by Catherine Hofmann, Senior Vice President, Government & Public Relations
Over the years, one thing has remained clear: the best ideas usually don’t start behind a desk or in a meeting room. They show up through real conversations, honest feedback, and listening closely to the people doing the work every day.
That simple idea—listen first, build together—is what sits at the heart of ACT’s Partner Councils.
Across K–12, higher education, workforce, and test preparation, ACT’s councils bring together influential leaders who all care about the same thing: helping learners succeed, no matter where they are in their journey. These partners don’t just provide feedback, they roll up their sleeves with us. They help shape ACT’s strategy, push back when needed, and keep us grounded in what’s actually happening on the ground.
And in a time of rapid change across education and workforce readiness, those relationships matter more than ever. I believe everything rises and falls on relationships.
More than advice: partners in the work
ACT initiated these councils for three important reasons:
First, they help shape our strategic direction. Council members bring real-world experience and hard-earned insight that directly inform ACT’s long-term priorities and initiatives. Their perspectives help us see what’s coming, understand what’s changing, and make better calls about where we focus our time and energy.
Second, they strengthen cross-sector partnerships. Education and workforce systems don’t operate in silos—and neither can we. By convening leaders across sectors, ACT’s councils foster collaboration that leads to stronger ideas, shared solutions, and impact no single organization could create alone.
Third, they help ensure relevance and responsiveness. The needs of learners, educators, institutions, and employers are constantly evolving. Our councils help keep ACT’s programs and services aligned to those realities, so what we build today doesn’t fall behind tomorrow.
Together, these councils provide something incredibly powerful: a mix of strategic vision, expert guidance, and on-the-ground insight that keeps ACT innovative, relevant, and deeply connected to the communities we serve.
Designed to actually make a difference
ACT’s Partner Councils are intentionally designed to reflect the breadth of our ecosystem and the complexity of the challenges we’re trying to solve.
From the higher education and state advisory councils to workforce, test prep, regional, and district testing advisory groups, each council brings a distinct lens and set of experiences. And by supporting councils such as peer review groups, youth and adult councils, employer-focused workforce councils, and national advisory committees, we bring even more lived experience and practical insight into the conversation.
Importantly, this isn’t a disconnected collection of voices. ACT team members who facilitate partner councils are aligned through shared oversight and regular strategy conversations, so insights don’t get stuck in one room—they move across ACT and show up in real decisions.
The result is a collaborative model that doesn’t just gather input; it turns insight into action.
From a personal perspective, this work has been a powerful reminder of how much there is to learn when we truly listen. Every council conversation stretches my thinking and deepens my understanding of what learners, educators, and employers are navigating every day. I’m genuinely grateful for the time, candor, and expertise our partners share with us. Their willingness to show up, speak honestly, and engage deeply helps us grow together—and ultimately helps us better serve students at every stage of their journey.
Why it matters
At ACT, our mission has always been about helping people achieve education and workplace success. That mission doesn’t change—but how we deliver on it has to keep evolving with the world around us.
Our partner councils help make that possible. They ask hard questions. They challenge our thinking. And they help ensure ACT remains not just a service provider, but a trusted industry ally—one that listens first, collaborates openly, and leads with purpose.
This work isn’t always easy. Collaboration takes time. Alignment takes effort. But it’s worth it—because when we build alongside our partners, we build solutions that last and actually work in the real world.
And that’s how we keep moving forward together: informed by experience, strengthened by partnership, and grounded in a shared commitment to learners everywhere.
