Daniel T. Cocchiola

Dan Cocchiola is an innovative and skillful program designer at the crossroads of high-quality K12 student outcomes and workforce development needs. Dan builds relationships and systems to leverage higher education dual enrollment opportunities culminating in college certificates and/or degrees for high school students that increase readiness for, and access to, high-paying/high-skill careers and/or further higher education opportunities. Before coming to EdAdvance Dan was the districtwide administrator of both the CTE and School Counseling Departments for Hamden Public Schools, where he was also the Founding Director of the Hamden Engineering Careers Academy.

Dan led various district-wide initiatives, sat on both district and school-based leadership teams, and worked closely with both elected, appointed, and community-based officials. Under his direction, Hamden saw an exponential growth of students engaged in Dual Enrollment across all content areas. In addition to the Engineering Academy, structured programs that included intensive Work Based Learning also flourished in education, early childhood education, and culinary arts under his leadership. Earlier in his career in education, Dan was a Career Planning Specialist and then a School Counselor at Bristol Central HS, and following that he was the School Counseling Director at Wolcott HS. Dan is a proud UConn alum and resides here in our region. He is thrilled with the incredible team of professionals surrounding him at EdAdvance generally and with CCA specifically. He is excited to engage in the work of creating the availability of extraordinary outcomes for all students.