Saint Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh, holds an undergraduate degree in Allied Health Administration from Wheeling University and has a Master of Business Administration degree from West Virginia University.

Director of Institutional Research, Tyler Junior College

David Brown is the Director of Institutional Research at Tyler Junior College (TJC), where he leads the college's efforts in data strategy, institutional effectiveness, and evidence-based planning. With over two decades of experience in higher education research and analytics, David plays a central role in providing actionable insights that guide decision-making, support accreditation, and improve student outcomes.

At TJC, David oversees institutional research operations including enrollment and performance metrics, assessment and outcomes reporting, and compliance with state and federal mandates. His work enables cross-campus collaboration to promote data transparency and a culture of continuous improvement.

David's impact extends beyond the institution through his engagement with the Texas Association for Institutional Research (TAIR). A long-time member and contributor, David has served in multiple leadership and planning roles within the organization. In recognition of his sustained commitment and service to the institutional research community in Texas, he received the TAIR Outstanding Service Award in 2025—one of the organization's highest honors.

David is also actively involved with the National Community College Benchmark Project (NCCBP), where he collaborates with peer institutions to analyze and interpret national benchmarking data. His work with the NCCBP has enhanced Tyler Junior College's ability to contextualize its performance within national trends and implement best practices for institutional improvement.

Through his leadership, technical expertise, and dedication to student success, David Brown continues to elevate the role of institutional research both at Tyler Junior College and in the broader higher education community.

Vice Chancellor, Strategy & Planning

City Colleges of Chicago, Illinois, United States

Brittany Jackson Kairis serves as Vice Chancellor for Strategy and Planning at City Colleges of Chicago, where she provides strategic leadership in data-informed decision-making, research, and institutional effectiveness. Working directly with the Chancellor's executive team, she drives the development and implementation of CCC's strategic framework, ensuring alignment across the district's seven colleges.

With more than 15 years of experience in urban education, Brittany has served in diverse roles including classroom teacher, program administrator, and institutional research leader. She brings deep expertise in translating complex data into actionable strategies that advance institutional goals. Her leadership has been instrumental in establishing institutional health dashboards and benchmarking systems while fostering a culture of data-informed continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Brittany holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Marian University-Indianapolis and a Master of Science in Education from Northwestern University.

The Director of the Institutional Research Collaborative, representing North Iowa Area, Iowa Lakes and Iowa Central Community Colleges

With over 25 years of leadership experience in Iowa's education, research, government, community, and workforce sectors, Paula Nissen is a seasoned professional dedicated to driving collaborative initiatives and fostering innovation. As the Director of the Institutional Collaborative, she orchestrates interdisciplinary teams comprising education, research, and technology experts to advance knowledge, consistency, and collaboration across the state.

Paula is renowned for her pioneering work in developing innovative research methodologies that integrate diverse data sources, both public and proprietary, to address common goals and priorities shared by stakeholders. Her expertise lies in harnessing data to drive actionable insights and facilitate evidence-based decision-making. Paula's impactful contributions extend beyond the borders of Iowa through her work in aligning education to regional/state labor market data and the State Noncredit Data Project (SNDP). Through her visionary leadership and dedication to bridging education and workforce development, Paula continues to shape the landscape of community college education and empower individuals to thrive in today's dynamic economy.

Dr. Parke is the Director of Planning & Policy Analysis at Miami Dade College, has served in senior-level research, analytics, planning, and policy-related roles at state and community colleges in Florida, Texas, and Illinois. He is currently a Board Member for the National Community College Benchmarking Project (NCCBP). Additionally, Dr. Parke is the current President-elect/Conference Chair for the Florida Association for Institutional Research (FAIR). Scott is a past President of the National Council for Research & Planning (NCRP AACC), past President of the Illinois Association for Institutional Research (IAIR), and served as a two-term Association for Institutional Research Workshop Chair (AIR).

Dr. Parke was recognized by the National Workforce Data Quality Campaign and the Association for Career and Technical Education as a third-party industry certification Credential Data Pioneer for a project with CompTIA ‐ the largest US vendor-neutral information technology certifier ‐ that examined the characteristics and wage trajectories of certification test-takers and test-passers. During his career, he has been responsible for institutional effectiveness, institutional research, information technology, analytics, planning, grants, and accreditation, serving as a SACCOC liaison for a previous institution. Parke earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Illinois State University. He completed three degrees at Eastern Illinois University: Educational Specialist, Master of Science in Education, and Bachelor of Arts.

Before joining NWACC, Dr. Dennis C. Rittle was the Cowley College President in Arkansas City, Kan. and previously served as the Ozarka College Provost and Executive Vice President of Learning in Melbourne, Ark.

Dr. Rittle began serving as a full-time faculty member in higher education in 1995 and has since provided educational leadership for government, for-profit and public educational sectors in both two-year and four-year institutions.

He was the first in his family to attend college and to earn a two-year degree from the Community College of the Air Force. While in the military, Dr. Rittle served both overseas and stateside during peacetime and conflict and is a highly decorated veteran and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Throughout his career, he has completed five degrees and has since completed post-doctoral coursework at Harvard University and will complete an MBA at the University of Kansas in 2022.

Dr. Rittle is a highly respected presenter in local, national and international settings to include being a guest lecturer and presenter in venues such as Bentonville, Ark., at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., and in Oxford, UK. He is also an accomplished researcher and author, to include more than a dozen scholarly publications.

Student success has served as a centerpiece throughout Dr. Rittle's career. He has developed new funding streams of more than $20 million to increase access to quality and affordable higher education. Dr. Rittle has been involved in the development of more than three dozen academic programs and certificates to provide a skilled and work-ready workforce to area businesses and industries.

In addition, he understands the importance of co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities such as internships, student clubs, athletics and campus-life activities to enhance student learning, student retention and community engagement.

Dr. Rittle also recognizes and supports the value of the college's most important resources, the employees. During his tenure as a college president, he championed the adoption and implementation of a competitive pay scale for all employees and the inclusion of compensation for years of service.

In addition, Dr. Rittle prioritizes communication with employees to discuss their interests and concerns through various media such as weekly newsletters, bi-weekly town hall meetings, roundtable discussions with faculty leaders, and campus sit-down meetings with all employees each semester.

As a high-achieving transformational servant leader, Dr. Rittle has served on numerous state and national boards, councils and committees, to include serving as the president of the Kansas Community College Council of Presidents and as a board member of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges. Dr. Rittle has been the recipient of numerous local, state and national awards in education, business and leadership. However, he considers his greatest achievement to be his family. Dennis and his wife, Christy, have been married for 30 years. Recently, they celebrated the wedding of their son and the birth of their daughter's first child. Dennis and Christy enjoy spending time in nature and volunteering their time and resources to meet community needs. Their faith has been and continues to be the cornerstone of their lives.

Dr. Rittle earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership, emphasis in Human Resource Development, from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., a Master of Arts in Leadership Studies from Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School in Lancaster, Pa., a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Evangel University in Springfield, Mo., and two Associate of Applied Science degrees in Teaching and in Meteorology from the Community College of the Air Force in Montgomery, Ala.

Chief Research And Governmental Affairs Officer

Office: IC 205I
Phone: 417-447-2648
Email: simpsonm@otc.edu

Matthew Simpson is the Chief Research and Governmental Affairs Officer for Ozarks Technical Community College, where he has worked since 2011. In this role, he conducts research to support data-informed decision making at the college. He also oversees federal and state compliance data reporting and serves as Accreditation Liaison Officer with the Higher Learning Commission.

Mr. Simpson joined the college in 2011, previously serving as College Director of Research, Strategic Planning and Grant Development.

Mr. Simpson received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Economics, from Missouri State University, and his Master of Arts in Political Science from Vanderbilt University.

Mr. Simpson was recognized by MIDAIR with the Joe Saupe Award for Best First-Time Presenter in 2012 and the Best Presentation Award in 2015. He was also recognized as a member of Springfield Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Class of 2018, Biz 417's 10 for the Next 10 Class of 2018, and the Missouri Community College Association's 2017 Technology Innovation Award.

In addition to his work for the college, Mr. Simpson serves as the Zone 4 Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Springfield having been re-elected most recently in 2021. He has volunteered with several local organizations to facilitate strategic plan development and serves on other local boards including the Healthy Living Alliance and Mayor's Commission for Children.