NASFAA Presentation Speakers
These are the speakers available for NASFAA speaking engagements. Learn more about their session offerings and request a speaker through this form.
NASFAA Officers
Brent Tener, NASFAA National Chair-Elect
Brent Tener is currently the director of student financial aid and scholarships at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He has over 30 years of experience as a financial aid administrator and has worked with financial aid professionals across the country while serving in varying capacities in state, regional, and national associations. Brent has served on NASFAA's Board of Directors as the SASFAA regional representative, commission director, and representative-at-large. He is a past president of TASFAA at the local level and SASFAA at the regional level, and was one of the main architects of Vanderbilt's current progressive need-based financial aid program, Opportunity Vanderbilt. He was honored with the NASFAA Regional Leadership Award (SASFAA) in 2010 and the SASFAA Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Brent started his financial aid career at Wichita State University. Sessions: NASFAA Update, Using NASFAA Tools, Dealing with Difficult People, History and Structure of Enrollment Management, How to Overcome Five Major Dysfunctions in the Development of Teams, Politics, Ethics and Leadership, Working with Your Money (Not Theirs)
Justin Draeger, NASFAA President
Justin is president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. He serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between the association members, the U.S. Congress, federal agencies and the media. Most of Justin's career has been devoted to assisting disadvantaged populations achieve their educational goals and better their communities. Since 2002, Justin has been engaged in either administering, interpreting, communicating, or developing student financial aid policy. His prior experiences include working as a financial aid director, regulatory and policy analyst, and spokesperson. He has held senior positions overseeing government relations, communications, and policy work. Justin has testified in multiple Congressional hearings on student financial aid, college access, student loan policy, and the interplay between federal agencies and colleges and universities. He is frequently quoted in the press and has appeared on The Today Show on NBC, National Public Radio, APM's Marketplace, Fox Business News, CNBC, and C-SPAN, and is often quoted in national news outlets. Justin serves on several boards of directors that promote health and education. He earned his undergraduate from Brigham Young University and his MBA from Baker College. Justin lives in Fairfax, VA with his wife and three children. Sessions: Inside the Beltway Update, Advocacy and You, The Federal Budget and Student Aid, Using NASFAA Tools, Communicating Up: The Art of Communication and Overcoming the Curse of Knowledge, Finding Motivation in Tough Times
Brad Barnett, NASFAA National Chair-Elect
Brad is an accredited financial counselor and certified personal financial manager who works as the director of financial aid and scholarships at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. With over two decades of experience in the financial aid profession, Brad has been active in state, regional, and national financial aid associations as a presenter, committee member/chair, and elected officer. A past president of VASFAA and SASFAA, he has also served NASFAA in various roles, including treasurer, conference chair, Standards of Excellence (SOE) reviewer, SOE assessment leader, and a member of the Financial Affairs Committee. Brad has been honored for his work by receiving the VASFAA Lifetime Membership Award, VAFSAA Excellence Award, SASFAA Distinguished Service Award, and NASFAA Regional Leadership Award. In addition to his financial aid activities, Brad teaches personal finance courses (online and in person) at JMU and provides financial counseling services on a professional basis outside of his role with JMU. Sessions: NASFAA Update, Using NASFAA Tools
Brenda Hicks, NASFAA Past National Chair
Brenda has served Southwestern College in both admissions and financial aid since 1991 and is currently the director of financial aid. Over the years she has been active in state, regional, and national professional associations as a trainer, board member, and committee chair. She has been a recipient of the NASFAA Regional Leadership award and the KASFAA Meritorious Achievement award. She is a former RMASFAA and KASFAA president and has previously served on NASFAA's Board of Directors as a regional representative and representative-at-large. She has also been a member of the NASFAA Association Governance Committee and has served on several task forces, including the NASFAA 50th Anniversary Task Force, the State and Regional Alliance Task Force, and the Enhanced Loan Counseling Task Force. Sessions: NASFAA Update, Using NASFAA Tools
NASFAA Staff
Karen McCarthy, Vice President of Public Policy and Federal Relations
Karen currently works in NASFAA's division of policy and federal relations, providing a financial aid administrator's "on the ground" perspective to federal student aid policy discussions and debates. She began her career in student aid working in the financial aid offices at several large, four-year institutions, including Boston University, Miami University of Ohio, and The Ohio State University. She began work in NASFAA's training department in 1999 before joining NASFAA's policy team in 2010. Sessions: Inside the Beltway Update, Using NASFAA Tools
Rachel Gentry, Director of Government Relations
Rachel contributes to NASFAA's policy and advocacy efforts, representing the association before congressional members and staff and working to enhance the advocacy capacity of its members. Prior to joining NASFAA, Rachel worked in higher education policy analysis and research in Washington, D.C., and began her career in higher education as a high school college advisor assisting low-income and first-generation students through the college application and financial aid process. Sessions: Inside the Beltway Update, Advocacy and You, The Federal Budget and Student Aid, Using NASFAA Tools
Dana Kelly, NASFAA Vice President of Professional Development and Institutional Compliance
Dana currently serves as the vice president of professional development and institutional compliance for NASFAA. In this role she oversees all products and services assigned to the training and regulatory assistance and certification and credentialing departments, supervises DC-based and remote training staff, manages the annual Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo, and develops session content for NASFAA's national conference. As a member of NASFAA's executive team, she is instrumental in ensuring NASFAA is working toward the vision, mission, and goals established by NASFAA's Board of Directors. Prior to working at NASFAA, she held positions at Nelnet Diversified Solutions as a national trainer, at Nelnet as a regional director, and at High Point University as the director of student financial planning. She holds a bachelor’s degree in justice and policy studies from Guilford College, a master's degree from the University of Phoenix in organizational management, and master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Sessions: Using NASFAA Tools, Top AskRegs Questions, Direct Loan Quiz Show, Professional Judgment Best Practices, Developing Your Career in Financial Aid
