DR. KATIE JENNER
Secretary of Education
As Indiana’s first Secretary of Education and the state’s top education official, Dr. Katie Jenner is responsible for establishing a unified, student-centered vision across the full spectrum of education, from K-12 to college.
Learn More About Secretary Jenner
DR. MICHELLE ASHCRAFT
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Michelle Ashcraft leads the daily operations of the agency and serves as appointing authority. This includes oversight of the agency's legislative, policy, finance, strategic planning, human capital, talent management, and constituent services strategies. Ashcraft ensures the agency implements statute, executive orders, policies, and programs with fidelity to increase postsecondary affordability, accessibility, attainment, and alignment with industry. While she supervises the Executive Team and the K-12 Outreach and Postsecondary Transitions team directly, she provides leadership for all Team CHE members across the Academic Affairs, Business Intelligence, Career and Technical Education, Finance, Information Technology, Marketing and Communications, and State Financial Aid teams. Strategic goals pertain to increasing college enrollment, college completion, and college graduate retention in Indiana.
Ashcraft serves on the Cabinet for the Education Vertical, supporting Secretary of Education and Commissioner for Higher Education Dr. Katie Jenner on matters pertaining to higher education in Indiana, the Midwest, and across the nation.
Prior to joining the Commission, Ashcraft served as the director of Purdue Promise at Purdue University and previously worked for the University of Kentucky in New Student & Parent Programs. Ashcraft earned her Ph.D. in higher education from Purdue University. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.
Michelle Ashcraft, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer
317-234-3321
mashcraft@che.in.gov
DR. MATT BUTLER
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Butler leads the Commission’s postsecondary academic efforts including transfer of credit, dual credit, campus mission statements/policies, and revamping the process for both new degree program approvals and the review of more than 3,000 existing degree offerings among Indiana’s public institutions. Butler also serves as the liaison between the Commission and academic institutions from around the state and as the executive director of the Board for Proprietary Education.
Prior to joining the Commission, Butler served in the office of Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb as the senior policy advisor for education and workforce. Previous roles have included the Vice President of External Engagement at the state-created nonprofit INvestEd and with Indiana House Republican staff as a fiscal policy analyst for the Ways & Means Committee and, before, as a communications and policy advisor.
Butler graduated ‘With Distinction’ and Phi Beta Kappa from Purdue University, majoring in history and minoring in biological sciences. His graduate work was also in history, earning a master’s from William & Mary and a doctorate from the University of Cambridge. He is a lifelong Hoosier from Indianapolis.
Matt Butler, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Commissioner and Chief Academic Officer
317-454-0009
mbutler@che.in.gov
BROOKE KILE
Senior Associate Commissioner for Business Solutions
Brooke Kile leads the State Financial Aid, Business Intelligence, and Information Technology teams as part of the agency’s strategic efforts to leverage data, systems, and technology in the execution and assessment of initiatives related to postsecondary affordability, access, attainment, and workforce alignment. Kile has over twenty years of experience working in higher education, leading activities tied to strategic goal development, cross-department/agency goal alignment, financial aid and fiscal operations, and performance metric monitoring. Prior to joining the Commission, Kile held various leadership positions in Institutional Research and Student Financial Services at postsecondary institutions located in the Midwest.
Kile holds a B.A. in English from Butler University and a M.S. in Management from the University of St. Francis in Illinois.
Brooke Kile, M.S.
Senior Associate Commissioner for Business Solutions
317-233-4783
bkile@che.in.gov
ALLISON KUEHR
Associate Commissioner for Marketing and Communications
Allison Kuehr leads marketing and communications at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. In her role, she oversees internal and external strategic communications, public relations, media relations, and marketing strategies.
Most recently, Kuehr served as communications director for the Commission and previously worked for Work and Learn Indiana, which is a program of the Institute for Workforce Excellence. She earned a bachelor's degree with "High Distinction" from Indiana University Indianapolis, majoring in journalism with a concentration in public relations. Kuehr also holds a master's certificate in marketing from Indiana Tech.
Allison Kuehr
Associate Commissioner for Marketing and Communications
317-232-1016
akuehr@che.in.gov
CODY BLAKE ROBISON
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Cody Blake Robison leads financial operations and fiscal policy at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. In his role, he oversees both the strategic investment of Commission resources as well as the State’s strategic investment in its Higher Education Institutions.
Prior to coming to the Commission, Robison directed the education and economic development division of the Indiana State Budget Agency. He’s earned a B.A. and an M.S. from Purdue University and an M.S. in Teaching from Marian University.
Cody Blake Robison
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
317-232-3012
crobison@che.in.gov
MEDIA REQUESTS:
Emily Price
Communications Director
463-261-7397
eprice@che.in.gov