Nicholas Kent

Nicholas Kent is Deputy Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this position, he develops and implements, in partnership with the Secretary of Education, the Governor’s postsecondary education strategy. Before joining the Youngkin administration, Kent was Chief Policy Officer at Career Education Colleges and Universities. In this role, he served as the principal advisor to association leadership by providing statutory, regulatory, and policy guidance on matters relating to higher education. Additionally, Kent was the inaugural President of the CECU Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports and promotes evidence-based research to improve higher education. Kent began his career in education as a professional staff member for an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Kent earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from West Virginia Wesleyan College and his master’s degree in higher education administration with a concentration in policy from The George Washington University.