Dr. Koch is a child of immigrants who came to the United States in pursuit of a better life. His first language was not English, and postsecondary education was valued by his family as a means for realizing the American Dream. A recipient of need-based aid while in school, Koch is a staunch advocate for and leader of efforts that increase student access to and, ultimately, completion of postsecondary education. He has worked in and with higher education institutions for over 30 years. He has done so since 2010 at the Gardner Institute where he was named Chief Executive Officer in 2021.

Dr. Andrew Koch has substantive experience with undergraduate education administration, redesign of educational systems to address performance gaps, strategic planning, fundraising, reaffirmation of accreditation, postsecondary access and success, and enrollment management efforts. His work includes extensive grant writing and fundraising with support coming from sources such as Ascendium Education Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ECMC Foundation, GEAR UP, Kresge Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Inc., Lumina Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Koch holds a baccalaureate degree in history and German from the University of Richmond, a master’s degree in history from the University of Richmond, a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University in American Studies. He was an American Council on Education Fellow in 2013-14.

Dr. Koch’s scholarly and professional interests are focused on student success and the ways in which colleges and universities both reflect and shape democracy and culture in the United States. Through this work, he serves as a passionate advocate for historically underrepresented and underserved students – seeing higher education as a vehicle for advancing equity and social justice.

He is the author of an array of publications such as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions of The First-Year Experience in American Higher Education: An Annotated Bibliography as well as Improving Teaching, Learning, Equity, and Success in Gateway Courses: New Directions for Higher Education, Number 180. He is the co-editor of The Transfer Experience (Stylus, 2021). His solo-authored book on "Transforming the gateway course experience: A call to action for higher education" was recently published.

Koch has served on several boards and commissions including the Gardner Institute’s Board of Directors; the Board of Directors for Asheville Empire Youth Lacrosse; the Indiana College Access and Success Network; the Directorate Board for the American College Personnel Association Commission on Admissions, Orientation, and the First-Year Experience; the Military Family Research Institute; the Higher Learning Commission’s Think Tank on Persistence and Completion; the Higher Learning Commission’s Defining Student Success Task Force; the advisory committee for the Association of American Colleges and Universities Strengthening Guided Pathways and Career Success by Ensuring Students are Learning project; the National Advisory Board for the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition; and the editorial review board of the Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Dr. Koch lives with his wife, Dr. Sara Stein Koch, and their six children in Mills River, North Carolina. In their spare time, he and his wife enjoy hiking with their children; attending their children’s track, soccer, and lacrosse events; gardening; and reading.

To contact Drew, email him at koch@jngi.org.

James Black, Ph.D.

James Black is an administrative faculty member currently serving as the Director of Student and Academic Affairs in the Office of Graduate Education at Georgia Tech. He reports to the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Education and is a member of her leadership team. In his role as director, he supports a team of faculty and staff that manages student services and success programs for Tech's more than 8,000 on-campus master's and doctoral students. These services and programs address all phases of the graduate student life cycle and graduate student experience. He is the creator of GT6000, an Institute-level, 8-week graduate student first-year experience and extended orientation program. His team oversees graduate student hiring policy compliance for over 4,500 graduate assistants, the administration of over $10M in annual fellowship funding including 120 on-tenure students supported on the NSF GRFP, and thesis and dissertation processing. He is active in shared governance at Georgia Tech chairing and serving on multiple Institute committees and advisory boards. Before joining the Office of Graduate Education, he completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech doing research on a novel droplet levitation technique utilizing a fluid property called thermocapillarity. While a graduate student, he served as Graduate Student Body President in the Student Government Association. Outside of Georgia Tech, he recently served as the President of the Georgia Council of Graduate Schools, a state-level professional organization that advocates for graduate education in Georgia and currently serves on the national board of directors for Theta Chi Fraternity. He’s also a part-time CrossFit coach, amateur gardener, sci-fi nerd, and father of two young children.

Marc Ebelhar, Ed.D.

Marc Ebelhar is an academic professional that serves as graduate student success specialist in the Office of Graduate Education and the instructor of record for GT6000. In this role, he leads the implementation of the GT6000 program along with supporting the assistant instructor and 45 student leaders. Marc has over 20 years’ experience as a higher education professional with a primary focus in graduate education, students in transition, LGBTQIA allyship, and campus housing. Marc earned a bachelor of arts in economics and political science from Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY, a master of education in higher education and student affairs from the University of South Carolina, and a doctorate in student affairs leadership from the University of Georgia. Outside of work Marc enjoys playing tabletop board games, is a proud supporter of Memphis Grizzlies basketball and Leeds United football and loves to explore the cuisine, culture, and community of Buford Highway with his partner, Christina.

Dr. April Perry (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the M.Ed. Higher Education Student Affairs program and serves at Department Head/Chair for Human Services at Western Carolina University. Her research is primarily on college student identity development, career development, student transitions, and institutional initiatives for student success. She is the co-editor of the recent book - A Practitioner's Guide to Supporting Graduate and Professional Students (Routledge, 2022).
As a practitioner, April has worked in Student Leadership Programs, Parent & Family Programs, Fundraising & Marketing, Academic Tutoring Services, Graduate School Administration, and has served in various leadership roles in the academy such as Department Head, Assistant Department Head, Interim Associate Dean of the Grad School, and HESA Graduate Program Director.
In 2016, April received the WCU Graduate School’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring. In 2017, she was named Outstanding Professional in Graduate and Professional Student Services by NASPA's AGAPSS Knowledge Community. In 2020, she was selected for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Blue Ridge Stand Out (14 under 40). In 2022, she was honored with NASPA AGAPSS’ Outstanding Contribution to Research and the Profession Award, and also in 2022 received NASPA Faculty Council’s Outstanding Support for Graduate Students Award. In 2024, her book was selected for the Outstanding Publication Award by NASPA’s Faculty Council.
April is passionate about student/human development and lives by the motto that 'the only thing better than watching someone grow is helping them grow.'