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), University of Kansas
Members at Large
- Cassidy Alvarado (she/her), Loyola Marymount
- Melissa Berninger (she/her), University of South Dakota
- Jason Chan (he/him), Haverford College
- Robyn Curtis (she/her), Clemson University
- Claire Kervin (she/her), Lawrence University
- Christie Harner, Dartmouth College
- Jennifer Locke (she/her), Occidental College
- Kelly Medley, University of Florida
- Matt Price, University of North Alabama
- Emily Smith, University of Washington
- Mary Swanson (she/her), Colorado State University
- Pat Whitlow, University of Kentucky
This committee is responsible for planning and organizing the biennial national conference.
Current Committee Roster
Chair, Vice President
- Megan Friddle, Emory University
Members at Large
- Rebecca Blustein, University of California–Los Angeles
- Teresa Delcorso-Ellmann, Rutgers University
- Henry Dyson, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
- 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)
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
Co-Chair, Board Representative
- Jacob English (he/him), Georgia State University
Members at Large
- Rachel Ball-Phillips (she/her) – Director of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, Southern Methodist University
- Robyn Davis (she/her) Assistant Director of The Graduate School Office of Fellowships & Awards, University of Washington
- Jacob English (he/him) Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, Georgia State University
- Craig Filar (he/him) – Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Office of National Fellowships, Florida State University
- Jason Goode (he/him), Associate Director of Scholarships, Fellowships and Fellowships Advising, Northern Illinois University
- Vivian Ibrahim (she/her) – Director of the Office of National Scholarship Advisement, University of Mississippi
- Christopher Lewis (he/him) – Director of the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards, Ohio University
- Jessie McCrary (she/her) – Assistant Director of National Scholarships & Fellowships Program, Emory University
- Nicole Nowbahar (she/her) Assistant Director of National and International Scholarships Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Kathryn Quinto (she/her) – Coordinator of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, University of North Georgia
- Belinda Redden (she/her) Director of Fellowships, University of Rochester
- Jaye Shivamoggi (she/her) – Retired
- Christian Tanja (he/him) Assistant Director of Admissions, Knight-Hennessy Scholars, Stanford University
- Kristen Walton (she/her) Director of Fellowships, Salisbury University
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; co-chair), University of Massachusetts–Amherst
- Beth Powers (she/her; co-chair), University of Chicago
Members at Large
- Rachel Ball-Phillips (she/her), Southern Methodist University
- Brittany Davis (she/her), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Robyn Davis, University of Washington
- Teresa Delcorso-Ellmann, Rutgers University
- Rowena Grainger, University of Connecticut
- Jen Green (she/her), SUNY–Stony Brook
- Andrea Hilkovitz (she/her), Texas State University
- Courtney Hughes, North Carolina State University
- Beth Keithly, University of Texas–Dallas
- Samantha Lee, University of Notre Dame
- Jeannette Miller, Harvard University
- Alla Mirzoyan, Florida International University
- Abby Williams, New York University
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
Board Representatives
- Cassidy Alvarado, Loyola Marymount University
- Babs Wise, Duke University
Members at Large
- Joanne Brzinski, Emory University
- Jonathan Langley, University of Arkansas–Fayetteville
- Lucy Morrison, University of Nebraska–Omaha
- LuAnn Saunders-Kanabay, University of Connecticut
- Gwen Volmar, Harvard University
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
- Babs Wise, Duke University
Members at Large
- Laura Cotten Howell, University of Dayton
- Corey Efron (he/him), Ohio State University
- Alsace Gallop, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- Kim Germain, University of Illinois at Chicago
- Alicia Hayes (she/her), University of California–Berkeley
- Beth Keithly, University of Texas–Dallas
- John Richardson, NAFA
- Meredith Sisson, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Jason Warnick, Arkansas Tech University
- Anna Whiteside (she/her), Georgia College
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
- Cindy Schaarschmidt (she/her), University of Washington–Tacoma
Board Representative
- Kurt Davies, New York University
- Ashley Floyd Kuntz, Florida International University
Members at Large
- Ashley Bodie, Davidson College
- Doug Cutchins, NYU Abu Dhabi
- Audrey Hanks, Brigham Young University
- Ariella Lang, Columbia University
- Julia Lo, McCall MacBain Scholarships
- Kyle Mox, Arizona State University
- Shania Siron, Reed College
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
- Jen Green (she/her), Stony Brook University
Members at Large
- Karla Guinigundo (she/her), Miami University
- Elizabeth Lambert (she/her), Vanderbilt University
- Kathryn Quinto (she/her), University of North Georgia
- LuAnn Saunders-Kanabay (she/her), University of Connecticut
- Brian Souders (he/him), University of Maryland–Baltimore County
- Megan Stewart (she/her), University at Buffalo
- Daniel Villanueva (he/him), Cultural Vistas (CBYX for Young Professionals)
This committee is responsible for organizing summer workshops on 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
- Anne Moore, Tufts University
Members at Large
- Susan Albrecht, Wabash College
- Anthony Cashman, College of the Holy Cross
- Kylia Benes, University of Montana
- Rebecca Blustein, University of California–Los Angeles
- Jessica Cornely, Florida Atlantic University
- Garrett Fontenot, Louisiana State University
- Ann Landstrom, Grinnell College
- Pheonix Mourning-Star, Colby College & Results International
- Beth Powers, University of Chicago
This committee is chaired by the Communications Director. It is responsible for maintaining the official NAFA website and for developing other publications and communications channels for dissemination to NAFA members and to reach non-member constituencies as appropriate.
Current Committee Roster
Co-Chairs:
- Liz Romig, Communications Director, American University,
- Kelly Thornburg, Board Member, University of Iowa
Members:
- Suzanne McCray, University of Arkansas
- Valeria Hymas, Baruch College
- Bevin Tighe, Vanderbilt University
- Rachel Ball-Phillips, Southern Methodist University
- Jennifer Staton, University of Alabama at Huntsville
- Natalie Spencer, Critical Language Scholarship
- Wyatt Bruton, Schwarzman Scholars Program
- Kathleen Barry, Johns Hopkins University
- Terumi Rafferty-Osaki*, Florida Gulf Coast University
*current NAFA Board members