Recognized as one of the “Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly, Dr. Bridget Burns is the founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), a consortium of 17 public research universities serving as a national laboratory for student success innovation, impacting over 500,000 students. Over the past decade, Dr. Burns’s leadership within the UIA has transformed how universities collaborate, leading a national effort that has produced 143,000 additional graduates, increased graduates of color by 89%, and resulted in 41% more low-income graduates.With two decades of experience advising university leaders and policymakers, Dr. Burns specializes in strategies that accelerate innovation and change, expand opportunity, and improve student completion rates.A sought-after keynote speaker and recognized expert in innovation and student success, Dr. Burns has been featured on 60 Minutes, in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and in the documentary “Unlikely.” Her work not only sets the standard for innovation in higher education but also paves the way for a more equitable and inclusive future.