​​Carissa Gaine is the associate director of community engagement for ACE Connect at the American Council on Education (ACE). Gaine joined ACE in 2023 and brings over 20 years of experience in leadership development, event management, and membership. Prior to her tenure with ACE, Gaine served as an associate, senior specialist, and specialist at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and in those roles was dedicated to membership, onboarding, leadership development, and governance. Prior to ACC, Gaine focused on sales and consulting at Clarke Consulting in Washington, DC. She has continued to find joy in celebrating and growing others throughout her career.

Gaine is local to the Washington metropolitan area, and she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rollins College in Florida.