The Board of Directors of the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) has appointed Jan W. Friis, Jr., JD as executive director, effective July 13, 2026.
Friis brings more than two decades of distinguished leadership in higher education accreditation, federal policy and organizational governance. His appointment reflects the Board’s commitment to strengthening CNME as the recognized accrediting agency for naturopathic medical education programs in the United States and Canada while advancing the organization’s strategic priorities.
A nationally respected leader in accreditation, Friis previously served for more than 20 years as senior vice president for government affairs at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In that role, he represented CHEA before the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and other federal agencies, contributing to national policy discussions on accreditation, quality assurance, institutional accountability and higher education governance.
Throughout his career, Friis participated in multiple rounds of federal negotiated rulemaking related to accreditation, as a resource to non-federal negotiators, contributed to accreditation provisions within the Higher Education Act, and authored numerous publications on accreditation policy and quality assurance. Prior to joining CHEA, he served in senior congressional leadership positions, including chief of staff to two members of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a licensed attorney and earned his Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law.
“The Board identified Jan as the leader whose experience most closely aligns with the work before our organization,” said Dr. Ben Connolly, president of the CNME Board of Directors. “His deep understanding of higher education accreditation, federal policy and organizational governance will help guide CNME as we implement important strategic initiatives, strengthen our accreditation processes, and continue serving accredited programs, students, and the public with excellence and integrity. We are excited to welcome Jan to CNME and look forward to working together in this next chapter.”
Friis joins CNME at an important point in the organization’s evolution. Working closely with the Board of Directors, he will lead the implementation of CNME’s strategic plan, including advancing the organization’s compliance priorities while continuing to strengthen its accreditation processes, governance, and organizational capacity. His experience in higher education accreditation and federal policy will help position CNME for continued success while reinforcing its commitment to quality, accountability and continuous improvement, according to CNME.
“I am honored to join the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education and to work alongside the Board of Directors, accredited institutions, and the broader naturopathic medical education community,” said Friis. “Independent accreditation plays a vital role in assuring educational quality and public confidence. I look forward to building on CNME’s strong foundation while supporting continuous improvement and the long-term success of naturopathic medical education.”
The Board views this appointment as an important investment in CNME’s future and in the continued advancement of naturopathic medical education throughout the United States and Canada. Under Friis’s leadership, CNME said that it will continue to uphold rigorous, independent accreditation while strengthening the governance, policies, and processes that support accredited programs, protect students and serve the public interest.
For more information, visit www.cnme.org.
