Jacqueline Woods, moderator
American Association of University Women

Jacqueline E. Woods has more than 30 years of experience as an educator. Her professional experiences range from classroom instruction in Speech Pathology and Special Education to program development and management activities. Her areas of expertise include early childhood education, adult and vocational education, resource development, and higher education administration, management, and governance. Prior to joining the American Association of University Women (AAUW) as the Executive Director, Ms. Woods served as a presidential appointee in the U.S. Department of Education as the Director of the Community Colleges Liaison Office. In this role, she was a major policy advisor to the Secretary of Education and the administration on national public policy issues affecting the nation's 1,200 community colleges. Under her leadership and guidance, the Community College Liaison Office developed a domestic and global outreach agenda that included providing structures for two year colleges to use in strengthening interactions and recognition within the department and with other federal agencies. This agenda also included forming networks in the business and corporate sectors, community-based organizations, and all other education sectors.

Ms. Woods has held a variety of other significant administrative and instructional positions throughout her career. She served as the Vice Chancellor for External Affairs for the City Colleges of Chicago. She also served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the Community College of Philadelphia, and earlier in her career held positions at colleges from Michigan to California. Her affiliations within the Washington, D.C.-based association network included serving as the Vice President for Programs and Public Policy at the Association of Governing Boards for Universities and Colleges, the Director of the D.C. Office for the American College Testing Program, and as a program development director for the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges. Throughout her career, she has authored and edited a number of education publications and served on several education editorial boards. Ms. Woods has been actively involved in a number of associations that have supported issues for girls and women. She was one of the founding members and a past president of the Women Administrators in Higher Education, a Washington, D.C.-based group. She also has been a member of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges and served as a speaker and consultant for the National Institute for Leadership Development (A Community College Women Presidents' group). In addition, she has been a speaker and consultant for the White House Office of Women and for executive women groups across the country.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Woods received her B.A. degree in Speech Pathology from Michigan State University. She received her M.Ed. and completed her doctoral coursework requirements in Speech Pathology from Wayne State University. Ms. Woods has had numerous volunteer board affiliations. As a result, she has received a number of professional and community service awards and honors. She currently serves on two corporate boards.