Annual Meeting 2024

AACRAO Annual Meeting

Implementing Success

The AACRAO Annual Meeting is an opportunity to learn, network, and advance higher education. Professionals from a variety of higher education disciplines gather together at AACRAO's Annual Meeting to engage and discuss the ever-changing landscape of higher ed.

Collaborate with a worldwide, higher education network as it comes together to explore, engage, and learn. Each year higher education professionals face new and unique challenges in their work and AACRAO's Annual Meeting is the place to find solutions to those challenges.

2024 AACRAO Annual Meeting Eclipse

We took a special break to witness the 2024 solar eclipse together. It was a remarkable moment as we gathered outside to watch the eclipse cast a shadow over the city. This natural phenomenon not only provided a welcome pause in our busy schedules but also created a lasting shared memory among our members.

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Schedule at a Glance

Updated as events and sessions are confirmed. | All sessions in Eastern Standard Time (EST/GMT-5).

Saturday, April 6
Registration Open & Badge Distribution for Workshops
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Registrar 101/FERPA Workshop (Day 1 of 2)
Ticket Required
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Registrar 201 Workshop (Day 1 of 2)
Ticket Required
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
International Institute (Day 1 of 2)
Ticket Required
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Title IV Compliance in the Registrar's Office: The Basics of HEA, Enrollment Reporting, Audit, and Compliance Workshop
Ticket Required
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 7
Friends of Bill W.
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Registration Open
7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Prayer Room Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Speaker Ready Room Open
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
AACRAO Bookstore Open
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Registrar 101/FERPA Workshop (Day 2)
Ticket Required
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registrar 201 Workshop (Day 2) & Strategic Planning for Registrars Workshop
Ticket Required
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
International Institute (Day 2)
Ticket Required
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
State & Regional Officers Half-Day Workshop
Ticket Required
8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
SEM Core Concepts Half-Day Workshop
Ticket Required
8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
National Network of Law School Officers Board of Directors Meeting
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
AACRAO SPEEDE Committee Business Meeting
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Program Committee Coordinators' Meeting
(2023-2024)
by invitation
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Luncheon for Professional Activities Committees Chairs
(2023-2024)
by invitation
11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Higher Ed Professionals Need Self-Care Too
Ticket Required
12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
FERPA 2.0 Half-Day Workshop
Ticket Required
12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Meeting for PAC Chairs & Members of Professional Activities Committees
(2024-2025)
by invitation
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
NNLSO Welcome Reception
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Experience AACRAO
By invitation for First-time Annual Meeting attendees
3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Opening General Session
Keynote Speaker: Soledad O'Brien, Broadcast Journalist & Executive Producer, Host of 'Matter of Fact'
5:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.
Welcome Reception in the Exhibit Hall
(cash bar & hors d'oeuvres)
6:45 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Monday, April 8
Friends of Bill W.
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Registration Open
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Speaker Ready Room Open
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Prayer Room Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
NNLSO Breakfast and Opening Session
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
AACRAO Past Presidents' Breakfast
by invitation
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
AACRAO Bookstore Open
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
AACRAO Women's Caucus Meeting
9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
9:50 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Corporate Showcase Presentations
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
AACRAO Native American Caucus Meeting
11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Graduate & Professional Schools Luncheon
Ticket Required
12:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
TAICEP Brown Bag Luncheon
Bring Your Own Lunch
12:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
Nominations & Elections 2023-2024 & 2024-2025 Committee Luncheon
by invitation
12:00 p.m. – 1:20 p.m.
AACRAO Joint Caucus Session - Intersectionality
1:30 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
1:30 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.
Monday Public Policy Plenary Session
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
AACRAO Asian American & Pacific Islander Caucus Meeting
4:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
4:00 p.m. – 5:50 p.m.
AACRAO LGBTQIA+ Caucus Meeting
5:00 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.
Board of Directors' Reception for Honorees
by invitation
6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9
Friends of Bill W.
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Registration Open
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Speaker Ready Room Open
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Prayer Room Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday Plenary Session
Keynote Speaker: Brandon Busteed, CEO of BrandEd, Speaker & Author on Education and Workforce Development
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
AACRAO Bookstore Open
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Exhibit Hall Open
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
AACRAO Business Meeting (General Session)
10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Global Learning Mobility Luncheon (formerly International Luncheon)
ticket required
12:00 p.m. - 1:20 p.m.
AACRAO Latin Caucus Meeting
1:30 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
1:30 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Tuesday Diversity Plenary Session
Keynote Speaker: Nontombi Naomi Tutu, Reverend, Motivational Speaker & Activist for Human Rights
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
4:00 p.m. – 5:50 p.m.
AACRAO Black Caucus Meeting
4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
AACRAO Young Professionals Caucus Meeting
5:00 p.m. – 5:50 p.m.
State & Regional Receptions
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10
Friends of Bill W.
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Speaker Ready Room Open
7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Prayer Room Open
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Registration Open
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Educational Sessions & Roundtable Discussions
9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Closing General Session
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, President, Paul Quinn College
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Program Committee Group Coordinators' Meeting
(2023-2024, 2024-2025)
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
AACRAO Board of Directors Meeting
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

2024 AACRAO Annual Meeting Featured Speakers and Guests

Sunday - Opening General Session

Soledad O'Brien

Soledad O’Brien was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of fame in May 2023. She is an award-winning documentarian, journalist, speaker, author, and philanthropist, and founder of Soledad O’Brien Productions, a media production company dedicated to telling empowering and authentic stories on a range of social issues. She anchors and produces Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien, a Hearst political magazine program seen in 95% of the country. She is a correspondent for HBO Real Sports.

Monday Plenary Session

With Congress deadlocked, the Department of Education has utilized the regulatory process to advance the Administration’s higher education goals with various Negotiated Rulemaking committees. Join government relation representatives from NACUBO, CUPA-HR, NASFAA and AACRAO as they share their insights into the negotiated rule making process and how these regulations could impact all institutions of higher education.

Moderator: Philip Hunt

Serves as Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at North Dakota State University where he is responsible for the supervision and operation of the Registration and Records Office. He also coordinates strategic planning for retention and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Panelist: William Gil, Senior Director of Government Affairs, AACRAO

As AACRAO's Senior Director of Government Affairs, Mr. Gil implements the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers' (AACRAO’s) public policy agenda. He also oversees federal government relations, legislative, policy, and regulatory matters that could impact the AACRAO membership, which comprises 11,000 individual members at over 2,600 higher education institutions.

Panelist: Rob Shomaker, Senior Vice President, CUPA-HR

Rob Shomaker is the senior vice president of The College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). He is also involved with multiple national board committees and is regularly engaged in the financial, budgetary, and strategic direction of the association. Rob serves as an External Board Member on the AACRAO Board of Directors.

Panelist: Ashley Jackson, Director of Government Relations, NACUBO

Ashley N. Jackson is a seasoned professional in government affairs and policy, holding a Master’s in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Maryland Global Campus. As the Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), she leads advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, focused on shaping policies affecting business officers including higher education reauthorization and tax policy.

Panelist: Rachel Rotunda, Director of Government Affairs, NASFAA

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.

Tuesday - Plenary Speaker (A.M.)

Brandon Busteed

Brandon Busteed is the CEO of BrandEd, a family-owned education company that delivers relevant, experiential courses taught by industry experts from the world’s best brands including Sotheby’s, Conde Nast, The New York Times, and City Football.

Tuesday - Diversity Plenary Speaker (P.M.)

Nontombi Naomi Tutu

The challenges of growing up black and female in apartheid South Africa have been the foundation of the Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu’s life as a motivational speaker and activist for human rights. Those experiences taught her that our whole human family loses when we accept situations of oppression, and how the teaching and preaching of hate and division injure us all.

Growing up the “daughter of Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu” has offered Naomi many opportunities and challenges in her life. Perhaps one of the greatest struggles was the call to ministry. She knew early in life that the one thing she would never be was a priest. She always said, “I have my father’s nose, I do not want his job.” It refused to be silenced, even as she carried her passion for justice into other fields. The call to preach and serve as an ordained clergyperson continued to tug at her. Finally, in her 50s, she responded and went to seminary. She is an Episcopal priest who most recently served as Associate Rector at All Saints, Beverly Hills. She currently resides in Atlanta where she is a priest associate at All Saints’ Episcopal.

Wednesday - Closing Plenary Speaker

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell

Dr. Sorrell has spearheaded one of the great turnaround stories of our time — leading Paul Quinn’s evolution from a failing institution to a higher education powerhouse. As the longest-tenured president in the college’s history, Dr. Sorrell has led the implementation of purpose-driven programs and initiatives that have improved graduation rates exponentially, reduced average student loan debt dramatically, and instilled a “WE Over Me” mentality in students, faculty, and the community at large.