Last week, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) selected officers to serve in 2025 during its final meeting of the year. Board members unanimously voted for Hollie Elliot, Chair, Allen Brooks, Vice Chair, and Judge Anne-Marie Clarke, Secretary, to continue to serve in their respective positions during the 2025 calendar year.
Elliott, the executive director of the Dallas County Economic Development Group, was appointed to serve on the CBHE by Governor Mike Parson in February 2021. She has since served as the board’s vice chair in 2023 and the board’s chair in 2024.
“It has been an honor to serve as the board’s chair and I am grateful to continue in that role,” Elliot said. “I look forward to continued collaboration with devoted leaders across the state as we strive to make our higher education system the best it can be. It is also a privilege to work alongside a committed group of board members that are driven to ensure Missourians have paths to a quality education and excellent career opportunities.”
Brooks, Fleet Operations Manager for McLane Livestock Transport, was appointed to serve on the CBHE by Governor Parson in July 2021 and served as the board’s secretary in 2023. Judge Clarke, currently retired but most recently served as the 47th Chair of the Judicial Council Division of the National Bar Association, was appointed to serve on the CBHE by Governor Parson in February 2021.
During the December meeting, the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) provided the board an update on trends related to enrollment, FAFSA outreach efforts, higher education funding, and academic program actions. The board also welcomed Dr. Karla Eslinger, Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, to continue discussions about how to best work together to emphasize the value of a quality education for Missourians. The board also heard from Dr. Nancy Blattner, President of Fontbonne University, who shared lessons learned as some private institutions face fiscal and enrollment challenges.
The CBHE was established by an amendment to the Missouri Constitution in 1972. The nine-member board oversees MDHEWD, which serves as the administrative arm of the board and is led by a commissioner appointed by the board. The current commissioner is Dr. Bennett Boggs. For more information about the coordinating board, including the December 4 board book, visit https://dhewd.mo.gov/cbhe/.
Photos from the December meeting are available on the department's Flickr page.