Bridget Burns

Dr. Bridget Burns is the founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA), a national coalition of 19 public research universities working together to scale solutions that improve college completion, workforce readiness, and U.S. economic competitiveness. Under her leadership, UIA has helped member institutions produce more than 183,000 additional graduates, while significantly increasing completion rates for students from low-income backgrounds. Her work focuses on translating innovation into large-scale institutional change, enabling universities to deliver stronger workforce outcomes and greater return on public investment. Burns is advancing a new model for higher education. One where institutions collaborate, rather than compete, to solve shared challenges at scale. This includes helping universities navigate system-wide shifts such as the integration of AI into teaching, advising, and student success strategies. She was named one of the “Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly and received the 2025 Clark Kerr Award from the Academic Senate of the University of California, Berkeley, one of the most prestigious awards in higher education. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, and 60 Minutes, and in the documentary Unlikely. She holds a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University.