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Wicked Problems, Bold Solutions: Innovating Aid for an Unpredictable Future
October 22-24, 2025
Hotel Murano
1320 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402
WFAA CONFERENCE JUSTIFICATION LETTER
The 2025 WFAA Conference Planning Committee is developing a robust schedule of presentations, including an in-person representative from NASFAA. The conference will provide valuable, up-to-date information vital to managing financial aid programs in Washington. Understanding that many institutions are struggling with budgetary concerns that may limit travel and professional development opportunities, we have created a letter template that can be personalized to help you justify your conference attendance to your institution's leadership.
Click to download the WFAA Conference Justification Letter.
WFAA MEMBERSHIP PRICING FOR 2025-26
WFAA Membership is valid from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026
- 2025-26 WFAA Individual Membership: $45 per person
- 2025-26 WFAA Membership with Institutional Pricing (allows for enrollment of multiple/unlimited individual members from the same institution): $200 per institution
2025 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
Conference registration fees are only for admission to the conference and do not include or guarantee hotel accommodations. Registration fees do not include the annual individual or institutional WFAA membership fees for new or renewing members. Please refer to the section above for membership fee information.
- Current WFAA Members: $225 per attendee
- Discounted! Current WFAA Members Selected to Present a Breakout Session: $150 per speaker
- Non-Members Opting Out of WFAA Membership: $270 per attendee
- 2025-26 Sponsor/Vendor Members: $725 total. Cost includes one $225 individual conference registration plus a $500 vendor table fee. If multiple representatives attend from the same sponsor, individual conference registration fees are required for each additional attendee, but the sponsor will pay only one table fee. Sponsors registering for the conference will receive ads in all 2025-26 WFAA newsletters.
2025 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION - Now Open!
Click Here to Register for the 2025 Conference! All registration forms must be submitted by individual members. Group registration on a single invoice is not available.
Deadline to Register: The deadline for conference registration is September 30, 2025 at 11:59pm (PST).
Late Registration: If necessary, late registration may be made available after September 30. However, Washington Senate Bill ESSB 5814 mandates an excise/sales tax on live presentations, effective October 1, 2025. An estimated 10.3% excise/sales tax will be added to the conference registration fee for late registrations on or after October 1, 2025.
HOTEL GROUP BOOKING INFORMATION
Hotel Murano rooms at the discounted conference rate are $169/night, plus tax. The group rate dates include up to 2 days before the conference. Use this link to book at the group rate: Hotel Murano WFAA Conference Group Booking. Be sure to change the applicable check-in and check-out dates of your reservation, if needed (the default reservation dates are Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24).
Event group rate discount will end at 5:00pm PST on Monday, September 29. Reservations made after this date are not guaranteed and will be accepted only on a space and rate availability basis.
TENTATIVE CONFERENCE AGENDA - CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
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2025 WFAA Conference Agenda
Tentative - Subject to Change
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Wednesday 10/22/2025
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8:00-9:30 AM
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WFAA Fall Meeting for Executive Council
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Cavallino
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9:00-11:00 AM
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FAC Business Meeting with CTC's
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Venice 1
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9:00-11:00 AM
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Train the Trainer with High School Partners
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Torcello/Burano
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9:00-12:00 PM
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Sponsor Setup
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Venice 2, 3, 4 |
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10:00 - 12:30 PM
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Registration Table Open
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Ballroom Foyer
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11:00- 11:30 AM
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Newcomers Session with WFAA Executive Council
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Cavallino
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12:00-12:10 PM
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Welcome from Incoming WFAA President
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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12:10- 1:45 PM
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Welcome Luncheon (Boxed Lunches)
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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12:40-1:45 PM
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Keynote Speaker: Kwabi Amoah-Forson
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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1:45 - 2:00 PM
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Scholarship Announcement
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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2:00- 2:15 PM
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Transition
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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Scholarships: An Important, and Often Overlooked, Piece of the Yellow Brick Road
Presented by Jeff Lackey (Sallie Mae) and Panel
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Torcello/Burano
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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From Guesswork to Game Plan: Using Pre-Bill Surveys to Empower Incoming Law Students
Presented by Cole Fairbairn and Sarah Everitt (Gonzaga University)
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Cavallino
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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Defying Gravi-AI: Soaring into the Future of Financial Aid with AI
Presented by Carlie Curlee (WSAC) and Dawn Cypriano-McAftery (WSAC)
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Venice 1
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3:15- 3:45 PM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Internal and External Threats Facing Title IV Institutions
Presented by OIG Special Agent in Charge, Adam Shanedling
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Torcello/Burano
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Inclusion, Diversity, Ethnicity, Equity, and Action
Presented by WASFAA
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Venice 1
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Wickedly New? Navigating State Aid as a Beginner
Presented by Carlie Curlee (WSAC)
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Cavallino
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Dinner on own
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Thursday 10/23/2025
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Breakfast on Own
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8:00-8:30 AM
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Networking and Sponsor Visit
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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8:30 - 9:30 AM
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WSAC Policy Update
Presented by Marla Skelley (Associate Director for Compliance, WSAC
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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9:30 - 10:00 AM
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WASFAA Update by WASFAA President
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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10:00 - 10:45AM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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10:45-11:45 AM
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Future-Ready Financial Aid: Navigating the Crossroads of Technology, Policy, and Staffing
Presented by April Tovar (Lower Columbia College), Kelsey Haney (Central Washington University), and Dr. Brian Dixon (Oracle Higher Education Industry Lead at Accenture)
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Torcello/Burano
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10:45-11:45 AM
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Change Management in a Technologically Challenging World
Presented by Victoria Hill and Amy Ybarra (South Puget Sound Community College)
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Cavallino
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10:45-11:45 AM
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Defying Norms: Communicating and Collaborating with Play-Doh
Presented by Christine Taylor (Bellevue College) and Melanie Ruiz (Shoreline College)
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Venice 1
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11:45 AM-12:45 PM
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Lunch & Networking (Buffet Style)
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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12:45-1:00 PM
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Introduce and Thank You to Our Sponsors
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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1:00-1:15 PM
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Transition
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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Yellow Brick Roadblocks: Clearing the Path to Student-Friendly Communications and Internal Workflow Improvements in the Financial Aid Office
Presented by Sarah Kirton, Jon Jacobs, and Jessica Harris (Lower Columbia College)
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Torcello/Burano
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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Wicked Healing: Empowering Every Step
Presented by Thomas Lorendo (Renton Technical College)
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Cavallino
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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Defying Deadlines: Crafting Operational Calendars That Work Like Magic
Presented by Christine Taylor (Bellevue College) and Melanie Ruiz (Shoreline College)
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Venice 1
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2:15-2:45 PM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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2:45-3:45 PM
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What the PLUS is going on? Your Student Loan Options beyond Parent and GRAD PLUS
Presented by Andrea Maison (BECU) and Jerrick Macadangdang (Citizens Bank) |
Cavallino
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2:45-3:45 PM
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SAP: The Wizard's Guide to Staying on Track
Presented by Jennifer Fetters (Bellevue College)
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Torcello/Burano
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2:45-3:45 PM
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One Big Beautiful Bill Breakdown with NASFAA
Presented by Sarah Austin, NASFAA Policy Analyst
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Venice 1
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3:45- 4:00 PM
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Transition
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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The Wizard of Fraud: How to Recognize and Prevent Student Loan Fraud
Presented by Jeff Lackey (Sallie Mae)
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Torcello/Burano
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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Dungeons, Dragons, and Disbursements
Presented by Chantelle Isaacs (Ascent Funding)
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Venice 1
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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The Emerald Guide to WASFA - From A to Z
Presented by Leslie Gonzalez (WSAC) and Victor Fernandez (WSAC)
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Cavallino
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5:30-7:30 PM
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President's Reception with Awards Ceremony and Silent Auction
Lite Hors D’oeuvres and Drinks Served
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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Dinner on own
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Friday 10/24/2025
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9:00-9:30 AM
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WFAA Business Meeting and 2026-2027 COA Release
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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9:30-10:30 AM
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Hot Topic Panel
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Venice 2, 3, 4 |
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10:30 – 10:45 AM
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Break and Transition
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10:45 – 11:45 AM
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NASFAA Inside the Beltway Update
Presented by Sarah Austin, NASFAA Policy Analyst
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Venice 2, 3, 4
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
WFAA is excited to welcome Kwabi Amoah-Forson as our 2025 WFAA Conference Keynote Speaker! The 2025 WFAA Conference Charity Spotlight will benefit The Peace Bus.
Kwabi Amoah-Forson is a humanitarian and influencer from Tacoma, WA. Through various humanitarian campaigns, he has assisted those in need in his community and across the country. He also strives to educate others about the true meaning of peace and foster dialogue on the subject through The Peace Bus.
He has been featured on PBS Television, KING 5 News, Fox 13 Seattle, and co-hosted the 2023 Northwest Regional Emmy Awards, hosted this years City of Tacoma Dr. Martin Luther King celebration, as well as Tacoma's very own Night Show. Three years ago, he was awarded the Tacoma Peace Prize and was invited to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway.
Last year he traveled to Ghana, West Africa on a humanitarian journey where he gave away food and resources to orphanages. He is even a pilot currently working on his dream of flying for peace with The Peace Plane.
Over the years Kwabi has worked to help those in need with many humanitarian aid endeavors, while speaking to students, businesses and organizations about the most important subject of all.
WFAA AWARD NOMINATIONS
Award nominations are now closed. We look forward to celebrating our talented peers at the 2025 Conference during the President's Reception. All selected winners will receive a plaque of recognition and a discount code for complimentary registration for the 2025 WFAA Conference.
We look forward to acknowledging members of our community for their outstanding achievements. There are currently four individual awards:
- The Marianne Deeken New Professional Award
- Tim Henning Rookie of the Year Award
- Unsung Hero Award
- Distinguished Service Award
Please see the Awards page for detailed descriptions of each award. The Awards and Recognition Committee will review nominations and winners will be announced at the WFAA Conference!
Past Conferences
2024 Annual Conference
2023 Annual Conference
2022 Annual Conference
2021 Annual Conference
2019 Annual Conference
2018 Annual Conference
2017 Annual Conference
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