Who is Trellis Company?

Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation focused on helping people leverage the power of post-secondary education and learning to improve their quality of life and the communities where they live.

Our History

For more than 40 years Trellis has served as a student loan guarantor, helping to provide trusted guidance and services that help student borrowers successfully repay their federal loans. In addition to pioneering several technologies and services along the way, we have invested in improving student success programs through numerous grants to colleges, universities, and research groups. This strong philanthropic heritage, which evolved into the creation of the Trellis Foundation in 2017, enables us to continually support the improvement of student outcomes, especially to underserved students, families, institutions, and the communities where they live.

Today we have expanded our services beyond higher education to include working with employers and community organizations who are focused on aligning the dreams, goals, and skills needs of employees and employers. Connecting these resources and learning pathways together with our expertise in improving student outcomes helps us all to create better and more predictable futures for those we serve.

More About Us

Trellis connects people to education-to-employment pathways that transform their lives.

To develop and advance initiatives that grow individual economic mobility and expand community prosperity.

Do Well by Doing Good: We are mission-first. Improving the quality of life of those we serve is integral to Trellis’ growth and sustainability.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Define Us: We celebrate the inherent value of each individual…in their background, education, life and work experiences, choices, and perspectives. We find strength in our differences.

We Continuously Explore, Experiment, and Innovate: We are curious and investigative, empowered to take calculated risks, open-minded to alternative approaches, and data informed in our decision-making. We are evolutionary and transformative within our company so Trellis can continue to play a pivotal role in transforming lives.

Our Work Gives Us Fulfillment and Purpose: We are passionate about what we do and why we do it.

We Foster a Culture of Trust, Servant Leadership, and Integrity: We build up each other and those with whom we work to bring out the best in all of us. We are guided by a strong cultural compass that is powered through mutual respect, humility, open dialogue, and exemplary ethical standards.

We Succeed Because We Work Together: We are one powerful team with complementary talents and skills…collaborating to achieve remarkable outcomes through high performance and accountability.

Brand promises are important reminders of the company we are striving to be. They also serve as a commitment to our customers that we will always listen to their needs, value their input, and support their success.

We empower potential

Everything we do is guided by a passion of helping customers go farther and achieve more than they could on their own or with another partner.

We focus on our customers’ best interests

Our customers’ needs are always at the forefront. We bring clarity and experience to provide customers with expert guidance to achieve their goals.

We go beyond relationships … to partnerships

We invest additional time to understand our customers and their needs so we can serve as a trusted advocate and extension of their business.

We embrace change as opportunity

We approach our work with an attitude of innovation and adaptability to help customers overcome obstacles and take advantage of opportunities.

We prove ourselves

We have a strong heritage of delivering value and have the wherewithal to continue exceeding our customers’ expectations.

We are always ready

We think ahead and take extra steps to ensure we provide extraordinary support to our customers at all times.

An image of a man and woman holding a laptop and looking at papers.

Leadership Team

  • Debra Chromy, Ed.D. | President & CEO
  • Bryan Ashton | Chief Strategy & Growth Officer
  • Dave Schwanke | Chief Financial Officer
  • Linda Hackleman | Vice President, Human Resources
  • Susan High | Vice President, Operations
  • Chandrika Padaki | Vice President, Information Technology

Board of Directors

  • Mr. Renard Johnson (Chair)
  • Ms. Yvonne Batts (Vice Chair)
  • Dr. Richard M. Rhodes
  • Mr. Ivan A. Andarza
  • Mr. Ed Escudero
  • Ms. Dora Ann Verde
  • Mr. Welcome Wilson, Jr.
An image of a young woman sitting in front of her laptop and talking on her cellphone.