Dr. Brenda Dann-Messier is the Former Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the United States Department of Education. Dr. Dann-Messier has worked her entire career to expand education and workforce opportunities for low income youth and adults, with a primary emphasis on adult education, career and technical education, correctional education, and supporting community colleges. Dann-Messier was the Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education (2009-2014) and also served as Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Post-Secondary Education (2013-2014) in the United States Department of Education.

Previously, Dann-Messier served as the president of Dorcas Place Adult & Family Learning Center in Providence, R.I., which provides educational and workforce services, college preparatory classes and family literacy programs for low income adults and disconnected youth. She also served on the RI Board of Governors for Higher Education.

Currently Dann-Messier works for the Institute for Public Research in Arlington VA., is a faculty member in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at Johnson and Wales University and is an Education and Workforce Consultant. She is a member of the board of the National Skills Coalition, the Institute for Educational Leadership, College and Community Fellowship and a Trustee of Johnson and Wales University.