Patrick Crane serves as the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.  He first joined the Commission staff in October 2009 as a Research and Planning Analyst.  In 2009 and 2010, Mr. Crane served as Education Policy Advisor to Governor Manchin.  During that time, he assisted in the development of the National Governors Association Chairman’s Initiative, Complete to Compete, which focused on increasing college completion around the country.  Mr. Crane earned his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Wesleyan University, his Master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Oslo, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Higher Education at the University of Georgia.