National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

Leadership

As a national, professional association, NASFAA is led by the financial aid administrators who make up the core of its membership. NASFAA institutional and affiliate members may be elected to the Board of Directors, which is the governing body of the Association. The Board is vested with all powers to manage the Association’s business, property, and assets, and is responsible for hiring a president and chief executive officer. The president and CEO is responsible for NASFAA’s day-to-day operations and the oversight and direction of the association’s employees.

2011-12 National Chair Pam Fowler Outlines NASFAA's Goals

President Justin Draeger

Justin Draeger, is President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He is a first-generation, undergraduate and graduate degree recipient with over 14 years’ experience in assisting disadvantaged populations achieve their goals and better their communities, including 10 years in administering, interpreting, communicating, or developing student aid policy. He serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between the association and members, education community partners, the Congress, the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, other government agencies, and the media. As a spokesperson of the association, Justin has been featured on The Today Show on NBC, National Public Radio, CNBC, C-SPAN and in numerous national publications. Justin began his career in student aid working as a financial aid director at the Douglas J Aveda Institute in East Lansing Michigan and went on to work for the Michigan Guaranty Agency as a lead regulatory analyst before joining NASFAA in 2006. Prior to his appointment as President, Justin worked in the communications and public policy departments at NASFAA. Justin volunteers and serves on the board of regents of Baker College and other organizations that promote health and education, including Pueblo-a-Pueblo, a charitable nonprofit that seeks to build sustainable, viable and healthy indigenous communities in Guatemala. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Resource Management from Brigham Young University and a Master’s in Business Administration Finance from Baker College.

Ms. Pamela Fowler, University of Michigan (National Chair). Pamela Fowler has been at the University of Michigan since 1997 and has over 25 years of experience in the financial aid profession. Over the years she has been very active in state, regional, and national professional associations as a trainer, speaker, and committee chair. She has been the recipient of several awards including the MSFAA Distinguished Service award and the MASFAA Meritorious Service award. She is a former MASFAA President and has also served on NASFAA’s Board of Directors as both a regional representative and a representative-at-large. Some of her other accomplishments include helping to create the NASFAA Standards of Excellence Program which is designed to assist financial aid officers by conducting a thorough review of office policies and operations. She is a five time participant on the Department of Education’s Negotiated Rulemaking committee, past National Chair of the Coalition of State and University Aid Administrators, and is an active member of The College Board.

Mr. Ron Day, Kennesaw State University (National Chair-Elect). Ron Day is Director of Financial Aid for Georgia’s Kennesaw State University and has worked in financial aid at a number of institutions in the South since he began his career in the financial aid profession in 1983. He has held various leadership positions in the South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia state associations and has served his regional association of SASFAA as President in 2003-04. Ron has also given back to his national association through his membership on the Board of Directors in 2003-05 and at the present time and through a wide range of committee work, ranging from AGMC to Awards to Finance to Leadership.

Dr. Laurie A. Wolf, Des Moines Area Community College (Past National Chair). Laurie Wolf has served as Executive Dean of Student Services for Des Moines Area Community College since 2001, following several years DMACC’s Director of Enrollment Management. She has been in the financial aid profession for more than 23 years and has spent the entirety of that time serving students and families in Iowa. Laurie has been active in her Iowa state association (where she served as 2001-02 president), her regional association of MASFAA (where she served as Delegate-at-Large in 2000-02 and chaired numerous committees) and in NASFAA. As part of her service to the profession at the national level, Laurie has served as a NASFAA Commission Director, a Representative at Large to the Board, and as Chair of the Reauthorization Task Force. She was elected by NASFAA members to serve the association as National Chair for 2010-11. As a recipient of financial aid which allowed her to educational and professional dreams, Laurie is a passionate advocate for access.