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Bob Obrohta

Executive Director

Bob Obrohta is an expert in college access and success for first-generation/low-income students. His 35-year career spans being a practitioner for thousands of students directly, as well as designing numerous scholarships and access programs for colleges, organizations, and communities across the country.

Bob began in college admissions and financial aid at Beloit College (WI) and ran Beloit’s TRIO Upward Bound program. In Tennessee, his career spans leading the Ayers Foundation Scholars Program, and founding both Oasis College Connection (Nashville), and the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. His commitment to access has helped bring numerous federal, state, and corporate resources to Tennessee communities.

A low-income/first-gen student himself, Bob is a recipient of the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Executive Leadership Award of Excellence. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of St. Francis (IL) and is the recipient of its College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni award. He has a master’s degree in Higher and Adult Continuing Education from Columbia University, Teachers College (NYC).

(615) 427-9720
bobrohta@tncollegeaccess.org

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Wendy Blackmore

Director of Operations

With nearly 20 years experience in college access and success, Wendy has worked with programs such as The Kresge Foundation’s CoPro2.0, JP Morgan’s New Skills Ready Grant, Ed Trust TN’s Thrive initiative, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), the College Access Challenge Grant, KnowHow2Go and Race to the Top. Wendy earned a master's degree in public relations and advertising from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's degree in communication from Mississippi State University.

wblackmore@tncollegeaccess.org

Andrew Hunt

Strategic Initiatives Manager

Andrew has more than six years of experience working in higher education in Tennessee. He holds a master’s degree in human rights from the University of Vienna. His graduate thesis examined Tennessee’s financial aid programs through the lens of international human rights law, with a focus on the human right to education. Andrew also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in corporate management from Lipscomb University. Prior to joining the TN College Access and Success Network, Andrew worked on the Adult Learner Initiatives team at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

ahunt@tncollegeaccess.org