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STAFF
- Chandra Taylor Smith, Ph.D. — Vice President of Research & Director
Chandra Taylor Smith is the Vice President for Research for the Council for Opportunity in Education and Director of the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. She oversees the Pell Institutes progressive mission to conduct and disseminate research and policy analysis to encourage policymakers, educators, and the public to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students. Prior to her current position, Chandra was the Deputy Director of the Postsecondary Education and Student Development Department and District Director for AVID at Chicago Public Schools. She also served as the first Executive Director of College Summit Chicago, which was the first regional office of the Washington D.C. based national non-profit. Finally, Chandra is an educator at heart and has lectured or served on the faculties of Vanderbilt, University of Vermont, Fisk, Tennessee State, North Park and Harvard Universities. She holds a B.A. and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University and a M.Div. from Harvard University.
- Lennox Alfred — Program Assistant
Lennox Alfred officially joined the Pell Institute’s full-time staff as Program Assistant. Lennox formerly served as Program Assistant for the Stokes Institute. In addition to providing office management and program support to the Pell Institute team, Lennox will continue to maintain the McNair Scholars Directory and McNair Fee Waiver List. Lennox has a B.A. in History from Williams College.
- Margaret Cahalan, Ph.D. — Senior Research Scientist
Margaret W. Cahalan officially joined the Pell Institute staff as Senior Research Scientist. As the former Team Leader for the Secondary Postsecondary Cross Cutting Team for the Policy and Program Studies Services within the Office of Planning Evaluation and Policy Development at the United States Department of Education, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the development of the Go College data tool for the I3 initiative. Prior to working at the U.S. Department of Education, Margaret was a contractor and served as the project director for the national evaluation on Student Support Services and the national evaluation for Talent Search. Margaret received a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
- Abby Miller — Research & Project Manager
Abby Miller is the Research and Project Manager for the Pell Institute. Previously, Abby worked as a Research Associate for JBL Associates, where she managed and conducted research projects pertaining to postsecondary education policy. At the Pell Institute she has continued her focus on the retention and success of low-income, underrepresented and academically underprepared students, co-authoring Pell Institute publications including Bridging the Gaps to Success: Promising Practices for Promoting Transfer among Low-Income and First-Generation Students and Raising the Graduation Rates of Low-Income College Students. She was also the lead author of PERSIST: A Comprehensive Guide for Student Success in Higher Education, for ECMC Foundation, and has co-authored two books addressing the transition from college to the workforce. Abby obtained a BA in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Masters degree in Education Policy and Leadership with a concentration in higher education from the University of Maryland, College Park.
- Stephanie R. Miller, Ph.D. — Senior Data Analyst
Stephanie R. Miller officially joined the Pell Institute staff as Senior Data Analyst. Stephanie is a proud McNair Scholar and earned her Ph.D. from Temple University, M.A. in Educational Foundations, Administration, Policy and Research Methods, from University of Michigan, and two B.A.’s, one in Journalism and the other in African-American Studies from University of Maryland. Developing the Go College data tool for the I3 grant is presently Stephanie’s strategic focus.
- Andrew Howard Nichols, Ph.D. — Senior Research Analyst
Andrew Howard Nichols is the Senior Research Analyst for the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, which is the research arm for the Council for Opportunity in Education. Prior to joining the Pell Institute in 2009, he was at The Pennsylvania State University where he received his Ph.D. in Higher Education. Andrew has authored and co-authored several manuscripts, including several peer-reviewed journal articles that have been published in the Review of Higher Education, Journal of College Student Development, and Teachers College Record. His professional experiences include: working in university housing and residential education, coordinating summer bridge programming for underrepresented racial/ethnic minority students, supplying college preparation instruction to TRIO students in an Upward Bound Math/Science program, providing academic advising to incoming first-year college students, and teaching at the university level. Andrew also holds a Master’s degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Vanderbilt University.
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