Kacey Thorne is the Senior Director of Skills Architecture at Western Governors University. Kacey operates at the intersection of higher education and the future of work, where she is responsible for establishing a network of open skills that are aligned to workforce needs. To accomplish this transformative work at scale, Kacey has established an emergent ecosystem of partnerships, tools, and technologies that continues to evolve. Kacey is passionate about the urgent call to action for higher education to better meet the needs of students and employers. She is deeply invested in student success and creating higher education systems that support access, equity, and upward mobility.