Speakers
Corinne Smith
Deputy Director of College Access Partnerships (CAP) and Director of GEAR UP
Appalachian State University
Corinne Smith serves as Deputy Director of College Access Partnerships (CAP) and Director of GEAR UP at Appalachian State University. At Appalachian, Corinne previously served as coordinator of academic initiatives, where she was instrumental in growing the university’s Residential Learning Community programs to help bridge the gap between the in- and out-of-classroom experience for Appalachian students. She is published in various scholarly journals, most notably for her research on the impact of early college campus visits.
In her time with GEAR UP and CAP, Ms. Smith has played a pivotal role in growing the CAP portfolio of programs with over $90 million in new funding received in the last 5 years. Through her leadership, the groundbreaking GEAR UP Guarantee program was established in 2020 and was named the 2025 National GEAR UP Professional of the Year.
Ms. Smith is a 2016 graduate of the North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program and has served as co-coordinator of the state-wide program in partnership with the Public School Forum of NC since 2018. She holds a B.S. in physical education from Missouri State University and a M.S. in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech University. She lives in Blowing Rock, NC with her middle school-aged son, where they enjoy exploring the beautiful mountains surrounding them and hosting families in their home from all over the world in their successful Airbnb business.
Dr. Carrie Hodge
Director of Data Analysis
Complete College America
Dr. Carrie Hodge brings more than a decade of experience in higher education and data analysis to her role as Director of Data Analysis at Complete College America. In this position, she leads efforts to strengthen institutional capacity for data-informed decision making, helping colleges and universities measure what matters most for student success.
Before joining Complete College America, Dr. Hodge served as Senior Associate for Data and Advanced Analytics at Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education, where she developed and maintained statewide data systems and authored analytical briefs to inform policy and practice. Her career also includes work as a Program Evaluation Specialist with the Center for Analytics and Research in Education at Appalachian State University and as an intern with the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships.
Dr. Hodge’s foundation in higher education was shaped by more than ten years at community colleges across North and South Carolina, where she taught developmental English and composition courses and coordinated Writing Centers. Her experiences in the classroom fueled her commitment to equity and inspired her transition into data analysis, recognizing the power of data to amplify student voices—especially those from historically marginalized communities.
A native of the Carolinas, Dr. Hodge earned her B.A. and M.A. in English from Clemson University and her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Appalachian State University.