Debbie Cochrane is the Bureau Chief of California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, which authorizes and registers approximately 1,000 private institutions operating in California. The Bureau is home to the state Office of Student Assistance and Relief which provides support to past, current, and prospective students of private colleges and universities. 

Cochrane serves on the board of the National Association of State Administrators & Supervisors of Private Schools and has represented state higher education authorizing agencies in the federal rulemaking efforts. Cochrane is an appointed member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, a federally authorized committee responsible for providing recommendations to the U.S. Department of Education in its oversight of accrediting agencies that monitor the academic quality of postsecondary institutions and programs. She is also an inaugural Governing Board member of California’s Cradle-to-Career system, a statewide data system to help students reach their goals and deliver information on education and workforce outcomes.

Prior to her appointment as Bureau Chief, Cochrane was the executive vice president of The Institute for College Access & Success, a nonprofit organization focused on pursuing student-centered public policies that promote affordability, accountability, and equity in higher education. Her career includes service in research, direct service, and management roles within a variety of nonprofit settings. Cochrane holds an MSW with a focus on social policy from San Francisco State University and a BA from the University of Michigan.