Our Partners

 

People and partnerships lead to success for our communities. We bring partners together, so we can do more together to help our students, our communities, and our economy.

 

The CEC is a backbone organization providing process facilitation and systems building support to partners who help students access and complete education pathways. The stakeholders of the CEC help residents move up at least one level in their education or training aligned with well-paying local jobs. We believe that education is critical in helping individuals and families achieve financial security.

 

When we convene partners to work on complex social challenges, such as creating solutions to address the manufacturing workforce skills gap, or increasing high school graduation rates for underserved student populations, we pose the question, “What can we do together that none of us can do alone?” Complex social problems cannot be solved by singular programs. They require a system of supports, connecting programs and stakeholders around a shared goal. Consistent with our mission – we bring partners together, so we can do more together to help our students, our communities and our economy.

200+

Employee
Partners

25+

Top Tier Education
Partners

150+

Communities
Served

2026 CEC Board Members

 

Steph Amos
Interim Chancellor, Ivy Tech Community College, Columbus

Kelly Baker
Senior Manager of Organizational Development, Toyota Material Handling

Kelly Benjamin
Judge, Bartholomew County Circuit Court

James Bickel
President and CEO, Columbus Regional Health

Edie Blakeslee
President & CEO, Heritage Fund – the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

Kathy Bradley
Global Account Manager, TE Connectivity

Jesse Brand
Community Leader, Ivy Tech Community College State Trustees Member

Ashley Dieter
Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer-
Director of Finance & Operations, Community Education Coalition

Brittany Diebolt
Vice President Commercial Relationship Manager, First Financial Bank

Mary Ferdon
Mayor, City of Columbus

Cindy Frey
President, Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce

Jack Hess
Advisor to the Executive Committee-
President, CivicLab: An Institute for Civic Collaboration

Reinhold Hill
Vice Chancellor and Dean, Indiana University Purdue University Columbus

Rick Johnson*
President/CEO, Johnson Ventures

Kurt Kegerreis
Executive Director of the Southeast Indiana Workforce Board

Nancy Lollar
Director, Purdue Polytechnic Institute Columbus

Tony London
Chair, Bartholomew County Commissioners

Angie May*
President, Analytical Engineering Inc.
CEC Board Secretary

Shannon McDonald
Accounting Manager, Taylor Bros. Construction Co., Inc.

Srikanth Padmanabhan*
Executive Vice President and President – Operations, Cummins Inc.
CEC Past Board Chair

Brian Payne
Airport Director, City of Columbus Board of Aviation Commissioners

Chad Phillips
Superintendent, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation

Shawn Price
Superintendent, Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation

Jim Roberts*
President and CEO, Community Education Coalition

Angelina Rodriguez
Aftermarket Supply Chain Strategy Leader, Cummins Inc.

Jim Schacht*
Vice President-Corporate Responsibility and Community Relations, Cummins Inc. and CEO Cummins Foundation
CEC Board Chair

Albert “Hutch” Schumaker, II
President, Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Mark Stewart
President, United Way of Bartholomew County

Lori Thompson
Retired, Vice President Marketing, Cummins Inc.

Don Trapp*
Retired, Vice President of Business Development, Cummins Inc.
CEC Board Treasurer

Phil Wagner
President – Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation

*Executive Committee Members

Supported Organizations

 

Established in 1997, the Community Education Coalition (CEC) is chartered to serve and strengthen the missions of eleven key organizations across the region. These include leaders in education, workforce development, healthcare, local government, and community services.


As a 501(c)(3) supporting organization, our primary purpose is to foster collaboration and alignment among these entities, ensuring they have the resources, partnerships, and strategies needed to achieve their goals. By facilitating stakeholder engagement and shared initiatives, we create opportunities that benefit the community as a whole and advance long-term regional success. This unique model of support allows the CEC to act as a bridge between organizations, aligning efforts to address pressing challenges and unlock new opportunities for individuals and families across the region.