Leslie has served students, parents, colleagues and the community at large over two decades in higher education, at a 4-year private institution and, most recently, at a community college. As a higher education leader, Leslie is driven by a professional ministry that puts people first as the primary business value at the heart of a university's mission and strategic plan. As the Director of Financial Aid at Hostos Community College, Leslie leverages partnership, best practices, data & assessment, risk-taking, excellent customer service and staff professional development to create strategies designed to eliminate financial barriers to create a community conducive to access, student success, socioeconomic upward-mobility and sustainable enrollment management from recruitment to retention to completion.
In roles at Hostos, such as Interim Associate Dean of Student Development & Enrollment Management, chair of the New York State Aid Committee, co-chair of the Cross Divisional Advisement Committe, or as a member of the Senior Leadership Council, the Middle States Standard IV Subcommittee, the Retention Research Committee, Enrollment Management Committee, or the Strategic Plan Working Group for Access to Higher Education, Leslie has led and/or collaborated across campus to create access to higher education, improve the student experience and develop pathways for student persistence to graduation.
Although he has lived in New York since 2001, Leslie is a native of Detroit, MI, a graduate of The New School (BS in Liberal Arts & MFA in Creative Writing) and an Executive Leadership Coach pursuing ICF certification.
Luis Alarcon, M.A.-M.ED., is a Mexican-American educator, SEM professional, and institutional agent. His work is centered on students’ learning, empowerment, and their individual and collective transformation through education. He is an avid DEI activist and ally to systematically excluded groups. He brings vast knowledge and expertise in admissions, recruitment, advising, Greek Life/Student Life, and leadership. Luis uses Intersectionality, Community Cultural Wealth, and Validation Theory to highlight, sharpen, and empower students’ determination, resilience, and persistence assets. Luis’ approach is student-centered/student-serving through recruiting, developing, retaining, supporting, and sustaining efforts.
Luis aspires to implement events, programs, and services designed to address students’ perceptions, experiences, campus climate, and cultural identities, which contribute to their learning and success. He deeply understands higher education and student affairs issues and challenges. Luis recognizes that relevant and up-to-date knowledge is key in serving students, so he networks and attends conferences and training opportunities (̽»¨Â¥, ACPA, HACU, NACAC, NADOHE, NASPA, etc.). He is working on his dissertation as part of the Doctor of Education degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He holds a Master of English from Eastern Illinois University, a Master of Education from DePaul University, and Graduate Certificates in Community College Leadership and Diversity & Equity from UIUC. Lastly, Luis recently earned a Certificate in Student Success Analytics from California State University.
He is active in many Higher Ed organizations by serving on diverse committees. He serves on ACPA's Bias Incident Response Task Force and is a Region IV-E Regional Rep for NASPA's LKC. Luis has received several professional grants and scholarships from ACPA, CalState, NASPA, Phi Kappa Phi, and IACAC. Luis’ academic honors include memberships in Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Sigma Pi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Order of Omega, and Pi Lambda Theta. He is a proud member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. He seeks opportunities to serve as a coach, mentor, or sponsor for other individuals who could benefit from his experiences and hardships. Luis welcomes the chance to learn from others and collaborate to create more equitable conditions and environments in the pursuit of social justice, transformation, and educational growth.
Luis' career and personal journey are driven by his belief in the transformational power of education and his commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). His core competencies include allyship, mentoring, diversity and inclusion, and counter-storytelling. Luis uses his personal story as a minoritized, first-generation, low-income, single-parent student who came to the U.S. at 19 years old with no high school diploma to inspire, empower, and improve the lives of others through education, learning, and knowledge. Luis enjoys reading, working out, nature walks, and road trips outside of the higher education world. Luis likes spending time traveling and ruin exploring with his wife, Courtny. He is the proud cat dad of Tiki, Merlin, and Crete.
2025-2026 ̽»¨Â¥ N&E Committee member
2025 ̽»¨Â¥ Elections Candidate - 2026-2027 N&E Committee Member
Position Statement:
Bio:
Kristina Rosales is a dedicated higher education administrator with over a decade of experience in student records, registration, and academic affairs across both public and private institutions. She currently serves as the Registrar at CUNY Guttman Community College, where she leads the Office of the Registrar in delivering student-centered, strategic, and collaborative services that support enrollment, retention, and completion goals. In this role, Rosales oversees critical functions such as registration, academic records, degree audits and certification, grading, scheduling, and policy development, all while championing clear, equitable, and student-friendly processes.
Prior to joining Guttman, Rosales served as Deputy Registrar at Brooklyn College, overseeing daily operations for the Office of the Registrar and managing areas such as certification, degree audits, registration, grade collection, cross-campus registration, and academic records. She also served as Assistant Registrar for Registration and Scheduling at New York University, where she led registration, course and classroom scheduling, and course evaluation operations across the NY, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi campuses.
A strong supporter of public higher education, Rosales is committed to improving access and reducing barriers for all students. Her work is deeply rooted in her commitment to supporting first-generation college students, particularly those from minority and low-income backgrounds, which is a reflection of her own upbringing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs from CUNY Queens College. Rosales aspires to earn an EdD in Leadership to further enhance her ability to drive meaningful change in public higher education administration.
Dr. Johnnie Johnson is a seasoned higher education professional with a demonstrated history of success in enrollment management, program development, and academic leadership. He currently oversees early college access programs and new student orientation as the Program Director for COAST and ECAP&O at Prince George's Community College (PGCC). Prior to his role at PGCC, Dr. Johnson held leadership positions at Webster University, The Catholic University of America, Trinity Washington University, and Marymount University.
Dr. Johnson's expertise lies in strategic enrollment management, marketing and recruitment, student success initiatives, and faculty development. He is a skilled communicator, presenter, and relationship builder with a proven ability to increase enrollment, develop new programs, and foster collaborative partnerships.
In addition to his administrative roles, Dr. Johnson is a passionate educator who has taught at various institutions, including Webster University, Southern New Hampshire University, and the University of the People. He holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of New England, a Master of Science in Management from Marymount University, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Dr. Johnson is committed to advancing higher education and empowering students to achieve their academic and career goals. He is an active member of several professional organizations and has presented at national conferences on topics related to enrollment management and student success.
Del has over 15 years of experience in higher education, working at four-year public, private, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Her expertise spans collegiate strength and conditioning, academic services for student-athletes, admissions, scholarships, registrar functions, academic services, and enrollment management. Del is currently the Assistant Director of Academic Services at Tulane University Law School. In this role, she provides leadership and strategic direction for exams, registration, commencement, degree conferral, American Bar Association reporting, finalizing grades, and overseeing character and fitness verifications for bar admissions. As Assistant Dean, Del prioritizes streamlining processes and leveraging technology to enhance support for all constituents. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership Studies from Oklahoma State University. Del is also a Doctor in Educational Leadership with a focus on Leadership in Higher Education from Indiana State University.
Bridget Jones found her love for higher education as an admissions tour guide in college and she has not left the profession since. For over 15 years, she's worked at both private and public institutions across Illinois, Colorado, California, and Oregon. She currently serves as the Dean of Enrollment Management for Portland Community College. She holds a Master's Degree in Higher Education Enrollment Management and an MBA in Organizational Leadership. She is a proud graduate of ASCEND Cohort 5.
Briana Roades brings 10 years of higher education experience, specializing in online undergraduate, graduate, professional, and international admissions. As the Associate Director of UF Online Enrollment Services, she plays a crucial role in developing enrollment strategies and processes that support the university's online undergraduate programs. In her current role, Briana's leadership and strategic vision drive the success of UF Online Enrollment Services. She leads a dedicated team, guiding their efforts to recruit and support online learners. Her commitment to innovation and student-centric approaches has led to new initiatives that enhance the online learning experience and expand access to education. Passionate about higher education, she is committed to helping students achieve their academic and professional goals. Briana holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and a graduate certificate in Public Administration.
As Senior Director of Student Affairs at the Hunt School of Nursing, Araceli’s role is multifaceted and critical to the student experience. She oversees the admissions process, ensuring that each prospective student is well-supported from initial contact through matriculation. Her efforts in recruitment are geared toward attracting a diverse and talented student body, aligning with the Hunt School’s mission to produce exceptional nursing professionals equipped to meet the needs of the community. Additionally, Araceli works closely with admissions team to refine selection criteria and processes that emphasize both academic potential and the commitment to service, which are crucial for future healthcare leaders.
In the realm of student services, Araceli is responsible for a range of activities designed to foster student success and well-being. She leads initiatives in providing students with the resources and guidance necessary to thrive both academically and personally. This includes overseeing mentorship programs, coordinating student events, and facilitating access to support services that address the unique challenges nursing students face. By creating an environment that emphasizes both academic excellence and holistic support, Araceli contributes to the retention and long-term success of students within the program.
Araceli’s leadership extends to organizing essential events such as New Student Orientation, the White Coat Ceremony, and Commencement. These events not only serve as milestones in the students' academic journeys but also reinforce a sense of community and pride within the school. Her coordination of these events ensures that they are meaningful and supportive experiences for students, families, and faculty alike. Through her work, Araceli strengthens the overall student experience, fosters a welcoming and inclusive culture, and contributes to a lasting impact on the lives of nursing students.
Araceli earned her Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her deep commitment to student success and extensive experience makes her an asset to the higher education community. She has positively impacted the lives of many students, empowering them to achieve their academic and career goals.
Aimee Vitangcol Regoso has over 20 years of experience in higher education and is currently serving as University Registrar at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a role she has held for over 9 years. For the past 4 years she has also served in the capacity of Assistant Provost for Systems & Operations, where she spearheads strategic initiatives focused on service standards and continuous improvement of policies, processes and systems. She chairs University operations committees in the areas of data governance and student experience. She also serves on the board of directors for the Adventist Accrediting Association, the denominational accrediting authority for all tertiary and graduate educational programs and institutions owned by Seventh-day Adventist church entities.
Ms. Vitangcol Regoso has contributed several articles for ̽»¨Â¥ Connect, covering various topics including data governance, streamlining processes, and hiring best practices.
She earned her Master of Business Administration from Western Michigan University and her Bachelor of Business Administration from Andrews University.
Natalia is the primary point of contact for companies and organizations purchasing exhibit space or paid presentations at ̽»¨Â¥ meetings.
Marisella provides administrative support to the AED, EMD and cross-divisional assistance to the departments within EMD.
Megan is the Registrar at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She has been serving Cornell College for two decades, occupying various positions in student life, career engagement, and the Registrar’s Office. Megan has a history of leading teams, driving and implementing successful change on campus, and keeping students at the forefront of her work. She’s been involved with ̽»¨Â¥ and Upper Midwest ACRAO, and holds a Fellow position with Acadeum to shape the Registrar role in refining course sharing strategies and establishing course approval standards and best practices.
Nicole Engelbert is vice president of product strategy for student systems at Oracle. She is responsible for engaging the industry ecosystem to develop thought leadership and best practice with cloud technology and to use those insights to guide the development of Oracle’s higher education solutions including its Student and Campus Solutions product suites. Prior to Oracle, Nicole served as the Director of Research & Analysis at Ovum where she spent the last decade advising institutions globally on critical areas such as cloud migration, legacy modernization, emerging technologies, and student experience. A sought after presenter on the higher education technology conference circuit, Nicole is also regularly quoted in publications such as the NY Times, University Business, Campus Technology, and the Wall Street Journal. Nicole holds a BA in classics from Union College and an MEd in educational administration & policy analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Raymond Todd Blackwood, Vice President of Product Management for Student Information Systems at Anthology, has spent over 25 years inventing technology solutions that run college campuses. His passion for technology and bringing people together to create efficiencies on college campuses can be heard on a variety of webinars, podcasts, papers, and presentations throughout the world. Raymond holds an MBA in technology management and lives in Boca Raton, FL, with his wife, Cat, daughters Alabama, and Samantha, and dog Cooper.
Dr. Zachary Pardos is an Associate Professor at the UC Berkeley School of Education studying adaptive learning and AI. His work in higher education, designing Human-AI collaborations to pave pathways to and between systems of higher education, has been published in venues such as Computers & Education, NeurIPS, The Internet and Higher Education, and Science. This work has included the first paper on algorithmic articulation (Pardos et al., 2019) and initiatives for deploying AI-assistive tools used by tens of thousands of students, administrators, and faculty to support transfer and STEM subject learning at community colleges and universities, including SUNY and the California Community College system. Dr. Pardos earned his PhD in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, followed by a post-doc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At UC Berkeley, he directs the Computational Approaches to Human Learning research lab, teaches data mining in the data science undergraduate program, and is an affiliated faculty in Cognitive Science.
Founder and principal of Couturier Consulting LLC and a principal at Sova, conducts research and works at the intersections of policy and institutional practice to ensure equitable recognition of learning and career outcomes, particularly for Black, Latinx, Indigenous and Asian Pacific Islander Desi American students and learners from low-income backgrounds.
Lara has worked with community colleges and open access four-year institutions for over two decades. Lara brings a keen understanding of the power of policy and advocacy for transformation, as well as the hard work needed on the ground to advance institutional change. Over the course of her career, Lara has been deeply engaged in both policy and implementation work for some of the most promising areas of reform, including guided pathways, developmental education redesign, and transfer.
Lara’s focus is on working to achieve equity, particularly for historically and persistently racially minoritized and marginalized populations. Lara continuously seeks to build her equity skills through a variety of strategies including pursuing training and professional development; intentionally working on projects with mentors who can challenge and stretch skills; serving on councils and committees focused on race, power and privilege; and maintaining a robust schedule of reading, attending learning sessions, and engaging in self-reflection.
The majority of Lara’s portfolio seeks to enhance transfer, credit mobility and recognition of learning as a key lever for equity. Key roles include facilitating or leading:
Her previous work experience has included serving as a principal at HCM Strategists; a director at Jobs for the Future; and the interim principal investigator for the Futures Project at Brown University. In those roles, Couturier has fundraised for and managed multi-million dollar portfolios, supervised teams of staff and served on organizational leadership teams. Lara holds a certificate in equity coaching from the National Equity Project; a certificate in Mindful Outdoor Leadership from Kripalu; a Ph.D. in history from Brown University; a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond.
For the last ten years, Dr. Alfred Mueller has served as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Neumann University, overseeing the university’s core curriculum. As a self-professed “retention evangelist,” Dr. Mueller worked with the Biology program to increase freshman-to-sophomore retention by 25.8% in three years and to earn recognition as a Howard Hughes SEA-PHAGES program. He helped draft a $2.1 million Title III grant, which funded the creation of a University Writing Center and a team of academic coaches to aid in student persistence. In 2018, Dr. Mueller led a team of faculty and staff to the AAC&U’s Institute for High-Impact Practices and Student Success, which resulted in a reinvigorated Communication and Digital Media major that emphasized experiential learning. He worked with his campus Registrar and the Vice President for Academic Affairs to develop “Maymester” and “Winterim” terms and coordinated with the Academic Advising Center to develop a “Drive for 30” program to help first-year students reach Satisfactory Academic Progress. He also initiated partnerships with the Delaware County Municipal Police Academy, Wilkes University’s Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Drexel University’s College of Engineering, and high schools throughout Neumann’s service area.
Dr. Mueller’s passion is undergraduate education. He served for over 11 years at Penn State Mont Alto, which offered the first two years of instruction to students in over 120 majors before they transferred to State College. At Neumann, Dr. Mueller oversaw the university’s First-Year Experience program, Honors program, Writing Across the Curriculum program, and summer bridging programs. He also served as Quality Matters Coordinator for the campus, helping 75% of the full-time faculty and 34% of the part-time faculty earn national certification to teach online. Neumann’s online course in Developmental Psychology was selected by Quality Matters as a training course for Peer and Master Reviewers, one of only six courses nationwide to earn that distinction.
He also served as Executive Director of the Eastern Communication Association. In that role, he initiated changes necessitated by the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including changing the way the organization filed 990’s and creating policies that governed everything from document retention and destruction to whistleblowing.
Dr. Mueller received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa and three Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communication, History, and Philosophy from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA. He authored two books; published 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters; presented over 50 refereed papers at regional and national conferences; and served as co-editor of an international journal. Dr. Mueller is certified as a Master Reviewer and Program Reviewer for Quality Matters, a national non-profit organization that promotes quality assurance in online education, and is currently pursuing certification in Agile project management.
He is nationally known for his workshop, Achieving Work-Life Equilibrium, which he has conducted for the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences and the American Council of Academic Deans. For 30 years, he has trained enrollment management teams and aspiring executives to Deliver More Effective Presentations with Less Fear. And he offers custom keynotes and master classes on mindset changes that develop Leadership with Kick among emerging leaders and helps your enrollment management team and your academic affairs team EMBRACE (Enrollment Management Building Relationships with Academic Colleagues Experience) one another.
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