Kanler Cumbass

Kanler joined ESG in 2021 to support the firm’s postsecondary work. In his role, Kanler advises institutional, state, national organization, and philanthropic leaders on strategic planning, policy design, and network facilitation to bridge the gap between education and the workforce.

His work is driven by a commitment to enhancing learners’ social and economic mobility with a specific focus on the quality of non-degree credentials and their intersection with traditional postsecondary degree programs. Kanler recently served as project manager for the Non-Credit and Credit Alignment Lab, a $1.1 million, two-year initiative engaging 20 community colleges and four community college systems to better align their workforce training and continuing education programs with credit-bearing credentials and degrees. Additionally, he has led state-level attainment and non-degree strategy development across Kentucky, Montana, Hawaii, Missouri, Michigan, among several other states.

Prior to ESG, Kanler served in the Office of Career Services and the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Georgia (UGA). During his time at UGA, he conducted research for the National Science Foundation on workforce development in STEM and studied consumer protection regulations in higher education.

Kanler holds an M.Ed. in Higher Education from UGA and a B.A. in History and Political Science from Piedmont University, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.

Why are you in this work?

In 2018, I looked at the data for my alma mater and realized that over half the students were Pell-eligible. I realized that for most of my peers, ‘success’ wasn’t just about performing well in the classroom, it was also about achieving more in a system that wasn’t designed for them in the first place. That realization, combined with my own background, changed everything for me. I’m in this work because I believe our institutions should be engines of opportunity. I’m driven to close socioeconomic and racial equity gaps for working-class, rural, and marginalized students. Where it’s the knowledge gained in or outside of a traditional classroom, I believe every person deserves a fair shot at economic prosperity. I’ve dedicated my nascent career to making sure our systems work better for people and uplift the generations to come.

Why ESG?

Education Strategy Group serves a diverse client base focused on advancing economic mobility through education. For too long, the gap between a student’s potential and their actual outcome has been dictated by their background or zip code. ESG and our partners work hand in hand to do the hard, deep work of aligning K-12, higher education, and the workforce. Our work is focused on eliminating silos and building bridges.