MASON CITY – North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) announced the recent election of Paula Nissen to the position of President of the National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE). Nissen is the Director of the Institutional Research Collaborative, serving North Iowa Area Community College, Iowa Lakes Community College, and Iowa Central Community College. Her previous leadership experience includes higher education, workforce development and research at the State of Iowa’s Department of Education, Iowa Workforce Development and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute.
“Paula Nissen has a passion and dedication to our profession that is second to none. Further, her technical work around the use of data to improve our practices in workforce education is highly regarded and commendable. I look forward to her leadership and I know her collaborative approach will serve NCWE well, as we progress our Council into the future” said outgoing NCWE President, Ken Warden, Commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Learning.
The National Council for Workforce Education is an affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) representing community college workforce programs across all 50 states and U.S. territories. NCWE provides a national platform that equips practitioners and leaders to deliver impactful workforce education programs. Nissen brings a wealth of experience to NCWE in all aspects of workforce development, including credit and non-credit research, apprenticeships, building partnerships and grant management. As an integral member of NCWE since 2016, she has previously served as the Vice President of Programs and President-Elect in addition to providing instruction at the New Workforce Professionals Academy and has served as a mentor to current and former academy participants. Nissen will serve as President of NCWE in 2024-2025.