Zita Barree, Candidate for Vice President

Education:

• M.B.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, 1989
• B.S., Elementary Education, VCU, 1987
  

Work Experience:

• Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, VCU
• Director of Financial Aid, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
• Associate Director of Financial Aid, VCU
• Financial Aid Coordinator, School of Dentistry, VCU
• Assistant Coordinator of Financial Aid Programs, State Council of Higher Education for VA

Professional Involvement:

• SASFAA: 2003-04, Chair, Annual Program/Conference Committee; 2002-03, Member, Conference Committee; instructor at New Aid Officer’s Workshop; member, Governance and Planning Committee; 2001-02, Member, Conference Committee; instructor at New Aid Officer’s Workshop, member, Governance and Planning Committee; 2000-01, Presenter at 2001 conference; 1999-00, Board of Directors as Virginia’s state President; served as panelist for session at the 2000 SASFAA Annual Conference; 1998-99, Member, Local Arrangements 1999 conference in Norfolk, VA; 1997-98, Newsletter Editor; co-presenter at 1998 conference
  
• NASFAA: 2000-01, Member, Leadership Development and Professional Advancement Committee; 1998-99, Presenter at the 1999 NASFAA Conference
  
• VASFAA: 2003-04, Member, Experienced Aid Officers Training committee; 2002-03 and 2001-02, Chair, Experienced Aid Officers Training committee; 2000-01, Past President; Chair Awards, Nominations, and Bylaws committees; 1999-00, President; 1998-99, President-Elect; member of Strategic Planning and Assessment, Site Selection, Sector Coordination committees; 1997-98, Member of Bylaws and Budget & Finance committees; 1996-97, Chair, Membership committee;

It is with great honor that I accept the nomination for Vice-President of SASFAA.

SASFAA is known for its excellent training opportunities and I would be thrilled to coordinate them for the 2004-05 year. With my experience in leadership roles and expertise in training, I believe I am well prepared for this position.

My first experience with the SASFAA Summer Workshop was as an instructor. I taught the class that had the brand new financial aid officers in it (0 – 6 months of experience). In fact, there were a number of attendees in my class who had not yet even started their new jobs as financial aid directors! The week was intensive and daunting for some but everyone was still highly complimentary of the instruction they received. In many ways, I learned just as much as the attendees did. It was one of the highlights of my professional career. By the end of the week, I had a renewed pride in SASFAA. I had always known that our association was professional and respected but the Summer Workshop was one of the best ways to experience that first hand.

With the recent addition of the Mid-level Workshop (held in conjunction with SWASFAA) and the Management Institute that is held every few years, SASFAA now provides training opportunities for all of its members and beyond. Training is a key component of our association’s mission and I would like the opportunity to continue SASFAA’s tradition of excellence in this area.

As my resume to the left indicates, I have experience at the state level through my work with VASFAA’s Experienced Aid Officers and Conference committees as well as my term as President. In SASFAA, I have served as a presenter at several conferences, as a member and now chair of the Conference committee, and as an instructor at two Summer Workshops. I have also served on the NASFAA Leadership Development and Professional Advancement committee and presented a session at the 1999 NASFAA conference.

Should I be elected as the next SASFAA Vice President, I will bring my enthusiasm and leadership to the position and promise to give my full attention to providing quality training opportunities for my SASFAA colleagues and ultimately to the students we represent. Thank you for your consideration.