Diana Ali is currently the director of policy research and advocacy at NASPA. Diana analyzes emerging policy issues at state and federal levels, creates tools for student affairs professionals to understand and respond to these issues, and organizes and supports NASPA advocacy and civic engagement efforts. Since moving to the area, Diana has been a non-profit advocate and is currently a mental health group facilitator in the Chicagoland community. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer for two years and graduated with a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Ke’Ana Bradley is the Director of Justice, Equity Diversity and Inclusion, and Early Career Initiatives for NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Ke’Ana’s role with NASPA involves contributing to ongoing association efforts related to equity and social justice through programming and research as well as coordination of programming for early career students and professionals such as Careers in Student Affairs Month, the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows and Graduate Associate Programs, and the New Professionals and Graduate Student Steering Committee. Ke'Ana brings 17 years of varied experience in higher education. Prior to joining the NASPA staff, Ke'Ana's roles included Director of Student Life at Mountain View College, International Student Advisor at Lynn University, Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Services and Programs at the University of Notre Dame, and Coordinator of Student Activities and Multicultural Student Affairs at both Southern Methodist University and Texas Woman's University. Ke'Ana holds a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington, a master’s degree in Counseling from Southern Methodist University, a master's degree in Communications from The University of the Incarnate Word, and a bachelor’s degree in Communication from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Ke'Ana is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (TX). Ke'Ana lives in the Dallas area with her husband and their two kiddos. 

Born in Harlem, New York and raised by a single parent in the South Bronx, Dr. Salvador Mena is a graduate of the New York City public school system, and was the first in his family to attend college. Leaving New York City to attend the University of Maine proved to be a transformative experience that inspired him to pursue a career in higher education and reaffirmed his commitment to issues of inclusion and social justice.

After joining Rutgers in August of 2014 as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Mena was elevated to the role of Senior Associate Vice Chancellor in 2017, and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs in 2018. As Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, he managed the day-to-day operations of the Division of Student Affairs and helped provide leadership for the 25 offices and departments that make up the division. Specifically, he supervised the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement, and departments of Dining Services, Residence Life, Student Centers and Activities, and Cultural Centers.

With a robust professional history of serving students in various administrative roles at both public and private colleges and universities, Dr. Mena has held positions at the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Maryland–College Park, Goucher College, Brown University, Illinois State University, and the University of Maine.

Professionally, Dr. Mena has also been involved with a number of higher education professional organizations, including NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. He served a two-year appointment on the ACPA/NASPA Joint Task Force on the Future of Student Affairs and served as the inaugural co-chair of NASPA’s Latinx/a/o Knowledge Community. He also served as a faculty member and organizer of NASPA’s inaugural New Professionals Institute and served on the 2017 NASPA Annual Conference Planning Committee. He currently serves an editorial reviewer for the NASPA Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP) and was recently recognized as a Pillar of the Profession by NASPA. Dr. Mena is a regular presenter at national conferences and has published in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice and contributed a book chapter in Cultural Centers in Higher Education: Perspectives on Identity, Theory, and Practice, Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. He’s also served as a consultant to institutions on organizational change and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Master’s of Education in Student Development and Higher Education Administration from the University of Maine, he received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, and International Education Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Mena’s dissertation study titled – The New South: A Case Analysis of Latino Students Attending a Historically Black University in North Carolina – focused on understanding the growing phenomena of Latinos enrolling at HBCUs in the South.

Lauren Parish is a Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of ADELLA Counseling & Wellness, PLLC located in Houston, Texas. Lauren believes that everyone deserves a cathartic space where they feel safe, valued, and seen. She is passionate about mental health advocacy, recognizing that mental health services are a privilege that should be experienced by all who are in need.

Inspired by the inclusive, warm, and selfless environment provided by her grandmother and mother, Lauren decided to pursue a career in social services and education. Her experiences include protective services casework, education equity and access, college and career counseling, and mental health therapy. Her extensive background in education combined with her dedication to mental health advocacy, uniquely positions her to address the challenges and provide valuable insights into supporting DEI initiatives in the face of political adversity.

Lauren received her bachelor degree from the University of New Orleans and her master’s and doctorate degrees from Prairie View A&M University.

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. 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.           

D’Najah Pendergrass Thomas (She/Her) is a practitioner whose work is centered around organizational behavior with a focus on recruitment, professional development, and career advancement. Committed to helping organizations and communities bring about transformational change in these areas, she currently serves as director of The Placement Exchange (TPE) - a partnership of ACUHO-I and NASPA, in collaboration with NACA, NODA, ASCA, and AFA. 

Monica Nixon serves as Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Previously, she held diversity, equity, and inclusion and student affairs roles at Saint Joseph’s University, Seattle University, Colgate University, the University of Puget Sound, and the University of Virginia, for which she currently serves on the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Fund alumni board.

Monica received her Master of Arts in Counselor Education and her B.A. in English in 1995 from the University of Virginia. She earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Washington, where her dissertation focused on the positionality and agency of women of color chief diversity officers in higher education institutions. Monica co-authored a chapter in the 2012 NASPA-published book Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Higher Education and has served actively with NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, ACPA – College Student Educators International, and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.