Meet the Team
Angel B. Pérez, CEO
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.
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Marie Garvin
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Shantel Goodman-Luckett
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David A. Hawkins
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Melanie Marquez Parra
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Ashley Perzyna
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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