Meet the Team

Home » Who We Are » Meet the Team

Angel B. Pérez, CEO

Dr. Angel B. Pérez is CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In this role, he represents more than 25,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success. He is the primary voice of the association to government, media, and global partners. Pérez is recognized as a national thought leader and is a sought-after speaker on issues of educational equity, access, and success in American education. 
 
Throughout the course of his career, Dr. Pérez has worked to realize his belief that diversity and academic excellence go hand-in-hand, and that every young person who aspires to higher education should have the opportunity to achieve. His work echoes his own story. Growing up poor in Puerto Rico and the South Bronx, he was the first in his family to graduate from college, and went on to become a leader in higher education. Recognized nationally on issues of equity and access in American education, Dr. Pérez is a tireless champion for underrepresented communities and a creative advocate for reform. Named by a Forbes article in 2019 as the most influential voice in college admission, he strives to build an educational ecosystem that better represents today’s society. 
 
Prior to joining NACAC in July of 2020, Dr. Pérez served in secondary and higher education leadership positions across America, most recently, as Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Connecticut where his work was described as transformative. Since his arrival at NACAC, he has steered the organization through significant change as it strives to evolve to meet the needs of today’s college admission profession. His leadership approach has been featured in several outlets, including the American Society for Association Executives. 
 
Dr. Pérez’s passion for teaching led him to serve as a faculty member at Trinity’s Educational Studies Department, UCLA’s College Counseling Certification Program, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In addition, he was a visiting international faculty member at Rikkyo University in Japan. He has served as a Trustee at the Berkshire School (MA), United World College in Costa Rica, Hartford Youth Scholars (CT), Tuition Exchange (DC), and was elected the youngest Chair of Diversity in the history of Skidmore College’s alumni association. He currently serves as a steering committee member for the Washington Higher Education Secretariat. 
 
Dr. Pérez’s expertise has been sought by key policy influencers. In 2016, the Governor of Connecticut appointed him to the New England Board of Higher Education, and he was chosen by the Gates Foundation and NASFAA to serve on Forward50, a group of higher education leaders presenting solutions to Congress. He is a frequent contributor and commentator in media outlets, including the Washington Post, NPR, Forbes, The Atlantic, CBS Evening News, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. 
 
He holds a B.S. from Skidmore College, an M.A. from Columbia University, a PhD from Claremont Graduate University, and a Teaching Certification in Higher Education Pedagogy from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University. 

Marie Garvin
Chief Financial Officer

Meet Marie

Shantel Goodman-Luckett
Chief Experience Officer

Meet Shantel

David A. Hawkins
Chief Education and Policy Officer

Meet David

Melanie Marquez Parra
Chief Communications Officer

Meet Melanie

Ashley Perzyna
Chief of Staff

Meet Ashley

Executive Office

Contact: ceo@nacacnet.org

Angel B. Pérez
Chief Executive Officer
Email | 703-299-6828

Ashley Perzyna
Chief of Staff
Email | 703-299-6821

Kara Lackmann
Manager, People & Culture Initiatives
Email | 703-299-6812

Jennifer Miller
Office Administrator
Email | 703-299-6801

Robin Tetteh
Administrative Assistant
Email | 703-299-6817

Governance

Contact: governance@nacacnet.org

Heather McGhee
Associate Director of Governance
Email | 703-299-6835

Helen Hernandez
Manager, Volunteer & Board Relations
Email | 703-299-6841

Communications

Contact: communications@nacacnet.org

Melanie Marquez Parra
Chief Communications Officer
Email​ | 703-299-6827

Ebony Maddox
Social Media Strategy & Content Manager
Email | 703-299-6818

John Powers
Web Content Administrator
Email | 703-299-6807

Finance and Administration

Contact: accountspayable@nacacnet.org

Marie Garvin
Chief Financial Officer
Email | 703-299-6805

Vivian Chan
Finance Manager
Email | 703-299-6806

Information Systems

Contact: is@nacacnet.org

Khurram Bashir
Director of IT
Email | 703-299-6816

Michelle Lucas 
Database Management & Integration Director
Email | 703-299-6814

Membership Experience

Contact: cxo@nacacnet.org and membership@nacacnet.org
​ ​
Shantel Goodman-Luckett
Chief Experience Officer
Profile | Email | 703-836-2222

Murphy Miller
Associate Director, Membership Experience
Email | 703-299-6838

Robert Purdy
Associate Director, Digital Marketing
Email | 703-299-6826

Victoria Balahutrak
Manager, Membership Experience
Email | 703-299-5279

Alex Korty
Digital Marketing Manager
Email | 703-299-6837

Moni Huntington
Specialist, Membership Experience
Email | 703-299-6824

Teesha Bailey
Specialist, Membership Experience
Email | 703-299-6815

Kiarra Davis
Specialist, Membership Experience
Email | 703-299-6819

Events and Meetings

Contact: collegefairs@nacacnet.org and conference@nacacnet.org

Pia Brown
Director, Events and Meetings
Email | 571-551-5277

Jason Smith 
Associate Director, Events & Meetings
Email | 703-299-6856​

Gracy Olmeda 
Associate Director, Events & Meetings
Email | 703-299-6839

Bissi Woldemicael
Manager, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6832

Makini Johnson
Manager, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6859

Jada Penn
Manager, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6829

Laura Fagan
Manager, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6813

Virginia Falgoust
Manager, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6844

Kaitlyn Fennell
Coordinator, Events and Meetings
Email | 703-299-6822

Educational Content and Policy

Contact: legislative@nacacnet.org
​ ​
David A. Hawkins
Chief Education and Policy Officer
Profile | Email | 703-299-6809

Education and Training

Contact: pd@nacacnet.org

Sophia Chaale
Director of Education and Training
Email | 703-299-6849

Kim Bauer
Learning Experience Designer
Email | 703-299- 6830

Katie Maenz
Learning Experience Designer
Email | 703-299-6808

JH You
Education and Training Coordinator
Email | 703-299-6846

Research

Contact: research@nacacnet.org

Melissa E. Clinedinst
Director of Research and Grants
Email | 703-299-6854

Cameron Hair
Senior Associate, Research and Grants
Email | 703-299-5276

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

John S. Hollemon III
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Email | 703-299-6820

Advocacy

CJ Powell
Director of Advocacy
Email | 703-299-6825