Kentucky Student Success Collaborative
Meet the Campus Fellows
Helping drive our strategic initiatives forward
Olivia Morris-Bush
Research Fellow
Kentucky Student Success Collaborative
Bio
Olivia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s of Education from Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Matt Bergman
Senior Fellow
Transfer
Bio
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development, University of Louisville
Matt Bergman, PhD, is a Partner Faculty member at the University of Louisville and Senior Fellow at the Council on Postsecondary Education in Kentucky He is also the co-author of Unfinished Business: Compelling Stories of Adult Student Persistence.
Dr. Bergman’s research and practice is focused on student persistence, prior learning assessment, leadership, and degree completion programs. His work has been highlighted in international media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, NPR, Inside Higher Education, and TIME Magazine. His program was the recipient of the ACHE Distinguished Program Award, AAACE Curriculum Innovation Award, and the AAACE Malcolm Knowles Award for Adult Education Program of the Year.
Dr. Bergman has been awarded a number of prestigious honors during his time at the University of Louisville, including the ACHE South Outstanding Faculty Award, the Metroversity Outstanding Faculty for Adult Learners, and was a Top 4 Faculty Favorite at UofL. He is an Ambassador for the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) that serves as a teacher, administrator, and advocate of degree attainment both locally and nationally.
Dr. Beth Collins
Senior Fellow
Kentucky Student Success Collaborative
Bio
Dr. Collins is a seasoned higher education leader with a proven track record of driving student success and fostering systemic improvement. Passionately committed to creating equitable pathways, she has dedicated her career to expanding access and opportunity for all students, especially those from underserved communities. Dr. Collins serves as a Senior Fellow for the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative largely focused on improving transfer. Recognized for her contributions to student transfer, she received the 2024 Testing for Change Award from the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) for her work as inaugural system lead in the Transfer NIC (NASH Improvement Community).
Lisa Cox
Director of the Office of Articulation and Transfer Systems (OATS)
Eastern Kentucky University
Bio
Lisa Cox has over 20 years of higher education experience. She manages transcript recording, articulation processes, KCTCS transfer pathways, the Colonel Connection program, and reverse transfer. Lisa is also a key advocate for returning adult learners. She holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Kentucky and an MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from EKU. Her professional interests include adult degree completion, credit for prior learning, and increasing access to higher education for underrepresented groups.
Saundra G. Kimberlain
Director of Robbins University Center and Transfer
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
Bio
Saundra Kimberlain, after three years in public relations, moved into higher education. Twenty-two years later, she has served in a variety of positions, including assistant professor, director of advising, grant work and a program coordinator/academic coach for a healthcare leadership competency-based education degree that included prior learning. She has worked at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Jefferson Community and Technical College and the University of Louisville. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Kentucky, and she has two graduate degrees from Western Kentucky University and Morehead State University. Currently, Kimberlain is the director of ECTC’s Robbins University Center and Transfer, a member of the KCTCS Transfer Peer Team, appointed to the SJR 179: Student Pathways Project Team, and a CPE Senior Fellow, Transfer. Kimberlain presented at NACADA and NISTS national conferences and she completed the KCTCS Leader Enrichment and Development (LEAD) Academy in 2022-23 and was a KCTCS representative for CPE’s Commonwealth Education Continuum (First Year Experience Workgroup).
John K. Hall
Data Analyst for Enrollment and Student Success
Northern Kentucky University
Bio
Dr. John Hall has over 15 years of higher education experience across a number of institutions in the fields of admissions, enrollment, advising, data analytics, and student success. He currently serves as a Data Analyst for Enrollment and Student Success at Northern Kentucky University and previously was an advisor and Coordinator of Transfer Services in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. In addition to his work with CPE, John serves as a coach for the NaviGo program in northern Kentucky, does statistics for high school and college sports, and is the President of the Ludlow Historic Society. John earned his Doctorate of Education at Morehead State University in Adult and Higher Education Leadership, his Master’s in Education at the College of William and Mary, and a Bachelor’s Degree in History at Transylvania University. John and his partner Madison live in Ludlow, Kentucky with their two dogs, Ellie and Scout.
Senior Fellow, Student Basic Needs
Arion Jett-Seals
Arion brings over 14 years of comprehensive experience in the field of education, specializing in crisis intervention, student support services, retention strategies, academic advising, and career development. Most recently, Arion served as the inaugural Basic Needs Program Coordinator at the University of Kentucky, where her focus centered on advocating for students and connecting them with resources to address basic needs deficits, thereby enhancing their retention and graduation rates. With a unique blend of social work expertise and educational insight, Arion has made impactful contributions across various educational settings, including K-12 schools, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and the University of Kentucky, guiding students in overcoming non-academic barriers to success. Committed to the holistic well-being of individuals, Arion’s personal endeavors call her to empower others for personal growth, better wellness, and achievement. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Social Work from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s of Science in Social Work from the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville.
Senior Fellow, Student Basic Needs
Jamie Oleka
Jamie Oleka, Senior Fellow of Student Basic Needs has extensive experience in K-12 and nonprofit management having most recently served as a Managing Director at Teach For America. Jamie holds a Masters of Education in Instructional Accommodations from Francis Marion University, Masters of Arts in Teaching, and Ed.S. in K-12 Administration from the University of Louisville.
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