About Us
Transforming Higher Education through Research and Analysis
The HEA Group is a higher education research and policy organization dedicated to improving transparency, accountability, and economic mobility across American postsecondary education.
Our work — translating complex data into accessible research, interactive tools, and actionable policy recommendations — empowers students, institutions, policymakers, employers, and partners to make better-informed decisions about higher education.
Our Team
Michael Itzkowitz
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
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With over 15 years of experience in federal education policy, Michael Itzkowitz has held senior roles inside and outside of government. His work and expertise are often cited by national news outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and NBC.
Prior to founding the HEA Group, Michael worked as a Presidential Appointee in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Education, where he served as the Director of the Administration's College Scorecard, the largest release of higher education data ever by the Federal government. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education, where he helped oversee the office's policy and administrative functions, including more than 180 employees across three divisions that disburse approximately $2.5 billion in grants and set policy for nearly $120 billion in Federal student aid every year.
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Olivia Oestreicher
PROJECT MANAGER & COMMS. SPECIALIST
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Olivia joined The HEA Group in January 2026 as a Graduate Student Fellow, where she focused on improving The HEA Group’s digital communications strategy. Her professional experience spans admissions, public policy, government relations, strategic communications, development, and student engagement through roles at FGS Global, Tremont Strategies Group, Product Stewardship Institute, the Massachusetts House of Representatives, National Consumer Law Center, Northeastern University, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education Office of Admissions & Financial Aid.
She earned her Master of Education (Ed.M.) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2026, where her studies focused on higher education leadership and governance, public trust in higher education, institutional strategy, and improving student experiences and outcomes. She received her B.S. in Political Science and Communication Studies from Northeastern University in 2025, graduating summa cum laude and as a member of the Huntington 100.
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David Zannou joins the HEA Group as a Research & Data Analyst, bringing expertise in data analytics, visualization, and technology solutions. Drawing on his degree in Information Science from the University of Maryland and hands-on experience with tools like Excel, SQL, and Power BI, David will expand our capacity for large-scale data analysis, interactive data visualization, and cross-platform systems work. His contributions help make higher education outcomes data more accessible and actionable for policymakers, institutional leaders, and the public.
Outside of academics and professional work, David enjoys fitness, automotive culture, trading, and exploring emerging technologies. David is passionate about using data and technology to improve transparency, accessibility, and decision-making across industries.
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RESEARCH & DATA ANALYST
David Zannou
Harvard Graduate School Fellows
Rachel Brown
DATA VISUALIZATION FELLOW
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From Danville, Virginia, Rachel Brown spent the last several years in the Washington, DC area as an education consultant at EAB, where she partnered with higher education executives to help them navigate emerging trends and policies shaping the higher education landscape. Previously, she worked in student-facing advising roles, an experience that continues to ground her research approach. Rachel holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from William & Mary, as well as an Ed.S. in higher education administration from George Washington University. She is now a returning student in the Ed.M. in Education Policy and Analysis (EPA) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Outside of work, she enjoys walking her beagle, reading poetry and fiction, and watching college basketball.
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Jessie Lickstein
WEBSITE & USER EXPERIENCE FELLOW
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From South Florida, Jessie Lickstein earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is currently pursuing an Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship (ELOE) program, with a concentration in Identity, Power, and Justice in Education. In 2023, Jessie founded Education+, an organization dedicated to promoting educational equity and access in K-12 schools, serving over 100 students for free in its first two years of programming. She is deeply passionate about expanding educational opportunities for students from under-resourced communities, bridging the gap between research and action. Her future plans include becoming an active disruptor in unjust education systems: uplifting underrepresented communities in the conversation, building bridges, and creating more equitable pathways to opportunity.
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DATA ANALYSIS FELLOW
Neil Sharma
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From North Carolina, Neil specializes in mixed-methods program evaluation research, studying how to expand higher education access across age and socioeconomic circumstances. A former college dropout, he spent almost a decade in food services before returning to higher education in 2021 through the affordability of the community college pathway. Since then, he has worked to expand similar opportunities so others can achieve the same academic mobility, regardless of background. In 2024, he co-founded the Transfer Lounge, a hub for UNC Chapel Hill students to build social and professional connections, and founded the Education Symmetry Project, a now 50-member nonprofit improving college access through research, programming, and peer mentorship. He has also researched pandemic-era learning loss interventions and the impacts of AI in education with nonprofits and state governments. Neil holds bachelor's degrees in Public Policy and Political Science and a Master's in Public Policy from UNC, and is now pursuing a second master's in the Ed.M. in Education Policy and Analysis (EPA) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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