As Principal Strategic Consultant at Ellucian, Samantha Kessler brings over 15 years of experience in higher education, specializing in institutional research, strategic planning, data governance, and change management. Drawing on a deep background that includes accreditation, assessment, distance education, and program evaluation, Samantha partners with institutions to develop data-informed strategies and support organizational transformation.
Prior to joining Ellucian, Samantha served in leadership roles that included Director of Institutional Effectiveness at Chabot College and a Senior Optimization Executive at CampusWorks Inc. Samantha holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University, an M.A. in Sociology from Lehigh University, and a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish from East Stroudsburg University. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in Institutional Research from Humboldt State University and holds the PROSCI Change Management Certification.
