Michele Spires is a highly accomplished leader in higher education, specializing in credit for prior learning (CPL), program quality assurance, learner success, and institutional policy advancement. With nearly three decades of experience spanning post-traditional, workforce, and military education, she brings deep insight into the evolving landscape of learning beyond the traditional classroom.
As assistant vice president, One Dupont Ventures (ODV) and National Service and Defense Solutions, Michele helps drive ACE’s strategic vision while advocating for policies and programs that advance learners, enable data innovation, and support institutional transformation. She leads external engagement to position ACE as the national thought leader in CPL and represents the organization across government, higher education, and workforce ecosystems through national boards, advisory committees, and task forces.
Through her strategic oversight of ODV, Michele manages partnerships with government agencies and philanthropic funders. Her recent work through publications, panels, and public commentary explores themes of learning mobility, systems readiness, credential trust, and skills-based pathways. She has contributed to national conversations in venues such as the
LER Accelerator initiative,
Higher Education Today,
Learning Mobility: Empowering Educational Journeys Beyond Traditional Pathways,
Business Wire,
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, and
Bridging the Skills Gap: The Credit for Prior Learning Imperative and has presented on webinars and at conferences hosted by the
Council of College and Military Educators (CCME),
UPCEA, the
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), state higher education commissions, and individual colleges and universities.
Recognized for her ability to bridge systems and elevate underrepresented voices, Michele brings values of quality, access, and innovation to every endeavor. She continues to shape national conversations on data interoperability, skills-based education, and the strategic value of lifelong learning. As the spouse of an Air Force retiree, her personal connection to military life adds authenticity and depth to her work.