Taylor Myers is a higher education researcher and strategist. Her work sits at the intersection of research, practice, and organizational culture — with a focus on expanding access, belonging, and outcomes for students historically underserved by higher education and social systems.
She recently served as Associate Director of Research at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), where she led a portfolio of research, field engagement, and applied initiatives focused on improving the postsecondary data landscape. She previously held research positions at the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College and at California Competes, a higher education policy and research think tank in Oakland, CA.
Taylor holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Teachers College, Columbia University, a Master of Public Policy from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. from the University of Florida. Her dissertation, "An Ecological Analysis of Post-Traditional College Student Success," used quasi-experimental, descriptive quantitative, and qualitative methods to investigate how metric design, evaluation strategies, and public perceptions shape college success for adults returning to college, transfer students, and student parents.
Research Topics:
Equity and diversity in postsecondary student access and success
Community college transfer and Guided Pathways reform
Leveraging large administrative data systems to advance policy change
State and institutional planning and organization of higher education systems
Impacts of postsecondary credentials on multi generational social and economic mobility
Motivation and Vision.
As a first generation college graduate and student parent, I strongly advocate for increased postsecondary access and stronger institutional support for all postsecondary students. With policy and research experience at the institutional and state level, I understand the complicated landscapes and silos that occur where ambition and ideas meet practicality. I hope my work will help improve and inform policy design that reflects the needs of a dynamic higher education system and the diverse students it serves, leading to more equitable and stronger outcomes for all postsecondary learners.
My work represents a vision where:
Postsecondary institutions are constantly striving to be student ready
The lived experiences of students are validated and respected as community-building assets
A credential is not another hoop to jump through, another line on a resume, another unfulfilled dream—it is an actionable demonstration of commitment, learning, and investment that generates equitable mobility and prosperity for all