Bridgett Strickler

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT BRIDGETT STRICKLER

Hello, I’m Bridgett Strickler.I help institutions, employers, nonprofits and leaders design systems that don’t ask adult learners to be superheroes just to survive.In adult learning, I call this meaning-making- helping people interpret struggle accurately- see their experience as an asset, and - stay oriented to their goals through disruption, return, and reinvention.Most adult learners aren’t lacking motivation.They’re navigating systems, life, and identity shifts- education systems built for someone else- high stakes with little margin for error- work, family, and identity shifts happening all at once- the quiet fear that they don’t belongMy work helps organizations- replace deficit narratives with dignity and visibility- build community as infrastructure- design pathways that honor prior learning and lived experience- turn comeback stories into insight for better policy and practiceI’m a nationally recognized adult learner champion and storyteller.I helped launch and scale adult learner engagement campaigns across 11 states in the U.S. connecting tens of thousands of adults to education and workforce pathways aligned with their goals.In November 2025, I delivered a TEDxWomen talk in New York City:“If You’re Going Back to School, Community May Be the Medicine.”Through my storytelling work, I surface the barriers, breakthroughs, and turning points that shape educational comebacks while helping leaders see who adult learners really are, and what systems actually demand of them.I have my own consultancy, and I currently serve as Senior Partner, Adult Learner Engagement & Impact at the Center for Academic Innovation, a national nonprofit focused on reimagining how institutions serve today’s learners.Previously, I was Vice President of Coalition Strategy at CAEL, where I led national employer–education partnerships in energy and telecommunications, advancing scalable strategies for economic mobility.Before that, I served as Chief Strategy Officer at The Graduate! Network, co-creating employer engagement models that reached businesses and workers nationwide.I hold an MBA and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching.I’m available for:• keynote speaking• storytelling workshops• strategic advisingTopics include:• adult learner comeback stories• employer–education partnerships• attracting and retaining adult learners• storytelling for advocacy and stakeholder engagementIf you believe community-building is strategy and not some soft buzzword, we’re probably already aligned.