Keynote & Featured Speakers
Dr. Joshua Fredenburg is a nationally acclaimed speaker, author, leadership consultant, and a visionary force in personal and organizational development. With a career spanning over eighteen years, he has touched lives across 49 states and globally, delivering powerful messages on leadership, personal wellness, inclusion, and personal empowerment. Holding a Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and a Master’s Degree from Biola University, Dr. Fredenburg combines academic rigor with real-world experience. His journey is not just marked by professional achievements but also by his profound impact on individuals and organizations.
As the President and Founder of the Circle of Change Leadership Experience, he has transformed the lives of thousands, especially diverse first-generation, traditional, and non-traditional students, guiding them towards leadership excellence. Recognized for his contributions, he has received numerous accolades, including an honorary membership from Golden Key International and recognition as a Top Leader Under 40 in South Florida. Dr. Fredenburg's journey is a testament to his commitment to creating leaders who are not only successful but also empathetic and transformational, making a lasting difference in the world.
Since assuming this role in 2022, Fansmith has led efforts to modernize and expand ACE's advocacy strategies to meet a rapidly evolving policy environment. He played a key role in launching ACE's National Engagement Office in 2023, which works to influence public debates on the role and value of higher education and support institutions in navigating shifting state policies affecting academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
In previous roles with ACE, he led the higher education community's work on Higher Education Act reauthorization and efforts to secure relief funding for students and institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. For this work, he and the Government Relations and Public Affairs team were recognized with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators 2021 Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education Award.
Fansmith is a frequent commentator on higher education policy, appearing in outlets such as The Washington Post, Politico, The New York Times, CNN, Roll Call, Fox News, Bloomberg, The Chronicle of Higher Education, National Public Radio, USA Today, National Journal, and Inside Higher Ed. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Inside Higher Ed, and The Journal of College and University Law. He cohosts ACE's dotEDU podcast and is a frequent speaker at conferences, webinars, and public forums on postsecondary education.
As a Principal in Powers’ Education Group, Nick guides clients through the postsecondary triad so that the institutions can focus on fulfilling their missions.
Nick represents postsecondary schools in audit and program review proceedings before the United States Department of Education and its administrative tribunal, the Office of Hearings and Appeals. He also has experience responding to adverse actions taken by accrediting and state licensing agencies. Nick seeks to preserve important institutional relationships with regulatory agencies while advancing the school’s viewpoint.
Nick helps postsecondary institutions remain current in a rapidly evolving environment by monitoring legislative, regulatory, judicial, interpretive, and other developments on a variety of education issues. With this background, he assists schools with institutional policymaking, transactional matters, responding to subpoenas, and conducting internal investigations.
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.
Heidi Carl is the assistant vice provost and executive director of the division of financial aid at Purdue University. She has 28 years of financial aid, admissions, and enrollment management experience and has previously worked at Wabash College and the University of Indianapolis. Heidi earned her bachelor's degree in communications and her master's degree in higher education administration from Western Michigan University. She has served in several elected and volunteer roles at the state, regional, and national levels and is a past president of the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA) and ISFAA (Indiana). She has served on NASFAA's Board of Directors as MASFAA regional representative and as chair of the Career Path Awareness for Financial Aid Administrators Thought Force. Heidi is committed to the people in our profession and helping to make critical changes to elevate the recognition and training for the unique skill set that is necessary for financial aid professionals of the future.
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