THEC’s Amanda Klafehn Honored with SHEEO National Excellence Award

Media Contact
Jessie Greene
Jessie.Greene@tn.gov
615-519-7730
Press Release  
 

NASHVILLE, TN – July 16, 2025 – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) is proud to announce that Amanda Klafehn, Chief Strategy Officer at THEC, has been named the recipient of the 2025 David L. Wright Memorial Award by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).

Named in honor of former THEC colleague and national higher education leader David Wright, this prestigious award recognizes SHEEO agency staff who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to public service, ethical leadership, and meaningful contributions to higher education policy. Klafehn is honored for her outstanding service to THEC, the state of Tennessee, and the national higher education community.

With nearly a decade of service at THEC, Klafehn has led transformative efforts in policy development, data modernization, and fiscal strategy. She currently oversees the agency’s Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Research, including Tennessee’s Outcomes-Based Funding Formula, which directs approximately $1.7 billion annually to public institutions. Under her leadership, THEC has advanced a statewide data strategy that emphasizes transparency, evidence-based policymaking, and improved student outcomes

Among her recent accomplishments:

• Spearheading Tennessee’s Higher Education Master Plan, setting a strategic vision for the next decade.
• Launching the state’s inaugural college-going report to address enrollment declines post-pandemic.
• Initiating the agency’s first formal data governance program and partnerships with  national research institutions.
• Improving the use of financial aid data for better student and policy outcomes through  TN DATA, the state’s longitudinal data  system.

“I’m incredibly proud that Amanda Klafehn has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the SHEEO David L. Wright Memorial Award,” said Dr. Steven Gentile, Executive Director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “From her first day at THEC, Amanda has brought extraordinary care and focus to our mission of advancing opportunities for students, supporting institutions, and strengthening the promise of higher education for all Tennesseans. While this award honors staff from any SHEEO agency, it’s especially meaningful to see someone I trust and respect so deeply carry forward the legacy of David Wright—my former supervisor, colleague, and friend. Tennessee has struck gold once again.”

Jonathon Attridge, Chief Evaluation Officer at Tennessee’s Office of Evidence and Impact, added: “Amanda Klafehn is one of those rare leaders who not only sees what’s possible but actually brings it to life. Her vision for using data and evidence to strengthen higher education in Tennessee is bold and inspiring—but what truly sets her apart is her ability to make things happen and bring people along with her. She’s collaborative, strategic, and deeply committed to the work. Amanda is incredibly deserving of the David Wright Memorial Award, and I can’t think of anyone better to carry forward his legacy of using data to drive meaningful change.”

Klafehn’s award recognizes not only her technical expertise and policy leadership but also her integrity, humility, and ability to inspire trust and collaboration across sectors. Her work continues to shape a stronger, more student-centered higher education system in Tennessee.

To learn more about SHEEO and the Excellence Awards, visit https://sheeo.org/membership/sheeo-awards.

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The Tennessee Higher Education Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly. The Commission develops, implements, evaluates postsecondary education policies and programs in Tennessee while coordinating the state’s systems of higher education, and is relentlessly focused on increasing the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary credential.