What our clients say about working with us

“One of Lara Smith’s most important contributions is using evaluation data to help leadership make strategic decisions that enhance results.”
— Dr. Michael Lesiecki, Executive Director (ret.) The Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center (MATEC)

“Donna Milgram’s support was key to nearly tripling enrollment in our new Robotics Manufacturing program—from 10 to 29 students (full capacity).
Her strategic outreach and hands-on support made a real difference.”

— Hao Loi, PI, NSF ATE Grant, Quinsigamond Community College (MA)

“The greatest benefit was seeing almost immediate results. We saw overall growth in all four targeted programs: Cybersecurity, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Construction.” 

— Pam Gibson, Dean of Engineering & Applied Technology, Fayetteville Technical Community College (NC)

“Lara, working with you on the NSF ATE proposal was a fantastic experience. Your ability to align strategic project goals with funder priorities, while crafting a compelling and technically sound narrative, was invaluable. Your expertise in STEM education and your understanding of community college missions truly set you apart."

 —Gabriela Rosu, Dean of Instruction, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, (AZ)

“In a year’s time, we had increased female enrollment in our IT & CS Department from 149 to 226 and male enrollment had also increased from 751 to 1009 male students. Since then, it has grown organically and blossomed into something that our college just does naturally.I think getting together as a team with intention—because we're all so busy. 

—Michelle Levine, Interim District Director of Faculty Development, Broward College, (FL)

Lara offers comprehensive proposal development and becomes integral to the planning process. She's willing to dive right in and really understand your institution and project, and makes valuable suggestions about how to strengthen the project and proposal...

— Colleen Bivona, MA, GPC, CRA, District Director | Grants Development and Management, Maricopa Community Colleges, (AZ)

“The Makerspace Training brought our team together and was expertly facilitated.

Now we have an action plan for a short timeframe, so we can be ready for students the next semester." Full enrollment 1st, 2nd Cohorts.

~ Maura Devlin-Clancy, MakerSPHERE Coordinator, Faculty, CNIT Department, City College of San Francisco, (CA)

“The Online Training gives you the most for your money—you can implement the tools immediately with minimal resources and see true quantitative results.” 

— Phyllis Baca, Director of STEM Initiatives, Santa Fe Community College (NM)

“Before the Training, I felt like I was just spinning my wheels... After the training, Lawson State went from only 2 female students to 11 in just over a year.” 

— Nancy Wilson, Assistant Dean, CTE, Lawson State Community College (AL) *Male enrollment increased from 50 to 90 in one year, and to 158 in 18 months.*

Donna Milgram turns visionary ideas into real-world results. At San Diego City College, she facilitated the launch of a dual enrollment program for the manufacturing pathway. We are currently appropriating local Strong-Workforce funds to extend this highly successful dual-enrollment program to other regional high schools in 2024.
— Kenneth Heifner, Electronics Manufacturing Faculty, San Diego Community College District (CA)

In less than one week we created Robust Recruitment and Retention Plans with the responsible parties and a timeline. But on our own at the College, it would have taken us multiple meetings over multiple months just to discuss our ideas, much less get names on paper and ideas into a plan template. It really accelerated the planning process. 

— Michael LeBlanc, Automotive Instructor, Department Chair, Principal Investigator, NSF ATE, Linn-Benton Community College, Lebanon, (OR)

I’d been spinning my wheels for 3 years trying to recruit more students into our agricultural technology program. During the Recruitment Training, I learned we were doing career awareness, but not actual recruitment....In less than a month we’ve already met twice to elaborate on our plan and involve others in our recruitment event in October. I am confident that with the detailed Recruitment Plan we developed during the training, we will have success.

—Lori Dyer, Program Director, NSF ATE Grow with Rhodes Grant Rhodes State College, (OH)

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

Chippewa Valley Technical College (Rural WI)

Design Enhancement Through Advanced Integrative Learning

Chippewa Valley Technical College (Rural WI)

Technological Education, Advancement, and Change in Cyber-Physical Systems Education

Community College of Philadelphia

Expanding Pathways and Support for Transportation Technology Education and Careers at an Urban Institution

Council for Occupational Research and Development

High Impact Technology Exchange Conference: Deepening Engagement and Strengthening Connections

Maricopa Community College District

MATEC Networks National ATE Resource Center (Internal Evaluator)

Northwest Connecticut Community College

Engaging Students from Classrooms and Camps to College and Careers

National Science Foundation, Scholarships in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (NSF S-STEM)

Mt. Hood Community College (Oregon)

Scholarships, Strategic Course Sequencing, and Comprehensive Student Support to Increase Undergraduate Degree Completion in Computing and Cybersecurity

U.S. Department of Education, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI, Title V)

GateWay Community College

GateWay 2 Success (Internal Evaluator)

U.S. Department of Education, Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP, Title III)

Paradise Valley Community College

Improving Retention through an Enhanced Learning Success Center

U.S. Department of Education, Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS)

Mt. Hood Community College

Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success

Manufacturing

Quinsigamond Community College

Designing and Implementing an Industry-aligned Robotics Technician Certificate Program *New* Certificate

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

San Diego City College

*New* Electronics Manufacturing Certificate

Strong Workforce Program - Regional Fund, Manufacturing (CA)

Chippewa Valley Technical College (Rural WI)

Robotics Training in Education and Advanced Manufacturing Sectors

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

City College of San Francisco

MakerSPHERE

Strong Workforce Program (CA)

Cybersecurity and Information Technology

City College of San Francisco

Computer Science Department

Strong Workforce Program (CA)

Fayetteville Technical Community College (NC)

Cybersecurity - Also Manufacturing, Engineering, Construction

Carl D. Perkins

Broward College

Computer Science and Information Technology Department

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium, West Virginia University

Electric Vehicle Curriculum

U.S. Department of Energy

Community College of Philadelphia

Expanding Pathways and Support for Transportation Technology Education and Careers at an Urban Institution

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

Wallace State Community College (AL-Rural)

Developing and Implementing Hybrid Instruction to Increase the Access of Adult Learners to Diesel Technology Training

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

Linn-Benton Community College (OR)

Advanced Transportation Technology Education Project (ATTEP): Accelerating advanced electric vehicle technician education in automotive and heavy equipment repair trades in Southwest Oregon.

National Science Foundation, Advanced Technological Education (NSF ATE)

City College of San Francisco

PreApprenticeship Automotive/Diesel

Strong Workforce Program (CA)

We have worked in many other career pathways, ranging from Agricultural Technology to Geographic Information Systems to Welding.

Grant Management: IEX Founders both have boots-on-the-ground experience managing federal and state grants, currently managing $44 million in CTE grants.

© Higher Ed: Impact & Evaluation Experts (IEX) 2025