More About Our Leaders

Ricardo “Rick” Torres

President and CEO

Mr. Torres has served as president and CEO of the National Student Clearinghouse since 2008. Under his leadership, the Clearinghouse extended its mission through accessible, innovative technology-based services and data exchange solutions that enable institutions and organizations to focus on maximizing human potential and is a thought- and action-oriented leader in helping to evolve the nation to an edu-workforce data-driven ecosystem.

“It’s great to wake up every day knowing that I am working with a committed group of people, united in our mission to help education and learners continuously improve their lifelong prospects through our ability to create ever-increasing insight value to our education and data participants. Our focus on supporting the evolving needs of the education community with new services, directed toward skills and pathways awareness that converges traditional learning and skills, is as exciting as it is promising to the future of education and workforce access and attainment and the central role of the Clearinghouse,” Mr. Torres said.

Mr. Torres serves on the boards of the Brightpoint Community College Foundation, Achieving the Dream, and ACT and is a founding member of the Groningen Declaration Network Group, an international consortium dedicated to developing a trusted international data exchange ecosystem.

He holds an MBA in international finance from Georgetown University and undergraduate degrees from Manhattan College. 

When he is not at work, Mr. Torres enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, listening to music, going to concerts, exercising, kayaking, and playing word puzzles.

Christopher “Chris” Goodson

Chief Growth Officer

Mr. Goodson has a more than two-decade track record of success working across education verticals. As Chief Growth Officer, he oversees the organization’s continued expansion, particularly as it broadens its footprint in the workforce development and skills training areas.

“Like so many others, I have relied on the National Student Clearinghouse’s unmatched data reporting, insights, and services throughout my career. The Clearinghouse’s constantly growing repository of longitudinal learner data and deep relationships with education, workforce, and government partners allow us to develop new, customer-aligned solutions to meet the needs of an ever-changing education landscape. I am honored to be part of the Clearinghouse as it continues to grow and expand its services to benefit students, families, and its stakeholder community,” Mr. Goodson said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse, he held several leadership positions in education technology and business solutions. Most recently, he was with Lumen Learning as Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience. Prior to Lumen, he spent six years at Amazon Web Services (AWS), assisting U.S. Higher Education customers transform their environments with cloud services. At HMH, he served first as a Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Social Responsibility and later Education Services, and during eight years at Microsoft, Mr. Goodson held leadership roles in the U.S. and Worldwide Public Sector, focused primarily on Education.

Mr. Goodson has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Mary Chapin

VP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Ms. Chapin joined the Clearinghouse in 2016 and has over 28 years of legal experience. She leads the Clearinghouse’s Legal department, which is responsible for the organization’s legal, regulatory, and governmental affairs. Ms. Chapin also serves as the Corporate Secretary for both the Clearinghouse and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, advising the board of directors on risk and governance issues, contributing to solving business issues, and setting the organization’s strategic direction.

“Knowing that I am working for an organization that is making a difference in supporting learners and educational institutions is very rewarding. I enjoy leading a talented and dynamic team of attorneys and legal professionals whose work underpins the operations and delivery of our mission,” Ms. Chapin said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse, Ms. Chapin was a litigation partner in the Intellectual Property, Media, and Technology Department of McDermott, Will & Emery LLP, an international law firm.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Buffalo and a law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law.

Outside of work, Ms. Chapin serves on the board of directors and as the president of the Association of Corporate Counsel National Capital Region Chapter, a regional bar association serving over 2,500 in-house attorneys at nearly 900 organizations. She also spends time traveling to watch her daughters play volleyball and skiing and sailing with her family on vacations.

Tony Chiles

Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO)

Mr. Chiles leads the organization’s data and technology teams and directly oversees the organization’s digital transformation to become a primary trusted data source for the nation’s trusted education and workforce data ecosystem. As CTIO, he plays a significant role in defining and implementing a technology strategic vision aligned with the organization’s growth, performance goals, and five-year strategic vision. He also helps define and execute the company’s technology strategy, including adopting microservices, incorporating traditional and generative AI and other modern architectural paradigms, and managing the journey to the Cloud.

“I am honored to have joined such a great organization as the Clearinghouse, whose education and workforce data services are second to none, and to have the opportunity to drive disruptive innovation that will accelerate the Clearinghouse’s mission to democratize data. There is potential to have an even greater, exponential impact on communities nationwide, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the team who brings the vision to fruition.”

Before joining the National Student Clearinghouse, Mr. Chiles served as Chief Information Officer at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. Prior to that, he held the role of Vice President of Cloud, Cybersecurity and DevSecOps at CGI Federal Inc. Before CGI, he was Chief Information Officer at the American Diabetes Association, and Deputy Chief Information Officer at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He also spent 14 years at Aol serving in a variety of executive leadership roles, building and leading both domestic and international teams, and driving enterprise-wide digital transformation and data strategy.

Mr. Chiles earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Maryland and holds a patent award as lead inventor on “a technique for automatically updating software stored on a client computer in a networked client-server environment.”

Doug Falk

VP and Deputy Chief Technology and Information Officer

Mr. Falk has served in technology leadership positions for 21 years at the Clearinghouse. He provides vision and leadership for information technology initiatives that encompass cybersecurity, infrastructure and operations, and application service delivery. He oversees the division responsible for building, delivering, and running the products and services the Clearinghouse provides to its customers.

“I am drawn to the Clearinghouse’s nonprofit mission of helping educational institutions reduce their work burdens and improve their federal compliance reporting obligations. I am proud to be a part of the growth the organization has enjoyed and the expansion of our mission and services. What really makes the Clearinghouse’s work meaningful is the way in which we help K12, higher education institutions, and the learners themselves in seeking better outcomes for everyone,” Mr. Falk said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse, Mr. Falk spent 10 years in IT at Sallie Mae, where he helped to automate the student loan application, certification, and disbursement processes. He has served on the PESC board of directors for 15 years and as chair for six years.

He earned a master’s degree in information systems technology from George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in computer information systems from DeVry Institute of Technology.

When he is not at work, Mr. Falk enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, and restoring classic cars. He also volunteers his time and skills at an orphanage in Haiti.

Roberta Hyland

VP and Chief Data Officer

Ms. Hyland has been with the Clearinghouse since 1997 and has more than 25 years of experience in education data and policy, enrollment management, and financial aid. In her role, she uses creative problem-solving to continue to innovate the Clearinghouse’s capabilities to benefit the education community as data technologies and techniques continue to evolve.

“I am at the Clearinghouse because I want to work for an entity that has a magnifying impact of good. That is fundamentally what makes the Clearinghouse’s work so important. We can improve not just one institution’s ability to help learners — we can help the entire community of institutions and learners,” Ms. Hyland said.

Ms. Hyland serves as a member of Gartner’s Data and Analytics Advisory Board and its Data and Analytics Conference Board. In 2021, Ms. Hyland was named to CDO Magazine’s Global Data Power Women List.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies concentrating in German and Russian from Muhlenberg College and a master’s degree in higher education concentrating in enrollment management from Drexel University.

For more than 20 years, she has worked with high schools and high school students in regional and national-level speech and debate leagues. She also enjoys exploring history and culture through travel with her husband and spending time with their Cavoodle, Kayleigh.

Bridget Sedlock

Chief People Officer

Ms. Sedlock joined the Clearinghouse in August of 2016 to lead human resources, internal communications, and administrative services across the organization. Her focus is on finding and retaining talent, developing staff at all levels, promoting staff engagement, strengthening company culture, and creating a positive employee experience grounded in inclusiveness and belonging. She is at her best when she sees her colleagues thriving and enjoying the work they do.

“I chose the Clearinghouse because I was interested in joining an organization that was mission-driven and was a place at which I could be proud of the organization’s work. The Clearinghouse supports the education sector in many ways — but the part that is most impactful to me is the work we do around access to education for all, regardless of geography or social status,” Ms. Sedlock said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse, she spent 18 years at the North American corporate headquarters of Rolls-Royce in various HR roles that included running the international expatriate program, recruitment, compensation and benefits, and employment policy and compliance. As an HR business partner at Rolls-Royce, she supported a remote team of HR professionals who provided advisory services to over 5,000 employees. She grew up overseas as the daughter of a U.S. diplomat, which originally led her to the international HR field.

Ms. Sedlock graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in government and foreign affairs.

When she is not working, she enjoys traveling and looking for new concert venues and outdoor spaces. She is a big sports fan and loves to support the local teams, both collegiate and professional, especially baseball, basketball, and football.

Melba Amissi

VP, Corporate Strategy, Marketing & Communications, and Customer Experience

Ms. Amissi joined the Clearinghouse in May 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. As the Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Marketing & Communications, and Customer Experience, she is responsible for driving the development and execution of the Clearinghouse’s corporate strategy. Ms. Amissi leads a multi-faceted team to ensure central oversight of customer experience, which she understands as an integral part of the overall brand experience.

“Education has been the cornerstone of my career, providing me with the necessary support to pursue my goals and aspirations. I believe that education is not just a personal achievement but also a means of serving the greater good. As we navigate through the changing landscape of education, I am committed to being part of an organization that values the importance of education and its impact on society,” Ms. Amissi said.

Ms. Amissi was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Habits at Work, a privately held global professional training and coaching company based in Chicago, before joining the Clearinghouse. She worked at Intersections for over 18 years before its acquisition, where she worked closely with the Executive Leadership team to develop and implement operational processes, internal infrastructures, third-party management and compliance, and company policies to drive growth, profitability, and efficiency. During her tenure, she also spearheaded initiatives that positively impacted vendor management, succession planning, workforce development, employee retention, and change management. She led multiple teams, including HR, customer support, compliance, facilities, administration, engineering, and software development at Intersections..

In addition, Ms. Amissi has 15+ years of regulatory and operations compliance experience in the financial services industry. She specializes in developing, implementing, and supporting compliance with regulations and third-party requirements. Melba has expertise in risk and privacy across multiple functions, including advertising, marketing, product development, and sensitive data management.

Ms. Amissi earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Randolph Macon Women’s College and a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

When she’s not busy with her career, coaching and leading high-performing teams, Ms. Amissi likes to explore new restaurants. Her love for culinary arts inspired her to become a world-class amateur chef. She also enjoys traveling with her husband to various parts of the world to unwind.

Larry Hatch

VP, Strategic Partners, Business Solutions, and Verification Services

As Vice President of Strategic Partners, Business Solutions, and Verification Services at the Clearinghouse, Mr. Hatch is responsible for the Clearinghouse’s growing academic credential verification services, along with maintaining the company’s brand and reputation. Committed to innovation and exploration, he delivers exceptional value to the education community through building the Clearinghouse’s enterprise-facing offerings and shaping the organization’s voice within the education industry.

“The Clearinghouse’s work is important, as we are the only holistic source of education data within the U.S. that can be leveraged to conduct longitudinal outcomes studies for schools and education organizations that will help address stop outs and, ultimately, drive equity in education. I am proud of the Clearinghouse’s mission to democratize access to services and data that can help all educational institutions better address learner needs,” Mr. Hatch said.

He has over 30 years of general management, sales, and business development experience in the nonprofit, marketing services, e-commerce, technology, financial services, telecommunications, and manufacturing industries.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University.

Outside of work, Mr. Hatch enjoys playing golf, traveling, playing the guitar, dancing, and spending time with family and friends.

David G. Payne, Ph.D.

VP, Learner Insights

As Vice President of Learner Insights, it is Dr. Payne’s responsibility to drive the organization’s unification and growth of several products and services into one vertical business division, Learner Insights.

“It is a privilege to work at an organization with a mission that I admire and a talented staff and leadership team that is 100% committed to delivering on that mission. The Clearinghouse plays a vital role in the rapidly evolving education to employment ecosystem and the work that we do positively affects learners, educators, families and communities,” Dr. Payne said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse in May 2023, Dr. Payne served as Senior Strategic Advisor, Solutions at JFF Labs, Jobs for the Future. Prior to that position, he spent several years at Educational Testing Services (ETS), where he served in various roles, from Associate Vice President to Global Higher Education Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He also served as Chairman of ETS Global B.V. and ETS International Holdings Limited. Dr. Payne was a professor, the Psychology Department Chair, Vice Provost, and Graduate Dean at Binghamton University – SUNY in Binghamton, New York.

He has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Purdue University. In addition, he holds a Master of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science, Psychology, both from State University of New York College at Cortland.

Outside of work, Dr. Payne enjoys competitive dragon boat racing, bike riding, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Cameron Watt

VP of Sales, Education Solutions

As the Vice President of Sales for Education Solutions, Mr. Watt works to build and expand relationships with the Clearinghouse’s nationwide customer base. He is also responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive sales and business development strategy to expand the adoption of new education solutions nationwide.

“I joined the Clearinghouse to continue a 25-year history of working with education institutions and learners to help them achieve their personal and organizational goals. As a nonprofit, mission-oriented organization serving a diverse group of stakeholders, the Clearinghouse is an exciting place to come to work every day and I’m grateful to be part of the team,” Mr. Watt said.

Before joining the Clearinghouse, he served as the Education Sales Director-Northeast at Snowflake, a data cloud solution for organizations looking to store, manage, and leverage their data. He previously was the head of State and Local Government-Northeast for Google Cloud and also spent over six years at Amazon Web Services managing the Enterprise higher ed business across the U.S. Additionally, Mr. Watt worked at Microsoft for 10 years in various education-related roles, including East Education Sales Manager (K-20).

Mr. Watt received his B.A. in political science from Alfred University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Doug Shapiro, Ph.D.

VP, Research and Executive Director, Research Center

Dr. Shapiro joined the Clearinghouse in 2010 He focuses on conducting research that serves the public good, helping to advance student success by providing schools, policymakers, support organizations, students, and their advisors with timely data and critical insights on student access, persistence, transfer, and completion. He leads a team tasked with communicating to individuals and communities the ways education is changing, so they can help more students attain their goals.

“There’s no better place to conduct research on student educational pathways. And this work gets more important as higher education becomes more diverse, programs and pathways become more complex, and postsecondary credentials and skills become more critical to the workforce of the future,” Dr. Shapiro said.

Prior to joining the Clearinghouse, he held positions as Director of Institutional Research at The New School and Vice President for Research and Policy Development at the Minnesota Private College Council. He also served on the board of directors of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Dr. Shapiro holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Chicago, a master’s in mathematics from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in education from the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.

Outside the office, Dr. Shapiro likes to read, travel, bicycle, and hike.