As the Director of Innovation and Impact on the Quality Coaching team, Victoria Dunn manages work addressing scalable solutions for quality education-to-career coaching, especially technology-enabled or publicly available solutions. She also supports overall grant making and management across the team's portfolio including post-secondary education, transition coaching, and state-level supports. Victoria joined Strada in 2024. Previously, she led work in several national college access and success organizations, such as the Posse Foundation, Bottom Line, and KIPP Foundation. 

Dr. Melissa Irvin serves as Senior Associate Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for the Academic Success Center, First-Year Experience & University Pathways unit and Advising & Technology Initiatives, guiding initiatives that promote academic excellence, coordinated care, and proactive interventions. She previously served as Assistant Dean for Academic Support and Outreach at the University of South Florida, where she oversaw Academic Advocacy, High-Impact Practices & Undergraduate Research, and advising technology & analytics. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at Tennessee Technological University, advancing enrollment management and student success initiatives that achieved record retention gains. Most recently in the Division of Student Success at UT Knoxville, she led the Division’s adoption of Salesforce Student Success Hub and the development of the University Exploratory Pathways initiative for first-time-in-college students admitted with test scores below historical benchmarks.

Dr. Kayla Devora-Jones is the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs at Coastal Bend College, a rural Hispanic-Serving Institution in South Texas. A first-generation college student herself, she has spent more than 20 years working in education to create coherent pathways for first-generation, rural, and Latinx students. She holds an doctorate degree in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University, fellow of the Latinos for Education Advanced Leadership Fellowship (ALLF), a NASPA Advising Success Network mentor, and the creator of Mi Camino — a bilingual, AI-powered navigator designed to support first-generation Latinx students through the high school-to-college transition. Her work sits at the intersection of user-centered design, access, and innovation in student success.

Amie Tryon has served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Salish Kootenai College since June 2025, following an interim appointment to the position.  During her 31 years with the College, she has served as an Upward Bound Instructor, Department Chair / Faculty of Liberal Arts, Director of Academic Success, and Director of Institutional Effectiveness.  Her experience as staff, faculty, institutional researcher, and now administrator, provide for a multi-perspective approach in leading student success work.  Through these various roles, Amie has led, and continues to lead, campus student support and success initiatives in conjunction with American Indian College Fund, Achieving the Dream, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and the Urban Institute in an effort to strengthen sustainable student supports; grow integrated campus collaborations; develop student centric procedures and policies; and build data capacity within campus programs and departments.

David Ford, Ed.D., is Vice President of Quality Coaching at Strada Education Foundation, where he leads efforts to translate the Principles for Quality Education-to-Career Guidance into scalable, statewide practice. He also supports the Quality Coaching team’s efforts to advance human-centered, AI-enabled, technology approaches and solutions for scaling through the use of career navigation platforms. A first-generation college student who began his career as a school counselor, Dr. Ford has spent nearly three decades supporting systems and learners navigating critical transitions from education to meaningful work. Most recently, he served as Bureau Chief at the Iowa Department of Education and Executive Director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission, overseeing the state’s college access, affordability, and attainment initiatives. A recognized leader in the field, Dr. Ford specializes in aligning K–12, higher education, and workforce systems to ensure that personalized guidance and career navigation become universal drivers of economic mobility.

As Strada’s senior vice president, quality coaching, Craig Robinson leads efforts to ensure all students have access to education-to-employment guidance that helps them reflect on their talents and interests, choose a career goal, map pathways through education, and successfully navigate challenges. Robinson’s work focuses on developing systems that support coaching that is timely and responsive to students’ talents and interests as well as labor market needs.
Before joining Strada in 2024, Robinson served as president and chief executive officer of Matriculate, a national tech-enabled virtual advising program that connects high-achieving, low-income college juniors and seniors to highly trained undergraduate advisors. Robinson previously served as CEO at College Possible, a college access and completion program that matches eligible students with near-peer coaches and a curriculum designed to help them navigate and overcome common barriers to success in education after high school.

Elise Newkirk-Kotfila serves as the assistant vice president for strategy and partnerships at NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Her work focuses on student success research and partnerships, and she leads the Advising Success Network, a dynamic network of national organizations partnering to engage institutions in holistic advising redesign to advance success for all students, including Black, Latinx/a/o, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander students and poverty-affected students. The network provides technical assistance and resources to guide colleges and universities through advising redesign initiatives and has supported over 267 institutions in 30 states. Prior to her work at NASPA, Elise served as the director of applied learning for the State University of New York (SUNY), where she led SUNY’s 64 campuses through an applied learning initiative which culminated in providing at least one high-quality experiential learning opportunity to 460,000 students. Elise has served on national advisory councils and boards, including on the executive board for the Society for Experiential Education. Elise holds a master’s degree from the University at Albany where she studied Women’s Studies and Public Policy with a research concentration on community-university partnerships and a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from The College of Saint Rose.

Creston Lynch, Ph.D. serves as Assistant Vice President for University Life at George Mason University, Virginia's largest and most diverse public university, where he leads division-wide initiatives, oversees student retention and success programs, and supports implementation of the university's strategic plan. He has held senior leadership roles at Southern Methodist University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Western Kentucky University, and Clemson University, building coalitions, strengthening campus climate, and advancing the student experience across institutional contexts. He has been active in NASPA for more than a decade, presenting at the Annual Conference and AVP Symposium and engaging with regional and national planning efforts. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas.

Garrett Naiman leads campuswide strategy and operations that advance student success, engagement, and well-being at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, grounded in the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive. He has been an active NASPA contributor and most recently served on the 2025 Extended Learning Sessions conference subcommittee. He holds degrees from UC Santa Barbara, the University of Vermont, and the University of San Francisco.

Quincy D. Spencer provides strategic leadership for student engagement, belonging, and success at the University of Arkansas, overseeing a portfolio that includes transition programs, college access, student media, leadership and involvement, family programs, community engagement, and multicultural initiatives. His scholarship focuses on family engagement, first-generation student success, and second-year retention, and he draws on experience across large public universities, mid-sized institutions, and medical colleges. A past president of NODA, he is active in NASPA and AHEPPP and works as an independent higher education consultant. He holds a doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas.

Rollie Carencia is originally from Los Angeles. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Media & Cultural Studies from University of California, Riverside, and his Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University.

Rollie currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Life at the School of Professional Studies at Columbia University, where he leads initiatives that enhance the student experience and foster vibrant, inclusive campus communities. With a strong foundation in student affairs, Rollie has contributed to several institutions, including the University of California, Riverside, Pratt Institute, New York University, and Columbia University, supporting student engagement.

Outside of his professional work, Rollie enjoys staying active through marathon running and cycling, and he is always on the lookout for his next culinary adventure.

Nora Kearney is originally from Buffalo, NY. She earned her Master of Arts in Student Affairs and Catholic University Leadership from Boston College, and holds a BA in Art History and Writing from Loyola University Maryland.

Nora currently serves as the Manager for Client Success at Ready Education. In this role, she helps lead initiatives that help institutions get the most from there use of CampusGroups. Most recently that focus has been on how clients can transition from simple data collection to true data operationalization, ensuring that student life is viewed as essential campus infrastructure.

With nearly a decade of experience in the EdTech space, Nora has contributed to the success of hundreds of institutions across four distinct platforms, including her work with Columbia School of Professional Studies. She is passionate about creating "work smarter" business processes that turn everyday student routines into actionable data to drive retention.

Outside of her professional work, Nora is regularly found at trivia nights, and is always interested in talking about why this is the year the Buffalo Bills will win the Super Bowl. 

Mayra Olivares-Urueta, Ph.D. leads cross-sector regional strategies across North Texas to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion at the Economic Mobility Center. She brings more than 20 years of experience in community college leadership, student affairs, and enrollment management, including senior executive roles at Tarrant County College and Dallas College. Her work centers on equity-minded practice, student basic needs, and supporting Latinx and parenting students through systems-level change. She has been an active NASPA contributor as a presenter, proposal reviewer, and participant across multiple annual conferences and Community Colleges Institutes.

Darrien Davenport serves as Associate Vice President and Dean of Students at Temple University, where he provides executive leadership for student advocacy, crisis response, conduct, disability resources, basic needs, and behavioral intervention systems. He brings more than 25 years of professional experience, including senior roles at Gettysburg College and York College of Pennsylvania, as well as executive search consulting with WittKieffer. His leadership focuses on access, persistence, and holistic development for first-generation students, students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ students. He holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University.

Brenda Ice leads Residential and Community Living at Brown University, overseeing residential education, housing operations, orientation, Greek Life, graduate housing, and capital planning. She brings more than 25 years of student affairs experience, with prior roles at Scripps College, UC Riverside, and several other institutions. She currently serves on the ACUHO-I Executive Board and co-chairs the Mentoring Committee for the NASPA Black Diaspora Knowledge Community. She earned her M.Ed. from Salisbury University and is completing her Ed.D. at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Chris "Topher" Ndiritu provides strategic leadership for residence education, student conduct, and holistic student development at the University of New Orleans. He began his career in student affairs at the University of Tennessee and has held roles at Davidson College and Old Dominion University, where he also served two terms as Student Body President. He is a NASPA NUFP alumnus, a 2022 NASPA Region III Outstanding New Professional Award recipient, and has been selected as the 2026 Director of the Dungy Leadership Institute. He currently serves as Vice President for Marketing for SACSA.

Dr. Gigi Secuban serves as the vice president for inclusive excellence and belonging at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. She brings more than 25 years of higher education experience, including inaugural vice president roles for inclusive excellence at Texas State University and Ohio University. Previously, Secuban held leadership positions at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, where she oversaw the renovation of the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, and at the University of Arkansas, where she served as senior associate director for the freshman engineering program, director of the multicultural center, director of student affairs and diversity services in the College of Education and Health Professions, as well as an assistant director of undergraduate admissions. Her work centers on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB); promoting student success; and fostering campus environments where all individuals are valued, supported, and heard. She has led initiatives focused on cultural and resource centers, inclusive excellence planning, DEIB fundraising and branding, and campus climate assessment. Secuban earned her Doctor of Education in higher education administration, Master of Science in health science, and Bachelor of Arts in psychology—all from the University of Arkansas. A proud 32-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she is a charter member of the Phi Alpha Omega Chapter in Northwest Arkansas.

Dr. C. Spencer Platt is an associate professor of higher education administration at the University of South Carolina. He directs the Community College Leadership Alliance and previously led the university’s Center for Innovation in Higher Education. With more than 20 years of experience in student affairs, community engagement, diversity and equity, and academic affairs, Platt’s research focuses on access and excellence in education, particularly the experiences of underrepresented students, faculty, and staff at predominantly White institutions. He has secured over one million dollars in extramural funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. His publications include articles in numerous peer-reviewed journals and three books: Multiculturalism in Higher Education: Increasing Access and Improving Equity in the 21st Century (Information Age, 2020); Comprehensive Multicultural Education in the 21st Century: Increasing Access in the Age of Retrenchment (Information Age, 2019); and From Boyhood to Manhood: Deconstructing Black Masculinity Through a Lifespan Continuum (Peter Lang, 2015). Platt regularly presents at national and international conferences, including AERA, ASHE, the International Conference on Doctoral Education, and the International Colloquium on Black Males in Education. He earned a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS from the University of Dayton, and a BA from the University of South Carolina.

Darryl B. Holloman, PhD, serves as vice president for student affairs at Spelman College. He previously held leadership roles as associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Georgia State University and as assistant vice president for student life at Columbus State University. With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Holloman’s career spans a broad portfolio encompassing student affairs administration, institutional governance, and faculty engagement. He has held faculty appointments at Rutgers University–Newark, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Columbus State University, and Georgia State University. Holloman is a published scholar with numerous articles and book chapters to his credit. His research explores how educational environments are shaped by cultural identity and difference. A frequent conference contributor, he has presented more than 80 research papers at national and international meetings, including those of NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Divisions F and J, the Association of College Unions International, NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, ACPA–College Student Educators International, and the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.

Dr. Danielle Miller-Schuster serves as Associate Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs at Illinois State University, where she provides leadership for division-wide strategic planning and oversees a broad portfolio of programs, services, and facilities that advance the success and well-being of the Redbird community. Her areas of responsibility include Campus Recreation, Career Services, Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality, Health Promotion and Wellness, Student Counseling Services, Student Health Services, and Student Affairs Assessment and Data Analytics, Advancement and Constituent Relations, and Professional Development and Staff Recognition.

A proud three-time Redbird, Danielle earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science, her master’s degree in College Student Personnel Administration, and her Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Foundations from Illinois State. With more than two decades of experience, she is dedicated to cultivating purposeful programs and services that foster growth, retention, belonging, and institutional excellence. Her leadership philosophy centers on nurturing growth through coaching, building connections through collaboration, and cultivating positive environments that empower staff, inspire innovation, and spark curiosity. 

Danielle is actively engaged with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), where she recently completed a four-year term on the AVP Steering Committee, co-chaired the 2023 AVP Symposium, and served on the faculty for the 2024 and 2025 New AVP Institute. She is currently contributing to volunteer and engagement efforts for the 2026 Annual Conference in Kansas City and is excited to be a member of the 2027 Conference Leadership Committee. 

Danielle lives in Bloomington, Illinois, with her husband, Andy, and their rescue dog, Starlight Louise.

Dr. Don Stansberry is a nationally engaged student affairs leader and higher education executive currently serving as Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. With more than two decades of progressive leadership experience across multiple institutions, he has built a career centered on student success, belonging, and social mobility.

Throughout his tenure at institutions including Clayton State University, Old Dominion University, Western Illinois University, Towson University, and Defiance College, Dr. Stansberry has led transformative initiatives that strengthen retention, progression, and graduation outcomes. His leadership emphasizes aligning strategy with care—ensuring that budgets, staffing models, assessment practices, and campus partnerships work cohesively to remove barriers and elevate student achievement.

A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Stansberry is deeply committed to expanding access and opportunity for underserved and historically marginalized students. His leadership philosophy centers on asking bold questions, challenging assumptions, and helping teams envision what “could be” rather than settling for what has always been.

Known for his energy, creativity, and brand-forward leadership style, Dr. Stansberry brings both strategic vision and authentic connection to his work—championing environments where students, staff, and institutions can thrive. 

Dr. Don Stansberry earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Education Specialist Degree from Old Dominion University. He completed his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Education in College Student Personnel at Ohio University

Jeff Brown currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at American University in Washington D.C. In this role he provides leadership for key departments that support the care and well-being of the student body including the Office of the Dean of Students, Student Accountability and Restorative Practices, the Student Health Center, the Center for Well-Being and Psychological Services and International Student and Scholar Services. He also serves in critical roles with crisis management, threat assessment, student activism support and neighborhood/off campus relations on the AU campus. 

Prior to this role, Jeff served for four years as the Dean of Students. In that role he has responsibility for undergraduate and graduate student care, support, and advocacy. He also served as the chief student conduct officer for the University. Jeff had responsibility on the AU campus for inclusion support, neighborhood relations, crisis management and multiple retention initiatives. 

Prior to his move to American University seven years ago, he worked at Clemson University for 19 years serving in a variety of capacities, most recently as the Associate Dean of Students where he over saw all orientation and transition programs, parent/family programs and support, the Student Veteran Resource Center, retention programs for underrepresented students and extended orientation programs. He also has extensive experience working in residence life and fraternity and sorority life. 

Originally from the Chicago area, Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations & Communications from Bradley University and a Master of Education in Student Affairs Administration from Clemson University. Jeff has held multiple leadership roles with NASPA, ACPA, and NODA.  Currently Jeff is serving as the Past-President for NODA after serving as a General Board Member and the Lead Faculty for the Orientation Professionals Institute (OPI)  for six years.  

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. Mobley, Jr. also has had extensive experience in the fields of Higher Education and Student Affairs. Prior to him beginning his career as an academic, he served as Associate Director of the undergraduate program at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. He also held appointments in academic affairs at the University of Maryland and taught courses in The College of Education, Undergraduate Studies, and the Academic Achievement Programs (A TRiO Initiative).

His scholarly work has also garnered national attention. Dr. Mobley, Jr. was named a 2022 Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Emerging Scholar, and a 2021 College Student Educators International (ACPA) Emerging Scholar-Designee Awardee. He is also the recipient of the 2018 Article of the Year Award from the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Queer Studies Special Interest Group (SIG), 2019 College Student Educators International (ACPA) Coalition on Men & Masculinities Tracy Davis Emerging Research Award, and the 2019 American College Personnel Association’s (ACPA) Coalition of Sexuality and Gender Identities (CSGI) Research Recognition Award.

Dr. Mobley, Jr.’s scholarship has also been published in Teachers College Record, The Journal of Higher Education, The Journal of Homosexuality, The Urban Review, the Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, and the International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.

Dr. Melinda Karp, Phase Two’s founder and project lead, has extensive research and thought-partnership experience in the areas of college access, student support, and completion strategies. She is a nationally-known expert on community colleges and strategies to support low-income, first-generation, minoritized, and otherwise under-served students in and out of the classroom. Dr. Karp has authored or co-authored over 70 articles, book chapters, and working papers and 35 practitioner-focused blogs, op-eds, and practical toolkits. She served as panel chair for the Institute for Education Science’s What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide on Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students and a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Postsecondary Success Recognition Program. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success and a coach for the NCII Rural Guided Pathways Project.  

Dr. Suzanne Lyons is a senior consultant with Phase Two Advisory, supporting their national research and practitioner learning networks related to college access, success, and holistic student support. In addition, she is an educator and systems-level social worker, with over 20 years of experience working in K-12, public and private colleges, and national non-profits, including work with The Posse Foundation, TRIO, and Promise programs. As a first-generation, low-income college graduate, Dr. Lyons has dedicated her career to focusing on policies, programs, and multi-sector partnerships across the K-20 pipeline that support college access and success. Among other publications, Dr. Lyons is co-author (with Dr. Karp) on a chapter in the Routledge Handbook on Higher Education, “Advising the whole student: Current approaches to integrating academic, career, and personal support.”  Prior to joining Phase Two, she led private and federal grants geared toward systems-level change to improve student outcomes in high schools and at Hispanic-serving community colleges. Dr. Lyons holds her Bachelor’s in Psychology & Spanish from the University of Notre Dame, her Master’s in Social Workfrom the University of Pennsylvania, and her Ph.D. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Dr. Melinda Karp, Phase Two’s founder and project lead, has extensive research and thought-partnership experience in the areas of college access, student support, and completion strategies. She is a nationally-known expert on community colleges and strategies to support low-income, first-generation, minoritized, and otherwise under-served students in and out of the classroom. Dr. Karp has authored or co-authored over 70 articles, book chapters, and working papers and 35 practitioner-focused blogs, op-eds, and practical toolkits. She served as panel chair for the Institute for Education Science’s What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guide on Effective Advising for Postsecondary Students and a reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Postsecondary Success Recognition Program. She is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success and a coach for the NCII Rural Guided Pathways Project.  

Dr. Suzanne Lyons is a senior consultant with Phase Two Advisory, supporting their national research and practitioner learning networks related to college access, success, and holistic student support. In addition, she is an educator and systems-level social worker, with over 20 years of experience working in K-12, public and private colleges, and national non-profits, including work with The Posse Foundation, TRIO, and Promise programs. As a first-generation, low-income college graduate, Dr. Lyons has dedicated her career to focusing on policies, programs, and multi-sector partnerships across the K-20 pipeline that support college access and success. Among other publications, Dr. Lyons is co-author (with Dr. Karp) on a chapter in the Routledge Handbook on Higher Education, “Advising the whole student: Current approaches to integrating academic, career, and personal support.”  Prior to joining Phase Two, she led private and federal grants geared toward systems-level change to improve student outcomes in high schools and at Hispanic-serving community colleges. Dr. Lyons holds her Bachelor’s in Psychology & Spanish from the University of Notre Dame, her Master’s in Social Workfrom the University of Pennsylvania, and her Ph.D. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

Bob McCormick was named vice president for Information Services in 2012, and he leads the central IT team at DePaul University in Chicago. McCormick has led several major projects at DePaul, including the replacement of the university’s core public website, the implementation of a collocated data center, the implementation of stakeholder portals and installation of several key student advising systems, and agentic AI for Financial Aid staff.

Dale Vander Wall is a Higher Education Industry Advisor at Salesforce where he works with college and university leaders to help them understand the value of the Salesforce platform for higher education. Before joining Salesforce in 2021, Dale held a number of leadership positions during his 30-year career at the University of Maryland, College Park. In his last role as Assistant Dean and COO of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, Dale directed strategic operations and led a comprehensive Salesforce implementation focused on recruitment, admissions, program management, career services, and marketing. He was also instrumental in getting the campus to adopt Salesforce as its campus-wide CRM and helped support the university’s deployment of its Salesforce student success solution for students and the academic advising community.

Dr. Edward F. Martinez is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Campus Senior Student Affairs Officer at Suffolk County Community College, the largest multi-campus community college in the SUNY system. With 30 years of experience across diverse higher education settings, Dr. Martinez is a nationally recognized leader committed to bridging academic and student affairs to create transformative learning environments. A first-generation college graduate, his research focuses on the experiences of community college students and professionals. Dr. Martinez has served in national leadership roles, including on the NASPA Board of Directors and currently serves on the boards of the NASPA Foundation and The Higher Education Consortium for Student Affairs Certification. A SUNY Hispanic Leadership Fellow and recipient of NASPA’s prestigious “Pillar of the Profession” award, he is also the founder and principal of Level Up Consulting and Strategies, LLC, helping individuals and institutions elevate student success through inclusive excellence, coaching, and strategy.

Mayra Olivares-Urueta, Ph.D. leads cross-sector regional strategies across North Texas to increase postsecondary enrollment and completion at the Economic Mobility Center. She brings more than 20 years of experience in community college leadership, student affairs, and enrollment management, including senior executive roles at Tarrant County College and Dallas College. Her work centers on equity-minded practice, student basic needs, and supporting Latinx and parenting students through systems-level change. She has been an active NASPA contributor as a presenter, proposal reviewer, and participant across multiple annual conferences and Community Colleges Institutes.

Dr. Jhenai Chandler is the Vice President of Research and Policy at NASPA, where she leads efforts to advance student success and equity through research-based policy. She previously served as Senior Director of College Completion Policy at TICAS and has held leadership roles at Education Strategy Group and within Florida’s higher education systems. A first-generation college graduate and former parenting student, Chandler is committed to expanding access and support for diverse learners. She holds degrees from Florida A&M University, Nova Southeastern University, and a Ph.D. from Florida State 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. Jhenai Chandler is the Vice President of Research and Policy at NASPA, where she leads efforts to advance student success and equity through research-based policy. She previously served as Senior Director of College Completion Policy at TICAS and has held leadership roles at Education Strategy Group and within Florida’s higher education systems. A first-generation college graduate and former parenting student, Chandler is committed to expanding access and support for diverse learners. She holds degrees from Florida A&M University, Nova Southeastern University, and a Ph.D. from Florida State University.

With over 10 years of experience in student affairs, Dr. Tyger is passionate about creating inclusive and supportive campus communities that empower students to thrive. Currently serving as the Assistant Vice President for Student Life at the University of Florida, James oversees the Student Engagement Team, which includes the offices for Campus Engagement, Community and belonging, Sorority and fraternity Life, and Student Legal Services. 

Dr. Tyger is a proud double Gator, having earned both a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. He also holds a Master of Education from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management from Virginia Tech. 

In addition to his role at the University of Florida, Dr. Tyger is the Director-elect for the Public Policy Division of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and serves on the Virginia Tech Student Affairs Advisory Council. 

Dr. Penny Rue is a Professional Certified Executive Leadership Coach and Consultant affiliated with the Association of Governing Boards. She is also Vice President and University Professor Emeritus at Wake Forest University, where she is a Research Professor for the Department of Counseling. She served as the Vice President for Campus Life and Professor of Counseling at Wake Forest University from 2013 to 2022, where she had broad responsibility for the well-being and safety of students and their education outside the classroom. Dr. Rue previously served for six years as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of California San Diego, and as a member of the Student Affairs Council for the University of California system.She served for eight years as Dean of Students at the University of Virginia. She served for twelve years in progressively responsible leadership roles at Georgetown University. She is nationally known for her creative leadership in strengthening campus communities,

leading for belonging, well-being and inclusion, and effective enterprise risk management. Earlier in her career, she held posts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Maryland. Dr. Rue obtained her Doctorate in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland, where her dissertation research focused on a conceptual study of the community on the college campus. She has a Master’s degree in student personnel services from The Ohio State University, from which she received the Maude Stewart Outstanding Alumna Award in 2011, and an A.B. Magna cum laude in English and Religion from Duke University. In 2011, she was named a Pillar of the Profession by the NASPA Foundation. A longtime NASPA Volunteer, in March 2017, she began a three-year term serving as Chair-elect, Chair, and Past Chair of the NASPA Board of Directors, which concluded in 2020. Outside of work, she loves swimming, yoga, gardening, and cats.

Looking for ways to continue to increase student engagement at your institution? 

Join this session for insights on trends and hear about ways that other institutions have solved the student engagement challenge. We’ll cover overarching trends we’re seeing in student engagement, how technology is shifting strategies, and ways that higher education institutions are using technology to take engagement to the next level. 

Leave the webinar with ideas that you can implement at your institution to enhance the student experience, learn how institutions continue to get students’ attention, and ways to encourage engagement throughout the year. 

Joining the team in July 2021, Jack serves as the event management and training coordinator. Within his role, Jack serves as the primary advisor to the Activities Board, while also assisting with other large-scale campus events and initiatives. He also aids student organizations through their development and event planning. Jack earned a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky.

Paige Cook serves as the Associate Director of Student Activities and Greek Life at Gettysburg College. In her professional role, Paige is responsible for the primary oversight of Gettysburg College’s CampusGroups platform, the large-scale social programming on campus, the Multicultural Greek Council, and more. Outside of the workplace, she enjoys drawing, reading, and spending time with her cats!

With over 25 years dedicated to the higher education technology industry, Christine McCormick Hall, M.Ed., has a proven track record of success working with colleges and universities. Holding an M.Ed. in Student Affairs, she brings a deep understanding of the student experience to her role as VP of Sales, Americas at Ready Education. She is passionate about leveraging technology to drive meaningful student engagement and institutional success.

Kevin Willis serves as the Membership Manager at NASPA. Prior to starting with NASPA, Kevin has served on college campuses working in both Residence Life and Admissions/Campus Visits. Today Kevin serves with NASPA to assist in Membership questions/concerns and serves as the Staff Liaison for NASPA's Graduate Associate Program (GAP). 

Nancy Gonzalez Reyes is an EOP STEM Counselor and Academic Success Coach at UC Santa Cruz, where she supports students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in navigating their academic journeys. With seven years of experience in both K–12 and higher education, Nancy is passionate about equity, access, and student empowerment. As a first-generation college graduate and daughter of immigrant parents, she is deeply committed to breaking down systemic barriers and fostering inclusive educational environments.

Nancy earned her B.A. in History and Education from UC Santa Cruz and recently completed her M.Ed. in Higher Education with a focus on Student Engagement at Pennsylvania State University. She strives to be a trusted resource and advocate for students, offering guidance and creating supportive spaces where they can thrive.

Dr. Susan (Sue) Rankin retired from Pennsylvania State University in 2013, where she most recently served as an Associate Professor of Education and Associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education. Dr. Rankin has presented and published widely on the intersections of identities and the impact of sexism, genderism, racism, and heterosexism in the academy and intercollegiate athletics. Dr. Rankin has collaborated with over 200 higher education institutions to implement campus climate assessments and develop strategic plans for social justice issues. In her advocacy work, Dr. Rankin is a founding member of the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, a network of professionals doing advocacy work for LGBT people on college campuses, and the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition, a network of individuals and organizations across the Commonwealth committed to securing and defending full civil rights for LGBT individuals. 

Meredith Smith spent a decade working in Title IX and nearly two decades in higher education administration overall, serving as the Title IX Coordinator for the University of Virginia and the Assistant Provost for Title IX and Clery Compliance and the Sexual Misconduct Response/Title IX Coordinator at Tulane University. Meredith is a founding member of the Administrator Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative (ARC3) and works for the Victim Rights Law Center as a Department of Justice Violence Against Women grant consultant. She has participated in the Office on Violence Against Women roundtable on sexual violence adjudication and the American Bar Association’s recommendations on college sexual assault investigation and adjudication. She contributed a chapter to Addressing Violence Against Women on College Campuses (Temple University Press, 2017). She was also a guest editor of The Society for Public Health Education’s journal Health Education & Behavior‘s 2020 journal supplement on college sexual assault policy and prevention. She is currently serving on a National Science Foundation grant on sexual misconduct climate surveys. For her work on the Tulane Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey and subsequent culture change initiatives, she was honored with a 2019 Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Meredith has a BA (magna cum laude) in English-Creative Writing from Miami University, a JD  from The Ohio State University, and a MS Ed in Administration and Policy from Northwestern University.

Julie Schultz, EdD, is the Program Director of the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program (STEP) and Strategic Student Initiatives at The Ohio State University. Her professional portfolio includes providing leadership for STEP, the Scarlet and Gray Advantage Learning Community focused on reducing college student debt, and the Student Life Learning Goals and Outcomes. She has presented at more than 25 national conferences and has over 20 years of experience in Higher Education focused on student success, retention and persistence, mentorship, and student learning. 

Leah has a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and serves as an Associate Director in the Center for the Study of Student Life at The Ohio State University, where she oversees and directs research key initiatives such as the Graduation Survey, First Destination data, LENA (a leadership needs assessment), research on the Student Employment Experience (SEE), and research about the Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP). Her focal assessment and research areas include career outcomes, administrative excellence and operational data, student/staff employment and the student residential experience. Additionally, she offers consultation to various units seeking to improve their workplace processes and dynamics. Through these efforts, she seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice, driving meaningful change both in student outcomes and broader workplace environments.

Stephanie (Steph) Foran is theAssistant Director of CARE at Kansas State University. She is a nationally credentialed Victim Advocatethrough the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) and has over 8.5years of field experience. She received her BA in Political Science from RiderUniversity in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, and her Global MA in InternationalRelations from Webster University. Steph's areas of expertise include digitalinterpersonal violence and media literacy, and she is passionate about framinggender-based violence as a critical human rights issue.

Lisa Schrader has worked for twenty years in higher education contexts, first as a health educator, then as a student affairs director, and most recently as a faculty member in the department of Health and Human Performance at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).While serving as the Director of Health Promotion at MTSU, she was concerned by the growing numbers of distressed students and felt inadequate to meet their needs. This sense of inadequacy launched her search for strategies that could be used by campus administrators, students, and other stakeholders without didactic backgrounds in behavioral health. That search led to her doctoral dissertation on flourishing and positive psychology interventions and their impact on student success and psychological distress. She currently serves as on the executive committee of the Coalition for Healthy and Safe CampusCommunities (CHASCo), a statewide higher education prevention coalition in Tennessee, and she provides technical assistance to colleges and universities that lack a dedicated health promotion or prevention staff person.

Amy Snyder is a 25+ year Student Affairs professional and currently serves as Director of Staff Experience in University Life at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.  Amy’s portfolio includes  UL HR Services, UL Professional Development, UL Central Administration, and divisional initiatives focused on the staff experience, learning and development, and workplace well-being. Amy has also served as Associate Dean of University Life, Director of Special Projects for the VPSA, Assistant Dean/Director of Student Activities,  Director of Orientation and Family Programs and Services, and Interim Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education.  Amy’s leadership work has focused on collaboratively developing more effective student transition and initiation experiences, increasing student engagement and academic success, and creating parent and family engagement and services at George Mason University 20 years ago.

Amy is a first generation college student whose mother was an immigrant educated outside of the U.S system.  Amy understands the challenges students and families face in the transition to college and has made her life’s work to have a positive impact on the student experience in higher education.  Amy Snyder now dedicates her work at Mason to the staff experience and professional development and preparation of graduate students to the field of student affairs and higher education.  She has presented widely on topics including supervision skills and strategies, the multigenerational workforce, creating a professional development cohort program, and the Mason graduate assistant academy.  Through learning and development, personal and professional enrichment and well-being and organizational health, Amy continues to contribute to the success of students and staff after 25 years in the field of student affairs.

Meeghan Milette serves as the Associate Director of Professional Development in University Life at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She provides leadership to divisional professional development initiatives and signature professional development programs coordinated by the Professional Development team. Ms. Milette has a background in professional development, staff training, building and facilitation of professional learning experiences, collaborative programming, along with supervision and staff management. Milette is committed to enhancing professional staff experiences through her work. Professionally, Milette worked in Housing & Residence Life for over 15 years in various professional roles gaining skills and professional competency in staff management, crisis response, leadership, and training development.

Milette currently serves as the Co-Chair of the NASPA Mid-Level Administrator Steering Committee and served on the 2025 Mid-Level Administrator Conference (MLAC) planning team.

Milette earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a focus in International Relations from the University of Rhode Island. She earned a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University. She has presented multiple times nationally and regionally on topics that include Supervision Skills and Strategies, Professional Development Design, the Multigenerational Workforce, Professional Staff Experiences, Graduate Assistant Experience, Second-Year Experience, Inclusive Housing Practices, Leveraging Technology in Collaborative Work Environments, amongst others.

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.

Nicole Bedera, Ph.D. is a sociologist and author of the book On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. Her research focuses on how our social structures contribute to survivors’ trauma and make sexual violence more likely to occur in the future. Her scholarship has been featured in many popular outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Teen Vogue. Nicole puts her work into practice as an Affiliated Educator at the Center for Institutional Courage and as a co-founder of Beyond Compliance Consulting.