Brenda Dickhoner, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Denver, Colorado, United States

Greater Denver Area

Greater Denver Area

• Services include project management, strategic communication, government relations, grant writing and research and policy analysis.
• Diverse portfolio of clients includes school districts, state agencies, and education organizations.

Greater Denver Area

• Advises the Deputy Commissioner & Commissioner of Education on the implementation of key education policies.
• Manages special projects for the Commissioner including Colorado’s Education Leadership Council and the Commissioner’s Teacher Cabinet.
• Directs a large-scale project to develop recommendations for actions to improve the state’s lowest performing schools.
• Oversaw the development of 13 critical reports that were issued to the State Board of Education on behalf of the Commissioner over a span of just four months.
• Uses statewide education data systems to monitor the performance and effectiveness of public schools.
• Coordinates work product from a team of 10 individuals, ensuring all team members produce high-quality work and stay on track to meet deadlines.

Greater Denver Area

• Served as the K-12 Liaison, working closely with the Colorado Department of Education, school districts and colleges on the implementation and communication of major education laws.
• Briefed Former Lt. Governor/Executive Director on research and policy related to colleges access and success.
• Conducted quantitative research using large administrative datasets.
• Oversaw the Core to College grant project supported by the Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors.
• Managed the grant-funded scope of work aimed at improving the alignment of statewide K-12 and higher education systems to increase college completion.
• Designed the nationally-recognized “District at a Glance” data profiles that provide feedback to Colorado’s school districts on the postsecondary outcomes of their high school students.

Denver, CO

• Advised state legislators and their staff on education policy.
• Oversaw five grant projects funded by the Ford Foundation, Lumina Foundation, USA Funds, and the Kresge Foundation.
• Managed grant budgets and activities; met all grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
• Tracked over 300 legislative bills across the country each year and provided analysis of national trends.
• Authored over 20 different publications including policy briefs, research papers, magazine articles and blog posts to ensure legislators received timely and relevant information.
• Created useful and visually-appealing web content for NCSL’s website.

• Supported the office in representing Duke University in Washington D.C. on higher education policy.
• Reported on various legislative and regulatory issues such as financial aid, student visas and immigration, advancements in science and technology, tax policy, and the Higher Education Act.

• Researched economic, foreign relations and education policy.
• Analyzed research findings and assisted in preparing the Senator’s questions for hearings.
• Attended Congressional hearings and condensed the information into executive summaries.

B.A., Political Science, Spanish

Phd, Public Policy

Dissertation: Understanding the Expansion and Effects of Colorado's Concurrent Enrollment Program