Dr. Amelia Parnell is an accomplished higher education executive and an internationally recognized thought leader regarding current issues and emerging trends in the field. She is a passionate advocate for higher education as a tool for personal advancement and impact, and she seeks opportunities to partner with organizations and individuals who share her sincere commitment to centering students' needs.

In her prior role as vice president for research and policy for NASPA, Dr. Parnell led many of the association's scholarly and advocacy-focused activities and fostered partnerships with college administrators, researchers, grant makers, and other higher education professionals.

As a frequent keynote speaker at national and regional conferences, Amelia presents on topics related to higher education, student affairs, college affordability, student learning outcomes, and institutions' use of data and analytics. She has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and PBS NewsHour.

Amelia recently completed four years of service on the Board of Directors for EDUCAUSE, where she was Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee and the Audit Committee. She is also the past chair of the Higher Education Equity Network (HEEN), a collective impact network representing more than 25 organizations at the forefront of addressing racial equity in higher education.

Amelia enjoys opportunities to teach, and she is energized by making complex concepts easy to understand. She has had enriching engagements with students and peers as an adjunct instructor and lecturer and she is the author of the book, You Are a Data Person, which she wrote to encourage all higher education professionals to discover and embrace their unique data identity.

Amelia holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from Florida A & M University.

Dr. Michael N. Christakis serves as Vice President for Student Affairs.

Christakis was named Vice President for Student Affairs in May 2015. In this position, he leads a team responsible for a broad range of services and programs related to undergraduate student recruitment, enrollment and support; campus programming and planning; assisting in creating a campus culture that promotes the academic achievement and personal development of all students (undergraduate, graduate and professional); supporting crisis response and institutional initiatives; advocating on behalf of students; and fostering collaborative relationships among students, faculty, and staff.

Since his arrival to the University in 1999, Christakis has served in numerous positions in student affairs, having served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs prior to his appointment as Vice President. As a member of the Vice President’s staff since 2007, Christakis developed assessment and evaluation practices; improved the effectiveness of divisional planning, professional development, communications and risk management; and provided oversight to critical campus life areas.

He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Association for Public and Land Grant University’s (APLU) Council on Student Affairs. Previously, Christakis served as Regional Director for NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education Region II, while concurrently serving on NASPA’s Board of Directors. He is the immediate past national president of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, and past national co-chair of NASPA’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community. He currently serves as the president of the Board of Directors for University Auxiliary Services at UAlbany.

A Fellow of the State Academy for Public Administration, he was appointed Public Service Professor in 2013 and teaches undergraduate courses in public policy, public administration and political science for which he was honored with Rockefeller College’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2010 and the UAlbany Student Association’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014.

Christakis holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from Alfred University, and a M.P.P. and Ph.D. from the University at Albany Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

Brigid is a member of Hunton Andrews Kurth's higher education team. She has extensive experience in Title IX, VAWA, ADA, Title VI, Title VII, and athletics compliance, and guides clients through complex issues of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Brigid excels in developing non-discrimination and harassment policies, conducting Title IX investigations, and training university communities on compliance obligations. 

Before entering private practice, Brigid was the Director of Civil Rights at the University of Massachusetts. There, she led a team of investigators and deputy coordinators in implementing comprehensive processes surrounding Title IX policies and sexual and gender-based harassment and ensured such policies, investigations, and trainings were in compliance with federal and state law. She also served as an Investigator at Harvard University's Office of Dispute Resolution. Prior to her work in higher education, Brigid was an Assistant District Attorney in New York City.

Omar is a seasoned higher education professional with over 20 years of experience working at various colleges and universities. As a subject matter expert in student conduct, hazing prevention, and Title VI compliance, Omar brings extensive knowledge and strategic insight to navigating complex campus issues. In addition to expertise in student conduct and Title VI, Omar has significant experience providing support and technical guidance on Title IX and Clery Act compliance. Omar earned a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Northeastern University.

Martha Compton is a Regional Director of Client Relations and Engagement at Grand River Solutions. Martha has over 20 years of experience in higher education, specifically investigating and resolving student conduct, sexual misconduct, and interpersonal violence matters. Martha is a nationally recognized expert in student conduct and has held leadership positions within the Association for Student Conduct Administration, including President. Martha has trained thousands of individuals across the country on program and policy development as well as conducting investigations, hearings, and informal resolutions.

Kristen Shahverdian is the senior program manager of free expression and education at PEN America, developing campus engagements and public events related to free expression and education. After a decade in dance and choreography, she began researching best practices for participatory art projects and how to teach art that depicts violence and traumatic events. She previously served as a project manager for the Philadelphia Folklore Project, and facilitated workshops on trauma and art at the College Art Association and Dance Studies Association. She is also a writer and editor at the online dance journal thINKingDANCE.

Before joining PEN America, she was a senior lecturer at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and previously was an adjunct professor at Rowan University and Temple University. She received her BA in history and dance from Hamilton College, her MFA in dance from Temple University, and her MA in socially engaged art from Moore College of Art & Design.

Neal Hutchens is a University Research Professor and faculty member in the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky. His research centers on topics dealing with the intersections of higher education law, policy and practice, with much of his scholarship centered on issues of free speech and academic freedom. Among his publications, Neal is on the author team for the seventh edition of The Law of Higher Education: Essentials for Legal and Administrative Practice, a leading treatise on higher education law. Alongside his academic writings, he has written for publications that include The Conversation, The Hechinger Report, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed. He is regularly asked to comment on stories involving legal issues in higher education, including for The New York Times, USA Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed. Neal earned his Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Maryland and his J.D. from the University of Alabama School of Law.

Michelle N. Deutchman is the executive director of the University California (UC) National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Formed by the UC Office of the President, the Center explores how the fundamental democratic and academic principles of free speech and civic engagement should enrich the discovery and transmission of knowledge in America’s colleges and universities. In this role, Deutchman oversees a multidisciplinary national fellowship program and works across all 10 UC campuses to study and shape national discourse about free speech. Before joining the Center, Deutchman served as the Western States Civil Rights Counsel and National Campus Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organization that has been a leader in combating bigotry, prejudice, and anti-Semitism for over a century. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Law Center and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.

Dr. Kerrie Montgomery Orozco boasts a 25-year career in higher education, specializing in international education, student programming, strategic planning, leadership, and teaching. She's held progressively responsible roles in academic advising, study abroad, and campus life at various institutions. Kerrie is also an accomplished writer, with publications in the peer-reviewed Journal of International Students. 

Kerrie has been an active member of NASPA for more than 20 years. She has held a number of volunteer leadership roles and currently serves as Professional Development Chair for the Global Division, Membership & Engagement Chair for the Mid-Level Administrators Steering Committee, and NASPA-FL Conference Chair. She is a past Chair for the International Symposium, and remains active on the planning committee for the 2024 International Symposium.

Kerrie holds a BA in Classical Studies, dual Masters degrees from the University of Florida in Art History and Higher Education, and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Denver.

Omneya Badr, an educator and student affairs professional, gained a culturally diverse experience studying, teaching, and working in Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, UK and the USA. Omneya is a longtime NASPA volunteer. She was the director of MENASA NASPA area 2022-2024, the 2021 and 2022 MENASA Conference chair, member of NASPA's International Symposium Committee and the International Education Knowledge Community (IEKC). She is a frequent presenter at NASPA conferences and her research interests are culturally based Academic Advising, supporting First-generation students, FYE, and cross-cultural communication. She holds an MBA from the University of Bath – UK, a Certificate of Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operation from the Academy of Arts, California - USA, and a BA in Management from the American University in Cairo - Egypt. She recently acquired a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida - USA. As an educator, Omneya enjoys giving back to the profession and is interested in creating professional development opportunities and encouraging Student Affairs Professionals to research and share knowledge among counterparts around the world.

Dr. Janelle Rahyns serves as the senior director for global impact at NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. She supports the association's international initiatives such as NASPA's Global Division, the MENASA Advisory Board, the MENASA NASPA Conference, the Global Summit on Student Affairs and Services, the International Symposium, the International Exchange Program, and assists in the support of the Latin America and the Caribbean Advisory Board. Prior to joining NASPA, Janelle served as the Assistant Dean at Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and the Resident Director at the University of California Los Angeles. Her research interests focus on African American college students, comparative study abroad experiences, international student affairs, and race and ethnicity in study abroad. Janelle holds a Ph.D. in Social Science & Comparative Education with a concentration in International & Comparative Education from the University of California Los Angeles, an M.Ed in Student Personnel in Higher Education and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Dr. Kerrie Montgomery Orozco boasts a 25-year career in higher education, specializing in international education, student programming, strategic planning, leadership, and teaching. She's held progressively responsible roles in academic advising, study abroad, and campus life at various institutions. Kerrie is also an accomplished writer, with publications in the peer-reviewed Journal of International Students. 

Kerrie has been an active member of NASPA for more than 20 years. She has held a number of volunteer leadership roles and currently serves as Professional Development Chair for the Global Division, Membership & Engagement Chair for the Mid-Level Administrators Steering Committee, and NASPA-FL Conference Chair. She is a past Chair for the International Symposium, and remains active on the planning committee for the 2024 International Symposium.

Kerrie holds a BA in Classical Studies, dual Masters degrees from the University of Florida in Art History and Higher Education, and a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Denver.

Omneya Badr, an educator and student affairs professional, gained a culturally diverse experience studying, teaching, and working in Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, UK and the USA. Omneya is a longtime NASPA volunteer. She was the director of MENASA NASPA area 2022-2024, the 2021 and 2022 MENASA Conference chair, member of NASPA's International Symposium Committee and the International Education Knowledge Community (IEKC). She is a frequent presenter at NASPA conferences and her research interests are culturally based Academic Advising, supporting First-generation students, FYE, and cross-cultural communication. She holds an MBA from the University of Bath – UK, a Certificate of Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operation from the Academy of Arts, California - USA, and a BA in Management from the American University in Cairo - Egypt. She recently acquired a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida - USA. As an educator, Omneya enjoys giving back to the profession and is interested in creating professional development opportunities and encouraging Student Affairs Professionals to research and share knowledge among counterparts around the world.

Dr. Janelle Rahyns serves as the senior director for global impact at NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. She supports the association's international initiatives such as NASPA's Global Division, the MENASA Advisory Board, the MENASA NASPA Conference, the Global Summit on Student Affairs and Services, the International Symposium, the International Exchange Program, and assists in the support of the Latin America and the Caribbean Advisory Board. Prior to joining NASPA, Janelle served as the Assistant Dean at Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and the Resident Director at the University of California Los Angeles. Her research interests focus on African American college students, comparative study abroad experiences, international student affairs, and race and ethnicity in study abroad. Janelle holds a Ph.D. in Social Science & Comparative Education with a concentration in International & Comparative Education from the University of California Los Angeles, an M.Ed in Student Personnel in Higher Education and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Sylvia Rangel van Breda Vriesman, M.A. LMFT, is a licensed Marriage, Couple, and Family therapist, who specializes in the treatment of co-occurring disorders, who serves as the Assistant Director of Student Services / Student Counselor at Washington State University Tri-Cities since July 2020. She is passionate about social justice, advocating for student mental health, peer education, mindfulness, and using the Cultural Context Model in her clinical work. When not at work, she loves spending time at her house, gardening, cooking, and enjoying spa/movie nights with her family. Her goal is to continue working with the collegiate population and pursue a doctorate in Psychology.

Laura Sanchez has dedicated over 20 years to the higher education and non-profit sectors in central and eastern Washington State. As a proud first-gen Chicana, Laura maintains a steadfast commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice within her work that includes roles within admissions, career services, alumni relations and diversity and inclusion at both state public and private liberal arts institutions. Currently, Laura serves as the Director of Student Services at Washington State University Tri-Cities, where she oversees multiple departments critical to student success.