By Chloe Stanley, NASFAA Communications and Engagement Assistant

MVP: Most Valuable Professional is an occasional series that features a brief Q&A with a different NASFAA member. Do you know a financial aid colleague with something interesting to say? Send the names of potential future MVPs and a short note about why you're nominating them to [email protected]. 

MVP Lee Bray, FAAC®

Meet Lee Bray, FAAC®, senior director of financial aid, veterans affairs and student resource centers at Pitt Community College. 

Lee discovered she had a knack for student services while completing her undergraduate program at Millersville University as a federal work-study student. A dedicated mentor and advocate, she has served the financial aid community in numerous capacities for the last 18 years. 

For Lee, getting involved isn’t just about professional development – it's about building a strong, supportive community. “I have such a huge and growing group of people across the country who cheer me on,” Lee said. “Find your people, build your network, and support one another. Now more than ever, we have to lift each other up in this profession.”

Lee has extensive volunteer experience at the state, regional and national levels. She has served as a board member of the North Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NCASFAA) since 2020 and just completed her first year as their president. Lee also served on NASFAA’s 2025 Leadership & Legislative Conference Compliance and FAAC® Forum Task Forces. She has also served on NASFAA’s Policy Rapid Response Network Task Force and continues to lend her expertise as a NASFAA U adjunct faculty and a CFAA test development volunteer. Recently, Lee was nominated for her institution’s Woman of Substance Award. 

Learn more about Lee, her interests, and her career path in the Q&A below!

How did you get your start in financial aid?

I’m originally from Pennsylvania and was going to school at East Stroudsburg University when my mom got sick. She worked at Millersville University, so I moved down to be closer to her. I didn’t have a job at the time, but since I had started taking classes at Millersville, she let me know there was an opening in the financial aid office.

Fun fact – Tonya Hsiung, who’s now a NASFAA U instructor, was my first boss! That was back around 2006. When I graduated, the economy was terrible and jobs were hard to find. The only experience I had was as a work-study in the financial aid office. But we did a lot – we didn’t just direct students to counselors. We did everything except packaging. So I thought, “Why not try for a job as a financial aid counselor?” And here we are.

It was such a dynamic workplace, and we were really empowered to do more than just answer phones or scan documents. We had to make sure the paperwork was right, understand how the system worked – it was a lot. You find out quickly if it clicks for you. And for me, it definitely did. 

Tell us about your institution. What are some unique aspects of working at Pitt Community College?

Pitt is a two-year, state-supported, nonprofit school, and I absolutely love it. It’s very different from any other institution I’ve worked at. One thing that really surprised me, especially because I moved here from out of state, is how deeply connected the college is to the community. 

You can walk into a store, go to the car wash, talk to anyone on the street, and they have some kind of connection to the school. People rely on the college – for job training, degrees, certificates – and it’s amazing to see just how much the college contributes to the local economy.

Here, community impact is a constant part of the conversation. We're always asking, "How is this going to affect the community?" or "What can we do for the community?" It's a really neat perspective – and to see how much employers rely on the college is honestly mind-blowing.

What do you find the most rewarding and fulfilling about your work?

A big part is watching students walk across the stage at graduation. Every time, it reminds me why I do what I do. Those moments make the hard days fade away. But I have to say, I have the best staff ever. They are a huge part of why I want to come to work every day. The way they care for our students reminds me daily why I started in this profession.

It’s been incredibly rewarding to see others adopt the mindset I’ve always tried to bring to this work – that financial aid can be fun, welcoming, and supportive. We’re not the scary office on campus. Sure, we have to say no sometimes, but it doesn’t have to feel negative. And my staff has fully embraced that.

Here at Pitt, we’ve transformed our office. We went from being one of the most complained-about departments on campus to one that’s now loved – by students, staff, everyone. That’s all thanks to my team. It’s been amazing to see that shift in culture come to life.

If you could change one thing about financial aid, what would it be?

Setting boundaries that protect both our roles and our well-being. There’s never really enough conversation about where the workload stops for financial aid professionals. Regulations get put in place and financial aid is expected to oversee so many areas that technically fall outside our scope, but still land under our umbrella. I found myself thinking the other day: How much more can we possibly take on? If there’s one thing I could change, in an ideal world, it would be that there’s a defined limit to our workload.

Those of us in financial aid care deeply and we're detail-oriented. It’s a really fine line to walk: how deep in the weeds do you get, and how much do you step away to preserve your own sanity?

What's something you wish all higher ed folks knew about financial aid?

I really don’t think people always comprehend the sheer scope of it. We’re not just awarding aid – we're regulatory interpreters, enrollment managers, data analysts – we wear so many hats.

A lot of people still think we just hit a button and money magically gets disbursed. What they might not realize is: I set up that button. I don’t have a degree in IT. I don’t know how to write code. But I’ve had to teach myself how to write rules, generate reports, and configure systems. So yes, maybe it looks like we just press a button, but it takes a lot of work to make that button press possible. 

Do you have any recommendations for people just getting started in the field?

Having your people is essential. I have a huge network of colleagues across the country – and it’s growing. We cheer each other on and bounce ideas off each other in NASFAA’s Slack Communities. The support that financial aid professionals offer each other is something I’ve never seen in any other field.

Whether you’re a work-study student, counselor, director, or support staff – no matter your level – find your people, build your network, and support one another. More than ever, we have to lift each other up because this work is tough. Just when we think we can’t handle any more, something else comes up and we always handle it. But honestly, the only way I get through it is with my people.

What's something you couldn't function without?

I go through little phases, but right now, I absolutely cannot live without Diet Coke. I’m someone who needs just one or two caffeine fixes a day – usually one cup of coffee and then a Diet Coke. It’s like my one little treat. 

Anything you have learned this year? 

I used to be really nervous about the idea of being president of my state organization. I’d think, “Who would want me as president?” But through getting involved, especially with NASFAA, I’ve met so many amazing people from all over the country – and that has been such a cool experience.

I’m now friends with someone in Alaska! When else can you say that? I’ve connected with people in Georgia, Virginia, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Nevada, California – you name it. That comes with getting involved.

We all start out thinking we’re in our own little bubble. But once you get involved, you realize everyone else has a bubble too, and suddenly you’re a part of all of them. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned this year – it might be scary, but it opens up a world of possibilities. 

Any new hobbies you have picked up this year?

My new hyper-obsession is pickleball – I mean, I’m highly obsessed. It’s just so fun!

Any summer plans or typical activities you enjoy in the warmer months? 

Since 2015, I’ve been going to the Bahamas and I absolutely cannot live without this trip. I wouldn’t be sane without it. It gives me something I really need. I love to travel in general and explore different places, but this trip is special because I’m forced to completely disconnect from work.

Everywhere else I travel, I usually work at the same time, but this is the one time each year where I fully unplug – and that means the world to me. It’s really hard to step away fully, but it’s so important.

Publication Date: 7/3/2025

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