NAFA is a volunteer-driven organization! The Association depends on volunteers to plan the conference and other professional development opportunities, produce publications, develop best practices, and more.
Most committees meet monthly, for approximately an hour, and there will be some work that takes place in-between meetings; in some cases, there may be additional sub-committee meetings. Please connect with committee chairs about the specifics. During our busy fall season, some committees are meeting less regularly and/or are understandably doing less work. Those interested in volunteering should email info@nafadvisors.org to learn more!
Committee Details and Rosters
This committee is chaired by the Secretary. It is responsible for creating and maintaining best practices documents and standardized forms for NAFA members, and for conducting on-site program assessments for member organizations.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Secretary
- Anne Wallen (she/her), Rutgers University
Members at Large
- Andrus Ashoo (he/him), University of Virginia
- Heidi Bauer-Clapp (she/her), University of Massachusetts, Amherst*
- Melissa Berninger (she/her), University of South Dakota– Assessment co-chair
- Jason Chan (he/him), Haverford College
- Jennifer Locke (she/her), Occidental College- Best Practices co-chair
- Meredith Raucher Sisson (she/her), Virginia Commonwealth University- Consultation co-chair*
- Lorna Ronald (she/her), Fordham University
- Mary Swanson (she/her), Colorado State University
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is responsible for planning and organizing the biennial national conference.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Vice President
- Robyn Curtis, Clemson University
Members at Large
- Susan Albrecht, Wabash College*
- Rebecca Blustein, University of California, Los Angeles
- Teresa Delcorso-Ellmann, Rutgers University
- Alison Edgren, Loyola New Orleans
- Elizabeth Fessenden, Emory University
- Garrett Fontenot, Louisiana State University
- Bridget Hansen, Emory University
- Katya King, Williams College
- Anastasia Lin, University of North Georgia
- Brian Souders, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Daniel Villanueva, Cultural Vistas (CBYX for Young Professionals)
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee aims to nurture and sustain a culturally responsive environment for NAFA members, students, alumni, and fellowships applicants. To foster these inclusive spaces, the committee develops and implements programs and guidance that promote DEI in the field of fellowships advising.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Board Representative
- Terumi Rafferty-Osaki (he/him), Northeastern University
Members at Large
- Rachel Ball-Phillips (she/her), Southern Methodist University
- Robyn Davis (she/her), University of Washington
- Jacob English (he/him), ex officio, Georgia State University
- Craig Filar (he/him), Florida State University
- Christopher Lewis (he/him), Ohio University
- Jessie McCrary (she/her), Emory University
- Eric Myers (he/they), Princeton University*
- Nicole Nowbahar (she/her), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Kathryn Quinto (she/her), University of North Georgia
- Belinda Redden (she/her), University of Rochester
- Jaye Shivamoggi (she/her), Retired
- Shania Siron (she/her), Reed College*
- Christian Tanja (he/him), Knight-Hennessy Scholars, Stanford University*
- Kristen Walton (she/her), Salisbury University
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is chaired by the Treasurer and oversees the revenues and expenses of NAFA, recommends to the Board uses for reserve funds, and advises on the financial implications of significant actions.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Treasurer
- Dana Kuchem, University of Richmond
Members at Large
- Brittany Davis, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University*
- Payge Jennings, U.S. Alumni Coordinator – Alumni Affairs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
- Kelly Medley, University of Florida
- Lucy Morrison, University of Nebraska, Omaha
- Gwen Volmar, Harvard University
- Brandon Rager, University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown
- Brian Souders, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is responsible for recognizing best practices for graduate fellowship advising, communicates with the Board on strategies to address the needs of graduate advisors, offers opportunities for professional dialogue, and provides professional development opportunities.
Current Committee Roster
Co-Chair
- Heidi Bauer-Clapp (she/her), University of Massachusetts, Amherst*
- Beth Keithly (she/her), University of Texas, Dallas
Members at Large
- Teresa Delcorso-Ellmann (she/her), Rutgers University
- Andrea Hilkovitz (she/her), Texas State University
- Mitch Hobza (he/him), Arizona State University
- Emily Hollenbach (she/her), New York University
- Matthew Kopfenstein (he/him), University of South Carolina
- Jeannette Miller (she/her), Harvard University
- Alla Mirzoyan (she/her), Florida International University
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee engages in outreach to expand membership to other relevant organizations and non-member institutions, including those serving constituencies under-represented in fellowships competitions. It also helps to develop resources for new members.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Board Representative
- Alsace-Lorraine Gallop (she/her), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Members at Large
- Kristin Bennighoff (she/her), University of Delaware
- Laura Cotten Howell (she/her), University of Dayton
- Kurt Davies (he/they), New York University*
- Brittany Davis (she/her), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University*
- Corey Efron (he/him), Denison University
- Alicia Hayes (she/her), University of California, Berkeley
- Michelle Hite (she/her), Spelman College
- Mitch Hobza (He/They), Arizona State University
- Ethan Knight (he/him), University of Richmond
- Anna Whiteside (she/her), Georgia College & State University
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is responsible for developing lists of candidates for the offices of Vice President-President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer, and for seats on the Board. The committee also supervises the counting of ballots at the biennial meeting and certifies the results of elections to the President and members of the Board. During the 2021-23 biennium, this committee will also propose a revision of the NAFA mission, values, and by-laws with a more explicit focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, President
- Megan Friddle, Emory University
Members at Large
- Ashley Bodie, Davidson College
- Doug Cutchins, NYU Abu Dhabi
- Ashley Floyd Kuntz, Florida International University*
- Ariella Lang, Columbia University
- Julia Lo, McCall MacBain Scholarships
- Kyle Mox, Arizona State University
- Shania Siron, Reed College*
- Christian Tanja, Knight-Hennessy Scholars*
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is responsible for organizing study tours to international locations in non-conference years. Past study tours have traveled to Germany, the UK, Ireland, China, and Taiwan.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Board Representative
- Susan Albrecht (she/her), Wabash College
Members at Large
- Elizabeth Harrington Lambert (she/her), Vanderbilt University
- Lori Felton (she/her), American University
- Scott Palmer (he/him), UC-Davis
- Megan Stewart (she/her), (University at Buffalo)
- Daniel Villanueva (he/him), Adjunct, University of Nevada-Reno; formerly Cultural Vistas
This committee is responsible for organizing summer workshops on a variety of topics of importance to fellowships advisors in non-conference years. Previous workshop topics are available on our website.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Board Representative
- Kurt Davies (he/they), New York University
Members at Large
- Rebecca Blustein (she/her), University of California, Los Angeles
- Kristin Janka (she/her), Michigan State University
- Jaya Mohan (she/her), Drexel University
- Anne Moore (she/her), Tufts University
- Kyle Mox (he/him), Arizona State University
- Eric Myers (he/they), Princeton University*
- Terumi Rafferty-Osaki (he/him), Northeastern University*
- Meredith Raucher Sisson (she/her), Virginia Commonwealth University*
- Melissa Vert (she/her), University of Michigan
*Current NAFA Board member
This committee is responsible for maintaining the official NAFA website and developing other publications and communications channels for dissemination to NAFA members and reaching non-member constituencies as appropriate. The Communications Director co-chairs this committee.
Current Committee Roster
Co-Chairs
- Cassidy Alvarado (she/her), NAFA Communications Director, Loyola Marymount University
- Jennifer Staton (she/her), University of Alabama at Huntsville
Members at Large
- Kathleen Barry (she/her), Johns Hopkins University
- Bridget Hansen (she/her), Emory University
- Alsace-Lorraine Gallop (she/her), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University*
- Kristin Janka (she/her), Michigan State University
- Suzanne McCray (she/her), University of Arkansas
- Leigh Pratt (she/her), University of New Hampshire
- Meredith Raucher Sisson (she/her), Virginia Commonwealth University*
- Connie Storey (she/her), Northern Illinois University
- Jasmine Stork (she/her), Smith College
*Current NAFA Board member