Margo Landy is Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and University Registrar at San Francisco State University. She holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has worked in higher education for over a decade, including at Holy Names University and University of the Pacific. She has been a frequent presenter at AACRAO annual conferences and has served on a variety of AACRAO committees and working groups, currently including the Enrollment Management and Retention Committee, the AACRAO Technical Advisory Council, and an AACRAO FERPA advisory council.
How to Adopt the “FERPA Perspective” When Evaluating Disclosures of Student Records
Dr. Maldonado is a pediatric infectious diseases epidemiologist and current acting chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. She attended Stanford University School of Medicine, completed pediatric residency and pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, and was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before joining the faculty at Stanford University. She has led a number of NIH, CDC, Gates Foundation and WHO funded domestic and international pediatric infectious diseases studies, focused on pediatric HIV and pediatric vaccine preventable diseases. More recently, she has focused on health disparities and infectious diseases outcomes, including COVID-19 in pediatric and adult populations. She is recent past chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases and a liaison to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. She has over 250 peer reviewed publications and is co-editor of the textbook “Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant” and the American Academy of Pediatrics “Red Book”. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.
Carolyn Sloane Mata, Ph.D., is a higher education consultant working mostly with private, not-for-profit colleges and their Associations. Bringing 20 years of higher education experience as a faculty member, college administrator, and association executive, Carrie’s expertise lies in the areas of policy, institutional research, and institutional effectiveness. She has served as a National IPEDS Educator since 2016, represented the private, not-for-profit sector on the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC), and has been an IPEDS keyholder and state coordinator for many years.
Joe Karaganis is the director of Open Syllabus, a non-profit archive of the main activity of higher education: teaching. Open Syllabus maps the curriculum across thousands of schools to support curricular innovation, student mobility, and school-to-workforce pathways.
Faith Farley joined AACRAO as the Government Relations (GR) intern just one month before the GR team’s biggest event of the year, the annual Congressional Hill Day. She hit the ground running by helping to coordinate meetings with over 90 congressional offices and helping to lead policy discussions on the day of the event. In her role, Faith also helps track important federal issues impacting higher education, communicates with Congressional offices and other stakeholders in the public policy space, as well as being a weekly contributor to Transcript.
Beyond AACRAO, Faith is currently a junior at the George Washington University (GW) where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s in International Affairs and Political Science. At school, Faith enjoys serving as the Head Delegate for GW’s Model United Nations team of 80 individuals. This involves organizing meetings, leading the team’s competition prep, as well as coordinating travel and housing accommodations. Faith was born and raised in Syracuse, New York. In her free time, she enjoys exploring local DC restaurants and cafes and going for walks on the national mall.
Professor Leonard Samborowski recently retired as the chair of the M.B.A. and E.M.B.A. programs at Nichols College. He spent more than ten years in academia. Prior to his academic experience, he served the United States Army for more than 30 years. Professor Samborowski served in numerous command and positions in Central America, Europe, Korea and Kuwait. Among his administrative and management staff positions, he spent five years assigned to the Pentagon, leaving the Pentagon three weeks before 9/11. He served as the Inspector General for the 8,200 members of the Massachusetts National Guard.
College Enrollment and Digital Maturity: A Quantitative Study of Small New England Colleges
Jas Singh, Ph.D., has an extensive research and industry experience. He has more than fifteen years of experience in leading digital transformation, process improvement, and risk management across the insurance, technology, and banking sectors. Dr. Singh holds a Ph.D. in technology management from the University of Bridgeport and an M.B.A. and an M.S. in Accounting from the University of Hartford. His research focuses on human-digital interactions and their financial and branding impacts on companies and academic institutions.
Richard Gonzalez, Ed.D., is the Assistant Commissioner for Adult Learner Access with the Utah System of Higher Education and previously served in various roles within student services at Utah State University. He has an M.B.A. from Utah State University and an Ed.D. in Education, Leadership, and Policy from The University of Utah. Dr. Gonzalez earned all this higher education as an adult learner starting with remedial courses in 2010 after being laid off. He serves as Board President of the Utah Jump$tart Coalition, a financial literacy education organization for youth; he was also selected as a member of the national advisory committee for the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), which supports underrepresented students to excel through higher education. The intersectionality of identities, which include first-gen college student, low-income upbringing, son of immigrant parents, alternative high school graduate, and adult learner, inform his perspective as a higher education professional and researcher. His research interests are mostly focused on adult learners and enrollment management practices. His personal and professional journey uniquely positions him to contribute to the study’s narrative and research questions.
How do Adult Learners Fit into Strategic Enrollment Management Plans? Attitude and Perception of Enrollment Managers
Amine Oudghiri, Ed.D., is a Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. His areas of research include English as a Second Language (ESL), Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), business, science and technical writing, advocacy and policy, international student recruitment and retention, global leadership, and leadership communication.
The Association of Two Demographic Factors with the Integration and Commitment of West Virginia’s International University Students
Jennifer Passenti, Ed.D., is the Director of the Lake Region Center of Lackawanna College, located in Hawley, Pennsylvania. Lackawanna College has seven campuses across Northeast Pennsylvania, with the main campus located in Scranton. Passenti has worked at Lackawanna College for the past thirteen years, first serving as an adjunct professor, followed by enrollment specialist, and for the last six years as the director of the campus.
As the director, Passenti is responsible for performance management and hiring of all faculty and staff positions; overseeing and administering all programs, services and activities at the center; developing and implementing the center’s marketing plan; evaluating program offerings to ensure their fiscal viability and that they meet the needs of the community; and ensuring the center is compliant with all federal, state, institutional and accreditation guidelines and regulations.
Prior to coming to Lackawanna College, Passenti worked for the New York City Board of Education where she taught in The Bronx for many years. She earned her master’s degree in elementary education at Mercy College, and a bachelor’s degree in speech communications and public relations from Kutztown University. Passenti also holds professional certifications in both Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean Six Sigma through Villanova University, and completed her Ed.D. at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
The Impact of the COVID Pandemic on Enrollment and Retention at One Small Private College, and the Innovative Strategies Used to Address These Challenges
As the Content Strategy Manager, Autumn is the lead storyteller, transforming AACRAO’s industry-leading work into a consistent voice. Autumn strives to build narratives that connect people across roles and industries. Her commitment to higher education and professional development drives her passion to support the AACRAO community in advancing the future of learning mobility.
No stranger to professional development associations, Autumn has served on the conference executive committees and presented sessions for the Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admission (MSACROA) and the Delaware Valley Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admission (DVACROA). Her first AACRAO conference was the 101st Annual Conference in Baltimore, and one year later, she presented at the 102nd in Phoenix. She also presented at the American Marketing Association (AMA) Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education during her membership years.
Autumn has dedicated her career to education, most recently at Charter School Growth Fund as a data and technology systems lead and in higher education as a communications strategist specializing in marketing technology and operations. She is also a Salesforce Certified Administrator. She has held roles at Villanova University, West Chester University, and the University of Pennsylvania, building expertise in brand and reputation management, digital marketing, enrollment management, web development, systems implementation, content strategy, and nonprofit and philanthropy research. She began her career as one of the founding members of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Other side quests include her business consulting practice, Clarity, Hope, and Luck, LLC. Autumn is also the co-founder, lead singer, and singer-songwriter of the Philadelphia-based folk band Kicking Down Doors. She earned a BS in education from Temple University and an MA in humanities from Arcadia University.
Christine Welden is the Associate Registrar for Policy & Operations at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She began her career in the Registrar’s Office in 2014, focusing on degree audits and graduation checks. Throughout her tenure, Christine has held a variety of roles, including VA School Certifying Official, academic standing reviewer, and professional development facilitator for staff and faculty. She has also overseen graduate school processes, managed office operations, and conducted the final editing of the University Catalog.
Christine has been an active member of AACRAO since 2019, serving on the Accessibility Task Force in 2023, participating in the Peer Mentor Program and Academic Progress PAC in 2024, and is currently an active member of the Young Professionals Caucus.
Nicholas Jobe is the University Registrar at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. His work as a registrar since 2016 has resulted in enhancements to operational efficiency at three different institutions. He also has experience across numerous areas including accreditation, assessment, and advising, and he has led or been involved with several technology implementations.
Nick is also an active and engaged member of the AACRAO community. He serves as the Communications Specialist for AACRAO’s Young Professionals Caucus and as a member of the Small Colleges Committee. Nick also participates in AACRAO’s Peer Mentoring program, presents at both regional and national conferences, and has appeared as a guest on AACRAO’s For the Record podcast.
Dr. Curtis Clock is originally from Matthews, Indiana but moved to Muncie to pursue his education at Ball State University. He earned his Bachelor’s in History and his Master’s and Doctorate in Adult, Higher, and Community Education--all from BSU! Dr. Clock’s dissertation centered around the lived experiences of first-year students on academic probation. He spent the first four years of his professional career in Academic Advising working primarily with First-Year STEM students, and he currently serves as the Associate Registrar in the Office of the Registrar at Ball State University overseeing the Catalog, Schedule, and Student Curriculum functions and processes.
Curtis has been involved with AACRAO since 2021 and has served as Vice Chair for the Academic Progress Committee since 2023 and recently assumed the Chair role in December of 2024. Dr. Clock has been an active member of the Young Professionals Caucus since its inception and currently serves as the Membership and Engagement Specialist. Dr. Clock was awarded AACRAO’s Best of the Best for his presentation titled, Teach Me How to Gen Z, which was delivered at the 108th Annual Meeting.
Karen J. Solomon presently serves as the Higher Learning Commission’s Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer. In addition to serving as an institutional liaison, she has been leading HLC’s future-focused grant initiatives since 2016. She is co-leading the development of HLC’s new Credential Lab, an innovation hub designed to assist institutions and providers in navigating the complex and growing ecosystem of postsecondary short-term credentials.
Previously, Dr. Solomon was the founding Executive Director of Illinois Campus Compact and held leadership roles at ACT, Inc and higher education institutions. She holds an Ed.D. in Adult and Continuing Education from Northern Illinois University.
President Dr. Laura L. Douglas is Bristol Community College’s fourth president. She is dedicated to driving a college-going culture in the region. Through her leadership, Bristol Community College, with locations in southeastern Massachusetts including Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton and Online, continues to be a leading resource for higher education and workforce development. She is well-known throughout the community for her dedication to college access, Early College, continuing education, economic development and workforce preparedness.
Driven by her dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion, she has led the development of a strategic plan that weaves equity into all aspects of our mission, vision and values. During her tenure, the college has become a regional leader for social justice initiatives, a voice for underrepresented students and advocate of affordable and equitable access to quality higher education.
Under President Douglas’ leadership, Bristol Community College has taken the international stage. Her dedication to creating jobs in the community and being on the forefront of the United States’ emerging Offshore Wind industry demonstrates the community college’s value as an economic driver in New England and beyond.
President Douglas attended the University of Southern Maine and holds an undergraduate degree in Social Welfare. She holds a master’s degree in international administration from the School for International Training in Vermont and a master’s and Ph.D. in education from the University of Michigan’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education.
Dr. Linda C. Martin was appointed interim chancellor in July 2022.
Most recently (2021-22), Linda served as the Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice President of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) overseeing the UT College of Veterinary Medicine; Herbert College of Agriculture; AgResearch; and Extension. Prior to this since November of 2017, Martin served as the vice president for academic affairs and student success for the University of Tennessee System. Martin’s prestigious career includes 10 years at The Ohio State University serving as the Sanford G. Price and Isabelle P. Barbee Endowed Chair for Teaching, Advising and Learning, the associate dean and director for academic programs for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the director of the second-year transformational experience program.
Previously, she was assistant dean for academic programs for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University (2002-2007), following 15 successful years in higher education as a faculty member, teaching and advising at Kansas State University, serving in the department of animal sciences and industry.
Martin earned a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University, a master’s degree from Virginia Tech and a doctorate from Colorado State University—all in animal science.
Martin currently lives in Knoxville with her husband, Ken, and their dog Jake. Linda and Ken have two children, Travis and Hannah.
Dr. Laura M. Gambino is a Vice President for the New England Commission of Higher Education, where her work focuses on helping institutions and the Commission use data and conduct assessment for institutional learning and improvement. She also oversees NECHE’s Information Technology and is project director for the Commission’s Non-Credit Quality Assurance work. Prior to joining NECHE in 2018, Gambino was Associate Dean for Assessment and Technology and Professor of Information Technology at Guttman Community College (CUNY) and a Visiting Scholar at the Community College Research Center (CCRC), Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Gambino, a leading ePortfolio and assessment practitioner and researcher, served as a Coach for the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). She is co-author of High-Impact ePortfolio Practice: A Catalyst for Student, Faculty, and Institutional Learning and co-edited Catalyst in Action: Case Studies of High-Impact ePortfolio Practice.
Dr. Anthony Abraham Jack is the inaugural faculty director of the Newbury Center and associate professor of higher education leadership at Boston University.
Dr. Jack’s research documents the overlooked diversity among lower-income undergraduates: the Doubly Disadvantaged—those who enter college from local, typically distressed public high schools—and the Privileged Poor, or those who do so from boarding, day, and preparatory high schools. His scholarship appears in the Common Reader, Du Bois Review, Social Problems, Sociological Forum, and Sociology of Education and has earned awards from the American Sociological Association, American Educational Studies Association, Association for the Study of Higher Education, Eastern Sociological Society, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems.
Dr. Jack held fellowships from the Ford Foundation and the National Science Foundation and was a 2015 National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellow. In 2016, the National Center for Institutional Diversity at the University of Michigan named him an Emerging Diversity Scholar. In 2020, Muhlenberg College awarded him an honorary doctorate for his work in transforming higher education.
The New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Atlantic, the New Yorker, Chronicle of Higher Education, Huffington Post, the Nation, American Conservative Magazine, National Review, the Washington Post, Vice, Vox, and NPR have featured his research and writing as well as biographical profiles of his experiences as a first-generation college student. The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges Are Failing Disadvantaged Students is his first book. His second book project, When Campus Closed: How Elite Colleges Are Still Failing Disadvantaged Students, is due out in 2024.