Agenda

Develop yourself personally and professionally through our outstanding conference programming.

Tentative Agenda  |  Current as of September 22, 2026

More than 70 educational sessions. Four preconference workshops. Programming for all levels of financial aid expertise. Hands-on Capstone Learning Labs. Explore everything MASFAA 2026 has to offer with our interactive tentative agenda!

Explore the Interactive Tentative Agenda

Looking for support to attend the 2026 MASFAA Annual Conference?

Download our editable justification letter template to help explain the benefits of conference participation to your supervisor. Customize the letter to reflect your responsibilities, professional development goals, and the value the conference brings to your institution.

Preconference

Start your professional development before the conference even starts. All preconference activities will take place on Sunday, October 18 between 1:00 - 3:15 p.m. Make your selection when you register. 

NASFAA Credentials
Take your career to the next level with NASFAA Professional Credentials. This exciting program provides a nationally-recognized standard in financial aid training and allows you to earn recognition for your mastery of content. A professional credential benefits you by:

Credential –  Needs Analysis
Timing - 1:00 - 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, October 18

Trainer: 

Community College Roundtable

Greatness in Action: Gathering Community College Aid Leaders for Impact
(all levels of financial aid staff welcome!)

Timing - 1:00 - 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, October 18

Facilitator(s):

    

Graduate & Professional Roundtable
Navigating Graduate & Professional Aid After OB3

Timing - 1:00 - 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, October 18

Facilitator(s):

• Anne Dahlen, Director of Financial Aid, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Sciences (MN)
• Christopher Johnson, MBA, Director of Graduate Financial Aid, University of Chicago (IL)
• Heidi Johnson, Associate Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Law (WI)
• Jessica Seavers, Assistant Director of Student Financial Services & Financial Education, Saint Louis University (MO)

   

Elevated Leadership Experience, Optional Add-On (via registration form)

Timing - 1:00 - 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, October 18

EXPERIENCE PURPOSE

The MASFAA Leadership Experience offers a meaningful professional development opportunity that extends beyond traditional conference programming. Building upon the success of previous highly engaging leadership discussions, this year’s experience brings together perspectives from national leaders, higher education executives, and accomplished financial aid professionals.

The focus extends beyond leadership within the financial aid office. Participants will explore how financial aid professionals can strengthen institutional partnerships, communicate their value to senior leadership, influence decision making, and position their offices as essential contributors to enrollment, student success, and institutional effectiveness.

Attendees will leave inspired, challenged, and equipped with practical strategies they can immediately apply on their campuses.

Special Guests

Keynote

Barry A. Schreier, Ph.D. is a licensed Counseling Psychologist.  He was a campus counseling center professional for 30 years, finishing most recently as Director of the University of Iowa Counseling Center. Barry is a Professor of Counseling Psychology in the University of Iowa College of Education and the University of Iowa Faculty Ombudsperson. Prior to this, he was Director of the Counseling Center at the University of Connecticut, and he spent many years with Princeton and Purdue University’s Counseling Centers. Barry has made a career focused on student, staff, and faculty mental health and well-being.  Barry has numerous publications on a variety of topics including sexual orientations and Trans/GNB identities; training and education in psychology; managing student distress; campus suicide prevention; campus mental health and Well-being; group therapy and brief therapy models; and was an editor for the book:  The Handbook of Multicultural Counseling Competency. Dr. Schreier is the founder and senior consultant for Bridge Partners Consultation which provides professional consultation on issues and concerns related to the GLBTQ+ communities.  Barry’s also has a private therapy practice in Iowa City, IA. And in all of that, Barry also opened and ran a candy store for several years.  Barry is married to his husband Tom with whom he has celebrated 35 years together! He is also the proud papa of a highly over-indulged and spoiled cat named Smudge.  And when not at work, Barry is inevitably at the theatre!  Barry’s pronouns are he/him/his. 

Federal Student Aid

Sara Vancil serves as a Training Specialist with the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) and is based in Kansas City. She develops and delivers engaging and effective training, with a particular focus on building online training courses for the FSA Training Center. She helps financial aid administrators find and utilize the wide range of available resources to become as adept and effective as possible at Title IV aid administration.

Prior to joining FSA in 2020, Sara spent 20 years working in admissions, career services, and financial aid offices at Stanford University, Boston College, Princeton University, and the University of Kansas. At the University of Kansas, she spent nearly 15 years coordinating the university’s financial aid awarding processes, including financial aid packaging, scholarships, and cost of attendance development. She also served as president of the Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and faculty for Rocky Mountain Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ Summer Institute, a week-long boot camp for financial aid administrators of all levels. She has a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Kansas and a master’s in higher education administration from Boston College.

NASFAA

Melanie Storey is the president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), beginning her tenure on May 1, 2025. With decades of experience in federal higher education policy, financial aid operations, and organizational leadership, Storey brings deep expertise and a steadfast commitment to advancing access and equity in higher education. Storey previously served as director of policy implementation and oversight at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), where she led cross-functional teams in translating federal policy into practice. She played a central role in implementing the FAFSA Simplification Act and the FUTURE Act, and contributed to major initiatives like federal student loan debt relief. She frequently represented FSA before congressional staff, administration officials, and higher education leaders. Before joining the Department, Storey led policy and strategy work at College Board and served as director of national initiatives at the American Council on Education (ACE), where she supported national commissions, analyzed legislative proposals, and led public service campaigns. Earlier in her career, she was a policy analyst at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), where she conducted research and collaborated with government relations staff on federal policy proposals affecting private institutions. A proud first-generation college graduate and financial aid recipient, Storey earned a master's degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin and holds bachelor's degrees in economics and public policy from Smith College.

Dr. Angela Johnson is the vice president of enrollment management at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). She has more than 30 years of experience in financial aid and enrollment management. Her portfolio includes oversight of recruitment, admissions, retention, financial aid, scholarships, financial education, basic needs, the registrar, and supporting first-generation college students. She previously worked at The Ohio State University and Bryant & Stratton College. She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism from Ohio State University, her master's degree in public communication from American University, and her doctorate in higher education leadership from the University of Phoenix. She has served in several elected and volunteer positions at the state, regional and national levels, including past president for the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (OASFAA) and served on boards of directors for the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA), the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), College Board, the Higher Education Loan Coalition, and the Ohio Association of Community Colleges. She has also participated in negotiated rulemaking with the U.S. Department of Education and served on the Higher Education Committee of 50 Thought Force. As a proud first-generation college graduate, Dr. Johnson is committed to developing integrated ecosystems to advance equitable access and financial aid systems that are bridges to student success.

Natalie Wong, MS, serves as the community engagement manager at NASFAA, where she is passionate about building meaningful connections and fostering engagement across the financial aid profession. Natalie believes that financial aid is a profession built on community, collaboration, and shared knowledge. She is passionate about connecting individuals, creating opportunities for engagement, and helping professionals build the networks that support their success. Prior to joining NASFAA, she worked in financial aid at Salve Regina University. Natalie earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in strategic management and Innovation from Salve Regina University. Outside of work, Natalie enjoys spending time at the beach, exploring new places, and going on adventures with her fiancée and golden retriever, Archie.

MASFAA Regional Exchange

Dr. JoEllen Price, FAAC, started her higher education career in 1988 and became a financial aid director in 1992. Dr. Price currently serves as the Dean of Financial Aid and Scholarships at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas. Prior to assuming the role on June 5, 2023, she was the executive director of financial aid at Houston Community College. She has led financial aid operations for 6 different institutions (public, private and proprietary) in four states over her 35-year career. Positions held include executive director of student financial programs overseeing student accounts and financial aid; assistant vice president of enrollment management overseeing admissions, financial aid, and marketing; interim director of institutional research; registrar; and vice president of operations for a full-service financial aid consulting company working with over 50 different institutions. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrator's and serves on multiple committees and task forces for TASFAA, SWASFAA and NASFAA. She completed all 16 NASFAA credentials in September of 2021 and is a NASFAA Certified Financial Aid Administrator. Dr. Price earned a bachelor's degree in business (1991), a master's degree in business administration (1997), a master's degree in information technology (2015), and completed her Doctorate's in Education (2022).

Entertainment/Evening Activities

• Sunday, October 18 – Football Jersey Day
• Monday, October 19 – 90's Apparel Day
• Tuesday, October 20 – School Pride Day