Rachel R. Watkins Schoenig, J.D., is CEO of Cornerstone Strategies, LLC (“Cornerstone”), a boutique association of professionals dedicated to serving the credentialing, education, and ed-tech industries. Cornerstone clients include high stakes healthcare, education, licensure and credentialing programs.

Rachel has supported ed-tech and testing programs with development of new products, go-to-market strategies, new AI tools and governance, and development of new forensics capabilities. She has led hundreds of investigations and designed defensible processes and models for incident response. Rachel recently served as Chief Science Officer for an innovative ed-tech platform and currently supports Duolingo as a member of their Test Security Advisory Board. Prior to founding Cornerstone in 2016, Rachel was Head of Test Security for ACT, Inc. where she leveraged her legal, international, and testing experience to improve exam security. Rachel has led development of new data forensics, redesigned security frameworks, developed an industry-leading program to deter impersonation testing, and designed innovative applications for use on personal devices, including a highly-rated facial recognition app.

Rachel is co-author of A Primer on Generative AI in Assessment and has hosted several AI workshops for credentialing and assessment programs. Additional publications include co-authoring a whitepaper on Compliant EU-US Data Transfers, co-chair of the ATP-NCTA Online Observation of Tests Standards and Best Practices, and co-author of the exam security chapter in the ATP-International Testing Commission Guidelines for Technology Based Assessments, the ATP-NCTA Proctoring Best Practices, a chapter in The Handbook on Test Security, and the ATP Workforce Credentialing Survey Report and Framework.

An active industry supporter, Rachel is a current member of the Board for the Council on Test Security and an executive committee member for the Conference on Test Security, a Board member for the Credential Integrity Action Alliance, an officer for the Association of Test Publisher’s Test Security Committee and a member of the I.C.E. Advisory Panel for the Future of Credentialing Summit. She has also served as a past member of the Board of Trustees for ATP, as the ATP Innovations Conference Chair and Program Chair, chair of the Workforce Skills Credentialing Division, and chair of the Workforce Subcommittee for Security and Privacy. She has delivered many keynote presentations at conferences across the United States and has presented internationally. Rachel is a grateful two-time recipient of the President’s Award for the National College Testing Association for her contributions to the industry.

Rachel is admitted to practice law in several jurisdictions. Before joining ACT, she led the legal department for Bandag, Incorporated, a publicly-traded company engaged in international franchising and manufacturing, where she oversaw and provided advice concerning mergers and acquisitions, compliance, litigation, and intellectual property matters, and later served as a corporate officer of Bridgestone-Bandag, LLC. She earned her J.D. summa cum laude from Drake University Law School and B.A. from St. Ambrose University.

Rachel is passionate about the assessment industry and the positive impact we can have on individual lives and communities. She considers it a privilege to serve others on their educational and career journeys.