Rico Reed Appointed as Chief Partnerships Officer at the National Association of Higher Education Systems

Rico Reed to begin his tenure at NASH by spearheading the recently announced centralized admissions partnership with Liaison

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) proudly welcomes Rico Reed as its inaugural Chief Partnerships Officer. In this pivotal role, Reed will spearhead NASH’s member engagement strategy, forging connections with system members beyond the traditional leadership tiers of chancellor, president, and provost. Bringing over two decades of experience in both higher education and K-12 education, Reed is a distinguished leader known for  cultivating meaningful partnerships and driving innovative communication and branding initiatives. His tenure at NASH begins with the exciting task of leading the recently announced partnership with Liaison. 

“I am thrilled to be joining NASH during such a transformative period for both the organization and the broader landscape of higher education,” said Reed. “The remarkable growth and momentum NASH is experiencing underscores its pivotal role in shaping the future of education. I am eager to leverage my expertise and passion to further enhance the collective impact of systemness. Beginning my tenure at NASH with the Liaison partnership ignites a sense of anticipation and purpose, as it presents an unparalleled opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our shared objectives around student success.”

Prior to joining NASH, Reed held prominent leadership positions at the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. In these influential roles, he led initiatives to develop, market, and enhance the reputation of the Center among internal and external audiences. Additionally, his passion for education is reflected in his extensive experience teaching over 40 college-level courses, with a primary focus on first-year and senior-year seminar courses.

“Rico Reed’s appointment as our first Chief Partnerships Officer marks a significant milestone for NASH,” said Dr. Jason E. Lane, NASH President and Chief Systemness Officer. “His wealth of experience in higher education and his remarkable ability to foster strategic partnerships make him an exceptional asset to our organization. We’re truly excited to see Rico’s leadership in action, especially as we embark on our exciting collaboration with Liaison.”

NASH’s partnership with Liaison is dedicated to advancing student access and success across the nation through Liaison’s Centralized Application Service (CAS). CAS serves as a centralized access point, simplifying the application process for students, who can now submit applications to multiple campuses and programs within each system via a single platform. This partnership synergizes NASH’s commitment to boosting college attainment rates through systemic approaches with Liaison’s expertise in data analytics and higher education technology. 

For more information about the NASH and Liaison partnership and its transformative impact on the future of education, we invite you to explore our partnership page. 

Rico Reed’s full bio can be found here. 

About the National Association of Higher Education Systems

Founded in 1979, the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) works to advance the role of multi-campus systems and the concept of systemness to create a more vibrant and sustainable higher education sector. NASH systems are comprised of more than 500 campuses and serve more than 5 million students in nearly every state in the United States. To learn more about NASH and its national transformation agenda, the Power of Systems, visit www.nash.edu.

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