Kristen Fox

Kristen Fox is the CEO of the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF), a national non-profit coalition that brings together innovative higher education and business leaders to develop a skilled, adaptable workforce that drives innovation, fuels economic growth, and empowers individuals to thrive in meaningful careers. BHEF helps businesses activate inclusive and effective talent pathways and higher education implement industry-aligned models that achieve outcomes for learners. Under Kristen's leadership, BHEF has launched initiatives to expand access to work-integrated learning, to navigate AI’s impact on the future of work, and to build strong regional ecosystems by bringing together global, cross-sector leaders to co-develop solutions. With over 20 years of experience and leadership at the intersection of education, workforce development, and digital learning, Kristen has worked across the corporate, higher education, and philanthropic sectors. On the leadership team of a strategy consulting firm, she led organizational growth and advised leaders of foundations, companies and institutions on workforce strategy and business model innovation. Her work has included designing regional workforce partnerships, developing university partnerships, informing edtech product development, and publishing national research on digital learning and change management in higher education. She previously served as a special advisor at Northeastern University, leading internal innovation to scale work-based learning, build alternative credentials, and integrate academic and career coaching. Earlier, she was a managing vice president at Edventures, now part of ACT. Kristen has a BA from Colgate University and MA from the University of California, San Diego, where she also taught undergraduate history courses.She is a frequent presenter and has served as an advisor to numerous commissions including Higher Education as a Strategic Asset, the Strada State Opportunity Index, and ASU-GSV’s Workforce Advisory Board. She is a parent of three school aged-children.