Kathy Oren

Background

About Kathy Oren

Kathy Oren is a longtime leader in the Columbus community. She is currently the President and CEO of the Community Education Coalition (CEC), a not-for-profit organization working in partnership with education, business, and community stakeholders focused on aligning and integrating the community learning system, economic development, and quality of life. Kathy has spent the last decade working in Columbus and southeast Indiana on cross-sector, collaborative partnerships focused on aligning the region's education system with the needs of local employers in the Columbus community. She and the Education Coalition support initiatives in early learning, K12 education, postsecondary, and adult education. The Community Education Coalition advances equity in all its work, paying special attention to racial and income inequality, to ensure that each person thrives educationally, financially, and civically. Key initiatives of the CEC include student success and employment strategies on the AirPark Columbus College Campus, Targeted Equity Strategies (TuFuturo-Latino Education and Outreach, Black & Biracial Youth Initiatives, Early Learning Coalition) and CivicLab – an Institute for Civic Collaboration. The CEC manages two facilities on the AirPark Columbus College Campus: the Columbus Learning Center and the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AMCE). Kathy is a Trustee for Ivy Tech Community College Columbus, and currently serves on the Indiana University Columbus Board of Advisors, Columbus Area Economic Growth Council, Columbus Regional Health's Healthy Communities Council, Greater Columbus Economic Development Corp Board of Directors, and Heritage Fund Community Foundation Board of Directors. Prior to working at the CEC, Kathy worked for Cummins Inc. for twenty-two years. Kathy held a variety of roles during her career with Cummins in the areas of Aftermarket Distribution, Manufacturing and Marketing and Sales. Originally from Crown Point, Indiana, Kathy received her BS degree from Purdue University in Industrial Engineering and an MBA from Indiana University. She and her husband Dan have three sons, a daughter in law and two granddaughters. Kathy likes to travel and enjoys the outdoors, including mountain biking, hiking, windsurfing and other water sports. Kathy enjoys reading and playing piano to unwind. https://airparkcollegecampus.org/