Granetta Blevins
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATIONAbout Granetta Blevins
Granetta B. Blevins, age 66, has served on APEI’s Board since June 2020 and is an independent director designated as the Audit Committee financial expert; she chairs the Audit Committee and serves on the Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG) Committee . She is an experienced finance executive and independent consultant with deep expertise in financial management, planning and analysis, strategy execution, and governance, including prior CFO roles across education technology and nonprofit organizations . The Board affirms her independence under Nasdaq rules; APEI’s board is majority independent and all committees are fully independent .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern New Hampshire University (LRNG) | Chief of Staff, LRNG | Oct 2018 – Sep 2019 | Managed strategy, budget, and resources for LRNG platform |
| Collective Shift (LRNG creator; nonprofit social enterprise) | Chief Financial Officer; Chief of Staff | Jan 2015 – Oct 2018 (acquired by SNHU Oct 2018) | Finance leadership; platform creation; strategy execution |
| Education Design Studio | Chief Financial Officer | Dec 2012 – Dec 2019 | Fund investor/business incubator finance leadership for edtech startups |
| GlassLab, Inc. (nonprofit) | Chief Financial Officer | May 2014 – Dec 2016 | Built digital games for learning/assessment; finance oversight |
| Various public and private companies (pre-2000) | Senior finance & corporate planning positions | Prior to 2000 | Senior-level finance roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown College (Georgetown, KY) | Board of Trustees | Current | Chairs Finance Committee; Executive Committee member |
| CHI Saint Joseph Health (CommonSpirit Health) | Board of Directors | Current | Chairs Audit & Compliance Committee; Credentials Committee member |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; NCG Committee member; designated Audit Committee financial expert .
- Independence: Independent under Nasdaq; board majority independent; all committees 100% independent .
- Board/committee activity: Board met 8 times in 2024; all current directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings on which they served; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Leadership structure: Independent Board Chair (as of March 2025); independent directors hold at least two executive sessions per year .
- Risk oversight: Audit Committee has primary ERM oversight; NCG oversees ESG risks; MDC oversees human capital and compensation risk .
- Overboarding controls: Non-employee directors limited to four public company boards; audit committee service limited to three; all directors in compliance .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Policy | 2024 Blevins Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $70,000 | $82,365 (fees earned/paid in cash) |
| Committee chair retainer (Audit) | $15,000 | Included in cash totals |
| NCG/Audit membership fee | No additional member fee disclosed | N/A |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Notes: Annual retainers payable quarterly; directors may elect to receive retainers in common stock valued at the first business day of the year .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | 2024 Policy | 2024 Blevins Grant/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity grant | $80,000 restricted stock (RSUs) | Stock awards grant-date fair value $79,997; grant price $18.39 per share; 4,350 unvested shares as of 12/31/24 |
| Vesting schedule | Earlier of one-year from grant or immediately prior to next Annual Meeting | As per policy; unvested stock awards outstanding 4,350 |
| Options | Company indicates no director options outstanding at 12/31/24 | None |
2025 adjustments: Non-employee director retainer increased to $80,000; Board Chair retainer to $80,000; annual equity grant increased to $110,000 effective 1/1/2025 .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Institution | Public/Private | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown College | Private (nonprofit academic) | Trustee; Finance Chair; Exec Committee | None disclosed with APEI counterparties |
| CHI Saint Joseph Health (CommonSpirit Health) | Private (nonprofit health system) | Director; Audit & Compliance Chair; Credentials | None disclosed with APEI counterparties |
- Compensation Committee interlocks: Blevins is not on APEI’s MDC Committee; no interlocks disclosed .
- Related party transactions: None since beginning of 2024; prior consent policy administered by Audit Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive experience in financial management, FP&A, strategic planning, and governance across for-profit and nonprofit sectors; education industry and technology domain expertise .
- Designated Audit Committee financial expert under SEC rules; able to read and understand fundamental financial statements .
- Risk management and ESG oversight experience via committee roles .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 54,193 |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | ~0.30% (54,193 / 18,036,421 outstanding as of 3/27/2025) |
| Unvested director stock awards (12/31/2024) | 4,350 |
| Options exercisable/unexercisable | None |
| Stock ownership guidelines (directors) | 3x annual base retainer; compliance assessed annually |
| Compliance status | All continuing directors were in compliance as of 12/31/2024 |
| Hedging/derivative transactions | Prohibited for directors, officers, employees |
| Pledging/margin policy | Prohibited for directors and officers |
| Section 16(a) filing status | No delinquent filings disclosed for Blevins (late filings noted for Pianko and Braner) |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Blevins strengthens oversight as Audit Chair and SEC-designated financial expert; the Board enhanced ERM oversight by moving enterprise risk management under Audit in Dec 2024, aligning with her remit .
- Independence and attendance: Independent status confirmed; all directors met at least the 75% attendance threshold and attended the 2024 Annual Meeting, supporting engagement and effectiveness .
- Alignment: Director equity grants and stock ownership guidelines (3x retainer) with compliance confirmed as of year-end 2024 promote skin-in-the-game; hedging and pledging prohibitions mitigate misalignment risks .
- Compensation structure: Mix of cash and time-based equity; no options outstanding; 2025 increases calibrated after external benchmarking indicated below-median pay levels, not indicative of pay inflation but market alignment .
- Shareholder signals: 2024 say-on-pay support at 92% suggests investor endorsement of compensation governance; MDC uses an independent consultant (WTW) and robust peer/survey processes .
- Conflicts and red flags: No related-party transactions; pledging/hedging prohibited; no individual late Section 16 filings for Blevins; committee interlocks not present; overboarding limits maintained and in compliance .
Overall, Blevins’ audit leadership, financial expertise, and policy compliance are positives for investor confidence. No material conflicts or governance red flags are disclosed; equity ownership and guideline compliance support alignment with shareholders .