Registration Opens Late-October
Registration Opens Late-October
Registration Opens Late-October
Summit Overview
The National Legislative Summit is the premier community college advocacy event in Washington, DC, bringing together more than 1,000 community college leaders. The event shines a spotlight on the importance of our nation’s community colleges for Congress and the Administration.
The National Legislative Summit is designed to inform and educate community college leaders on federal policy issues that impact postsecondary institutions and students. National Legislative Summit participants will hear from members of U.S. Congress, administration officials, leading political analysts, and other high-profile speakers about the current climate in D.C., recent elections, and legislative issues impacting community colleges.
Participants also have the opportunity to network with fellow community college leaders and meet with their U.S. representatives in Congress to advocate for their support for community colleges and their students.
Featured speakerS
Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto
Political Analyst, Social Scientist, and Academic Leader
Passionate about making social science relatable to real-time political events, Dr. Victoria DeFrancesco Soto is an analyst, academic, and social scientist with expertise in campaigns and elections, immigration, Latinos, women, racial and ethnic minority politics, and political psychology. She is currently the Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas – working with university leadership to cultivate and expand diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Victoria brings an interdisciplinary lens to understanding policy development and its intersection with institutional and political contexts. Applying high-quality social science research to on-the-ground political realities, she provides a unique, outside-the-Beltway view to today’s real-world issues. Using her nuanced understanding of key electorates, she thoughtfully unpacks the factors shaping the political landscape and expertly analyzes the state of the nation’s politics and elections.
For close to a decade, Victoria has been a contributor to MSNBC and NBCNews.com, as well as Telemundo. Translating social science research into more relatable information for a wide variety of audiences, Victoria has previously provided on-air analysis for CNN, Fox, PBS, Univision, NPR, and has appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher. She is also published in both academic and popular outlets such as The Hill, POLITICO, and Talking Points Memo.
Pete Buttigieg
Secretary of Transportation, U.S Department of Transportation
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg's focus as Secretary is to deliver the world’s leading transportation system for the American people and economy. He has worked to achieve organizational excellence in the department’s operations, and to focus the department on five policy goals: safety, jobs, equity, climate, and innovation. In his first year at the Department, he prioritized supporting the development and passage of President Biden’s signature Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Secretary has also focused on intervening to support American supply chains dealing with shockwaves from the pandemic, including measures to help cut in half the long-dwelling container congestion at America’s largest ports. Other major initiatives in his early tenure have included a comprehensive national roadway safety strategy to reduce deaths and serious injuries; delivery of emergency COVID-19 relief funds to transit agencies across America; and awards of over $9.5 billion in discretionary funding to enhance transportation through over 800 projects in communities across America.
The first openly gay person confirmed to serve in a president’s Cabinet, Secretary Buttigieg previously served two terms as mayor of his hometown, South Bend, Indiana, where he worked across the aisle to transform the city’s future. Household income grew, poverty fell, and unemployment was cut in half.
He also served for seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, taking a leave of absence from the mayor’s office for a deployment to Afghanistan in 2014.
The son of Joseph Buttigieg, who immigrated to the United States from Malta, and Jennifer Anne Montgomery, a fifth-generation Hoosier, Secretary Buttigieg is a graduate of Harvard University and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar and completed a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He lives with his husband Chasten, their two children, Gus and Penelope, and their two dogs.
Thomas J. Vilsack
Secretary of Agriculture, U.S Department of Agriculture
Thomas J. Vilsack was confirmed as the 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture on Feb. 23, 2021, by the
U.S. Senate. He was nominated by President Joe Biden
to return to a role where he served for eight years under President Barack Obama.
Under Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is building back better by restoring the American economy, strengthening rural and historically underserved communities, responding to threats of climate change, creating good-paying jobs for American workers and the next
generation of agricultural leaders, and investing in our kids and our families.
A native of Pittsburgh, Penn., Vilsack was born into an orphanage and adopted in 1951. After graduating from law school, Vilsack moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, his wife Christie’s hometown, where he practiced law. The Vilsacks have two adult sons and two daughters-in-law — Doug, married to Janet; and Jess, married to
Kate. They have five grandchildren.
Congressman Lloyd Smucker
Pennsylvania's 11th Congressional District
U.S. House of Representatives
Lloyd Smucker wants to reignite the American Dream. As a Member of the Ways and Means Committee and a senior member of the Budget Committee, Smucker champions policies that make it possible for every person to pursue their American Dream, including increased economic opportunity for everyone, reining in Washington's out-of-control spending, and providing regulatory relief to small businesses so they can expand and create jobs.
Rep. Smucker is fighting to support America's free enterprise system, to expand apprenticeships and technical education opportunities for students, and help hardworking Americans save for retirement.
Prior to being elected to Congress, Rep. Smucker owned and operated the Smucker Company for 25 years, and grew the small business to eventually employ more than 150 people.
He served two terms in the Pennsylvania State Senate where he chaired the Committee on Education. In that capacity, he pioneered reforms to increase accountability in education spending and worked to ensure Pennsylvania students had access to quality education. Rep. Smucker led the charge to hold elected officials accountable by proposing reforms to the ethics guidelines. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, he made it a priority to rein in spending and built a reputation as an independent-minded conservative who seeks creative solutions to complex problems.
He lives in West Lampeter Township with his wife, Cindy, and three children.
Zoë Baird
Senior Counselor for Technology and Economic Growth to Secretary Gina Raimondo
U.S. Department of Commerce
Zoë Baird is Senior Counselor for Technology and Economic Growth to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. In this role, Baird focuses on advancing U.S. competitiveness in key technologies and ensuring the economic benefits are broadly shared by innovative businesses and a well-trained workforce. Prior to Commerce, Baird was CEO and President of the Markle Foundation, where she worked to improve the economic security, national security, and health of all Americans. Baird served on President Biden’s National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee and chaired its Working Group on International Cooperation. Previously, Baird had a diverse career as a lawyer and business executive.
2023 Community College National Education Service Award Recipient:
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District
U.S. House of Representatives
Rosa DeLauro is the Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District, which stretches from the Long Island Sound and New Haven to the Naugatuck Valley and Waterbury. Rep. DeLauro serves as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, and she is the Ranking Members of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, where she oversees our nation’s investments in education, health, and employment.
As the Democratic leader dealing with appropriations for Labor, Health, Human Services, and Education, Rep. DeLauro is determined to increase support for education and make college more affordable for more American students and their families.
Soon after earning degrees from Marymount College and Columbia University, Rep. DeLauro followed her parents’ footsteps into public service, serving as the first Executive Director of EMILY's List, a national organization dedicated to increasing the number of women in elected office; Executive Director of Countdown '87, the national campaign that successfully stopped U.S. military aid to the Nicaraguan Contras; and as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd. In 1990, she was elected to the House of Representatives, and she has served as the Congresswoman from Connecticut’s Third Congressional District ever since.
Rep. DeLauro is married to Stanley Greenberg. Their children—Anna, Kathryn, and Jonathan Greenberg—all are grown and pursuing careers. Rosa and Stan have six grandchildren, Rigby, Teo, Sadie, Jasper, Paola and Gus.
Douglas Holtz-Eaken
President, American Action Forum
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Economist
Feb. 8, 8:00 a.m.
Before founding the American Action Forum (AAF) in 2009, Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin served in a variety of influential policy positions. During 2001-2002, he was the Chief Economist of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), where he had also served during 1989-1990 as a Senior Staff Economist. At CEA he helped to formulate policies addressing the 2000-2001 recession and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. From 2003-2005 he was the sixth Director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which provides budgetary and policy analysis to the U.S. Congress. During his tenure, CBO assisted Congress as they addressed numerous policies — notably the 2003 tax cuts (the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act), the 2003 Medicare prescription drug bill (the Medicare Modernization Act), and the 2005 push for Social Security reform.
During 2007 and 2008, he was Director of Domestic and Economic Policy for the John McCain presidential campaign. After that, he was a Commissioner on the congressionally chartered Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission.
Holtz-Eakin has built an international reputation as a scholar. He began his career at Columbia University in 1985 and moved to Syracuse University from 1990 to 2001. At Syracuse, he became Trustee Professor of Economics at the Maxwell School, Chairman of the Department of Economics and Associate Director of the Center for Policy Research.
Holtz-Eakin writes a daily column in AAF’s morning newsletter, the Daily Dish, and regularly comments on current policy and political debates for a variety of news outlets.
WHAT PEOPLE Say About NLS
Great way to get educated on federal policy issues and to meet with our congressional delegation on priorities of community colleges.
Amazing - There were so many great learning takeaways. The opportunity was fantastic and I learned an incredible amount. The personal development was one of the greatest experiences I have had.
Great event, dynamic times in the industry, so good to get close to the decision makers.
Schedule at a Glance
SATURDAY
2 | 4 | 2023
9:00AM - 11:00AM ACCT Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
9:30AM - 11:30AM ACCT Member Communications & Education Committee Meeting
10:00AM - 11:30AM ACCT Governance & Bylaws Committee Meeting
1:45PM - 3:45PM ACCT Public Policy & Advocacy Committee Meeting
2:30PM - 4:30PM ACCT Trustee Advisory Committee Meeting (by invitation only)
3:30PM - 5:30PM ACCT Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting
SUNDAY
2 | 5 | 2023
8:30AM - 11:00AM ACCT Board of Directors Meeting
9:00AM - 6:00PM Registration
10:00AM - 4:00PM New Trustee Academy**
11:00AM - 4:00PM Advocacy Leadership Academy**
1:00PM - 2:30PM AACC/ACCT Executive Committees Meeting (by invitation)
3:30PM - 5:00PM ACCT State, Province & Territories Coordinators Network Meeting
3:30PM - 6:00PM ACCT Regional Nominating Committees Meeting (by invitation)
MONDAY
2 | 6 | 2023
7:00AM - 2:30PM Registration
8:00AM - 9:45AM Opening General Sessions
10:00AM - 11:15AM Community College Priorities Session
10:00AM - 12:00PM Roundtable Seminar for Community College Lawyers
12:15PM - 2:00PM General Session Luncheon*
2:15PM - 3:15PM Student Trustee Advisory Committee Meeting
2:15PM - 3:15PM Policy Focus & Concurrent Sessions
2:15PM - 3:15PMPM ACCT Advisory Committee of Presidents Meeting (by invitation)
3:30PM - 5:00PM Student Session
3:30PM - 4:30PM Policy Focus & Concurrent Sessions
3:45PM - 4:45PM Asian, Pacific Islanders and Native American Trustees Meeting
3:45PM - 4:45PM African-American Trustees Meeting
3:45PM - 4:45PM Association of Latino Community College Trustees Meeting
4:00PM - 5:30PM Corporate Council Roundtable Meeting (by invitation)
4:00PM - 5:30PM - State Meetings & Receptions
4:45PM - 5:45PM - Joint ACCT Constituency Groups Meeting
5:30PM - 6:30PM National Capital Reception
TUESDAY
2 | 7 | 2023
7:00AM - 10:00AM Registration
7:30AM - 9:30AM State Breakfast Meetings
8:15AM - 9:30AM General Session
Morning Visits to House, Senate and Executive Branch Offices
12:00PM - 1:00PM - Taste of D.C. (lunch on your own)
Afternoon Visits to House, Senate and Executive Branch Offices
3:00PM - 4:30PM Community College Congressional Forum on Capitol Hill (tentative)
7:00PM - 9:00PM Capitol Awards and Entertainment Banquet*
WEDNESDAY
2 | 8 | 2023
8:00AM - 9:15AM General Session Breakfast*
Morning and Afternoon Visits to House, Senate and Executive Branch Offices
The Community College National Legislative Summit is presented by the Association of Community College Trustees in collaboration with the American Association of Community Colleges.
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