Brian Gann headshot

Brian Gann

Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services

Incoming SEM 2027 Conference Director

Brian Gann is the Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services at Wake Technical Community College. Prior to this appointment, he served as Vice President of Student Services at Jackson State Community College in Tennessee. Before Jackson State, he worked in the Alabama community college system for 14 years, serving Calhoun, Central Alabama, and Bevill State community colleges in a variety of leadership roles.  His work included continuing education, institutional advancement, human resources, grants, campus management, and student services.

Gann himself is a proud community college graduate and first-generation college student. He earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Bevill State Community College in Fayette, Alabama, before completing a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s in higher education administration from the University of Alabama.

Over the last decade, Gann has been an active leader in Achieving the Dream, a reform network dedicated to creating improved advising pathways, wraparound support services, and equitable outcomes for all students.

Angikaar Singh Chana

COO at Equivalence Systems

Matt Glembocki

Solution Consultant, Workday

Derrell Carter

Chief of Staff at Illinois Central College

Derrell Carter serves as Chief of Staff at Illinois Central College (ICC) in East Peoria, Illinois. In his role, Carter leads the implementation of the College's strategic plan, fosters institutional effectiveness, and advances critical initiatives to maximize student success. He has over 25 years of senior leadership experience in higher education and business, with a track record of transformative achievements in strategic planning, enrollment management, and institutional advancement. Prior to joining ICC, Carter served as Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where he spearheaded strategic initiatives that increased enrollment, improved marketing outcomes, and enhanced institutional visibility. Carter also served as Associate Vice President of Communications and Institutional Advancement at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, where he built strategic partnerships and secured substantial external funding to support institutional goals.

Derrell Carter holds a bachelor's degree in public relations and master's degrees in media communications and finance from Webster University, as well as additional master's degrees in business administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and political management from George Washington University, and an Education Specialist in Leadership degree from the American College of Education. He is also pursuing a Doctor of Education in Leadership degree from the American College of Education.


2026 SEM-EP Graduate

Capstone: Literature Review

Institutional Responsibility and Student Persistence: Applying Tinto’s Integration Framework to Strategic Enrollment at Illinois Central College

Vadim Gorelik

CEO, Tondro Consulting

Jill Oakley Jeppe

SVP of Partnerships, EdVisorly

Lizzie Allison

Chief Innovation Officer, EdVisorly

Scott Filter, Ed.D.

Director, Government Relations

Dr. Scott Filter currently serves as Director of Government Relations at AACRAO. He has more than 20 years of experience in higher education, the federal government, and public policy. Prior to his current role, he served as Senior Advisor in the Office of Consumer Populations and as Interim Director and Senior Advisor in the Office of Students and Young Consumers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

He also spent more than 10 years at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Aid, where he drafted, implemented, and provided guidance to practitioners on higher education regulatory policy. In addition, he has worked at multiple institutions of higher education in roles focused on public policy, federal and state compliance, and financial aid processing.

Dr. Filter holds a Doctor in Education and Human Development and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Rollins College.  His passions include college affordability, consumer protections, and translating regulations into practical guidance for day-to-day operations.

Cate Campana

Director, Human Resources

With over 20 years of designing and scaling HR programs across start-ups and mid-size organizations, Cate is incredibly excited to bring the HR function in house at AACRAO. Her work experience is varied, and her life experience is, well, extensive. Prior to joining AACRAO, she created and implemented Talent Growth and Performance Management processes at Dexis Consulting Group. While there, she also led several learning-based training programs across various cohorts throughout the organization, Her early career involved managing a sports medicine practice where she learned more about insurance than she ever intended, eventually leading her to a career in HR.

Cate is driven by her passion for staff development at all levels, and she is continuously inspired by people. With her HR Generalist knowledge, she intends to be a one-stop-shop point-of-contact for all AACRAO staff's HR needs. 

Stig Arne Skjerven

Stig Arne Skjerven

Stig Arne Skjerven is the first elected Chair of the Bureau of the Conference of the State Parties of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. He has been instrumental in the work in the various phases of the establishment and implementation of the Global Recognition Convention, including being part of the Expert Group developing the draft, intergovernmental negotiations, and leading working groups. He has also twice been elected Chair of the European Network of Information Centers / ENIC Bureau. Skjerven has also been paramount in the establishment of the Qualifications Passport for Refugees, by the Council of Europe and UNESCO, respectively. His experience also covers roles like Norway's Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Director of Norway's ENIC-NARIC office, Director of Academic Affairs at a Norwegian Higher Education Institution, project management of quality assurance in higher education, various roles involving communication, strategy and policies, and currently global partnership and capacity building in higher education in Norway's Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.

Brendon Taga

Vice President of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management - Olympic College

Brendon K. Taga, Ph.D., J.D., is Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Olympic College in Washington State, where he leads cross-functional strategic enrollment management efforts spanning outreach, recruitment, admissions, financial aid, registration, and student success programs. His work focuses on expanding access to higher education through dual enrollment, workforce pathways, and coordinated academic and student support systems. Previously, he served as Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Seattle University’s College of Education, where he directed strategic enrollment and student success initiatives and worked to reduce barriers for students entering the education professions. Earlier in his career, he led Seattle University School of Law’s Access Admissions Program, which prepares students from underrepresented backgrounds for legal education and careers in the legal profession. Dr. Taga is licensed to practice law in Washington and Hawai'i, and teaches in the field of higher education law and policy. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Washington, a J.D. from Seattle University, and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Capstone: Leading SEM Transformation During Leadership Change: A Framework for Organizational Readiness

2026 SEM-EP Graduate

Jennifer Coghlin

Associate Registrar, Enrolment Services & Academic Policy - University of Waterloo

Jennifer Coghlin is a seasoned higher education leader with deep expertise in enrolment management, academic policy, and student success. Known for driving strategic initiatives, enhancing institutional effectiveness, and championing equity and inclusion, she brings a strong record of operational excellence, collaborative leadership, and student‑centered innovation across the full academic lifecycle

Capstone: Athletics as Enrolment Management: A Literature Review and Annotated Comparative Bibliograph

2026 SEM-EP Graduate

Carolina Recchi

Co-Founder and Co-CEO of EdSights

Carolina Recchi is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of EdSights, a company she founded with her sister that pioneered using AI and text messaging to capture the student voice at scale. Today, EdSights engages 1M+ students across ~300 higher ed institutions, unlocking student voice insights that help schools improve enrollment and retention. The company has raised $100M to scale the platform and its mission. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 two years in a row and named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, EdSights is redefining how higher education listens and responds to its students and their needs. Carolina is passionate about building a more student-centered future for higher ed, grounded in the belief that the student voice is the most powerful driver of institutional change.

Abhinav Krishnan headshot

Abhinav C. Krishnan

Associate Dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management

Krishnan has served Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine since 2023, providing executive leadership across admissions, records and registration, financial services, and strategic enrollment management. He oversees a comprehensive enrollment portfolio that supports the medical school’s mission, financial sustainability, and commitment to holistic review and student success. Since joining OUWB, Krishnan has led initiatives to modernize admissions operations, strengthen data and analytics capacity, expand pathway and early assurance programs, and align enrollment strategy with institutional priorities and accreditation standards. His work emphasizes equity-minded enrollment practices, predictive modeling, and the integration of financial and academic indicators to support informed decision-making. Krishnan holds bachelor’s degrees in secondary education and biological sciences, master’s degrees in cardiovascular physiology and public health, and a doctoral degree in cardiovascular physiology from Wayne State University. He also serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies.

2026 Graduate

Capstone: From Cost of Attendance to Cost of Living: Using Pre-Matriculation Financial Profiles to Impact Strategic Enrollment Management and Debt-Management in Medical School

Mr. Daren Upham

Senior Vice President of Enrollment and Outreach, National University

Mr. Ashish Fernando

CEO & Founder, EDMO

Becky Marx Keogh

Becky Marx Keogh

Senior Associate Registrar, Michigan State University

Becky Marx Keogh (key-oh) is a coach turned Registrar. She has served as the Senior Associate Registrar at Michigan State University since 2022. 

A former Division I National Champion and All-American, Becky coached collegiate softball for eight years before making a career change to work in Admissions at the University of Iowa while her husband pursued his PhD. Quickly, Becky was drawn to the world of requirements and policy and shifted to the Office of the Registrar. She loves how systems can be created and supported to help students, staff, and faculty succeed. She returned to her home state when she joined Michigan State University as their Senior Associate Registrar. Becky holds professional certificate in Leadership from the University of Iowa, a Master’s in Kinesiology (Sports Management) and a Bachelor’s in Mathematics Education from the University of Michigan.  

Jessie Cook

Assistant Registrar - Operations at Ozarks Technical Community College

Jessie Cook is the Assistant Registrar - Operations at Ozarks Technical Community College in Springfield, MO. She oversees all enrollment record operations related to admissions applications and transfer credit evaluation and has held this position for three and a half years.

Jordanna Maziarz

Senior Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Montclair State University

Jordanna Maziarz, M.A., is Senior Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Montclair State University, leading undergraduate recruitment, outreach, and enrollment strategy for the University and Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.

Admission and Academic Viewpoints from the Front Seat of a Merger

Nicole DeCapua

Principal for Academic Affairs Integration at Montclair State University

Nicole DeCapua, Ed.D., serves as Principal for Academic Affairs Integration at Montclair State University, driving major strategic initiatives, guiding institution-wide integration efforts, and shaping high-impact student success projects, including the merger with Bloomfield College of Montclair State University.

Admission and Academic Viewpoints from the Front Seat of a Merger





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