2026 COHEAO Annual Conference

DAY 1

SESSIONS

COHEAO’s Washington Update

This session provided an update on key federal legislative and regulatory developments impacting higher education finance and student lending. Attendees gained insight into recent policy changes, including funding, accountability measures, and emerging compliance expectations. It also set the tone for the rest of the conference while highlighting COHEAO’s advocacy efforts and what institutions should be preparing for next.

Speaker: Lori Hartung, Immediate Past President, COHEAO; Regional Sales Executive, ECSI

Moderator: Karen Reddick, President, COHEAO; VP Business Development, National Credit Management

Presentation

Session I: Bracing for Impact – Campus and Student Loan Perspectives on Federal Policy

As federal student aid policy shifted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and related developments, institutions faced new lending limits, financing pressure, and heightened accountability expectations. This roundtable brought together Washington-based perspectives from business, financial aid, presidential leadership, and the student loan community to discuss how campuses were interpreting the changes ahead. Attendees gained insight into aligning strategy across offices and preparing for the practical implications of a changing federal landscape.

Speakers: Jill Desjean, National Association of Student Financial Administrators (NASFAA), Bryan Dickson, National Associational of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), Justin Monk, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), Alex Ricci, National Council of Higher Education Resources (NCHER)

Moderator: Wes Huffman, Legislative Consultant, COHEAO

Department of Education Address

COHEAO hosted an important update from the US Department of Education on the latest federal higher education policies, regulatory developments, and implementation priorities impacting institutions and students. This session provided insights into current initiatives, upcoming compliance considerations, and the evolving federal landscape affecting financial aid administration, student lending, accountability, and institutional operations. Attendees had the opportunity to hear directly from Department officials and gained practical information to help campuses prepare for ongoing changes.

Speaker: James Bergerson, Deputy Undersecretary, U.S. Dept. of Education

Moderator: Maria Livolsi, Vice President, COHEAO; Director, SUNY Student Loan Service Center

Session II: Enhancing Communication and Online Resources to Empower Students

Clear, consistent communication was essential to reducing student inquiries and improving the overall service experience. University Bursar created a Communications Team that revamped communication strategies and digital resources to better support students and families. By expanding Knowledge Base content, redesigning website navigation, and refining and targeting email messaging, University Bursar reduced frontline workload, strengthened student engagement, and streamlined service during peak periods.

Speaker: Kathy Kirrish, Bursar, University of Illinois

Moderator: Jill Stanislawski, Supervisor, University of Minnesota Duluth Controller’s Office

Presentation

Session III: VA Together – Operational Challenges & Solutions

Attendees who had questions about military benefits and how they were administered found answers in this session. Participants brought their questions to two VA experts who held a wide range of knowledge across all types of institutions. Those who had questions or had simply been wondering what was coming next in the realm of VA benefits came and joined the discussion. No question was too big or too small, and since many shared the same inquiries, all were welcomed.

Speakers: Dawn Plug, Associate Director, Veterans Services and Special Programs, American University, LeeAnn Pickett, FBS Assistant Director, Student Business Services, Texas A&M University

Moderator: Christine Blakney, Senior Managing Director, Student Business Services, Texas Tech University

Session IV: State Compliance Laws – Trends to Watch

As states continued to expand regulation of student lending and institutional receivables, compliance requirements became more complex and varied. This session highlighted key state-level trends, including disclosure requirements, time-barred debt rules, and borrower protections impacting campus operations. Attendees gained insight into how to proactively monitor and adapt to evolving state compliance landscapes.

Speaker: Jonathan Joshua, COHEAO Legislative Chair; Attorney, Joshua Law Firm LLC

Moderator: Scott Holmquist, President and Founder, Second Alliance

Session V: Actor vs Spectator: a 2030-era Financial Wellness Role for Higher Ed Institutions

In the wake of the pandemic and the sunsetting of HEERF funding, higher education institutions could no longer afford to be passive observers of their students’ financial fragility. As the “Big Beautiful Bill” reshaped the national landscape, COHEAO decision-makers had to transition from “Spectators” of student debt to “Actors” in student success. This session challenged leaders in student accounts, financial aid, and finance to address enrollment and affordability challenges through a systemic, operational lens that prioritized the holistic student experience. Presenters and attendees explored how to adapt five core pillars—Data, Conversation, Education, Opportunity, and Service—into a functional “on-ramp” for educational attainment. This was not just about debt management; it was about institutionalizing financial wellness as both a preventative measure and a recovery tool.

By analyzing why students left and the specific levers that brought them back, the session examined how to design systems that captured student concerns before they led to stop-outs. To scale these efforts, attendees examined how to leverage external philanthropic partnerships—engaging major corporations, the United Way, and major donors—to fund far-reaching initiatives. These supports covered critical needs often overlooked by traditional aid, such as student health, mental health services, and transportation or housing incentives. The discussion also focused on the strategic implementation of paid internships that aligned with departmental outcomes, ensuring students were incentivized to maintain their participation within their majors. Finally, the session detailed how institutional levers like Financial Wellness Centers could transform the campus climate. Whether embedded in Financial Aid or Business and Finance, these centers introduced sophisticated financial products, including matched savings plans, credit-builder loans, and brokerage accounts. By moving students from “debtors” to “investors,” institutions effectively sustained enrollment, increased graduation rates, and modeled national solutions at the state and local levels.

Speaker: Heath Carelock, MPS, PMP, AFC, Program Director, Financial Empowerment Center, Prince George’s Community College

Moderator: Lottia Windham, COHEAO Financial Wellness Chair; Director of One Stop, Baylor University

Presentation

DAY 2

SESSIONS

Session VI: Mapping the Gap – Findings from COHEAO’s New Report on Graduate and Professional Loan-Cap Exposure

This session introduced findings from COHEAO’s new report on where the new federal loan caps were most likely to create financing pressure for graduate and professional programs. Drawing on the GAP Index exposure baseline, it highlighted the program areas, institutions, and student-facing operations where the impact appeared most significant and why the burden was unlikely to be evenly distributed. Attendees left with a clearer picture of the scale of the issue and the practical implementation challenges campuses faced.

Speaker: Wes Huffman, Legislative Consultant, COHEAO

Moderator: Karen Reddick, President, COHEAO; VP Business Development, National Credit Management

Presentation

Session VII: Institutional Loan Compliance – Solutions and Best Practices to Meet the Funding Gap

As federal lending limits tightened and funding gaps grew, institutions increasingly turned to campus-based loan programs and alternative financing solutions. This session highlighted key compliance considerations, including regulatory requirements, credit reporting, and borrower protections, and shared best practices for structuring and managing institutional loan programs. Attendees left with practical strategies to expand access while maintaining compliance and minimizing risk.

Speakers: Sean Steinmarc, CEO, TFC Tuition Financing, Chris Stompanato, Client Relationship Coordinator, ECSI, Brian Tepper, Student Accounts and Collections Coordinator, Arcadia University

Presentation

Session VIII: Student Loan Repayment – Risks, Realities, and Ready-to-Use Soul

After more than three years and a 1,267-day federal payment pause, borrowers returned to repayment, facing significant financial challenges that created ripple effects across institutions. This session unpacked the timeline of the pause, the impact of the on-ramp period, and emerging borrower repayment trends. Presenters highlighted the risk of a potential “default cliff” and the operational and regulatory pressures campuses had to prepare for. Attendees gained practical strategies for proactive outreach, cross-campus coordination, and navigating this evolving repayment landscape.

Speakers: Lori Hartung, Immediate Past President, COHEAO; Regional Sales Exectutive, ECSI, Daniel Pelayo, Sr. Associate Director, Accounts Receivable Operations & Student Loans & Collections, University of Illinois Chicago, Will Shaffner, Vice President Business Development & Government Relations, MOHELA

Presentation

Session IX: Financial Fraud and the Impact on Campuses

Financial aid fraud became increasingly sophisticated, posing significant financial, operational, and compliance risks for institutions. This session examined emerging fraud schemes, institutional vulnerabilities, and the downstream impact on campus resources and aid programs. Attendees gained practical strategies for prevention, detection, and cross-campus coordination to mitigate risk.

Speakers: Timothy Lehmann, Vice President Student Financial Services, Southern New Hampshire University, Angelo Stio, Partner, Troutman Pepper Locke, Matt DiDonato, Solution Sales

Moderator: Christina Cardinale, Director of Student Accounts, Georgian Court University

Presentation

Session X: From AR Student Account Delinquency to Resolution – Navigating a Regulatory Environment

Speakers: Robyn Meyer, Director of Student Accounts, Daemen University, Erica Davis, VP Enrollment Management, Georgian Court University, Lottia Windham, COHEAO Financial Wellness Chair, Director of One Stop, Baylor University

Moderator: James Jones, Sr. Executive VP of Sales and Marketing, Reliant Capital