David A. Bergeron is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP) working on higher education policy issues. Previously, he was the Vice President for Postsecondary Education Policy at CAP from 2013 to 2015. In addition, Bergeron supports the efforts of healthcare companies in addressing the post-COVID nursing shortage.

Until recently, Bergeron was a member of the board of College Unbound, a fully accredited, non-profit degree completion college in Providence, Rhode Island. Before joining CAP and pursuing other interests in higher education, he served for more than 35 years at the U.S. Department of Education. Bergeron rose through the ranks to end his government career as acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Innovation during the Obama administration.

Bergeron received his bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from URI in 1978 and has served in a variety of other volunteer roles at the university, including on the President’s Advisory Council, the Dean of the College of Arts and Science’s Advisory Council, and the university’s Strategic Budget and Planning Council.