Ms. Karen Callender

Ms. Karen Callender is director of Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES)new window, a collaborative effort among Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College and the Universities at Shady Grove, designed to provide students with a seamless and supportive pathway to a bachelor’s degree.

Ms. Callender has more than 20 years experience in planning, developing, and managing programs within multiple areas of student services. She developed the “College Now Program” at the City College of New York, a college readiness and dual enrollment program in conjunction with New York City public high schools working with high school students at all levels in preparation for college. She has been a director of pre-college programs, admissions, freshman year programs, academic advising and assessment. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from The City College of New York and a master's degree in higher and adult education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her passion and commitment to increasing college readiness and college access for students underrepresented in higher education is evident in her previous and current work.