OASFAA is excited to offer the inaugural annual Intermediate Aid Officer Workshop to our members! This workshop will offer mid-level financial aid professionals an opportunity to network and connect with peers from across the state, increase their knowledge of financial aid, and enhance their personal and professional skill sets. General sessions will focus on leadership skill development and growth in the financial aid field. A diverse panel of directors from across the state will offer their advice, guidance, and discuss their own paths towards a directorship.
Professional judgment (PJ) is sometimes viewed as one of the more challenging aspects of Title IV program administration. There are both explicit and implicit guidelines that must be followed in relation to other aspects of Title IV federal student aid administration. This session, led by Dana Kelly, will explore guiding principles and best practices that can be applied on your campus.
Dana Kelly currently serves as the vice president of professional development and institutional compliance for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). In this role she oversees all personnel, products and services assigned to the training and regulatory assistance team, certification, and credentialing team, and the Meeting & Corporate Partners team. Additionally, she manages the annual Leadership and Legislative Conference & Expo, manages content and logistics for NASFAA's national conference and supports the logistics and content for the Executive Leadership Collective. 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 of Science in justice and policy studies from Guilford College, a master's degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, and master’s in public administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Earn a NASFAA Credential!
Additionally, all attendees will receive instruction for the NASFAA Administrative Capability Credential from Faith Phillips and be able to sit for the exam, free of charge. Faith Phillips is the Director of Student Financial Services at The Ohio State University at Newark and Central Ohio Technical College, serving in this role for 27 years. Faith has been active in state, regional and national professional associations as a presenter, trainer, board member, and committee chair. She is currently a co-chair for the Outreach Committee and served as the OASFAA President in 2016-2017.
Thinking of a profession in financial aid and taking the next step to be a Director of Financial Aid or higher, an AVP of Financial Aid? Our greatest resource is our staff! And developing the next generation of leaders within the aid office is vital to ensure both a good student experience and compliance.This session will discuss leadership qualities in financial aid, challenges facing leaders in financial aid, strategies for effective leadership, and opportunities for leadership in the financial aid profession.
Brenda Burke serves as the Associate Vice President of Student Financial Aid at Kent State University. She has worked 39-years in the financial aid profession. Her background encompasses work and leadership experience in the proprietary, 2-year public, and 4- year public sectors at various institutions in Virginia, Utah, and Ohio. Brenda has been a former chair of the 2023 National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) conference mentor task force, former president of the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA), former vice president of the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA), professional development chair of the Ohio Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA), and instructor for both the SASFAA New Aid Officers workshop and the Rocky Mountain Association of Student Financial Aid Administrator’s (RMASFAA) Summer Institute. She has volunteered and served on many state, regional, and national committees. Brenda received her bachelor of business administration degree with a minor in math from Radford University and her master of higher education administration from Old Dominion University.
Catherine W. Mix is a two-time graduate from the University of Dayton, and has been working there for the past twenty years. She began her career in Marketing Research at a local firm in Dayton, Ohio and then joined higher education as a Financial Aid Counselor. She truly enjoys the field of Higher Education and find the pace and energy of a college campus engaging. Currently, she serves as Associate Vice President of Student Enrollment Services, having oversight of both the Office of Financial Aid and Flyer Student Services, the university’s one stop office. Catherine has a passion for advancing the university’s mission and connecting with colleagues across the university in intentional ways to do so. Catherine holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the university. Catherine is married to her college sweetheart, Brian, and they have four children together, ranging from 22 to 11 years in age. When not occupied with the FAFSA she enjoys any outdoor activities, especially biking and gardening. In the rare moments that she has quiet time, she enjoys reading a variety of fiction and non-fiction books. Catherine is originally from Fostoria, a small farm two in Northeast Ohio. She spent many summers at Lake Erie and enjoys time at ANY beach. Music has always been something important to her since childhood and she has future aspirations to learn to play the piano and violin.
Dr. Alexander Jordan currently serves as the Executive Director of Financial Aid at Ashland University. In his role, he focuses heavily on compliance, utilizing innovation to streamline processes and services to students, and overseeing a team that serves all student populations including the largest Correctional Education program in the country. With close to 10 years of experience in higher education, almost exclusively in financial aid, Alex also serves as the President of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA). Alex earned his Master's of Education in Higher Education & Student Affairs as well as his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina where his dissertation focused on veterans and their transition from military service to community college. He is currently pursuing his MBA with dual specializations in Business Analytics and Human Resource Management.
Mary Cannon has over 24 years of higher education and student financial aid experience at private, proprietary, and public institutions. Mary has been a director of financial aid for almost 20 years and has assisted students and institutions from certificate to professional level programs. In addition to being the Director at Capital University, Mary consults for colleges and universities across the country supporting financial aid offices providing Interim Staffing, Coaching, Program Review Support, Consulting, Training, Operational and Compliance Review, and Policy and Procedure Review/Writing. Mary is active in OASFAA and NASFAA. She has served in many different capacities which includes over 13 years in Outreach. Mary earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Dominican University and her Master of Science in Management degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Matt Kirksey, FAAC, (a Certified Financial Aid Administrator) currently serves as the Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships at Stark State College, where he plays a pivotal role in ensuring students receive the financial support they need to achieve their educational goals. His leadership at Stark State College is marked by a commitment to student success, process simplification and improvement, and a deep understanding of the financial challenges that students face. Matt has been an active member of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA), serving in various elected positions. For the two most recent academic years, he served as the Vice President for Training, where he was responsible for developing and implementing training opportunities that support financial aid professionals across the state. His dedication to professional development and education within OASFAA underscores his commitment to fostering excellence in the field. Matt's educational background continues to expand as he is pursuing a professional Doctoral degree with a specialization in Educational Leadership from Capella University, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to personal and professional growth.
A BIG Thank You to the Sponsors of IAOW
