Business - Higher Education Forum
The business-higher education forum is a national network that connects corporate and college leaders to identify and build the talent solutions that address priority talent needs for employers and the American economy. Corporate executives and university leaders join bhef to anticipate skills needs and improve pathways between higher education and workforce. Bhef helps members and strategic partners: identify high-value emerging skills, develop pathways that quickly source high-value talent, and lead action-oriented and partnerships. Our work focuses on three main outcomes:- align skills and credentials: increase the number of learners/ earners completing with high-value skills, credentials aligned to employer needs and to empower a competitive workforce- build talent-ready models: expand access and adoption of work-integrated learning models that quickly connect and prepare talent for emerging and high-demand roles and launch early career talent
Business - Higher Education Forum at a glance
In short: Business - Higher Education Forum gave $10K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,000
- -37.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,000
- -37.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,611,925
- -0.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Business - Higher Education Forum funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Texas Community College Education Initiative ($10K).
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 2 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2025) to $865K (2019). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $10K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Community College Education Initiative Austin, TX | Subaward Grant | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,611,925 | $2,713,551 | $2,553,364 | $10,000 | 1 | $19,204 |
| 2024 | $1,614,580 | $1,969,422 | $2,716,032 | $16,000 | 1 | $22,367 |
| 2023 | $2,524,066 | $2,265,691 | $2,837,937 | — | — | $5,969 |
| 2022 | $2,129,134 | $2,813,855 | $2,373,221 | — | — | $46,397 |
| 2021 | $1,952,069 | $1,983,140 | $2,472,146 | — | — | $17,190 |
| 2020 | $2,337,150 | $3,180,611 | $3,220,926 | $311,492 | 9 | $25,724 |
| 2019 | $3,043,573 | $4,017,282 | $3,763,843 | $864,727 | 5 | $27,208 |
About Business - Higher Education Forum
Based on IRS filings
Business - Higher Education Forum is a public charity focused on Education, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $10K. Net investment income was $19K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Business - Higher Education Forum is led by Kristen D. Fox, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2024; 7 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kristen D. Fox
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$306K (2025)
Laura K. Ipsen
Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank J. Avery
Senior Director
Director → Senior Director, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$131K (2023) → $144K (2025)
Candace Williams
Director Regional Initiatives
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$116K (2024) → $130K (2025)
Stephanie Blochinger
Director of Membership & Secretary
Director of Membership → Director of Membership & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$137K (2024) → $110K (2025)
Suzanne Amoonarquah
Operations Director
Director of Operations → Operations Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$150K (2024) → $110K (2025)
Jennifer Thornton
Senior Vice President
Vice President of Programs → Senior Director, 2024
Senior Director → Senior Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$180K (2022) → $216K (2025)
Stacey Brown
CFO
Senior Director of Finance & Administrator → Senior Director, 2023
Senior Director → CFO, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$147K (2022) → $184K (2025)
Jeffrey D. Armstrong
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph E. Aoun
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Oakes
Board Member
Vice Chair → Board Member, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Earl F. Marty Martin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay A. Perman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John J. Degioia
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy D. Sands
Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Gevelber
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Madeline Pumariega
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Reber
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jae Lynn Akin
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terrance Cheng
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (26)
- Former: Brian K. Fitzgerald (2019–2024) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Brian A. Napack (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Judy D. Olian (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Papazian (2020–2024) — Past Chair & Pt CEO
- Former: Brandon Busteed (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Wayne A. I. Frederick (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Bruce Gardner (2023–2024) — Vice President of Membership
- Former: David Harris (2022–2023) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended jan 23
- Former: Janet Chen (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Nordlund (2023) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended nov 22
- Former: Brian Roach (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Danielle Troyan (2022) — Vice President of Membership
- Former: Barbara R. Snyder (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: James P. Clements (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Michael D. King (2019–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Nariman Farvardin (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Randy Woodson (2019–2021) — Chair
- Former: Robert Caret (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Stephen Barkanic (2021) — Chief Program Officer
- Former: Eduardo J. Padron (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Mark S. Wrighton (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Peter A. Weinberg (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Ron Pressman (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Teresa Sullivan (2019) — Chair
- Former: Tim Sands (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Wes Bush (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $306K, to Kristen D Fox (Chief Executive Officer). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Business - Higher Education Forum
How much does Business - Higher Education Forum give each year?
Business - Higher Education Forum gave $10K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $16K across 1 grant.
How large is Business - Higher Education Forum?
Business - Higher Education Forum reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.7M.
What is Business - Higher Education Forum?
Business - Higher Education Forum is a public charity focused on Education, based in Washington, DC. It holds $1.6M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Business - Higher Education Forum operate?
Business - Higher Education Forum has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin.
What is Business - Higher Education Forum's EIN?
Business - Higher Education Forum's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1986692. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 25, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 19, 2026)
Live grants for the work Business - Higher Education Forum funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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