Sessions & Speakers

Kristi Jovell, FAAC®, is assistant vice president of student financial services and enrollment at Middlebury College. She has served as president of the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA) and on NASFAA's Board of Directors as representative-at-large and regional representative. Kristi has been an active leader in professional association activities at the state, regional, and national levels. She has served NASFAA as a member of the Conference Program Task Force (Chair), Financial Affairs Committee, Pell Restoration Working Group, Awards Task Force, Nominations and Elections Committee, and as a conference and webinar presenter. The heart of her service to EASFAA has been through training, as the training and graduate/professional chair for multiple years and architect of EASFAA Leads and the Tuesdays@2 webinar series. Kristi has received Outstanding Volunteer and Committee of the Year awards from EASFAA and the NASFAA Regional Leadership Award. As a first-generation college student and Pell Grant recipient, Kristi is passionate about access to higher education and its ability to change the trajectory of students' lives. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration/management and master's degree in education from Elmira College.

Melanie Storey is the president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), beginning her tenure on May 1, 2025. With decades of experience in federal higher education policy, financial aid operations, and organizational leadership, Storey brings deep expertise and a steadfast commitment to advancing access and equity in higher education. Storey most recently served as director of policy implementation and oversight at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), where she led cross-functional teams in translating federal policy into practice. She played a central role in implementing the FAFSA Simplification Act and the FUTURE Act, and contributed to major initiatives like federal student loan debt relief. She frequently represented FSA before congressional staff, administration officials, and higher education leaders. Before joining the Department, Storey led policy and strategy work at the College Board and served as director of national initiatives at the American Council on Education (ACE), where she supported national commissions, analyzed legislative proposals, and led public service campaigns. Earlier in her career, she was a policy analyst at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), conducting research and collaborating with government relations staff on federal policy proposals impacting private institutions. A proud first-generation college graduate and financial aid recipient, Storey earned a master's degree in public affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School at the University of Texas at Austin and holds bachelor's degrees in economics and public policy from Smith College.