A local college leader is lending expertise to national issues of economic development and labor market discussions. SLCC Chancellor Dr. Natalie Harder has been tapped for a national board position for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Human Capital Advisory Council.
The Human Capital Advisory Council assists in the Bank’s assessment of both short-term fluctuations and long-term structural issues related to labor markets, as well as human capital development and its impact on economic vitality, and ultimately, its monetary policy deliberations. The Council also provides an important channel of communication between the Bank and key constituents in the Sixth Federal Reserve District business community.
The Human Capital Advisory Council is composed of 8-16 senior level executives with extensive industry knowledge and ability, selected from within the Sixth District and representing a variety of industries and human capital development.
“I look forward to bringing my experience in education and economic development to this exclusive Council to impact policy and further aid district and national discussions on workforce development,” said Harder. “It’s an honor to be selected, and I look forward to representing SLCC, Acadiana, and our state through this appointment.”
This is one of many national boards on which Harder sits. Harder was elected by her peers in 2015 as a board trustee for the Southern Association on Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), an accrediting body for institutions of higher education throughout the 11 southern states and Latin America that grant associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. This role made her the first Louisiana community college representative on the board. In 2017, she was asked to serve as a member of its executive committee, a position that she was reappointed to for 2018 after her Louisiana peers re-elected her to another term on the SACSCOC board.
In 2015, Harder was named as a Board Member of the American Association of Community Colleges, which represents nearly 1,200 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 13 million students. A year later, her leadership skills and legislative knowledge landed her a coveted spot on the AACC’s Executive Committee and chair of the Public Policy and Governmental Relations Committee.
This January, SLCC was named a finalist for the prestigious Bellwether Award from the Community College Futures Assembly for its cultural transformation and continuous improvement framework, led by Harder, that has resulted in significant increases in student enrollment, retention, and graduation, as well as impressive results in employee engagement, financial stability, and fundraising dollars.
Harder’s three-year term with the Human Capital Advisory Council will commence on April 10.
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