Biography

Michelle Appel is the Assistant Vice President and Chief Data Officer at the University of Maryland, leading the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment (IRPA). Her unit provides essential information about the University for the purposes of decision-making, policy analysis, strategic planning, mandated reporting and academic program review. IRPA provides guidance and support for assessment and enables campus users to effectively leverage campus data, as well as responds to the institutional reporting needs of the university administration, academic colleges, campus community, University System of Maryland, state and federal government, and non-governmental, non-profit organizations that support higher education research. Ms. Appel has over 25 years of experience in higher education and has been the President of the state, regional, and international professional associations for Institutional Research. She is the recipient of the Association for Institutional Research Outstanding Service Award as well as distinguished service awards from both the Maryland and Northeast Association for Institutional Research; additionally, she was the inaugural recipient of the University of Maryland's Sharon A. La Voy Data Impact Award.