Submitter:

Name:Owen Ambur

Email:Owen.Ambur@verizon.net

Organization:

Name:Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council

Acronym:PESC

Description:
PESC exists because organizations need data standards to operate in today’s national and international markets. In serving the public and its members, PESC is an objective, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization overseeing the data specification process that creates a trusted, open and collaborative environment ensuring neutrality and a common meeting place. PESC is the only data standards-setting body in higher education that identifies higher education as it primary target audience. PESC membership spans all sectors and stakeholders of education from colleges and universities; to data, software and service providers; to commercial and non-profit organizations; to state and federal government agencies, and; other higher education associations.

Stakeholder(s):

• Michael Sessa: Michael serves as president and chief executive officer of PESC - the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council, a non-profit 501(c)(3), community-based, umbrella association of colleges and universities; college and university systems; professional and commercial organizations; data, software and service providers; non-profit organizations and associations; and state and federal government agencies. As Executive Director, a position he's held since joining PESC in October of 2002, he promotes the organization and its mission nationally and internationally. Prior to PESC, Michael worked 10 years at American Student Assistance (ASA) as Director of Program Relations and Planning managing industry and government affairs and strategic technological initiatives. Under ASA and representing the National Association of Student Loan Administrators (NASLA), Michael served on the PESC Board of Directors from 1999 through 2002. He started his career in 1990 at The Boston Five Cents Savings Bank in retail consumer lending and compliance. Michael is a 1989 graduate of Dartmouth College and was born and raised in Revere, Massachusetts, just north of Boston. He currently resides in Washington DC where PESC is headquartered.


• Jennifer Kim: Jennifer Kim joined the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council in June of 2005. Jennifer serves as the director of membership services and the coordinator of programs at PESC. She acts as a liaison to PESC member contacts, maintaining day-to-day relations and communications with the membership. Jennifer also works to identify and initiate contact with organizations that are engaged in similar endeavors as PESC, or that have an interest in seeing standards implemented within the higher education community. In addition, Jennifer is responsible for organizing and coordinating all operational issues related to PESC's Annual Fall and Spring Summits. Jennifer received her undergraduate degree from George Mason University and currently resides in Vienna, Virginia.


• Institutions of Higher Education: With membership from all leading stakeholders in higher education, PESC was designated as the umbrella organization to coordinate and advocate for standardization and interoperability across higher education. We boldly accepted that mission and have worked diligently to establish a proven record of success and achievement. We now elevate the mission to the next level.


• Colleges


• Universities


• Data Providers


• Software Providers


• Service Providers


• Commercial Organizations


• Non-Profit Organizations


• State Government Agencies


• Federal Government Agencies


• Higher Education Associations


• Standards Forum for Education: On August 4, 2000, the PESC Board of Directors founded the Standards Forum for Education. XML development and applications were emerging in all industries, but PESC had identified an absence of any single organization responsible for developing XML business standards for the postsecondary community. The community embraced the Standards Forum for Education and together worked to develop and produce the first PESC approved standard, the XML Postsecondary Transcript, in July of 2004. Numerous development efforts have since taken place within the Standards Forum for Education and more and more are being proposed from within the community.