Jill Desjean is the Director of Policy Analysis at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. In her role, Jill manages the policy analysis team, interprets federal student aid legislation and regulations for NASFAA’s members, works with NASFAA’s members to develop policy recommendations, and provides feedback to policymakers on legislative and regulatory proposals. Prior to joining NASFAA in 2016, Jill enjoyed a 20-year career in financial aid administration, having held roles in the financial aid offices at Tufts University School of Medicine, MIT, Brandeis University, and the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, as well as The New School in New York City. Jill joined NASFAA in 2016 and is based in the Washington, D.C. area. 

Dr. Scott Sheehan currently serves as the director of Advising and Career Communities at the Greene Center for Career Education and Connection at the University of Rochester. He is a proud alumnus of SUNY Plattsburgh, where he received a BA in History and Political Science and an MS in Student Affairs and Higher Education. Scott received his Ed.D. from the University of Rochester in Higher Education Administration. His professional interests include student well-being, the intersection of public policy and student success, and career and workforce development.  

Scott is passionate about higher education public policy and educating others about the implications of federal and state policy development and implementation.  He is the current Director of the Public Policy Division (PPD) at NASPA and is the youngest member of the NASPA Board of Directors in the history of the organization.  Through the PPD Scott has helped create and facilitate educational opportunities for NASPA members.  These educational opportunities include panel discussions among leading thought experts in campus free speech and expression, consideration of race in the admissions process, and Title IX regulations.  During the 2024 NASPA Annual Conference, Scott led the team that created the first Public Policy Division Case Study Competition.           

Darryl Holloman, Ph.D., has served Spelman College as the vice president for student affairs since 2018. Dr. Holloman supports a student life agenda that promotes every Spelman student's growth, development, and academic success. He oversees program development, financial management and personnel administration for all student development functions, including the Office of the Dean of Students, Housing and Residence Life, Counseling Services and Student Access Center, Student Health Services and Campus Wellness, Student Life and Engagement and Student Judicial processes.

Having worked in higher education for over 27 years, Dr. Holloman has an expansive portfolio that includes experiences in student affairs practice, higher education governance, and faculty life. Dr. Holloman has served on the Rutgers University-Newark, University of Arkansas-Little Rock, Columbus State University, Georgia State University and Spelman College faculty.  He has presented at various regional, national, and international conferences.

An Atlanta native, Dr. Holloman earned three degrees from Georgia State: a doctorate in educational policy studies, a master's degree in human resource development, and a bachelor's degree in English, with a concentration in creative writing.

Dr. Holloman has several articles and book chapters to his credit.  His research examines how an individual's cultural identities and distinctions shape educational settings. He is the coeditor of the book From Boyhood to Manhood: Deconstructing Black Masculinity through a Life Span Continuum through Peter Lang Press. He is working on an autobiography of the noted scholar and activist C. Eric Lincoln, entitled In Search of Camelot: The Life and Scholarship of C.[Charles] Eric Lincoln, 1924-2000 through Mercer University Press.

In 2023,  Dr. Hollowman was named a 2023 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Pillar of the Profession. "I am deeply and humbly honored to be chosen as a 2023 NASPA Pillar of the Profession. The culmination of my nearly 30 years of work in higher education, which includes my amazing journey at Spelman College, has contributed to this esteemed recognition," said Dr. Holloman. "As I always tell my team, Good Works Stand, so let that motto be your guide!"

Dr. Jhenai Chandler serves as the vice president of research and policy for Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA). Prior to this role, Chandler was senior director of college completion policy for The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). At TICAS, Chandler oversaw the direction and implementation of the organization’s college completion advocacy, research, and policy strategy. Fueled by a commitment to increasing college completion rates through enhanced institutional capacity, she worked at state and federal levels to promote effective policies, as well as with industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and advocates, to amplify key messages of equity and research.

Prior to joining TICAS, Chandler served as associate director for postsecondary transitions at Education Strategy Group. In this role, she collaborated with state and regional policymakers to enhance policies and practices related to advising, early postsecondary opportunities, and mathematics pathways. She led business and strategy development on college and career advising to address the holistic needs of all students. As inaugural director for the Florida-Caribbean Louis Stokes Regional Center of Excellence (a collaboration with the University of the Virgin Islands and Santa Fe College) from 2019 through May 2021, Chandler conducted quantitative and qualitative research and data analysis to determine the correlation of student and faculty growth mindset interventions with student success in STEM classrooms. Dr. Chandler began her career in Student Affairs, starting as an academic advisor at Tallahassee Community College. She later held multiple roles in both academic and student affairs within the Florida College System and the State University System. As a first-generation college graduate and former parenting student, Dr. Chandler is deeply committed to improving college access and providing support systems that foster the success of diverse student groups. 

Chandler holds an A.A. from Florida A&M University, a B.S. in food and nutrition sciences from Florida State University, an M.S. in leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a Ph.D. in higher education policy from Florida State University.

Ronjonette O'Bannon, Ph.D., LCSW, is currently the Dean of Strategic Initiatives at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. Previously, she served as the Director of Counseling at Spelman College and Assistant Professor at the University of North Alabama MSW program, overseeing the development of clinical course benchmarks focused on culturally informed trauma interventions and anti-oppressive approaches for review and approval by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission on Accreditation (COA).

Dr. O'Bannon is dedicated to supporting the well-being of ethnically and culturally diverse communities, particularly black women. Her work involves research, programmatic initiatives, and innovative strategies for informing physical and mental health interventions and policies. She holds a Ph.D. in social work from Smith College, an MSW from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a BSW from Buffalo State College. She also received a postgraduate certificate in Trauma-Informed Organizations from SUNY Buffalo. Dr. O'Bannon operates a private practice offering online psychotherapy to women who have experienced workplace trauma, interpersonal trauma, and related symptoms of depression, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. Dr. O'Bannon is also a reviewer for the Journal of Social Science Research. Her professional experience and research interests include destigmatizing mental health care and help-seeking for women of color, as well as the interplay between childhood maltreatment and adult revictimization, and well-being in higher education, with emphasis on students and staff members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Dr. Adena Williams Loston possesses more than 40 years of professional leadership experience including spearheading a national agenda for education, engaging communities in addressing economic development issues, and providing organizational and institutional leadership towards workforce readiness and academic preparation. Dr. Loston serves as the 14th President of St. Philip's College, our nation’s dually-designated Historically Black College and Hispanic Serving Institution. She serves as the Chief Executive Officer responsible for providing overall strategic leadership and management oversight, developing collaborative partnerships, implementing a performance budgeting model, implementing district priorities, and establishing and maintaining institutional effectiveness measures with an operating budget of over $80 Million, plus $100 Million in grant and DOE funds; over 17,000 students, 4 Early College High Schools, 12 P-Tech High Schools, a Veterans Outreach and Transition Center, 3 military installations, and over 800 full and part-time employees. St. Philip’s College was named among the Best Community Colleges in Texas in 2023, named among the Most Promising Place to Work in 2021, 2022 and 2024; and named #4 on the Top Best HBCUs in Texas in 2022.

Dr. Loston has provided leadership service in the academy and in the federal government. Previously, she served as the Chief Education Officer for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at its Headquarters in Washington, DC, and as Director of Education and Special Assistant for Suborbital and Special Orbital Projects Directorate for the Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility. Academically she has served as President of San Jacinto College South; Executive Dean of Valle Verde Campus and Transmountain Campus in the El Paso County Community College District; Dean of Professional Programs and Dean of Vocational Education, Budgets and Facilities at Santa Monica College in California; Associate Professor at Georgia State University; and instructor and supervisor at Houston Community College. She has also taught as an adjunct instructor at Texas Southern University and University of Houston-Downtown.

Dr. Loston received her bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University 1973 and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Bowling Green State University 1974 and 1979. She attended the Leadership Journey at Wharton Business School 2005 and received certificates from the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard in 1996 and the Oxford Round Table at Oxford University in 2001. She received an honorary Doctorate of Science Degree from Wiley University in 2005.

In 2023, Dr. Loston was appointed to the White House Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans. She is a three-time appointee by U.S. Secretaries of Education to the HBCU Capital Finance Advisory Committee under the Bush and Obama administrations, a member of the National Strada HBCU Advisory Council, an Advisory Trustee for the Southwest Research Institute, and a member of the Presidents’ Round Table,  Quality Texas Foundation Board of Directors, KLRN Endowment Fund Board of Trustees, and the Alamo Collegiate Network Board. Dr. Loston is a Life Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Alcorn State University National Alumni Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Some of her awards and recognitions include being a member of the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, and being named One of The Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2021. In 2024 she received the Pinnacle Award for Leadership Excellence, the Legend Award, The Trailblazer Award, and The Executive Leadership Award.  

She is the mother of one son, Gilbert Williams Loston, III and grandmother to Valentina Adena Loston!

Dr. Steve D. Mobley, Jr.’s scholarship focuses on the contemporary placement of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Particularly, his research underscores the understudied facets of HBCU communities including issues surrounding race, social class, and student sexuality. He earned his B.A. in Communication & Culture from Howard University. Upon graduating from Howard, he completed his Master’s in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Maryland.

Dr. Michael Butcher is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA), as well as the Founder and President of the Center for Artificial Intelligence. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education, Dr. Butcher is a national leader in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive organizational and educational innovation. His expertise lies in integrating advanced technologies to enhance efficiency, communication, engagement, and assessment across various industries.

Dr. Butcher holds a Bachelor’s in Information Technology, a Master’s in Public Administration, a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and a Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence Business Innovation. This interdisciplinary academic background provides a solid foundation for his deep understanding of AI and its practical applications in higher education.

Nationally recognized for his thought leadership, Dr. Butcher has delivered keynote addresses at EDUCAUSE, the Georgia Council of Human Resources (GCHR), and the Southern Association of Colleges and Employers (SoACE). He has also presented on AI ethics, accessibility, and its transformative impact on higher education at regional and national conferences, including NASPA. Most recently, he developed CCGA’s inaugural course, “Artificial Intelligence and Business Innovation,” preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Jessica Henault, MS (she/her) serves as NASPA’s program coordinator for the Culture of Respect Collective. Prior to joining NASPA, Jessica served as Kansas State University’s first violence prevention specialist, where she worked to develop and employ a university-wide violence prevention plan. Jessica is passionate about improving college campuses’ safety and well-being, earning her master’s degree in Counseling and Student Development with an emphasis in Administration. She is a current doctoral student in the Applied Family Science program at Kansas State, centering her research on prevention sciences.

Maria Dykema Erb, M.Ed. is the Inaugural Executive Director of the Boston University Newbury Center which was established to foster the holistic development and success of first-generation undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Maria has over three decades of higher education experience having worked at the University of Vermont, Elon University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and currently at Boston University. She has worked in a broad range of areas including Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; student recruitment/admissions, enrollment management, academic advising, retention, and outreach; academic dean’s office and graduate/professional school program administration; and student affairs/life.

As a proud first-generation college graduate, Maria holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire and Master of Education degree from The University of Vermont (UVM). She is past president of the FirstGen Forward – Forward Thinkers group.

Maria has shared her scholarship through numerous presentations and book chapters. She has chapters in: Know That You Are Worthy: Experiences from First-Generation College Graduates; A Handbook for Supporting Today’s Graduate Students; A Practitioner’s Guide to Supporting Graduate and Professional Students; and Fostering First Gen Success and Inclusion: A Guide for Law Schools (in press).

Rashné R. Jehangir, PhD. is a learner, a scholar- practitioner and equal opportunity educator. She holds degrees from Lawrence University and two graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota where she is Professor of Higher Education and the Beck Chair of Ideas in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. She is also the founding Director of the First Gen Institute and was recently named the Inaugural Dean of Education Opportunity Programs at her college. She is the inaugural co-editor of the Journal of First-generation Student Success. 

She spent the first decade of her career in student affairs and has strong roots in the federally funded TRIO SSS and McNair Scholars Programs which provided fertile ground for key questions in her research inquiry. Her research focuses on equity and access with specific attention to structural constraints in the academy that impact the experience of poor and working class, refugee and immigrant students, and students of color many of whom are first in their family to go to college and graduate school. Her focus on access and persistence include attention to belonging, pedagogy, and curriculum that is affirming and humanizing, and provides opportunities for career preparation and avenues to enter graduate school and student affairs.

Her scholarship is featured in several journals including Journal of College Student Development, Innovative Higher Education, Urban Education and the Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education Her book Higher Education and First-Generation College Students: Cultivating Community, Voice and Place for the New Majority was published by Palgrave Macmillan.

Dr. Jessica Oyler is the Vice President for Student Access and Success and works with enrollment and student success areas. She's passionate about ensuring that everyone at Weber has the opportunity to be successful, and three of her kiddos attend or have graduated from Weber. Her bachelor's was in agricultural education, but she eventually got her doctorate in higher education administration, which goes to show the breadth of opportunities you have with your degree!

Heather Chapman is the Senior Director for Data & Analytics at Weber State University (WSU). She can read a spreadsheet, scatterplot, or line chart and loves finding ways to make complicated data problems easy for everyone to understand. She has a passion for creating visualizations that tell a good story to people who are afraid of or uncomfortable with all that data. Her team is responsible for providing operational reports, creating visualizations that explore student success, and predictive modeling at WSU. Heather is also responsible for teaching visualization best practices across her institution and for helping with the integration of new data sources into WSU’s data warehouse. Prior to joining WSU, Heather earned a Ph.D. in Experimental and Applied Psychological Sciences, with an emphasis in statistics from Utah State University. 

Dr. Eric Scott serves as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of New Mexico. Prior to his current role, Dr. Scott held leadership positions at Boise State University and the University of Alaska Southeast. He has spent his career in service to students prioritizing the infusion of equity-minded and research-informed practices to support student success, with emphasis on practices that improve both outcomes and lived experiences for students with historically minoritized identities. Dr. Scott holds a doctorate in education from Oregon State University with research focused on how intersections between race, gender, and rurality with a focus on Alaska Native students, manifest in postsecondary outcomes for students from remote-rural Alaska. Dr. Scott also holds a bachelor of arts and a master of education from the University of South Carolina. As a proud first-generation college graduate and strong believer in the community mission of public postsecondary education, he believes that together we can build a stronger and more just society.

Nasha has been the Dean of Students at the University of New Mexico since 2016, with deep roots in northern New Mexico. As a two-time alum of UNM, she has a personal connection to the programs she now oversees, and credits these very programs for contributing to her success as an undergraduate. After earning her Bachelor’s in Business Administration, she advocated for students with disabilities in Southern California, ensuring full inclusion and access to mental health services, particularly for Spanish-speaking, Native American, and rural communities. Nasha then returned to New Mexico, where she earned her Juris Doctorate from UNM School of Law, specializing in education law and civil rights. With over ten years of legal practice, before becoming the Dean, her expertise covers critical areas like student grievances, academic appeals, due process, freedom of expression, Title IX, and disability rights. In addition to her deep legal knowledge, Nasha is a leader in conflict resolution, mediation, and crisis intervention, skills that make her an invaluable asset to students and staff alike.