Yolanda Watson Spiva

Yolanda Watson Spiva serves as the president of Complete College America (CCA). CCA is a bold national advocate for dramatically increasing college completion rates and closing equity gaps by working with states, systems, institutions, and partners to scale highly effective structural reforms and promote policies that improve student success.

Watson Spiva is the former president and CEO of College Success Foundation, a national nonprofit college readiness, access, success, and scholarship organization. She also served as CEO/executive director of Project GRAD Atlanta Inc. and assistant dean at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She has held various positions with the U.S. Department of Education in the Offices of Postsecondary Education; Student Financial Assistance; and Policy, Planning and Innovation, culminating in her service as Region IV public affairs director in the southeast regional office of the secretary of education.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Spelman College (GA), a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Georgia State University.