Renee Barger

Renee Barger is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development at North Carolina State University. She concurrently serves as a Senior Research Analyst in the Division of Strategy and Policy at the University of North Carolina System Office, where she leads the Strategic Research Program to support evidence-based decision-making. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development from NC State.

Her research focuses on state-level higher education policy, equitable student access, financial aid systems, and transfer student success. Prior to her Ph.D., she worked for nine years in higher education, including roles as a research analyst at NC State and the UNC System Office, and as a prospect management analyst at Northwestern University.

Her work bridges academic research with policy implementation, emphasizing data-driven strategies to improve educational outcomes and institutional effectiveness. She actively contributes to the Higher Education research group at NC State.