Julia Pomerenk

University Registrar and AVP for Student Services and Enrollment Management

Julia Pomerenk has served as the University Registrar and Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at the University of Oregon since 2017. Prior to UO, Julia worked as the University Registrar at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington (for 14 years) and as University Registrar at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington (for five years). Participation with our professional organizations fuels Julia’s joy for our shared work. Julia serves as the AACRAO Vice President for Records and Student Services.

For PACRAO, Julia served as the dean for the faculty of the Leadership Development Institute for the LDI’s first four years. Over the past 30 years, AACRAO and PACRAO and state CRAOs have provided Julia with many opportunities to learn and contribute. Making connections and making contributions are the best part of her professional journey. Julia holds a master of arts in English from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology from Pacific Lutheran University.

AACRAO Leadership Roles

  • Vice President for Records and Academic Services (2022–present)
  • Awards Committee Chair (2018–2021)
  • Nominations and Elections Committee Chair (2017-18) and Chair-Elect (2016–17)
  • Program Structure Task Force Member (2013 - 2014)
  • Co-chair of Volunteers for 2011 Annual Meeting in Seattle (2009–2011)
  • Nominations and Elections Committee Member (2009–2010)
  • Mentor Committee Chair and Member (2006 -2009)
  • Publicity Chair for 2001 Annual Meeting in Seattle (1999–2001)
  • PACRAO Leadership Roles Dean for the Leadership Development Institute (2018–2022)
  • Vice President for Professional Development (2015–2016)
  • President-Elect, President, and Past President (2010–2013)
  • Vice President for Professional Development (2006–2008)
  • PACRAO Conference Presentations Co-presenter for workshop on Leading with Heart (2024)
  • Co-presenter for workshop on Leadership and Management (2017)
  • Presenter and co-presenter for webinars (2016 and 2018)
  • Presenter and co-presenter regularly at Annual Meetings (since 1997)
  • AACRAO Conference Presentations Co-presenter for webinar on mentoring (2016)
  • Co-leader for workshop, webinar, and session on curriculum and the registrar’s role (2015 and 2016)
  • Regular Presenter and Co-Presenter at Annual Meeting (since 2002)
  • AACRAO Publications Co-author for chapter in Academic Operations and the Role of the Registrar (AACRAO publications, 2024)
  • Co-author for chapter in Mentorship in Higher Education: Practical Advice and Leadership Theories (AACRAO publication, 2018)
  • Co-author for two chapters in Curriculum Management and the Role of the Registrar (AACRAO publication, 2016)

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Polixenia (Polly) Tohaneanu

Assistant Director, Graduate Admissions Office, University of Idaho

I am the Assistant Director of the Graduate Admissions Office at the University of Idaho. I also function as a Designated School Official (DSO) and as a Slate Captain for the University of Idaho CRM and Application System.

I have earned a B.A. in French from the University of Bucharest, an M.A. in Francophone Literature from the University of Cincinnati, and currently pursuing an M.A. in TESOL at the University of Idaho.

I have held conference presentations at AACRAO and the AICE Symposium. I have presented a pre-conference workshop on online verification of credentials at the NAFSA 2019 Conference. Contributor to NAFSA website and ACEI blog.

Dr. Lisa Harris

 
Dr. Lisa Harris has served for over 40 years in university administration and enrollment management, including positions as Director of Admissions, Dean of Admissions, Director of Financial Aid, Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, and as Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.  This experience has been learned through her roles at Clemson University, the University of Tennessee, LSU, The University of Alabama, Mississippi State University, Boise State University, and Sul Ross State University. 
 
The varied roles and experiences have helped Lisa create expertise she uses in her work with institutions.  She is particularly skilled in strategic enrollment planning, the change management process, marketing and communications to prospective students and parents, student information systems management, new student orientation, scholarship review and selection, and the role of SEM in the administration of the university.  During her tenure in student affairs, she worked with student leaders on a variety of issues relevant to the student body including, assisting leaders to organize successful events to meet the needs of their mission particularly fund raisers and mentoring student government officers as they learn their newly elected roles.  Her work with student groups also encompasses supporting allied partnerships in the LGBTQ community, assisting veteran groups with services to enhance their educational mission, and with supporting underserved communities. Lisa also worked to provide training and partnerships among and between student leadership groups and assisting student in gaining real world experience through internship programs in departments under her supervision.
 
Dr. Harris has held a number of professional leadership roles, including president and executive board member of the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) and president and executive board member of the Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.  She also served National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and NASPA (Student Affairs Professionals in Higher Education) in regional board positions.  Among her many awards for various student services at her former institutions, she was also granted the Distinguished Service Award from SACRAO.  
 
Dr. Harris holds a B.A. degree in Psychology and a M.Ed. in Personnel Services from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Vocational Education from LSU.
 

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Francesca Villa

Academic Registrar Manager at Istituto Europeo del Design (IED)

Francesca Villa is Academic Registrar Manager at Istituto Europeo del Design (IED) where she works as credential evaluator and manages the academic recognition policies and the admission processes for international degree-seeking undergraduate and postgraduate applicants. Born and raised in Northern Italy, Francesca graduated in Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Milan majoring in English Literature and Translation Studies. Recently she has achieved the first European microcredential for credential evaluators awarded by the European University of Rome and the Italian ENIC-NARiC centre CIMEA. With almost ten year experience in international admissions and credential evaluation in applied and visual arts HEIs, Francesca is now focusing on the implementation of the LRC and EHEA principles and standards into IED credential assessment policies, admission procedures and information provision. Driven by her compulsive passion for research and learning, she is also in charge of international admission training for advisors and registration staff.

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Michelle Barger

Associate Director, International Admissions Wichita State University

Worked within enrollment management at Wichita State for the last 20 years. Twelve years in domestic admissions, four years as the associate registrar, and four years in International Admissions. Some areas that I have supervised include processing of domestic and international admission files, transfer credit for domestic and international courses, credit evaluation for international students, international scholarships, class room scheduling, enrollment verification, and many more.

Portrait of unknown AACRAO Professional.

Mary Blount

Senior Foreign Credential Evaluator for Graduate Admissions at Georgia State University

Mary Blount has been at Georgia State University for 2.5 years in Graduate Admissions and is currently the Senior Foreign Credential Evaluator for Graduate Admissions in Georgia State University. She has a B.A. and M.S. from Clemson University as well as a DESCAF from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Pau, France. Prior to entering the world of credential evaluators she worked as the Registrar at a local high school and before her children were born, she worked in International Marketing for AT&T

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Diana Hense MA

Head of Admissions at the University of Amsterdam

Diana Hense MA, is Head of Admissions at the University of Amsterdam and a senior in the international credential evaluating environment. She also serves as Vice President of Standards at TAICEP. In the Netherlands she acts as track chair internationalization and is a key mover in taking forward major initiatives supporting and improving the efficiency of international application processes.

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Jeannie Yockey-Fine

General Counsel

Jeannie Yockey-Fine is General Counsel at NC-SARA. She analyzes federal and state regulations, SARA policies, and professional licensure issues and their impacts on SARA institutions, and related policy conversations.

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Lori Williams, Ph.D.

President and CEO of NC-SARA

Lori Williams is president and CEO of NC-SARA and has over 25 years’ experience in education, primarily in distance education. She previously served as vice president at the WASC Senior College and University Commission, as well as provost, vice provost, and other academic administrative roles.

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Mary Agnes Larson, M.Ed.

Executive Director for Student and Institution Support

Mary Larson has more than 30 years of experience working in higher education. Prior to joining NC-SARA, Mary was the Director of Student Access Programs and Services at SREB where she was the director of S-SARA, worked with state authorization and oversaw a number of SREB programs that help students start or continue their education.

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Melanie Booth, Ed.D.

Director of Educational Programs and Communications

Melanie Booth leads the educational and training programs for states, institutions, and other constituents, as well as outreach, partnership support, events, writing, and communications for the organization. Prior roles include Founding Executive Director of The Quality Assurance Commons, Vice President for Educational Programming at WSCUC, and academic administration positions in California and Oregon institutions primarily serving adult learners and underrepresented populations.

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Marianne Boeke, Ph.D.

Senior Director for Research and State Support

Marianne Boeke oversees all aspects of data reporting and research, curates the State Authorization Surveys (The Guide), provides state and regional compact support, and, with senior leadership, works on policy related issues. 

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Richard MacLeod

Registrar at Athabasca University

Richard MacLeod is the Registrar at Athabasca University, Canada’s Open University, in Alberta, Canada.  Athabasca University, celebrating 50 years, has over 44,000 learners and provides transformational educational experiences to students through online learning.

Richard has worked in post secondary for over 25 years and has led many student service initiatives including multiple SIS implementations, SEM Plan creation and execution, and front-line service unification.

Capstone Project: “Measuring the Impact of Nudging New Applicants to First Registration at Athabasca University”

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Kimberly McNair, EdD

Associate Senior Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management

Dr. Kimberly McNair has over 20 years of experience in community college and four-year settings in admissions, recruitment, marketing, enrollment management, and community engagement. She serves as at Montgomery College in Maryland. She oversees admissions, recruitment and related enrollment functions and co-facilitates the college’s Achieving the Dream (ATD) student success efforts. During her tenure she also helped lead the realignment of enrollment management units to help streamline access and enrollment support for students. Dr. McNair is an inaugural member of  AACRAO’s ASCEND enrollment management leadership development program and certified MBTI practitioner, Balanced Scorecard Professional, and peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Dr. McNair earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Towson University, and a Doctorate in Higher Education – Community College Leadership from Morgan State University.

Capstone Abstract: This capstone project explored concepts of SEM research and data-informed decision making, particularly at institutions new to enrollment management or just starting their SEM journey.

Review of: AACRAO's Higher Education Central Policy Database

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Dr. Troy Holaday

President of CollegeSource and visionary for the Transfer Evaluation System

Dr. Troy Holaday is the President of CollegeSource and visionary for the Transfer Evaluation System (TES®), used by more than a thousand institutions of higher education nationwide. Before 2007, Troy worked at Ball State University, first as an Academic Advisor and then as the Assistant Director of Academic Systems. Troy’s work at Ball State included managing the first interactive system of automated transfer credit evaluation on the Internet, the Automated Course Transfer System (ACTS). During his time at Ball State, Troy also taught Humanities for the Honors College. He served as Chair of NACADA’s Advising Transfer Students Commission from 2003-2006 and worked with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education from 2001-2007 as a member of the Statewide Transfer and Articulation Committee and leader of the state’s Core Transfer Library task force.

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Laura Jacobs Anderson

University Registrar at Willamette University

Laura Jacob Anderson is in her eighth year as University Registrar at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, and is currently a member of 2 merger implementation teams. Willamette University announced on September 17 that the Pacific Northwest College of Art would join the university to become Willamette's fourth school. The current timeline aims for completion of that merger by January 1, 2021. The university is also in a longer-term merger process with the Claremont School of Theology. Prior to joining Willamette University, Laura was an Associate Registrar at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

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Elizabeth Amundson

Associate Provost & Registrar, George Washington University

Elizabeth Amundson is the Associate Provost & Registrar, George Washington University and member of AACRAO and MSACROA.  Beth served as co-chair of the Closed or Merged Institutions work group, with her focus on institutional mergers.  GW is the custodial institution for the records from Ben Franklin University and the Graduate School of Political Management; and has undertaken mergers with Mount Vernon College and the Corcoran College of Art & Design.

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Sarah Harris

Senior Associate Registrar (retired), University of Iowa

Sarah Harris, retired Senior Associate Registrar, University of Iowa and lifetime member of AACRAO and UMACRAO. Sarah served as co-chair of the Closed or Merged Institutions work group with her focus on the Closed portion. The University of Iowa serves as the custodial school of Iowa defunct post-secondary schools (currently 26 schools). The experiences of the Closed sub-committee members in assisting schools through their closures led to the checklist and other guidance provided in the report.

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Dannette Gomez Beane

Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications, Radford University

Request Dr. Dannette Beane as a speaker 

Dr. Beane has 18 years of experience working with students from pre-K to doctoral education. Her research focuses on advocacy for underrepresented and marginalized students including special focus on the Movement for Black Lives and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. Dr. Beane is a licensed school counselor and published author on career development, mentoring, self-care, and advocacy. 

In her current role, she serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Strategic Communications at Radford University. During her time at Virginia Tech she has also served as an academic advisor, director of recruitment and diversity, inclusion coordinator, and adjunct professor in the School of Education. Her service to the university includes advising student groups like Queer People of Color, the Graduate Student Assembly Professional Development committee, and serves on the Hispanic/Latinx Faculty and Staff Caucus. Prior to Virginia Tech, Dr. Beane worked for AmeriCorps College Summit, Total Action for Progress, Roanoke City Public Schools and Hollins University. 

 

Dr. Beane completed her doctorate in Counselor Education from Virginia Tech where she also completed her Master of Counselor Education and a certificate in Higher Education Administration. Her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies and Spanish from Hollins University.

 

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Margaret Winnicki

Director of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, CAHP, UNMC

Maggie J. Winnicki, MPH is currently Director of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs in the College of Allied Health Professions (CAHP) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). 

Her twenty-year career in higher education spans roles in distance education, academic counseling, student services and affairs, and admissions.  She holds a Master of Public Health degree from UNMC, with an emphasis in administration, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College (IL). 

She has extensive experience in student services for military personnel, including coordinating the student service functions for the U.S. military Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas.

Ms. Winnicki directs admissions and recruitment for the fourteen health professions programs in the College of Allied Health Professions. In this role, she was instrumental in developing marketing, recruitment and admission best practices for the college’s holistic admissions initiative. 

Ms. Winnicki is a member of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and the Nebraska Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (NACRAO).