I am honored to serve as the 2023-2024 President of the Georgia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. I am excited to continue to serve this great association that has truly been my Financial Aid Lifeline. Through networking friendships, mentorships, learning and training opportunities, my experiences in GASFAA have been invaluable.

The success of our GASFAA year together is all about us pulling together and preparing our Financial Aid Professionals, whether a Newbie or Veteran, with relevant training based on our industry happenings. And boy do we have some industry happenings on the horizons.

GASFAA is committed to providing you with training opportunities that will guide you in the interactions with your students, parents and colleagues on your campus. By participating in these training programs, you will gain the knowledge and tools needed to navigate through these challenging times ahead of us.

I am excited to have Aria Simmons from Georgia State to serve as the Annual Conference Chair. Courtney Ray of Lanier Tech is our newly elected VP of professional development who will plan our training workshops. And Maria Hammett of Mercer will lead the virtual training series this year. So GASFAA is in very capable hands this upcoming year by way of training and professional development.

While it may be true that our profession doesn't often provide us with an abundance of "Thank You's," it's important to understand that you are the one who truly Makes the Difference. The pivotal role we play in our students' ability to attend our institutions is often determined by our ability to effectively serve them in our financial aid offices. So, let us always remember that as Financial Aid Professionals, we are actively making a profound impact and truly Making a Difference Today, Tomorrow and Always.

Making A Difference-Today, Tomorrow and Always.
Kristie Teasley, 2023-24
GASFAA President