Sessions & Speakers

Brad Barnett, MS, AFC®, CPFM, FAAC®, is an accredited financial counselor and certified personal financial manager who works as the associate vice president for enrollment management/director of financial aid and scholarships at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. With three decades of experience in the financial aid profession, Brad has been active in state, regional, and national financial aid associations as a presenter, committee member/chair, and elected officer. A past president of VASFAA (Virginia) and the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA), he has also served NASFAA in various roles, including spending over one-third of his career serving in NASFAA leadership and governance roles (Board of Directors, Financial Affairs Committee, and Association Governance Committee), conference chair, Standards of Excellence (SOE) reviewer, and SOE assessment leader. This culminated with his service as the NASFAA National Chair in 2022-23. Brad has been honored for his work by receiving the VASFAA Lifetime Membership Award, VAFSAA Excellence Award, SASFAA Distinguished Service Award, NASFAA Regional Leadership Award, and NAFSAA Allan W. Purdy Distinguished Service Award. In addition to his financial aid activities, Brad teaches personal finance courses (online and in person) at JMU.

Dr. Samantha Hicks is a Certified Financial Aid Administrator who currently works as the Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid & Scholarships at Coastal Carolina University. Dr. Hicks holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Doctoral Degree in Education with a specialization in Higher Education Leadership. Her journey in financial aid began as a work-study student at CCU in 2007, where her personal experience with financial aid opened doors to higher education and ignited her passion for the field. By 2010, she joined the team as a financial aid counselor. Her doctoral research focused on financial stress and literacy among undergraduates, reflecting her commitment to addressing financial challenges in student populations. Samantha has served in various roles within financial aid associations, most recently serving in the NASFAA Executive Leadership Collective Cohort for 2024-2025. She resides in Conway, South Carolina, and loves cooking for her husband, Jamal, and their daughter, Francena Joy.