NACUBO 2026 Annual Meeting (Recordings)

Govind Acharya leads a team in UC Davis’s Institutional Research office working on academic planning, reporting, and operations analytics. His expertise is leveraging payroll data to further the mission of UC Davis. He has an undergraduate degree from UC San Diego and was trained as an agricultural economist at Cornell University.

Justin Barkhuff serves as Director of Enterprise Applications at California Lutheran University, where he leads enterprise systems and university-wide software initiatives. He has led major efforts to modernize infrastructure, streamline operations, and improve the student, staff, and faculty experience through the university’s Digital Experience Platform and institution-wide AI initiative. In 2025, Cal Lutheran’s work in these areas was recognized with the Tambellini Group Future Campus Award for Learning Outcomes and Experience. Before joining Cal Lutheran in 2020, he spent more than a decade helping start, run, and grow private-sector software businesses. Barkhuff graduated from California Lutheran University in 2003 with a degree in Multimedia. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids and playing basketball.

Josey Bathke is the Chief Risk Officer and Director of Risk Management, Insurance, and Loss Prevention at the University of Iowa. In this role, she leads the University’s efforts to identify, analyze, and mitigate risks through loss control programs, contractual transfer, and other risk financing strategies. She has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, including service as Associate In-House Counsel and Director of Employee and Labor Relations over the years. Josey is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Tippie College of Business, where she has taught courses such as Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness, Business Ethics, and Employment Law for nearly two decades. She holds both a JD and an MBA from the University of Iowa. An Iowa native, Josey enjoys visiting Major League Baseball stadiums, spending time with her nieces and nephews, and rescuing chihuahuas.

Haley Bergsten leads measures and metrics for Finance & Administration at UW–Madison. She specializes in developing data-driven frameworks that connect financial and workforce analytics to institutional strategy, with a focus on transparency and actionable insights.

Cora is a senior research analyst for Nuveen’s municipal fixed income team, responsible for conducting credit analysis and providing trade recommendations. She covers both the higher education sector and the tax-backed sector. Prior to joining the firm in 2024, Cora was a municipal credit analyst at S&P Global Ratings. She was the co-author of S&P’s “Methodology for Rating U.S. Governments,” which is S&P’s primary criteria for rating more than 10,000 state and local government issuers. Cora also worked as a municipal credit analyst at Moody’s Investors Service covering Midwest local governments. She began working in the investment industry in 2013. Prior to working in the investment industry, she worked as a public sector consultant. Cora graduated with a B.A. from the University of Rochester and an M.P.A. in Public Finance and Policy Analysis from Indiana University.

Kathy Byington was appointed Vice President for Finance and Assistant Treasurer in December 2022 and completed her tenure with the university in December 2025. She was responsible for strategic and intentional stewardship of the university’s financial assets, including the functions of procure-to-pay, internal consulting, treasury and investments, accounting and tax, budget, and long-term financial planning. During her tenure she led the project to transform business processes, people and technology to support the needs of a dynamic global university. Byington joined Northeastern in an interim capacity early in 2021, offering a unique perspective from her experience in leadership roles at diverse higher education institutions. She possesses an extensive background in financial planning and analysis, as well as a comprehensive understanding of university operations and an ability to engage stakeholders from across the organization to lead meaningful change.

As the Associate Vice President and Systemwide Controller for the University of California, Barbara is responsible for the development and implementation of accounting and financial policies for the University and its ten campuses, six academic health centers, the UC Retirement System, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and ten campus foundations. She oversees accounting and financial reporting, tax services, costing policy and analysis, financial systems and payroll compliance, as well as a new operational excellence unit. Barbara provides system-wide campus support from a business, financial, and regulatory perspective for all major business transactions of the University.

Barbara brings to UC more than 20 years of finance experience in higher education. She comes to UC from the University of Massachusetts, where she was the Assistant Vice President and University Controller. She has also held leadership roles at KPMG, Harvard Medical School and PwC.
 
Barbara holds a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MBA and Master’s Degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University; she is a CPA and a member of the AICPA. She serves on the NACUBO Accounting Principles Council.

Dr. Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine is the Dean of International Affairs & Global Engagement at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California. Prior to that role, she was director of the international student program at COC and has been at COC for over 20 years. She came to COC from the University of Houston-Downtown as a Professor of English and has been a faculty member in the field for nearly 25 years. A native of Taiwan and an international student herself, Dr. Cheng-Levine earned her Doctor of Philosophy in English Language and Literature, with a special emphasis on Critical Theory, from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, after having earned her M.A. in English from the University of Georgia. Under her strategic leadership, the International Student Program's revenue has grown more than 500% in 10 years, bringing in much needed revenue for the College.

As the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Chris Cowen is the most senior non-academic officer for the university and is responsible for directing the financial and administrative services in support of university activities. As part of this responsibility, he has custody and control of the university’s funds and facilities and has general responsibility for the maintenance of financial records and the safety and security of the university.

Tamara Cunningham is the inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Initiatives at UC San Diego, leading the university’s strategic internationalization plan. With over 20 years in higher education, she advances innovation, inclusion, and transformative impact. Her early wins at UC San Diego include securing a $1M global internship grant to champion equitable global education and launching UC San Diego’s first U.S. institutional presence in GIFT City, India. A NAFSA and IIE Community of Practice for Partnerships Board member, Tamara is a strategic thought partner who champions equitable global education. She holds a Master's degree in Communications and Information Studies from Rutgers University.

Inside Higher Ed, the leading source for U.S. higher education news and analysis, has named Sara Custer as editor-in-chief, effective March 2024. Custer, currently an editor at Times Higher Education (THE) and an accomplished higher education journalist, will lead Inside Higher Ed’s editorial staff, working with its talented team of editors and reporters to shape its editorial future.

Custer has since 2020 served as editor of THE Campus, a peer resource site for higher education professionals. There, she worked across departments to launch and grow Campus and led its editorial team. Prior to that role, she served as THE’s digital editor, helping to launch THE’s newsletter strategy and overseeing daily, weekly and monthly publications. She previously served as editor and senior reporter at The PIE News, covering the international education industry. Custer grew up in Cushing, Okla., and earned a B.A. in English literature from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in international journalism from City, University of London.

Mark Davis is a Managing Partner and founding member of Attain Partners and leader of the Attain Research Services practice. He has been consulting for 40 years and has worked as a key business advisor to more than 50 premier research universities and academic medical centers. Mr. Davis is experienced in federal cost policy, reimbursement and regulatory compliance, research finance and grants management. Mr. Davis assists institutions to accomplish strategic, organization and financial goals, and manage risk and compliance. Previously, Mr. Davis spent 15 years at KPMG Consulting as a Partner and 9 years at BearingPoint, Inc. as a Managing Director serving nonprofit, higher education, and health institutions. In this capacity, Mr. Davis advised numerous organizations on critical business areas such as strategy, cost policy and optimization, and federal regulatory compliance.

Since 2007, Chauncey Fagler has led the Florida College System Risk Management Consortium as its Executive Director & Chief Risk Officer. The Consortium delivers innovative enterprise-wide risk management to support the Florida College System. The Consortium provides a combined risk management program with cost savings through buying power. Member colleges share program costs and claims, versus bearing costs individually. The Consortium manages the cooperative insurance program for Florida’s 28 public colleges under one statewide plan inclusive of property, workers’ compensation, liability, employee benefit plans, and other programs. The Consortium insures over $11.5 billion of property, with 1,800 buildings, 175 campuses, 50,000 employees, and 800,000 students. Chauncey is especially proud to have served as president of URMIA for an extended term from 2019-2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, named URMIA's 2022 Distinguished Risk Manager and as a past executive committee member Chauncey continues to serve URMIA with various volunteer opportunities. Chauncey is an active member of the URMIA through a range of activities, which include sharing my expertise, conference planning, and governance with active memberships of the Florida Education Risk Manager Association (FERMA, past-president) and the Risk Insurance Society (RIMS). Outside of work, Chauncey is a lifelong swimmer and wine enthusiast.

Kara D. Freeman is NACUBO's president and chief executive officer, the first African American woman to serve in this role.

Freeman, a strategic leader with extensive national higher education experience, brings more than three decades of experience to NACUBO and is joining from the American Council on Education (ACE), where she has worked since 2006. She most recently served as senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO), with the responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the administrative and operational areas of the organization. She previously was ACE’s vice president of administration and chief information officer.

As an executive leader at ACE, Freeman’s portfolio included providing strategic thought leadership on organization-wide initiatives, representing ACE with constituency groups such as the ACE Women’s Network, and playing a leading role in ACE’s efforts to share advocacy information with presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and an M.B.A. from The George Washington University. She also holds a certified association executive credential from the American Society of Association Executives. 

Diane Goddard was most recently the chief financial officer and vice provost for finance at the University of Kansas (KU), where she worked closely with the chancellor on fiscal strategies for the university, particularly in relation to tuition, finance, capital projects, athletics, and the research foundation. Her role included leadership or stewardship for the offices of finance, IT, facilities, construction management, environment health & safety, parking, HR, public safety, emergency management, global operations, and internal audit. 

Prior to becoming the vice provost for finance in November 2008, Goddard was the associate vice provost/comptroller for the Lawrence campus of KU.  She has also served as acting budget director, the director of purchasing, and as associate comptroller at KU.    Before coming to the University of Kansas, Goddard was the chief accountant/controller at Yale University Health Services.  She also served as business manager for the Yale University Art Gallery. Goddard received her BS in economics from Southern Connecticut State University and her MBA from the University of Kansas.

As the founding CEO of RISE, a best-selling author, and a Harvard Medical School visiting scholar, Suneel Gupta has helped thousands build better habits for life and work. Grounded in his exclusive teachings and over a decade of studying the work habits of extraordinary leaders, Gupta delivers insights about the “why” and “how-to” of strategic energy management.

Cindy Hope is the Director for Costing & Financial Compliance (CFC) and leads COGR’s efforts to address federal policies impacting financial management of research programs. Prior to joining COGR, Cindy served as Associate VP for Research Administration at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Assistant VP for Research at The University of Alabama, Assistant Controller and Indirect Cost Specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and audit associate at Coopers and Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she participated in and led engagements of various University Federal (Single Audit) and Financial Statement audits.

Cindy has over 25 years of research administration experience and has served as chair for the COGR Costing Policies Committee (now CFC) and for the Federal Demonstration Partnership.

She is a CPA (inactive) and holds a BS degree in Accounting and a BA degree in Psychology from The University of Alabama.

As vice president for finance and administration at UB Laura Hubbard’s responsibilities include oversight of strategic financial planning and analysis of resource use and development. She provides leadership and oversight for UB resource planning, business services, internal audit, real estate, policy and internal controls, human resources, university police, parking and transportation, emergency management, sustainability, and facilities units.

With more than 30 years of experience in higher education administration, Hubbard has a track record of success in areas from budget and strategic planning to organizational transformation.

Prior to joining UB, Hubbard served as Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance at the University of Oregon. She previously served as director of capital planning and budget, assistant vice president for administration, and interim vice president for finance and administration at the University of Idaho. She also served as finance and administrative officer on both academic and administrative units, as well as director of facilities administrative services, at Washington State University.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and an MBA from the University of Idaho.

Dr. Balaji Krishnan is currently the Vice-Provost of International Affairs and Professor of Marketing in the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management in the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at The University of Memphis. Dr. Krishnan has 10 years as an academic administrator. Dr. Krishnan has 25 years of experience in marketing research, consulting and marketing education. Dr. Krishnan has consulted with small businesses as well as multinationals in India and the US. He has also consulted with firms in various industries. He has taught in the Doctoral, Masters and Undergraduate programs. Dr. Krishnan received his Bachelors degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and his Masters degree in Marketing from India. He received his PhD in Business Administration from Louisiana State University.

Jaison Kurichi is the senior associate vice president for budget and planning at Temple University and has served as the chief budget officer for the past twelve years. Prior to leading the central budget office for twenty years, Jaison was the assistant dean for finance in Temple’s College of Liberal Arts, the largest of the 17 schools and colleges.

Ted Mitchell has served as president of the American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, since September 2017. Mitchell and his team work closely with Congress, the executive branch, and the private sector to develop policies and innovative practices that serve our country’s postsecondary learners.

Mitchell’s leadership of ACE and the entire higher education community is informed by a career committed to increasing access to high-quality education and improving outcomes for all students. Mitchell served in the Obama administration as U.S. under secretary of education. Mitchell and his team at the Department of Education (ED) reinstated Pell Grants for incarcerated adults, created the College Scorecard, and restored millions of dollars to students who were defrauded by their institutions. Before joining ED, Mitchell served in a variety of higher education leadership roles, including as president of Occidental College (1999–2005); vice chancellor and dean at the University of California, Los Angeles; professor and department chair at Dartmouth College; and a member of the Stanford University Board of Trustees.

Mitchell has also been a leader in K–12 education. He served as chief executive officer of the NewSchools Venture Fund—a venture philanthropy that invests in K–12 innovation to support low-income students, schools, and communities—and as president of the California State Board of Education. Throughout his career, Mitchell has worked to create an educational system that serves the goals of excellence, equity, and social justice.

Mitchell received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as his PhD, from Stanford University. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mitchell is a current board member of Coursera, Khan Academy, Occidental College, TIAA, Education Quality Outcomes Standards Board, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and Credential Engine.

John O’Brien serves as the president and CEO of EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit organization seeking to inspire the transformation of higher education in service to a greater good. EDUCAUSE serves over 2,000 member colleges, universities, and organizations from 41 countries who themselves collectively serve over 14 million students.

He speaks and writes on a variety of topics related to higher education, technology, and the crucial point at which these two passions meet. Throughout his career in higher education, John has served as an academic, technology, and institutional leader. He was a faculty leader in instructional technology, a statewide IT project leader, and associate vice chancellor/deputy CIO at the system level. He has been a college provost and president in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, the fourth largest higher education system in the United States. Immediately prior to his appointment at EDUCAUSE, he served as the system’s senior vice chancellor of academic and student affairs.

John is the former president of North Hennepin Community College, a minority serving institution in his home state of Minnesota, and he serves as chair of the board of regents of Augsburg University, a four-year university MSI in Minneapolis. He was recently appointed to the board of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the board of Achieving the Dream, an organization committed to championing community colleges.

John holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Augustana University, a master’s degree in Anglo-Irish Literature from Trinity College Dublin, and a doctorate in English from the University of Minnesota.

Morgan R. Olsen is Executive Vice President, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, and Professor of Practice in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. He oversees ASU’s treasury and financial operations, capital projects, real estate, facilities, human resources, police, environmental health and safety, IT, and auxiliary services across four campuses. Olsen serves as President of ASU Research Park, Inc., and Chairman of the Board of the ASU Athletics Facilities District. He is also Treasurer and Secretary of the Arizona Golf Community Foundation and serves on the boards of the ASU Foundation, ASU Enterprise Partners, and United Educators insurance company. He is a member of EDUCAUSE and the Society for College and University Planning, and in 2025, was named Chairman of the Board of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. A recipient of NACUBO’s 2018 Distinguished Business Officer Award, Olsen is a former NACUBO board chair and past president of the Central Association of College and University Business Officers (CACUBO). Before joining ASU in 2008, Olsen was Executive Vice President and Treasurer at Purdue University. He also held senior leadership roles at Southern Methodist University, Eastern Illinois University (where he also taught in the college student personnel program), and Emporia State University. Earlier in his career, he served as Acting Executive Budget Analyst for the North Dakota Office of Management and Budget. Olsen holds a bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) and a master’s in public administration from the University of North Dakota, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Kansas before entering university administration in 1985.

Erin Ortiz is a Managing Director in Echo Financial’s Higher Education and Not-for-Profit Advisory Group with more than 20 years of industry experience. Through her combined experience of working as a municipal strategist, credit analyst, consultant, and at a university, she has expertise helping clients understand how strategic decisions impact credit and financial position. She also provides insight on rating agency management and helps clients determine the optimal way to position their credit to rating agencies. She assists clients with debt capacity assessments, capital planning, financial analysis, and capital markets transactions. Prior to joining Echo, Erin was a financial advisor to higher education institutions at Janney Montgomery Scott where she had also served as a credit analyst and strategist to institutional investors. Erin also worked at Moody's Investors Service as an assistant vice president-bond analyst. In this role, she was a lead credit analyst public and private universities and not-for-profit issuers across the US. Prior to her role at Moody's, Erin managed the financial, programmatic, and business operations at the National Center on Philanthropy and the Law, an academic center at New York University. She began her career as a healthcare consultant to academic medical centers and nonprofit hospitals. Over her career, she has authored numerous research and rating reports and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Erin is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Business Logistics and minor in Business Law and a graduate of New York University with a Master of Public Administration and Policy. She was named as a 2019 Rising Star in the Bond Buyer. She is a FINRA registered representative and municipal advisor.

Brett Pollak is a senior higher education technology executive and AI strategist serving as Executive Director of Workplace Technology & Infrastructure Services at the University of California San Diego. He leads a broad portfolio spanning enterprise infrastructure, cloud and on-prem platforms, collaboration systems, endpoint management, service operations, data and analytics, and AI-enabled transformation. Brett is best known for advancing institution-scale AI in practical, governance-conscious ways. He is a driving force behind TritonAI, UC San Diego’s umbrella program for enterprise AI services and innovation, and TritonGPT, its flagship institution-specific AI platform. Under his leadership, UC San Diego has developed a vertical AI approach focused on real campus workflows, combining strong governance, secure architecture, and high-value use cases rather than relying on generic consumer AI tools. His work has helped position UC San Diego as a leader in higher education AI adoption and operationalization. His leadership emphasizes the connective infrastructure required for safe, scalable AI: model routing, data governance, enterprise integrations, institutional controls, and developer enablement. Brett has also helped shape programs that give campus builders access to modern AI tools and APIs within a governed enterprise framework, enabling staff, faculty, and researchers to create meaningful solutions while maintaining compliance and oversight. In addition to his institutional leadership, Brett is an active speaker on AI in higher education, digital transformation, and enterprise technology strategy. He regularly presents on topics including AI governance, agentic systems, observability, infrastructure modernization, and the future of IT leadership in research universities. Known for combining strategic vision with execution, Brett focuses on translating emerging technology into operational value. His work sits at the intersection of infrastructure, innovation, and institutional impact, helping organizations adopt AI in ways that are both ambitious and responsible.

Kim Salisbury is an accomplished finance professional with over two decades of experience in accounting, financial management, and strategic planning. As the Senior Associate Vice President for Finance and Planning at the University of Idaho, Kim leads the strategic allocation of all university revenues and oversees operational areas including budgeting and planning, financial shared services, architectural and engineering services, capital planning, real estate, financial reporting and analysis, payroll, accounts receivable, and purchasing services. Kim has held progressive leadership roles within the University of Idaho, including Associate Vice President for Budget and Planning, Executive Director of Academic Budget and Planning, and Financial Systems Manager. She also brings private sector experience as an accountant and previously served as a lecturer in the university's accounting department. She is an active Certified Management Accountant. A fifth-generation Idahoan, Kim is deeply committed to the university’s mission of shaping the future through innovation, community engagement, and transformative education. She enjoys furthering her education at the institution she serves. Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in Zoology, a master’s degree in Accountancy, and is currently working on a Ph.D. in History – all from the University of Idaho.

Lori Seager serves as the vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer at Colorado College. Seager came to CC in 2019 and has also served as associate vice president for finance for the college. Prior to joining Colorado College, Lori was associate vice president for finance at University of Puget Sound; assistant vice president/controller and several other finance roles at New Mexico State University; and she worked in finance in health care as a CPA and an auditor. She earned her Bachelor of Accountancy degree from New Mexico State University and CPA certification from the State of New Mexico. Lori has served as a volunteer for several years with professional associations supporting higher education finance and administration. Lori currently sits on the Board of Directors for both NACUBO and WACUBO, serving currently as WACUBO's first vice president.

Paul Seitz directs strategic initiatives for Finance & Administration at UW–Madison. In this role he leads projects and initiatives focused on revenue and margin enhancement as well as operational excellence. Key examples of successful projects include establishing UW-Madison's early career finance, HR, and IT rotation program (in partnership with the CHRO), a biannual campus administrative quality satisfaction survey (3rd iteration in April 2026), creation of the strategic initiatives team, and business analysis for UW-Madison's successful undergraduate enrollment growth initiative. Prior to joining UW-Madison, Paul had a variety of finance and strategy roles at several Fortune 1000 companies, leading strategic planning and projects with global teams. He is a member of the state bar of Michigan and is a licensed CPA. Outside of work, Paul enjoys cheering and coaching his three school age daughters on the basketball court.

Donna Settle, P.E., PMSFPE is the Property Risk Engineering Leader for Gallagher's Claims & Risk Consulting division, where she leads a national team supporting complex property portfolios across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, education, and research environments. She has more than 30 years of experience in fire protection engineering, property loss prevention, and risk improvement strategy. Before joining Gallagher in 2020, she held engineering roles with Rockwell Space Operations, Factory Mutual Engineering, Zurich, and Marsh Wortham, gaining experience in construction, design engineering, loss investigation, flood analysis, and fire protection system review. Donna specializes in translating technical recommendations into practical, actionable solutions that strengthen risk quality and support insurance program stability. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Lamar University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Texas. Donna is active in NFPA, SFPE, NSPE, URMIA, PRIMA, and CCFS.

Melanie Storey joined the U.S. Department of Education’s office of federal student aid (FSA) in March 2020 and in May 2022 became the director of FSA’s office of policy implementation and oversight (PIO). PIO advises FSA on higher education policy to ensure that operations are considered in policy development and, once enacted, that policy is implemented to meet intended goals. Storey is currently leading FSA’s policy implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and FUTURE Act. Prior to joining FSA, Storey led a wide range of policy-focused activities related to higher education and student financial aid at the College Board. She also served as the director of national initiatives at the American Council on Education (ACE), which is the national organization that represents college and university presidents and chancellors. In that role, she provided strategic research and analytical support to ACE’s government relations leadership team and served as the primary staff liaison for several blue-ribbon commissions.

Gil Tran is a Senior Expert in Attain Research Services practice based in McLean, VA. Mr. Tran is a 27-year veteran of OMB, who has often served as a go-to field expert and is a sought-after presenter who has earned a reputation as a source of knowledge and an engaging industry speaker. Among his contributions in shaping the financial assistance landscape for future generations are helping reduce the audit burden for both auditees and federal government oversight agencies; playing an integral role in the development of the Uniform Grant Guidance (UGG) and consolidating cost principles in the guidance; and, in 2005, leading the development of the first-ever government-wide waiver to provide relief to grantees caused by natural disasters. Gil is a Certified Public Accountant and his experience in financial and grant management in addition to his years at OMB include: • Three years with the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Cost Allocation as a senior cost negotiator and manager of the State and Local Government Branch in Washington, D.C. • Eight years as manager with KPMG Peat Marwick - Grant Management Services in Washington, D.C. • Four years with Georgetown University as a senior financial officer, Office of Sponsored Programs. In 2025, Gil provides his technical assistance as a subject matter expert on the Joint Associations Group (JAG) that developed the FAIR (Financial Accountability in Research) cost model aimed to replace the current indirect cost model. FAIR was heavily supported by the research community and endorsed by Congress

Matt Unterman is the leader of Grant Thornton’s Higher Education and Not-for-Profit Advisory Services Practice.  In addition, Unterman leads Grant Thornton’s Higher Education Sector, overseeing our firm’s offerings and activities to colleges and universities. Unterman has served over 150 higher education institutions and not-for-profit organizations during his career at the firm.

Unterman received an MBA in strategy and finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He holds a bachelor's of arts in sociology from Haverford College.

Nicole Van Laan is Assistant Vice President for Finance at Northwestern University, leading several financial units, including accounting services, depository services, tax and regulatory services and treasury, driving efficient and effective financial reporting and operations for the University. Nicole previously served as Controller at the University for eight years, prior to which she was an auditor at Deloitte. Nicole has a B.S. in Accounting from Indiana University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Illinois.

Ben Waxman, CEO of International Education Advantage (Intead), develops brands for academic institutions, locally and globally. Ben manages strategic evaluations of domestic and international recruiting initiatives by conducting market and competitive analyses. He uses data gathered to inform development and implementation of targeted branding and recruiting programs. Ben’s work within academia and enrollment management is rooted in the development of marketing campaigns focused on key differentiators. His recruitment plans apply the most relevant marketing tools from mobile apps and digital/interactive media to print collateral and traditional PR. He relies on tapping a vast international network for those key personal introductions that result in valuable recruiting relationships. You will often find Ben and the Intead team managing global virtual teams to achieve specific and measurable goals. Ben has international travel experience extending from Central and North America to the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Northern Europe. He received his BA from Wesleyan University with study abroad in the Middle East. He received his MBA from Northeastern University.

Lindsay K. Wayt, Ph.D., is senior director of business intelligence at NACUBO. She leads the organization’s analytics, research, and artificial intelligence (AI) portfolios, ensuring NACUBO remains a thought leader in data-informed success for colleges and universities. She collaborates with NACUBO members and key constituents from other organizations to propel the use of analytics-enabled decision-making in higher education. Lindsay has experience conducting higher education research, studying topics such as the use of data, analytics and AI; tuition discounting trends and practices; and higher education business and finance challenges. She completed her doctoral work focused on educational leadership and higher education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Jon Weber serves as the Senior Director for the Office of Emergency Services and the Office Insurance and Risk at Pepperdine University. Jon graduated from Pepperdine’s Seaver College in 2005 and received his MBA from the Graziadio Business School in 2013. Jon has spent his 20+ year career at Pepperdine where he has worked closely on insurance issues, maintaining the University’s emergency response plans, and responding during disasters. Jon and his wife Dana met while attending Seaver College. They reside in Westlake Village with their three kids Parker (12), Emilyn (10), and Weston (7).

Jessica Wood is a Senior Director in the US Public Finance Ratings Group, and the sector leader for the not-for-profit higher education and co-leads a team of education analysts throughout the country. Jessica is involved in all aspects of the education practices including criteria development, and she serves as chair for many education committees. Jessica is also the lead analyst for several high profile universities. Jessica joined S&P Global in March 2010 and has analytical responsibility for a diverse portfolio of public and private colleges and universities, research institutions, cultural institutions, privatized housing projects, and charter schools. Prior to joining S&P Global, Jessica worked as an investment banking associate at Lincoln International, coordinating middle market M&A transactions in various sectors, specializing in business services and consumer products. Prior to her tenure at LI, Jessica worked as an investment banking associate director in debt capital markets for J.P. Morgan Chase. Jessica holds an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BS in Mathematics and Economics, cum laude from Wake Forest University.