Sessions & Speakers

Richard A. Cordray is the chief operating officer for the U.S. Department of Education Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). FSA administers the federal student aid programs, which — in fiscal year 2022 — provided more than $111 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds to nearly 10 million students attending approximately 5,500 postsecondary institutions. In total, FSA manages a federal student loan portfolio valued at more than $1.6 trillion, representing more than 45 million customers. Cordray is responsible for FSA’s strategic and operational management. Since his appointment in May 2021, Cordray has overseen significant changes to the federal student aid programs, including stronger standards for performance, transparency, and accountability for its student loan servicers aimed at protecting borrowers. Under Cordray’s leadership, FSA reestablished its Enforcement Office to increase focus on investigating problem schools that pose the most risk to students and taxpayers, requiring greater accountability by owners of schools when the institutions fail to follow program participation rules, and partnering with state officials — including attorneys general, banking regulators, and student loan ombuds offices — to collaborate on potential investigations and enforcement actions.

Greg currently serves as the director of the Policy Development Group in the Office of Postsecondary Education. From 1990 to 1995 he was an institutional review specialist. He then served as a training officer from 1995 until 2014 before starting with the Office of Postsecondary Education.

Melanie Storey is the deputy director of policy implementation and oversight (PIO). She joined Federal Student Aid (FSA) in March 2020 and joined PIO in September 2020. PIO serves as the principal office advising FSA on higher education policy to ensure that operations are considered in policy development and once enacted, that policy is implemented to meet intended goals. Prior to FSA, Melanie led a wide range of policy-focused activities related to higher education and student financial aid at the College Board. She contributed to the College Board's major policy-related studies and reports about higher education, college affordability, and student aid. Prior to the College Board, Melanie served as the director of national initiatives at the American Council on Education. In that role, she provided strategic research and analytical support to ACE's government relations leadership team and served as the primary staff liaison for several blue-ribbon commissions, including U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings' Commission on the Future of Higher Education.