Meghan Grace, Ed.D., is a researcher, consultant, speaker, and podcast host. As a consultant for Plaid, she oversees research and data strategies and provides project and program management. Her research interests include generational studies with a current focus on Generation Z (born 1995–2010), higher education, student life, and campus and organizational climate. She also serves as a co-lead for the Institute for Generational Research and Education with her research partner, Dr. Corey Seemiller. Dr. Grace completed her undergraduate degree in communication studies with a leadership studies minor at Chapman University, her master’s degree in higher education at the University of Arizona, and her doctorate in higher education leadership and policy at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Grace resides in Nashville, TN.
The Impacts of Financial Aid on Student Success at Model College
Jerry Ross currently serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Marshall University and previously served as the chief enrollment officer at California State University, Chico. He has three degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi including Doctor of Education where he wrote a dissertation on the educational life of Frederick Douglass. His primary research interests are leadership, strategic planning, change management in enrollment management, and collaboration with campus partners.
Application of Leadership Challenge Principles to Strategic Enrollment Management: Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership
Heidi L. Bishop, M.Ed., in 2022, earned her M.Ed. from Graduate School of Education, College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University where she specialized in data and learning analytics. Her educational background includes a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Education (Pacific Lutheran University) with an emphasis in secondary science education. Through her continued collaboration with Northeastern University, her current research areas include the curriculum design and adult learning methodologies in bioinformatic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Ms. Bishop contributed as co-author to research at the national conference for the ̽»¨Â¥ (̽»¨Â¥) in March 2023.
Independent from her research, she is employed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and works in the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCCHHSTP) in Atlanta, Georgia as a lead health scientist specializing in data informatics. Prior to her graduate work at Northeastern University and her employment with the CDC, she has fifteen years of experience working in corporate learning, environmental health, and data informatics positions in the private and public sectors, to include two Fortune 100 companies, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Navy. To further pursue her research interests in health science informatics, she is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Health Informatics Program at Rutgers University.
Data-Driven Methodology to Identify Untapped Student Populations for Marketing, Recruitment, or Program Expansion
Dr. Sean Bridgen is the Associate Director for External and Institutional Partnerships at NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising and a graduate faculty member in the Department of Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs at Kansas State University. Prior to working full time with NACADA, Sean worked on college campuses for over 20 years in various roles in academic advising and registrar’s offices.
Steve Downing is currently the Dean of Enrollment Management at Bellevue College, a role he has held since 2022. He has been a part of Bellevue College’s enrollment services team since 2001, serving in various capacities over his 23 years in higher education, with a focus on community college admissions and registration. As Dean, Steve leads strategic initiatives to enhance student access, persistence, and success. He is deeply committed to fostering a student-centered approach and is passionate about leveraging technology to support students throughout their educational journey, ensuring that systems and processes meet their needs effectively.
Steve has been involved at the state and regional level by serving in leadership roles for both PACRAO and WaACRAO. Additionally, Steve is currently a Co-Chair of Volunteers for ̽»¨Â¥ 2025 in Seattle.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master of Science in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Indiana State University.
Chantel currently serves as the Director of Admissions and Registration/Registrar at Spokane Community College located in Eastern Washington. She has worked in higher education for almost 23 years in student services areas such as Admissions, Registration, Dual Enrollment, Veteran’s Benefits, Testing and Placement, International programs, and TRIO programs, in addition to teaching both ESL and Computer Applications.
Chantel has been a member of ̽»¨Â¥ since 2006 and attended her first Annual Meeting in Seattle in 2011. She is currently one of the Co-Chairs of Volunteers for the 2025 Annual Meeting in Seattle and previously served on ̽»¨Â¥’s Accessibility Task Force. She is a member of the Women’s Caucus and the Community College Focus Committee.
Kelly Hoyland is the Director for Post-Secondary Education & Workforce Programs at 1EdTech, where she leads initiatives to advance digital learning and credentialing. In this role, she collaborates with members to address the challenges they face in the evolving digital learning landscape, focusing on making life achievements more accessible, personalized, and equitable for all learners across K-12, higher education, and corporate sectors.Kelly brings extensive experience in educational technology leadership, having served in director-level roles in both higher education and K-12 settings. Her passion for equipping learners with the skills needed for success in the workforce is evident throughout her career, from her early experience as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher supervising youth apprenticeships to her role as Director of Learning & Client Technology Services at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she oversaw a large student employment program.
Cindy Orna is a former association staffer, turned tech enthusiast. Nearly the entire first decade of her career was spent in marketing and event management for both professional and trade associations. Today, as a Senior Account Executive at Personify, she helps clients leverage our expansion products to tackle big goals like sustainable member engagement and non-dues revenue generation—one of her favorite things to talk about!
Outside of work, you can find Cindy working on home improvement projects or baking sweet treats (likely an Ina Garten recipe) for her friends and family.
Nicole Sakraida has been the Dean of Enrollment Management at Rogue Community College since August 2022, overseeing Admissions & Recruitment, Registrar/Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, TRiO programs, and High School Partnerships. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, she is committed to reducing barriers and building systems that support student success.
Since joining RCC in 2013, Sakraida has been recognized for her innovative contributions, earning individual and team Innovation Awards from RCC. She serves on the Oregon Council for Student Services Administrators (CSSA), the Oregon HSI Consortium, and is a Board Member of the Providence Community Health Foundation. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing RCC’s progress toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution. Previously, Sakraida worked at Gonzaga University in Housing and Residence Life and at La Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in Ecuador, where she coordinated the Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts & Sciences and taught English as a Second Language.
Sakraida holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Seattle University and a master’s degree in education from USFQ. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she spent five years living in Ecuador and Mexico, experiences that shaped her passion for cultural exchange and education.
Capstone: High School Mini SEM Plan
2025 SEM-EP Graduate
Hannah Warner has more than six years of experience in a variety of roles within a Registrar’s Office. She graduated from Adrian College in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art, focusing in digital photography. After graduation she worked as a freelance photographer for a local newspaper in southeast Michigan for nearly seven years and wrote several special publication pieces, in addition to her regularly featured artwork.
During her undergraduate program, she was involved in the TRIO Excel program, a federally funded outreach program designed to support disadvantaged students. As an Excel student, she was afforded the opportunity to go on school sponsored educational trips, have access to additional financial assistance and career assessments, and receive academic support specifically designed for students in this program. Once gaining her first employment opportunity as an administrative assistant in the Registrar’s Office at Adrian College in 2017, it became clear that not all students have the same advising experience. Her professional goal became to provide a strong, precise advising experience and to teach students how to advocate for themselves.
Since the completion of her degree, and within her various roles in the Registrar’s Office, her primary focus has been to support students from all backgrounds with a positive attitude. As the registrar at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design since 2022, she has restructured many internal processes, reformatted office documentation, strengthened the office’s student worker employment opportunities, taken full inventory of all student files, written and published college policies, hired and onboarded PCA&D’s new assistant registrar, teamed up with the Provost’s Office to establish new partnerships, and has worked in tandem with the Admissions Office to restructure the transfer credit evaluation process to ensure an equitability and compliance.
Hannah has completed various master’s level courses in Higher Education Leadership at the American College of Education and is currently enrolled in the final class of her certificate program for Data Visualization at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. During the height of the pandemic, she relocated from Adrian, Michigan, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she currently resides with her dog, Sonoma, and her kingsnake, Persephone.
Diana Fryar is the current Associate Registrar for Transfer and Degree Audit at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has been a dedicated member of the Registrar's Office for over a decade. Starting as a Student Services Coordinator, she's steadily risen through the office, gaining invaluable experience in various roles such as Academic History Specialist, NCAA Academic Certification Officer, and Assistant Registrar. Her deep understanding of the Registrar's Office, from front-desk operations to complex policy and curriculum matters, has equipped her to excel in her current position. She is passionate about ensuring a smooth and efficient transfer process for students, working closely with her team to award credits accurately and minimize obstacles that could hinder their academic progress towards degree completion.
Regina Middleton is a seasoned professional with a profound passion for learning and teaching. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Vocational Education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, as well as a Master of Education from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently serving as the Assistant Registrar for Training and Professional Development at Texas Christian University, Regina brings a wealth of diverse experience to the field of education.
Professional Background
Regina has held various pivotal roles as an educator, administrator, and counselor at esteemed educational institutions across the eastern United States. Additionally, she is an accomplished author, having penned several impactful books including "Joy of Heaven," "Workplace Wisdom for College Students," "First Year College Life Adjustment Journal," and "I Choose Me; A 21-day Self-Care Journal."
Regina is revered for her empathetic and motivational leadership style, dedicated to effecting positive change in the lives of young individuals. In her pursuit of this mission, she founded RM College Academic Consultant, a consulting company devoted to guiding families and students through the college journey. Her extensive experience in educational leadership equips her with valuable skills to support student development effectively.
Personal Life
Beyond her professional endeavors, Regina finds joy in her roles as a devoted wife to her husband, Steve Middleton, and a proud mother to their daughters LaNesha and Kierra. LaNesha has attained the esteemed status of Certified Public Accountant, while Kierra is currently pursuing her education at Tulane University. The Middleton family calls Arlington, Texas, home.
Mission and Impact
Regina's overarching mission is to help individuals discover their purpose and destiny through faith. She frequently shares her wisdom and experiences by speaking at churches and higher learning institutions, inspiring others with her dedication to personal growth and development. Regina's commitment to empowering individuals underscores her unwavering dedication to making a meaningful impact both professionally and personally.
Lex Gillette is a globally recognized Paralympic track and field athlete for Team USA. Competing primarily in the long jump, Lex has amassed five Paralympic medals, four world championships, and he is the current world record holder in the event. He is the only totally blind athlete on the planet to eclipse the 22-foot barrier in the long jump.
Robbed of his sight during childhood, Lex Gillette, with the aid of his mother, was determined not to fall victim to a world consumed by darkness. His athletic talents have been featured by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today Sports, and People Magazine. He is a 2015 inductee in the ADN Hall of Fame.
Lex is a sought-after inspirational keynote speaker who empowers his audiences to gaze beyond the horizon and see more than what is in front of their eyes. There is no need for sight when you have a vision. ® That is the very phrase that has propelled Lex into a world of infinite opportunity. It is not our eyes that ultimately determine success in life. It is our ability to see a vision and do everything in our power to turn it into reality. During Lex's presentation, you will laugh, you will cry, you will be inspired, and you will learn how to become a better version of yourself. With every stage that he graces, Lex is determined to do for his audience, what was done for him. That is, to Teach ... People ... To ... See.
Submit your profile update to communications@aacrao.org.