Postsecondary Spotlight on AI & Funder Collaboration

September 9, 10:00 am PT, 11:00 am MT, 12:00 am CT, 1:00 pm ET

AI is rapidly transforming education, yet fragmented philanthropic efforts limit its potential for scale, equity, and sustainability. This session explores how funders can align investments and foster collaboration across sectors. Speakers will share real-world models of AI integration in K–12 and higher education. With only 24% of the public viewing AI as beneficial for K–12, compared to 61% of experts, philanthropy has a timely opportunity to build trust, fund responsibly, and shape an inclusive, learner-centered AI future.

This series of three exciting webinars spans a range of impacts that Artificial Intelligence (AI) already has on higher education and how leaders are responding. Join these free, fast-paced Spotlight webinars to learn from panels of experts: (1) The impacts of AI on CTE pathways and how institutions can adjust to better prepare students; (2) How advising frameworks are blending AI and that human connections to support learners; and (3) How funders can come together to ensure AI advances organizational growth while ensuring all communities benefit from ethical AI incorporation.

While others are welcome to attend, this event is intended for members and education grantmakers.

There is no cost to attend this Grantmakers for Education program.

Registration closes 15 minutes prior to the program time. By registering for this program, you agree to our Community Commitment. Thank you for your patience; we review each registration in advance.

About the Speakers

Alexandra (Alex) Bernadotte
CEO
Beyond 12

Alexandra (Alex) Bernadotte is the founder and chief executive officer of Beyond 12, a technology-enabled nonprofit that integrates personalized coaching with mobile technology to increase the number of traditionally underserved students who graduate from college and translate their degrees into meaningful employment and choice-filled lives. She has over 18 years of executive management and strategic development experience in the nonprofit and private sectors. Immediately before launching Beyond 12, Alex was an entrepreneur in residence at NewSchools Venture Fund, where she developed the business plan for Beyond 12.

Alex’s previous professional experience includes serving as executive director of The Princeton Review’s Silicon Valley office; executive director of Foundation for a College Education, a nonprofit college access program; co-founder and vice president of marketing at educational travel startup Explorica; director of operations at EF Education; and operations manager at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where she coordinated the efforts of an international youth substance abuse prevention foundation. Alex currently serves on the board of directors of Cengage Group and the board of advisors of the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship and the Presidential Commission for Financial Aid at Dartmouth College.

Alex earned her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth and a master’s degree with a concentration in policy and organizational leadership from Stanford. She is an Ashoka Fellow, a recipient of the NewSchools Venture Fund Entrepreneur of the Year award, a Jefferson Award for Public Service winner, a Dartmouth College Social Justice Award and Stanford University Alumni Excellence in Education Award honoree, a Fellow of the Pahara – Aspen Institute Education Fellowship, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. In addition, Beyond 12 was named one of the world’s ten most innovative education companies by Fast Company.

Dr. Tiffany Green
Founder
Uprooted Academy

Tiffany Green is a licensed psychotherapist and founder of Uprooted Academy™️, a groundbreaking ed-tech non-profit that serves as a digitized community center for students that includes immersive experiences, AI-driven support, and stress management. She has 15 years of experience in high schools and colleges, and a former adjunct professor of Psychology. She is a graduate of UCONN, Howard University and is finishing her doctorate degree focusing on the impact of a trauma-informed AI tool to mitigate the stress that comes with applying to college. Her organization reaches. schools and organizations in over 30 states and does deep work in Southern California schools. She has been featured in Forbes for her tech innovation.

Nate Simpson
Senior Program Officer, U.S. Programs
Gates Foundation

Nate is a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He serves on the U.S. Programs, Postsecondary Success and Early Learning & Pathways team with a goal of improving the United States higher education sector to both offer accessible, high-quality, and affordable postsecondary education and provide the necessary support to ensure that students complete their programs of study on time, achieve economic agency over their lives, and eliminate race/income as a predictor of success. He oversees a $28M portfolio of funding designed to help educational practitioners focus their improvements around their students’ journeys, especially marginalized student populations.