An expansion in appointed board members allows the organization to benefit from influential expertise.

By Rachel Williams, NACAC Communications

Arlington, VA (July 10, 2024) – With the support of the association’s members who approved bylaws amendments last year, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is expanding the experiences and perspectives on its board of directors. The board may now have up to five appointed board members, and beginning in September, all five positions will be filled with accomplished leaders from an impressive range of professional backgrounds.

“Members understand the value of bringing together volunteer leaders with diverse experiences and how fresh insights will benefit our increasingly dynamic organization,” said NACAC Board Chair Angelica Melendez. “We’re grateful to our members for supporting this advancement in NACAC’s governance structure, and we’re thrilled to have these five incredible leaders joining our board.”

The expansion of appointed board positions continues the work of the Ad Hoc Committee on Leadership in College Admission. The committee’s recommendation to establish a standing practice of reviewing the organization’s governance has led to several improvements. These include expanding voting rights to the full eligible voting membership, transitioning standing committees to special committees, and expanding the number of participants on the special committees. An increase in appointed board members was approved by members last year along with a change to the quorum threshold.

“I am so grateful to these leaders and change makers for contributing their expertise to our association at a time when leadership can be complex and challenging,” said Angel B. Pérez, NACAC CEO. “I think about something Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau once said: ‘The pace of change has never been this fast, yet it will never be this slow again.’ By broadening the skillset of our volunteer leaders, our board can shepherd our association and the profession as NACAC continues to evolve and grow.”

All appointees will begin their 2024-25 terms as board members on Sept. 28 at the conclusion of NACAC Conference 2024 in Los Angeles.

Meet NACAC’s five appointed board members:

Ken Anselment
Vice President for Enrollment Management at RHB, a division of Strata Information Group

An innovative enrollment leader, author, and founder of the ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast, Ken Anselment has dedicated his career to helping students in the admission process.

Anselment is no stranger to NACAC: He served from 2019 to 2020 as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Leadership in College Admission, which made recommendations that now serve as NACAC’s North Star and influence the direction of the association. He also served as chair of NACAC’s National Government Relations Committee, as a member of the National Admission Practices Committee, and as past president of the Wisconsin Association for College Admission Counseling.

Anselment spent 12 years at Marquette University in various roles, including senior assistant dean of admissions and a lecturer in the English department. He then spent nearly 18 years at Lawrence University, first as director of admissions before becoming the vice president for enrollment and communication. Along with colleagues, he developed Lawrence University’s first Strategic Equitable Enrollment Management plan. Now he works at RHB, a higher education consultancy, as vice president for enrollment management. He helps guide colleges and universities’ recruitment and retention strategies as they adjust their techniques for today’s students.

Many NACAC members likely know him as host of ALP: The Admissions Leadership Podcast, which he developed to help the next generation of aspiring leaders in admission. On it, he speaks with current admission leaders about their journeys and what others can learn from their mindsets, habits, and experiences. It is one of the most listened to podcasts in the profession. He also is the author of a forthcoming book on college admission.

Anselment’s array of experience uniquely positions him to offer NACAC guidance on consulting services, entrepreneurial work, and evolving communications strategies taking place in the higher education ecosystem.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and English, and a master’s degree in British and American literature, both from Marquette University.

“I am so grateful to NACAC for having raised me in this special profession, and I’m eager to join the board and help advance the cause of this great association as it continues to be the light for college admission professionals and the students we serve.”

Shirley M. Collado, Ph.D.
President and CEO at College Track
President Emerita of Ithaca College
Trustee Emerita of Vanderbilt University

A widely known public figure in higher education, Shirley M. Collado brings 25 years of leadership experience, mentorship, and an extensive network to NACAC board service.

Collado is well known for her work within the higher education and the nonprofit sectors, and for the dynamic partnerships she helps build that reinforce equity and innovation. She is a former college president, experienced fundraiser, and involved with numerous boards and foundations that can help expand NACAC’s connections to change makers in the field. She serves on the boards of the ACT, Kids First Chicago, Excelencia in Education, StarRez, and, after a decade of service, is trustee emerita at Vanderbilt University. She is also involved with the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, BOLD Women’s Leadership Network (which she founded), The Flight School, Mariposa Foundation, and The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, where she is a senior fellow.

She has held numerous influential roles throughout her career, including her service as the ninth president of Ithaca College, executive vice president of The Posse Foundation, vice president for student affairs and dean of the college at Middlebury, executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer at Rutgers University-Newark, and now, president and CEO of College Track, a national, comprehensive nonprofit college completion program that equips students who are facing systemic barriers to earn a bachelor’s degree. At Ithaca College, she was the first person of color to be named president and first Dominican American in the U.S. to serve as president of a four-year university.

A first-generation college graduate, her academic expertise is in clinical psychology with a specialty in trauma among multicultural populations at the intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development and psychology from Vanderbilt University and a master’s and doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Duke University.

“I am thrilled to join this amazing group of leaders collectively working to achieve equity within our nation’s higher education sector,” Collado said. “Students from all walks of life contribute great talent, perspective, and knowledge to colleges and universities, and to the professional spaces they inhabit once they graduate. It is our job, as leaders within the educational ecosystem, to be bold enough to disrupt the status quo of higher education and drive diligently toward inclusion. Every young person in this country is entitled to the opportunity to realize their potential and pursue a life of purpose.”

Nolvia Delgado
Executive Director of Kaplan Educational Foundation

As someone who began their college journey at a community college, Nolvia Delgado brings that critical perspective and strong connections to the community-college sector to the NACAC board. Today, as a first-generation Latina college graduate, she remains passionate in helping students with the transfer process to four-year institutions.

Delgado has served as the executive director of Kaplan Education Foundation (KEF) since March of 2022. The organization supports underserved students who attend community colleges as they transfer and complete degrees at selective four-year institutions.

Delgado is the first program alumnus to serve as its executive director. She was selected for the program while completing her associate degree at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. She went on to complete her bachelor’s degree at Smith College. Before returning to KEF, Delgado directed partnerships for the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation’s Community Schools Initiative and worked for Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, overseeing its U.S. educational pipeline programs. She also worked in London managing fundraising and charitable partnerships for Kaplan International.

Delgado was honored in 2022 by Crain’s New York Business on its 40 Under 40 list. She was also named to the City and State New York Above and Beyond Innovators list for disrupting the status quo and driving transformative change.

Delgado brings professional experience in program development, community outreach and engagement, fundraising, and partnership development to her board service. Together with her husband — a principal of a New York City public high school — she has dedicated her life to opening pathways to students of all backgrounds.

In September, she begins her second, one-year term as a NACAC appointed board member.

“As a proud Latina and the first in my family to graduate college, I understand firsthand the transformational power of education and how it gives young people the confidence and tools to achieve their big dreams,” Delgado said. “I am honored to join NACAC’s board for a second term and help them to champion educational access and equity.”

Tanya I. Garcia, Ph.D.
Vice President at The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS)
Trustee at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania

A Power 100 Who’s Who in Latino Pennsylvania and the former deputy secretary and commissioner for postsecondary and higher education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Tanya I. Garcia brings extensive postsecondary research and policy experience to the NACAC Board of Directors.

Throughout her career, she has become intimately familiar with how necessary postsecondary schooling is to help individuals of all backgrounds reach their best potential — an outlook that aligns substantially with NACAC’s mission and vision. In other roles, such as a grant maker at Lumina Foundation and associate director of postsecondary policy research at Georgetown University, Garcia published work centered around equity gaps in education and improving economic mobility of racial and ethnic minority students, low-income students, and other marginalized groups. She is a student-centered advocate for postsecondary education and in 2022, gave testimony at a Pennsylvania House Education Committee Hearing on the Educator Workforce Shortage. In New Mexico, she was responsible for leading the implementation of the statewide dual credit program and improving alignment between high schools and colleges.

Garcia is familiar with higher education board service, having served on boards of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, and Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

She is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Ph.D. in public administration from American University, a master’s degree in higher education administration from The George Washington University, and two bachelor’s degrees from Florida International University.

“NACAC plays key roles in opening the doors of educational and economic opportunity to learners across the nation,” Garcia said. “I am thrilled to serve the organization and its members as a new board member.”

Kristen Harris
Executive Director of College and Career Planning in the Office of Student Pathways at New York City Public Schools

Kristen Harris comes to the NACAC board with experience overseeing the counseling and postsecondary success of the largest school system in the country — New York City Public Schools — and she recently spearheaded an impressive city-wide campaign to boost FAFSA completion rates.

Harris is a dedicated advocate and dynamic leader committed to advancing postsecondary access and success in New York City and beyond. With a career spanning over two decades, Harris has consistently worked to shape educational opportunities that empower NYC Public School students to graduate well-prepared for their chosen pathway.

In her current role, Harris leads efforts to enhance the system’s capacity to deliver comprehensive, high-quality postsecondary advising to every student. Her leadership focuses on shaping academic policy, fostering strategic partnerships, and overseeing citywide strategies that significantly increase the number of students graduating with actionable plans for life after high school.

Prior to joining the NYCPS central team, Harris played pivotal roles in various organizations, including serving as a college access and success counselor. Her journey included spearheading programs in diverse settings such as community-based organizations, district schools, and charter networks. This breadth of experience has given her a profound understanding of the diverse needs and challenges faced by students from various backgrounds.

Harris’ dedication to advancing educational opportunities extends beyond her professional roles. She has previously served on the boards of organizations such as the College Access Consortium of New York, New York State Association for College Admissions Counseling, and the Johns Hopkins University Access Advisory Board.

Harris holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Lehman College, CUNY, and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Hartford.

“Serving on the NACAC board will provide an incredible opportunity to amplify the insights, experiences, and decision-making specific to public school district leadership. I look forward to contributing to our collective mission of further professionalizing the field to ensure all students have access to knowledgeable adults who provide high-quality college and career advising.”