Chris Lowery was appointed in 2022 to serve as Commissioner for Indiana’s Commission for Higher Education, the coordinating agency charged with ensuring the state’s postsecondary education system is aligned to meet the needs of students and the state. Prior to joining the Commission, Lowery was senior vice president, workforce, careers and adult strategy at Ivy Tech Community College where he provided overall leadership of Ivy Tech workforce and career initiatives and organization. Before working in higher education, Lowery led public policy and engagement for Hillenbrand, Inc. and served as an aide to former Indiana Governor Robert D. Orr and then-Senator Dan Quayle.

As Commissioner, Lowery is committed to increasing college completion by improving the college-going rate, engaging adult learners and ensuring students of all ages understand the value proposition of higher education. He collaborates with policymakers, higher education leaders and community partners to maintain college affordability and guarantee quality higher education is delivered and tied to career relevance as the Commission continues its efforts to realize the state’s goal of at least 60 percent of Hoosiers with quality education and training beyond high school.

Currently, Lowery is on the Board of Trustees of the Sagamore Institute think tank where he previously served as chair. Additionally, he serves on the Boards of Directors of AgriNovus Indiana and Shepherd Community. He’s also a member of the Advisory Council for the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.

Lowery was Chair of the Career Coaching and Navigation Action Team for Governor Eric Holcomb’s Workforce Cabinet. He has served on various other boards of directors including Gleaners Food Bank, the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation, the Indiana Council for Continuing Education, the State Workforce Innovation Council, the Distinguished Alumni Council of the Indiana University O’Neill School of Public Affairs and the Batesville Community School Corporation. He is a regular speaker in Indiana and nationally on topics ranging from the future of higher education, the economy and workforce preparedness to innovation, leadership and social impact investing.

Lowery holds the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Indiana University and a Master of Science in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Presentation:

Chris will discuss the Commission’s work around higher education in the State of Indiana with a focus on improving accessibility, especially for adult learners, and the importance of the new framework for our students who are part of the 21st Century Scholars program.