March State & Regional Association Updates
By Maria Carrasco, NASFAA Staff Reporter
In this monthly round-up in Today's News, we would like to highlight what’s going on in your state and regional associations.
This month, we have the opportunity to hear from our colleagues in Georgia, Utah, Illinois, Oregon, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA).
Emmilee Mitchell, president of GASFAA (Georgia), shares that the association will hold its annual Winter Workshop on March 5 at Mercer University in Atlanta. “We are excited to offer training and resources to our members!” writes Emmilee.
GASFAA is also continuing to host free monthly virtual training webinars for its membership. The February training topic was "Resolving Conflict in the Workplace," and the March training, on March 11, is on "AI and Financial Aid."
Christina Ayres, president of UASFAA (Utah), shares that the association is hosting its annual conference on March 13-14 in Salt Lake City. Registration to attend the conference is open until March 6.
Additionally, the association is hosting a FAAC® Exam Workshop on March 12 in Salt Lake City, which is designed to help attendees prepare for the Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (CFAA) Exam. Registration for the workshop is open until March 5.
Bambie Roy, president of ILASFAA (Illinois), shares that members of the association recently visited Capitol Hill as part of the NASFAA Leadership & Legislative Conference and Expo.
“ILASFAA representatives engaged in meaningful dialogues with legislators, championing critical issues and advocating for policies that support students and educational institutions,” Bambie writes.
Additionally, the ILASFAA Annual Conference is on March 26-28.
Debbie O'Dea, president of OASFAA (Oregon), shares that the association held its annual conference at the Salishan Coastal Lodge. Sessions from the conference included a listening session with the Oregon state resource office, a SAP credential offering, and a fraud session presented by Special Agent Damien White. The conference also welcomed its new Executive Council, who will serve through the 2026 
Annual OASFAA Conference.
Additionally, Debbie shares that she and Frankie Everett, OASFAA president-elect, attended the NASFAA Legislative and Leadership Conference in Washington D.C. They participated in the association leadership track, and visited the offices of Oregon's Senators as part of the conference’s Hill visits.
Caleb Williams, president of AASFAA (Arizona), shares that registration is now open for the 2025 AASFAA Conference in Prescott, Arizona. The conference theme is "Enjoy the Ride, Navigating the Financial Aid Terrain Together" and will be held May 1-2. Caleb writes that there will be a lot of great sessions, including a virtual general session by Justin Draeger from Strada Education.
“We are looking forward to connecting with long-time friends and meeting new colleagues! Can't wait to see you there,” Caleb writes.
Carmen Rivera Laboy, EASFAA representative for PRASFAA (Puerto Rico), shares that the association’s next spring training is on May 2 at the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón. Some of the topics that will be discussed are changes in the Puerto Rican population and challenges, verification for 2025-26, and more.
Tayler Kreutter, president of EASFAA, shares that the association is gearing up for its annual conference at Foxwoods Resort & Casino in Connecticut. This year’s conference will feature the launch of a novice track, along with valuable pre-conference sessions, including FAAC® training and a first-time attendee event. The agenda for the conference is now live. During the conference, EASFAA will also unveil its new strategic plan, Tayler shares.
Check back next month to see what your colleagues are doing across the country, and check out your colleagues’ updates from previous months!
Publication Date: 3/11/2025
Gena B | 3/19/2025 11:33:07 AM
Can't wait to see that shiny, new EASFAA Strategic Plan!!!
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