Sessions & Speakers

Charlotte Etier is the director of research and grants at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) where she contributes to research and policy needs, as well as general needs of the association. Prior to joining NASFAA in the summer of 2014, she worked as the Dallas Martin Endowment policy intern at NASFAA, where she contributed to work related to policy and advocacy efforts. Charlotte began her career in higher education as a graduate assistant in the financial aid office at Central Connecticut State University and as a financial aid officer at UConn. She received a master's in student development in higher education at Central Connecticut State University and BS in political science and women's studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Edgar Martinez has over a decade of experience in higher education, specializing in student financial aid, equity, and student success. He is the Associate Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships at CSU Channel Islands, leading efforts in compliance, strategic planning, and program administration. Edgar has held various roles across institutions like UCLA, where he managed training and financial aid operations. Active in professional organizations, Edgar has contributed to leadership roles with NASFAA, WASFAA, and CASFAA, focusing on diversity, equity, and policy development. He is pursuing a Doctorate of Education in higher educational leadership, and his work emphasizes creating equitable access to education and supporting student retention and achievement. As a first-generation college graduate, Edgar brings personal and professional insight to navigating the challenges of higher education.

Effective January 27, 2025, Craig Slaughter serves as the Executive Director of Financial Aid at Wake Forest University. Prior to this role, he was the Associate Vice-President for Enrollment and Director of Financial Aid at Kenyon. With three decades of experience in financial aid administration, he has held leadership positions at Indiana University, Kenyon, University of Redlands, and DePauw University. A certified financial aid administrator (FAAC®), Craig is actively involved in professional organizations and has held volunteer and presenter roles with the College Board, ISFAA (Indiana), WASFAA (Western regional), and MASFAA (Midwest regional). Craig also served twice on the NASFAA Board of Directors and was the 2018-2020 Diversity Officer. He is currently the past-chair for the CFAA Commission. Craig received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University. In his free time, Craig enjoys rehearsing and performing in the tenor section with symphony choruses. One particular highlight was being part of the choir that performed with Madonna in the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis—a truly memorable experience!

Dr. Tangalakis has 23 years of experience in higher education in various roles in student financial aid, focused on equity and access, student success, retention, enrollment management, scholarships, strategic planning, and transformational aid administration. Most recently, Christina was the interim Director of Financial Aid at Wake Forest University. She has been active in her local, state, regional and national associations and is proud to have served on the NASFAA board for 2020-2021 as a Commission Director, overseeing the work of the State Advocacy and Implicit Bias task forces. Her other association roles have included NASFAA CFAA Commission Past-Chair, WASFAA Ethnic Diversity Chair for 2020-2022, and is the current CASFAA Past-President for 2023-2024. Dr. Tangalakis has worked in four different sectors of higher education and has a broad understanding of the challenges facing financial aid administrators. As a parent of three daughters, all college graduates, Dr. Tangalakis has navigated the financial aid process from the personal and the professional perspective. She has a keen interest in conversations on creating meaningful work for financial aid staff, improving how students experience the financial aid process, and maintaining compliance in a rapidly changing environment. Her research on reforming SAP from an equity lens will be presented at the 2024 AERA Conference in Philadelphia. In 2014, Christina published her doctoral thesis on the college-going identities of Latinx students without documentation. Christina also serves on the board of the Foundation for the AIDS Monument and lives in north Los Angeles with her family.