Dr. Shaun McAlmont has spent more than 30 years doing what few leaders can: turning learning, talent and technology into scalable engines of economic mobility. That work culminates in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services, known as CHESS, where he is building a modern backbone for education and workforce development.

His mission took root early. Working at both Brigham Young University and Stanford University, Dr. McAlmont saw firsthand how outdated systems and inefficient processes limited access, affordability and student success. That exposure shaped a career-long commitment to using technology, scale and disciplined operating models to expand opportunity while improving outcomes.

Over three decades he became one of the country’s leading operators in education and human capital development. As Chief Executive Officer of Lincoln Educational Services, he led a national workforce training enterprise spanning automotive, healthcare and skilled trades. As President of Career Learning at Stride, he launched and scaled virtual, career-focused platforms that grew into a substantial revenue engine. As Chief Executive Officer of NINJIO, he delivered behavior-based cybersecurity training to millions of working adults globally, proving that digital learning could change behavior at scale.

Across public and private companies, Dr. McAlmont has repeatedly taken fragmented, underperforming education systems and transformed them into digitally enabled platforms that grow and deliver measurable results. He is not an academic theorist but an operator, someone who understands that modern organizations win by continuously developing talent through the right platforms, incentives and leadership systems. His Titan 100 Honoree recognition reflects that rare combination.

His individual distinctions run deep. Dr. McAlmont is the author of “Career Readiness,” a book that has helped shape how educators, employers and policymakers think about preparing people for modern careers, and he is a sought-after speaker at national conferences. He earned an Ivy League doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, receiving a rare dual distinction for both his dissertation and its defense.

Before his business career, he was an NCAA champion and team captain at Brigham Young University who later represented Canada internationally in track and field, experiences that forged a lifelong commitment to discipline and performance. His impact on people has been honored through the establishment of the McAlmont employee leadership award at Lincoln Educational Services.

At CHESS, that philosophy now powers a shared-services model letting six community colleges operate like a single modern enterprise, lowering cost, improving outcomes and expanding access to high-value careers across an entire state. The organization provides shared services and enterprise-level technology to higher education institutions, freeing colleges to spend less time fighting systems and more time serving students.

Ahead lies an expansive ambition: to grow CHESS into one of the most advanced shared-services platforms in higher education, extending beyond community colleges to universities, workforce agencies and public partners, and building a national model for how states modernize education at scale. Dr. McAlmont’s approach never wavers from a simple discipline: Set a clear goal, align the team and deliver results that speak for themselves.

Editorial Note: This profile reflects information submitted by the honoree at the time of their Titan 100 recognition in August 2026. Professional roles and affiliations may have changed since publication.