Arlington, Va. – Today Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) announced the hiring of two new senior staffers, John Huston and Rachel Tripp. The additions are a significant step in the association’s efforts to ramp up its government relations and communications capabilities in response to new regulatory and legislative challenges faced by their members.
John Huston is CECU’s new Director of Government Relations, reporting to Senior Vice President Steve Gonzalez. Huston has significant experience in the area of higher education, having served most recently as a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Post-Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to that, John served as Legislative Director for Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN). He received his bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree at Georgetown University Law Center.
Rachel Tripp is CECU’s new Director of Communications, reporting to Senior Vice President Kelley Blanchard. She comes to the association from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where she served as Deputy Director of Communications and Spokeswoman for the Federal Government. A former Young Voices Education Fellow, Rachel previously worked as Press Secretary for Concerned Veterans for America and held a variety of communications roles at the Charles Koch Institute. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a graduate certificate in organizational management from Harvard Extension School, and is pursuing an ALM in government from Harvard University’s School of Extension Studies.
“CECU is extremely fortunate to welcome John and Rachel to our already collaborative and forward-thinking team. Both have experience in Federal policy and the issues of concern to our members,” said CECU President and CEO Jason Altmire, “As we mount an aggressive campaign to advocate for our schools and our students before Congress and the new administration, we look forward to the experience, skill, and savvy that John and Rachel will bring to our lobbying and communications teams.”