Honoring GSV 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Jean Eddy

We’re proud to present the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award to Jean Eddy—Executive Chair & Advisor to the Board of Directors and Longtime President & CEO, Britebound™ (formerly American Student Assistance, ASA)—honoring her lifelong commitment to revolutionizing learning so that ALL people can flourish.

As President & CEO of Britebound™ (formerly American Student Assistance, ASA) from 2016 to 2025, Jean Eddy recalibrated the organization’s scope and scale to maximize its PreK to Gray impact—transforming 65 years of college financing and repayment support into a nationally recognized nonprofit helping middle- and high-school students explore careers, identify strengths, and chart purposeful paths forward.

“Jean Eddy has shown what visionary leadership in education truly looks like, charting a clear and courageous course for ASA (Britebound) when the sector needed it most. Her early conviction that middle and high schoolers deserved meaningful career readiness opportunities, and that partnerships should focus deeply rather than broadly, has reshaped the national conversation. By backing bold leaders and effective programs, she helped build a powerful learning community and elevated the entire field. Her vision continues to influence policy, practice, and the lives of countless young people. We’re honored to recognize a leader whose foresight and courage have helped so many young people find their way into life-sustaining futures.”– Carlos Moreno & Andrew Frishman, CEOs of Big Picture Learning

During her extraordinary tenure, Britebound launched award-winning digital platforms; began a philanthropic grantmaking initiative totaling $65M to support career readiness for underserved learners; invested $150M in mission-aligned funds and innovations; published reports, white papers, and other research initiatives; and created the Britebound Center for Career Navigation at JFF, alongside its related digital experience.

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