Guest Speakers

David Bartnicki
Federal Training Office, US Department of Education

David has worked for the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Office for 16 years. He has served as an Institutional Review Specialist, Institutional Eligibility Specialist, Institutional Improvement Specialist (IIS), Branch Chief for Contract Compliance and is currently a Federal Training Officer.

David’s entire government career has been in the Atlanta Regional Office where he currently works directly with over 1,000 postsecondary schools in the Southeast Region. As a training officer, David provides training and technical assistance on a wide variety of federal student aid topics to schools, state agencies, accreditation bodies, and guaranty agencies David also works closely with state, regional, and national school associations and participates in U.S. Department of Education conferences and workshops.

While in FSA, David helped redesign the FSA Assessment Modules, developed the popular "Ask A FED" booth at the annual FSA Conferences, and developed the Department’s compliance review process for ED’s private collection agencies. David currently serves on the Legislative Update Team, the Fundamentals Redesign Team, ED Webinar recording program and the Fiscal Officer’s training development team. And most recently, David help develop training materials and provide TIV training to ED’s foreign schools throughout Europe, Canada, and the Southern Hemisphere.

In addition, David has received several financial aid awards including the 2010 FSA Award for Best Mission Results working with foreign schools, 2010 AASFAA’s Honorary Membership Award, the 2005 Florida Public Votech System Merit Award, the 2003 SCASFAA Distinguished Service Award, the 2003 AASFAA Award of Merit and the 2001 NCASFAA Award of Merit.

When not working, David enjoys spending time with his wife, Christy, and sons Luke (10), Adam (10), and Ethan (6).

Justin Draeger
President NASFAA

Justin Draeger is president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the largest postsecondary education association with institutional membership in Washington, D.C. and the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators. NASFAA represents more than 20,000 financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 colleges, universities and career schools across the country.

In his prior role as Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy for NASFAA, Mr. Draeger acted as a senior association spokesperson to the media and policymakers, with responsibility for developing and advancing the Association's public policy and advocacy goals. Mr. Draeger has been featured on NBC's Today Show, National Public Radio, CNBC, ABC World News, and Fox Business News. He has been quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Kiplinger.

Mr. Draeger knows the concerns of NASFAA's membership first-hand, having served as a financial aid administrator on campus, as a lead analyst for a guaranty agency helping schools resolve regulatory issues, in NASFAA's communications and policy departments. He earned a B.S. in Resource Management and Planning from Brigham Young University and M.B.A.in Finance from Baker College. While still in college, Mr. Draeger spent two years working with Latino populations in the California Ventura Mission, participating in barrio rehabilitation and community service projects, English as Second Language programs, and ultimately coordinating the efforts of 200 full-time volunteers.

Jeff Gibbons
Special Agent, U.S Department of Education – Office of Inspector General (ED/OIG)

Jeff Gibbons has served as an ED/OIG Special Agent (S/A) in the Southeastern Region in Atlanta, Georgia since 2002. During this time, S/A Gibbons has worked a variety of criminal cases involving Title IV – Federal Student Aid including distance education fraud, identity theft, and document fraud. Prior to working for ED/OIG, Jeff worked ten (10) years for the Internal Revenue Service.

Jeff attended the University of Alabama receiving a B.A. in Political Science in 1990. In addition, he also attended Troy University receiving a M.S. in Management in 1999.

Ginger Klock
Supervisor, Application Processing Division in Business Operations, Federal Student Aid

Ginger Klock currently serves as a supervisor in the Application Processing Division in Business Operations at Federal Student Aid, responsible for managing the Team Leads in development of Federal Student Aid’s student and school products, FAFSA on the Web (FOTW); FAA Access to CPS Online; and the EDExpress Suite of PC products.

Ginger came to the U.S. Department of Education in March of 1999 after serving as Director of Financial Aid at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem for over seven years. She spent over 15 years as a financial aid administrator working at public, private and proprietary institutions before coming to the Department.

Crystal Kuykendall

Dr. Crystal Arlene Kuykendall is considered one of the most dynamic individuals of our time. A critical thinker, analyst, motivator, and mentor. Dr. Kuykendall has astounded audiences and individuals through the power of her observations and the warmth of her words. A highly sought after and savvy speaking sensation, she is an engaging educator, human relations expert, legal analyst/litigator, endearing author and loving mother.

She received her B.A. from Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) as a Government major. Though an Assistantship, she graduated from Montclair State University (Montclair, NJ) with a Master of Arts degree in Sociology. Through a Ford Fellowship, she received her Doctorate in Educational Administration from Atlanta University. Always seeking additional avenues for advocacy and service, Dr. Kuykendall received her Juris Doctorate (law degree) from Georgetown University Law Center in 1981 and was admitted to the Bar Association of the District of Columbia after passing the Bar Exam in 1988 on her first attempt.

A former elementary and secondary public school teacher, Dr. Kuykendall has taught at Seton Hall University and Montclair State University. She is the former Executive Director of the National Alliance of Black School Educators. She also served as Director of Urban & Minority Relations for the National School Boards Association and the Director of the Citizens Training Institute for the National Committee for Citizens in Education. Appointed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter to the National Advisory Council on Continuing Education, she served as Council Chairperson from 1979-1981.

Author of "Developing Leadership for Parent/Citizen Groups" in 1976, Dr. Kuykendall authored "Improving Black Student Achievement through Enhancing Self-Image" in 1987 and a motivational calendar for parents, "You and Yours: Making the Most of this School Year" (1997 and 1989). Her well lauded book, "From Rage to Hope: Reclaiming Black and Hispanic Students", published in 1992, is considered by many a "timeless treasure" and is a national best seller. In May 2004, the second edition of this national bestseller, "From Rage to Hope II", was published. Her unique empowerment guide and character development planner, Dreaming of a P.H.A.T. Century, continues to be extolled by winners of all ages.

Wood Mason

Wood Mason has been a fed for 32 years, with the U.S. Department of Education for the last 17 years, dating back to the charter group of Client Account Managers, the CAM Group and the startup of the Direct Loan Program. Wood has worked as a Trainer, training content development, FSA Liaison to the COD School Relations Center, Lead of the FSA Direct Loan Transition OnBoarding Team and now a member of the newly formed Federal Loan School Support Team.

Carney M. McCullough
Director, Policy Development Group
Policy, Planning, and Innovation
Office of Postsecondary Education
U.S. Department of Education

Education
B.A., Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana, 1978
M.S., Monmouth College, West Long Branch, New Jersey, 1983

Work Experience
1978-1980 - Admissions Counselor, Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana
1980-1983 - Assistant Director and Associate Director of Financial Aid, Monmouth College, West Long Branch, New Jersey
1983-1984 - Director of Music Admissions, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York
1984-1985 - Training Officer, Region II, U.S. Department of Education, New York, New York
1985-1986 - Management Analyst, Debt Collection Service, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
1986-1988 - Program Specialist, Pell Grant Policy Section, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
1988-1992 - Section Chief, Pell Grant Policy Section, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
1992-2000 - Branch Chief, General Provisions Branch, Division of Program Development, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
2000-2010 - Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
2010-present - Director, Policy Development Group, Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

Personal
Married
Son, age 17

Yessyka L. Santana
Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Education - Office of the Inspector General

Yessyka Santana has served as Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Education-Office of the Inspector General in Pembroke Pines, Florida since December 2010. A year ago she was promoted to the Special Agent in Charge (a GS 15 position) to lead the Southeastern Region in Atlanta. In that position, she supervises two first-line supervisors, an investigative assistant, and seventeen special agents. The agents Yessyka supervises investigate a variety of white-collar crimes involving federally funded education programs within six southeastern states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Yessyka attended Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. She majored in Political Science and minored in Psychology and Spanish and received a Bachelor of Arts & Science in 1993 with high honors. She began her career with the U.S. Department of Education in 1993 when she was recruited as an Institutional Review Specialist in New York City and became a Special Agent with ED/OIG in 1996.

As a Special Agent with Education, she conducted multi-million dollar investigations involving post-secondary schools, local districts, and students. She transferred from the NY office to the FL office in December 2004 and to the Atlanta office in December 2010.