By Maria Carrasco, NASFAA Staff Reporter

This month, we have the opportunity to hear from our colleagues about recent spring conferences across the country, including Kansas, the Pacific, Mississippi, Illinois, and Montana. Additionally, some associations detail upcoming conferences, recap some recently held trainings, and provide other timely updates.

Recent Conferences

First, we have the opportunity to hear about recent April conferences in Kansas, the Pacific, Mississippi, Illinois, and Montana.

• Danielle Sullivan, vice president of KASFAA (Kansas), shares that the association held its annual spring conference April 8-10 in Lawrence, Kansas, with 175 attendees – 48 of whom were first-time attendees. The theme was KASFAA Mania 42 Smackdown, Danielle notes, with all the champions and hall of famers in attendance!
  
  KASFAA kicked off the conference with a theme-appropriate wrestling skit, and a keynote focused on building resilience. The conference had 29 breakout sessions to choose from, including a full track for fiscal officers. The association also offered a NASFAA Credentialing session on SAP, a Birds of a Feather session, and an open forum to discuss the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) changes. KASFAA retirees were included in the ring with a couple of table talk sessions where they coached participants on strategies that helped them win the toughest matches of their careers. Special guests included Melanie Romero of the Community College of Denver, RMASFAA President Vanessa Martineau, and Sara Vancil of Federal Student Aid.
  
  During the conference, KASFAA attendees also raised money for a local non-profit, The Sexual Trauma & Abuse Center, that provides support for survivors of all ages and genders.
  
  Other conference highlights include the awards banquet, where several KASFAA members were crowned reigning champions. Jamie McGee from Cowley College received the Rising Star Award, Danielle Sullivan from Johnson County Community College received the Deb Byers Outstanding Service Award, and Tony Tanking from Benedictine College and Tanya McGee from Kansas State University received KASFAA’s most prestigious award - The Hall of Fame Award. Additionally, Rachael Galvan from Salina Area Technical received the Bruce Lopez Meritorious Achievement Award.
  
  “We battled new regulations, learned winning strategies, and most importantly, formed new, lasting tag-team partnerships,” Danielle writes.  

• Carna Brown, president of PacFAA (Pacific), shares that the association held its Spring Conference on April 23-24 at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. This year’s theme, "Pupukahi i Holomua — Unite to Move Forward," truly set the tone for two days of rigorous learning, cultural appreciation, and the invaluable networking that defines our financial aid community, Carna writes.
  
  The conference offered a robust blend of technical training and forward-thinking discussions. Sessions offered at the Spring Conference included “The Future of Aid: A standout session on AI in Financial Aid,” “The Technical Edge: From deep dives into Cash Management and Fraud in Financial Aid,” “My Favorite Excel Tools,” and much more.
  
  Additionally, Carna notes that the Federal Update and Ask-a-Fed sessions at the conference were packed and provided critical clarity on the latest regulatory shifts. For those looking to bolster their credentials, the NASFAA U - R2T4 training held post-conference provided an intensive deep dive into one of our most complex regulatory requirements. 

• Jaime Missimer, president of MASFAA (Mississippi), shares that the association held its annual conference on April 22-24 at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. The theme was "On the Same Team" to emphasize the impact financial aid professionals make together on students and to remember that we cannot make it through this profession alone, Jaime writes. The conference committee was dedicated to "bringing the fun back" to MASFAA and they surely delivered, she adds. The entertainment got people dancing and hanging out after long days of conference sessions.
  
  Many of the conference sessions focused on OBBBA, including sessions on loan reductions, Workforce Pell, new loan limits, and accountability measures. There were also sessions dedicated to team building, ghost students, and communications. Additionally, Armintie Herrington, former WNBA player, gave a keynote focused on teamwork.
  
  During the conference, the association also welcomed Katie Conrad, SASFAA president-elect, and Arminta Johnson, Florida (FASFAA) president-elect.
  
  “MASFAA members thoroughly enjoyed this year's conference and gave us very positive feedback,” Jaime writes. “The board and conference committee worked extremely hard this year to make the conference a success and we certainly reached our goal to provide our members with meaningful, informative sessions, as well as space to network and meet new colleagues.”

• Dawn Kamphaus, president of ILASFAA (Illinois), shares that the association held another successful annual conference in March, bringing together colleagues from across the state to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional connections.
  
  “The energy and engagement from this year’s conference continue to highlight the strength of our community and our shared commitment to supporting students and advancing the profession,” Dawn writes.

• Carol Will, past president of MASFAA (Montana), shares recent photos of MASFAA’s Spring conference, MASFAA 2026 Mission: Possible! 

Upcoming Conferences

We also have the opportunity to hear from Melissa Jones, president of TASFAA (Texas), about the association’s upcoming annual conference this October. The TASAA Conference Committee is currently seeking presentation proposals and is moving forward with plans for outstanding professional development opportunities, Melissa writes.

Training Opportunities

Both PRASFAA (Puerto Rico) and TASFAA (Texas) share details of recently held training opportunities. 

• Carmen Rivera Laboy, EASFAA representative for PRASFAA (Puerto Rico), shares that the association celebrated the PRASFAA Beginner Academy in April, where over 30 members participated. In its first part, the association discussed institutional and student eligibility, applications, and verification. The beginner academy continues in May with the second part. 

• Melissa Jones, president of TASFAA (Texas), shares that the association has  concluded its spring training season, with over 500 members across the state having participated in at least one training event.
  
  “It has been inspiring to see both new and experienced colleagues investing in their growth, building connections, and strengthening our profession,” Melissa writes.

Additional Updates

In other updates, Carna Brown of PacFAA (Pacific) shares recent updates from the association's business meeting. Ben Wilkes of WASFAA (Wisconsin) also shares details of the association’s board meeting. And Dawn Kamphaus of ILASFAA (Illinois) gives a sneak peek into the association’s upcoming executive board retreat.

• Carna Brown, president of PacFAA (Pacific), shares that during the PacFAA Business meeting, the leadership team that will guide PacFAA through the coming year was introduced. The 2026-27 officers are:

  • President: Isu Ngirairikl of Palau Community College 

  • President Elect: Jacob Nakasone of the University of Hawaii at Manoa 

  • Past President: Carna Brown of the Kauai Community College

  • Vice President: Christina “Teena” Manglona of the University of Guam 

  • Treasurer: Marienelle Cabay of the University of Hawaii at Hilo 

  • Treasurer Elect: Brent Thomas of the University of Hawaii System 

  • Secretary: Kaprice Viveiros of the University of Hawaii System 

• Ben Wilkes, president-elect of WASFAA (Wisconsin), shares several association updates, including that the association is gearing up for a board meeting this month. It will focus on the implementation of institutional membership. This will lead into the association’s strategic plan by involving more members and creating more opportunities for engagement, Ben writes.
  
  The association is also working on a video series to replace its high school counselor workshops. Lastly, WASFAA had a great turnout to its state representative visit in Madison, Wisconsin, earlier this spring. This has motivated members to create a campaign for students to advocate for the continuation of Federal Work Study and FSEOG, Ben writes. 

• Dawn Kamphaus, president of ILASFAA (Illinois), shares that the association is preparing for its upcoming executive board retreat in St. Charles, Illinois. This retreat marks the official kickoff of planning for the year ahead and provides a valuable opportunity for board members to come together in a more focused and collaborative setting, she adds. 

“The retreat is always a highlight, offering dedicated time for thoughtful discussion, strategic planning, and team building,” Dawn writes. “It also allows space to reflect on past successes, identify new opportunities, and generate fresh ideas that will help guide ILASFAA’s initiatives in the coming year. Beyond the work itself, it’s a great chance to strengthen relationships, align goals, and ensure the organization continues to move forward with purpose and enthusiasm.”

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: 5/18/2026

Comments Disclaimer: NASFAA welcomes and encourages readers to comment and engage in respectful conversation about the content posted here. We value thoughtful, polite, and concise comments that reflect a variety of views. Comments are not moderated by NASFAA but are reviewed periodically by staff. Users should not expect real-time responses from NASFAA. To learn more, please view NASFAA’s complete Comments Policy.