2026 Tri-State Conference
Race to the Finish
AGENDA
MONDAY, November 9th, 2026
| Time | Session/Description | ROOM | Presenter/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM-11:00 AM | Exhibitor Set-Up | Ballroom B | |
| 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | NASFAA Credentials: Need Analysis | Silver |
Cathi-Boscher Murphy |
| 11:00 AM - 4:45 PM | Registration Area Open | Showbar | |
| 11:00 AM - 4:45 PM | Charity Raffle Tickets for Sale | Showbar | |
| 11:00 AM - 4:45 PM | Exhibitor Area Open | Ballroom B | |
| 12:00 PM-1:00 PM | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM | General Session - Welcome to Conference! | Ballroom B | |
| 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM | General Session - Federal Update | Ballroom B |
Andrew Harvey, FAAC Director of Financial Aid |
| 2:50 PM - 3:45 PM | Business Partner Connection Café with Cookie Treats! | Ballroom B | All BP Sponsors |
| 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM | Escape from Default Island: An Interactive Adventure for Financial Aid Professionals | Ballroom B | Preston Dodson Citizens |
| 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM | The Case for Creativity: Why Financial Aid Administrators Need It More Than Ever This presentation explores creativity not as an artistic talent or leisure activity, but as an essential form of self-care and a powerful tool for emotional regulation, stress reduction, and overall well-being. |
Silver Lake | Amanda Abreu Ascent Funding |
| 3:50 PM - 4:50 PM | When “No” Is the Student-Centered Answer: Compassion, Compliance, and Difficult Financial Aid Conversations | Delaware | Jenn Volberding MA Community Counseling UMBC |
| 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Cash/Card Bar - Cocktails and Networking | Ballroom B | |
| 6:30 PM - 9:45 PM | Dinner/Entertainment | Ballroom B |
Tuesday, November 10th, 2026
| TIME | Session/Description | Room | Presenter/s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM | Registration Area Open | Showbar | ||
| 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM | Charity Raffle Tickets for Sale | Showbar | ||
| 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM | Breakfast | Ballroom B | ||
| 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM | Exhibitor Area Open | Ballroom B | ||
| 8:30 AM 9:45 AM |
General Session Key Note Speaker - Activating Hope In a time of rapid federal changes, staffing challenges, and increasing student anxiety, financial aid professionals are navigating an increasingly complex and uncertain landscape. This keynote introduces the BANI framework and practical strategies for overcoming burnout, reclaiming agency, and fostering hope. Participants will leave with actionable tools and language they can immediately use to support both students and colleagues. |
Ballroom B |
Jill Wardell Director, Talent Learning & Organizational Development Human Resources & Strategic Talent Management University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
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| 9:45 AM 10:00 AM | Break & Visit Exhibitors | Ballroom B | ||
| 10:00 AM 10:50 AM | General Session - Default Prevention | Ballroom B |
Andrea Cipolla |
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| 10:55 AM 11:55 PM | Beyond the Chapters: Bridging VA Benefits and Federal Financial Aid A broad look at VA educational benefits and entitlement structures. How VA educational benefits interact with federal (Title IV) financial aid. Practical strategies for improving veteran student persistence and degree completion. |
Ballroom B |
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| 10:55 AM 11:55 PM | Beyond a Job: The Benefits of Investing in Student Workers in the Financial Aid Office This Presentation will show the benefits of creating hands on training, a job promotional path with growth opportunities, and microcredentials with career badging for our student workers, as well as how you can modify it to make work for your office. |
Silver Lake |
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| 10:55 AM 11:55 PM | Being Number One at Being Number Two Strong financial aid offices are built on effective partnerships. This session is designed for financial aid support staff who play a vital role in advancing the mission of their institution by providing exceptional administrative, operational, and customer service support. Participants will explore strategies for building trust, anticipating needs, communicating effectively, managing priorities, and serving as a dependable partner to the Financial Aid Director. |
Delaware |
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| 12:00 PM 1:10 PM | Lunch - Tri-State Business Meeting, and Awards! | Ballroom B | ||
| 1:15 PM 2:15 PM | Train-the-Trainer - Investor Education Best Practices from the SEC Best practices and a 3 step roadmap to building wealth over time appropriate for college students in a train-the-trainer format. You'll come away with a framework for sharing investing concepts with students, resources, and Federal agency collaboration opportunities. |
Ballroom B |
Erin Scheithe, M.Ed. Investor Communications Specialist Office of Investor Education |
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| 1:15 PM 2:15 PM | Fraud: Ways to Recognize and Combat It This interactive session provides a look at three of the most common fraud threats facing colleges today: fund misuse, falsified or altered documentation, and the rising tide of "ghost students" driven by sophisticated identity theft rings. |
Silver Lake |
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| 1:15 PM 2:15 PM |
Trust by Design: AI for Financial Aid Professionals
This session explores how financial aid offices can design and implement AI solutions that are transparent, reliable, and aligned with the values of student service, compliance, and stewardship. Drawing on the work of NASFAA's Task Force on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Financial Aid Offices and real-world examples from financial aid and related enrollment functions, participants will gain practical insights into governance, implementation, and responsible innovation, along with ideas they can apply at their own institutions. |
Delaware |
Gena Boling EASFAA President-Elect Cornell University |
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| 2:15 PM 2:45 PM | Pita/Hummas Break and Visit the Exhibitors! | Ballroom B | ||
| 2:50 PM 3:45 PM | Experiencing Unstable Housing? How Can we Help? Understanding federal, state and institutional opportunities for aid. Institution and Community assistance available. |
Silver Lake |
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| 2:50 PM 3:45 PM | Beyond the Award: Rethinking the Graduate Student Experience This session shifts the focus from the traditional administration of financial aid to the broader graduate student experience. It explores how financial aid professionals can play a more active role in helping graduate students identify, access, and navigate opportunities that support their academic, professional, and financial success. |
Delaware | Ceoshay Dickens Coppin State University Financial Aid Advisor |
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| 2:50 PM 3:45 PM | SOR - Midterm updates, ARE YOU READY? | Ballroom B | Alex Guiral, FAAC Assoc VP, Financial Aid NJASFAA -Past President EASFAA - Treasurer |
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| 3:45 PM 4:00 PM | Break and Visit the Exhibitors! | Ballroom B | ||
| 4:05 PM 5:00 PM | MD State update / MHEC Meeting | Ballroom B |
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| 4:05 PM 5:00 PM | DE State update / DHEO Meeting | Silver Lake | ||
| 4:05 PM 5:00 PM | DC State update / DCTAG, DC OSSE Meeting -Virtually |
Delaware | Melanie Fleming OSSE |
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| 6:00 PM to ? | Dinner On Your Own |
Wednesday, November 11th, 2026
| Time | Session/Description | Room | Presenter/s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM 9:30 AM | Registration Area Open | Showbar | ||
| 8:00 AM 11:00 AM | Charity Raffle | Showbar | ||
| 8:00 AM 11:00 AM | Exhibitor Area Open | Ballroom B | ||
| 7:30 AM 8:30 AM | Breakfast | Ballroom B | ||
| 8:35 AM 9:30 AM | How to Engage with a Financial Aid Advisor This session will explore effective strategies for engaging, onboarding, and supporting new financial aid advisors as they begin their careers in financial aid. While learning regulations, policies, systems, and institutional processes is essential, successful onboarding goes beyond technical training. New advisors also need opportunities to build relationships, understand institutional culture, develop confidence in advising students, and connect with colleagues and campus partners. | Ballroom B |
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| 8:35 AM 9:30 AM | On the Bridge: Steering Social Media with Intention This Presentation helps administrators shift from reactive posting to purposeful communication that clarifies processes, reduces misinformation, and supports students at scale. |
Silver Lake |
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| 8:35 AM 9:30 AM | Panel Discussion on Borrower Defense | Delaware | TBD | |
| 9:30 AM 9:45 AM | Break and Visit Exhibitors! | Ballroom B | ||
| 9:45 AM 10:45 AM | From Financial Aid to Financial Wellness: Building a Student Success Framework for Retention and Completion | Silver Lake |
Andrea Cipolla |
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| 9:45 AM 10:45 AM | AI Is My New Coworker: Practical Ways Financial Aid Leaders Can Use AI Without Losing the Human Touch | Delaware | Jenn Volberding, MA Community Counseling UMBC |
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| 10:50 AM 11:05 AM | Break and Visit Exhibitors! | Ballroom B | ||
| 11:10 AM 12:00 pm | General Session - OB3 Panel - School and Lenders | Ballroom B | ||
| 12:00 PM 12:10 pm | Conference Closing/Charity Raffle Winners Posted | Ballroom B | ||
| 12:00 PM | Exhibitor Area Breakdown | Ballroom B |