Timothy “Tim” Powers

Mr. Powers is the Director of Student Aid Policy at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and a colleague of Sarah Flanagan. He has served in this position since 2015, and his responsibilities include:

• Design and implement legislative and regulatory strategies to support and advance NAICU public policy goals, including the development and maintenance of relationships with elected officials and staff.
• Represent NAICU as chief liaison to the White House, U.S. Department of Education, Members of Congress, congressional staff, and the broader higher education community on federal policy portfolio.
• Monitor and analyze developments in federal and state higher education policy, educating policymakers and college presidents on the impact of proposed policies on private, nonprofit colleges and universities.
• Maintain key partnerships, including the American Council on Education (ACE), the National Association of Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV)
• Keynote presenter at numerous local, regional, and national events as higher education expert on topics such as student aid policy, accreditation, federal regulations, budget and appropriations, and other areas.
• Prepare memos and briefing materials on pending legislation and regulatory developments to support NAICU member-presidents’ advocacy efforts and to shape legislative changes on Capitol Hill.
• Organize agenda, prepare briefing materials, and moderate presidential policy roundtables of the NAICU Student Aid Committee and the Accountability Committee.
• Represent independent colleges and universities on Gainful Employment negotiated rulemaking panel.
• Launch strategic initiatives such as the Congressional Independent Colleges Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral working group comprised of Members of Congress dedicated to celebrating the diversity and impact of nonprofit colleges and universities, chaired by Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL)

Prior to joining the NAICU staff, Tim worked as a senior legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Representative Timothy H. Bishop. He received his MBA from Georgetown University and his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Wake Forest University. He was a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and volunteers through the Christ Church Georgetown Feeding Ministries, and is a Salvation Army Grate Patrol Captain.