Dear NASFAA Members,

As you have likely heard, NASFAA President Justin Draeger will transition into a new role at Strada Education Foundation following the National Conference in Milwaukee. We are immensely grateful for his leadership and dedication over the past 14 years. As we embark on this new chapter, we want to assure you that a smooth transition is already under way and we are fully committed to engaging all stakeholders in the search for NASFAA's next chief executive.

To ensure operational continuity during this transition, Beth Maglione, NASFAA's longtime Executive Vice President, has been appointed by the Board as Interim President, to begin immediately upon Justin's departure. Beth brings more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience, primarily at NASFAA. Her tenure as our second-in-command, liaison to the Board of Directors, and key operational lead makes her an ideal choice for this role.

The leadership transition plan includes a smooth handover of operational responsibilities from Justin to Beth in the near term, and from Beth to the next permanent leader of NASFAA upon the successful conclusion of the NASFAA presidential search. We have a tenured leadership team with deep experience to carry on the association's goals and objectives. NASFAA is strong financially, operationally, and culturally and has the right people, resources, leadership, strategic plans, and Board to operate seamlessly through this transition.

This is the first in a regular series of transparent updates to NASFAA members on the transition and search process, which will begin this spring. A Presidential Search Committee, to be appointed by the Board, will take the lead in finding and vetting candidates for the position. NASFAA's Board of Directors is responsible for making the ultimate decision as to who will be the next President & CEO of NASFAA.

Later this month, the Board of Directors will approve:

• Milestones to map our progress toward finding a new President & CEO
• A request for Board funds to support the association's search process
• Request for Proposal (RFP) for a search firm to support our national search process

We want to assure you that NASFAA remains committed to its mission and strategic plans, and we do not expect any disruptions during this transitional period. Your continued support and engagement are crucial as we navigate this transition and usher in a new era of leadership at NASFAA.

For those of you who wish to bid farewell to Justin in person and celebrate his years of steadfast leadership, we encourage you to join us in Milwaukee next month. In addition, we welcome you to share your comments and thoughts about the search process and NASFAA's next leader.

Thank you for your dedication to NASFAA's mission and vision. Together, we will continue to uphold our standards of excellence in member service and advocacy.

Warm regards,

Helen Faith, National Chair, NASFAA
Kristi Jovell, National Chair-Elect, NASFAA
Brad Barnett, Past National Chair, NASFAA