Ariel Norris, Ph.D., serves as Senior Partnership Director. She leads and supports College Advising Corps programs and special projects in three states and works in collaboration with colleagues who lead programs in the Southeastern Region. Ariel identifies and maintains a network of high-impact partners (including higher education leaders, investors, and government officials) critical to the maintenance, sustainability, and success of our university programs in Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Before joining CAC in her current role, Ariel served for two years as an adviser with College Advising Corps at the University of North Carolina. Most recently, Ariel directed a signature retention program at Georgia State University that assisted academically at-risk students with their transition into college. She also led innovative efforts to increase the retention, progression, and graduation rates of students at the university.

Ariel received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has an M.Ed. in Counselor Education from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from North Carolina State University. Ariel enjoys exercising, writing, and spending time with friends and family, and is based out of Atlanta, Georgia.