A Well-Earned Honor: Keri Gilbert Receives NASFAA Regional Leadership Award
At Stephens College, our work is guided by a simple conviction: investing in our faculty/staff pays off for our students. That belief was on full display at the recent NASFAA National Conference when Keri Gilbert, our Associate Vice President of Financial Aid Analytics and Compliance, received the NASFAA Regional Leadership Award – an honor that recognizes sustained, creative and integrity-driven leadership at the regional level.
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) selects one recipient for each of its six regions. Gilbert was selected as the Midwest Region Award recipient for demonstrating high integrity, creative leadership, and sustained commitment to professional development. The award was presented during the opening general session of the NASFAA Conference.
“I was incredibly humbled and honored to receive the NASFAA Regional Leadership Award,” said Gilbert. “I’ve admired this award for years because I know many of the incredible professionals who have received it before me. To now see my name included alongside theirs is honestly a little surreal.”
Stephens Investment in Professional Development Yields Results
Gilbert’s award reflects Stephens College’s commitment to investing in ongoing staff development. Since joining the college, Gilbert has attended the NASFAA National Conference every year, bringing back innovations that have improved financial aid processes on campus.
“Professional development isn’t just about learning something new; it’s about bringing that knowledge back to campus and putting it into practice,” said Gilbert. “Many of the improvements we’ve made in the Office of Financial Aid have been inspired by ideas, best practices, and innovative approaches shared at conferences like NASFAA.”
The recognition comes as colleges across the nation navigate significant changes in federal financial aid policy, including the implementation of FAFSA Simplification, and preparation for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3), which will eliminate entire aid programs and revise loan calculations.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone with Keri’s expertise leading our financial aid efforts, especially at a moment when the regulatory landscape for higher education financial aid is shifting so significantly,” said Stephens College President, Dr. Shannon Lundeen. “Her NASFAA Regional Leadership Award is a testament to the caliber of guidance our students and families receive every day, and it reflects Stephens’ broader commitment to investing in the ongoing training and professional development of our faculty and staff.”
“When the rules change, we want our people at the table shaping the conversation, not just reacting to it, and that’s exactly where Keri has been,” said Lundeen.
Leading Through Change
At the conference, Gilbert co-presented a number of sessions, including a Taylor Swift-themed session on managing stress while leading through change in the post-OB3 world. The presentation, delivered alongside Gena Boling, Associate Provost for Enrollment at Cornell University, drew a standing-room-only crowd, despite being scheduled as the final session before dinner.
Boling, a Stephens MBA graduate who began her financial aid career at Stephens College, reflected on the significance of presenting alongside Gilbert.
“Co-presenting with Keri was an absolute blast,” Boling said. “Keri was the brains behind bringing this whole session together, which shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone because she’s been rocking presentation stages at both the regional and national levels for some time!”
The presentation addressed the emotional toll of rapid regulatory change on financial aid professionals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus on student success.
“Behind every regulation and every policy is a student whose future may be changed by the opportunity to earn a college degree,” said Gilbert. “We talked about setting healthy boundaries, taking time away before burnout sets in, and remembering that we can’t effectively serve students if we don’t take care of ourselves first.”
In addition, Gilbert also co-presented alongside financial leaders from colleges across the nation, including: an audit session, a session on providing fast financial aid service, and a session on Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Stephens Alumni & Current Leaders Represent the College on the National Stage
Boling’s participation in the presentation underscored Stephens College’s role in developing leaders. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in art history and archaeology from the University of Missouri before joining Stephens’ financial aid office in 2010. Boling completed her MBA from Stephens in December 2013 and has since advanced to a leadership position at an Ivy League Institution.
“I’m forever grateful for my time in the Stephens MBA program because it offered the flexibility to take core business foundations and apply them to any industry,” said Boling. “Having that academic space to analyze complex systems, combined with an early hands-on work experience at Stephens, prepared me to succeed in any direction my career may have taken me.”
Both women took the stage and represented Stephens College at the national level, a testament that Lundeen said showcases the college’s commitment to creating strong leaders.
“To see two women with deep Stephens roots, one who works here now and one whose career began here, representing our college on a national stage tells you everything about the kind of talent this institution produces and attracts,” said Lundeen. “We could not be prouder of both of them.”
A Personalized Approach to Financial Aid
Gilbert emphasized that Stephens’ recognition at the national level translates directly to improved student services.
“One of the things I’m most proud of at Stephens is that we take a highly personalized approach,” said Gilbert. “We know our students by name, we take the time to understand their circumstances, and we’re committed to helping them make informed decisions about paying for college.”
She added: “Financial aid isn’t just about numbers; it’s about removing barriers and creating opportunities.”
Gilbert has presented at every NASFAA National Conference since joining Stephens, an achievement she attributes to the collaborative culture of the financial aid profession and the strength of her institution’s work.
“Stephens may be small, but we are doing innovative, student-centered work that deserves to be part of the conversation,” said Gilbert. “Often the spotlight naturally falls on larger colleges and universities because of their size and resources. Receiving this recognition is a reminder that you don’t have to be a large institution to make a meaningful impact.”
