Nithya Govindasamy

Mrs. Nithya Govindasamy serves as Senior Director of Policy at Advance CTE and leads and manages key organization-wide, highly visible initiatives focused on increasing and promoting equitable access to high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) for all learners. She provides technical assistance and coaching support to states in career pathways, workforce development, industry partnerships, and equity initiatives that are aligned to the CTE Without Limits vision and principles.

Prior to joining Advance CTE, Nithya was the Director of Workplace Learning for P-TECH and Early College Programs (a CTE program) at Dallas Independent School District (ISD), where she was responsible for the design and implementation of workplace learning programming and activities districtwide. She established partnerships with industry to prepare students and equip them with the skills and social capital needed to access in-demand careers.

Before joining Dallas ISD, Nithya was the Dean of the Work Program at Paul Quinn College, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) located in southern Dallas, where she implemented the Urban Work College program model that integrated paid internships, pre-professional work experience and skill development as part of their academic degree for first-generation, minority college students.

Prior to relocating to Dallas, Nithya was the Assistant Deputy Chancellor of Higher Education & Workforce Initiatives at the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). During her tenure at ODHE, she served on the Governor’s Workforce Transformation team and helped design and implement innovative workforce education programs to address employer critical skill needs in collaboration with the University System of Ohio.

Nithya completed higher education in Columbus, Ohio, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pre-law/Political from Capital University and a Master of Science in Marketing and Communications from Franklin University.