Marty Alvarado is a passionate advocate for equity and transformative education, with over two decades of experience driving impactful change across education and workforce development systems. Her career highlights include serving as Executive Vice Chancellor for the Office of Equitable Student Learning, Experience, and Impact at the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. In this pivotal role, Marty provided visionary leadership across the state’s extensive community college system, encompassing 116 campuses and 73 districts. She spearheaded initiatives focused on enhancing teaching and learning, student support services, and workforce development, all aimed at bolstering student outcomes and advancing the system’s Vision for Success. During her tenure, Marty played a crucial role in shaping state policy and advocating for budget allocations critical to the community college system’s success. She led the implementation of transformative legislative priorities, including Guided Pathways, competency-based education, and reforms in remedial education and funding formulas. In response to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and societal unrest, Marty swiftly pivoted the system to fully online instruction and support services, ensuring stability and continuity for students and faculty alike. Marty’s leadership was marked by her unwavering commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. She championed systemic reforms that prioritized equitable access to education and supported initiatives fostering economic mobility statewide. Marty’s experience at the helm of California’s community college system underscores her deep understanding of educational policy, program development, and strategic leadership in higher education. Her contributions have left a lasting impact on the landscape of community college education in California and beyond. Beyond her role as Executive Vice Chancellor, Marty continued to shape the future of education and workforce development as Vice President of PostSecondary Education and Training at JFF. Here, she pioneered inclusive strategies that dismantle systemic barriers and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds. Marty remains a sought-after speaker and advisor on issues critical to education, workforce development, and economic opportunity, driven by her dedication to lifelong learning and equitable access to quality education and training.

Lauren Dibble is a seasoned strategist, researcher, and systems thinker with 15 years of experience and expertise in education and technology. She has worked as both an operator and consultant and is passionate about aligning the education/workforce systems and structures of today to meet the economic and societal needs of tomorrow. Lauren has worked broadly across the education and talent ecosystem, having led 50+ strategy consulting engagements across her time at Tyton Partners, Entangled Solutions, and as an independent consultant, driving strategic insights and growth for her clients. Lauren has a particular interest in impact and outcomes measurement, having managed a team at Guild responsible for assessment and quality assurance of Guild’s Learning Marketplace. Lauren also spent five years on staff at Northeastern University where she launched a venture mentoring network for student and alumni startups and led marketing and communications for the Center for Entrepreneurship Education. She began her career in tech PR, supporting Global Fortune 500 technology clients at Weber Shandwick. Lauren holds a BS in Business Administration and a MBA from the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University.