REGISTER

Featured Panelists

Amelia Parnell, Ph.D.
President of NASPA

Dr. Amelia Parnell is an accomplished higher education executive and an internationally recognized thought leader regarding current issues and emerging trends in the field. She is a passionate advocate for higher education as a tool for personal advancement and impact, and she seeks opportunities to partner with organizations and individuals who share her sincere commitment to centering students' needs. In her prior role as vice president for research and policy for NASPA, Dr. Parnell led many of the association's scholarly and advocacy-focused activities and fostered partnerships with college administrators, researchers, grant makers and other higher education professionals. As a frequent keynote speaker at national and regional conferences, Amelia presents on topics related to higher education, student affairs, college affordability, student learning outcomes and institutions' use of data and analytics. She is the author of the book, You Are a Data Person, which she wrote to encourage all higher education professionals to discover and embrace their unique data identity. She has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed and PBS NewsHour. Amelia holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration from Florida A&M University. 

Colleen Flaherty
Senior Editor for Special Content at Inside Higher Ed

Colleen Flaherty, Senior Editor for Special Content, previously served as Student Voice Editor for Inside Higher Ed. Prior to joining the publication in 2012, Colleen was military editor at the Killeen Daily Herald, outside Fort Hood, Texas. Before that, she covered government and land use issues for the Greenwich Time and Hersam Acorn Newspapers in her home state of Connecticut. After graduating from McGill University in Montreal with a degree in English literature, Colleen taught English and English as a second language in public schools in the Bronx, New York. She earned her M.S.Ed. from City University of New York Lehman College as part of the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

Jennifer I. DeBurro, Ed.D.
Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of New England

Dr. Jennifer I. DeBurro serves as vice president of student affairs and dean of students at the University of New England. In her role, she oversees critical student-centered units, including but not limited to the counseling centers, student health centers, campus wellness and recreation, graduate and professional student affairs, and housing and residential/commuter life. Dr. DeBurro has served on the national board as the region I director of NASPA. She has also served as the organization’s national volunteer coordinator and co-director of the Maine Association of Student Personnel Administrators. DeBurro has been an invited participant in several panel discussions, and presented at various regional and national professional conferences. Her expertise has been recognized in prominent publications such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, U.S. News & World Report, and her work has been featured by the Education Advisory Board. As a first-generation college student herself, DeBurro is committed to creating an environment that empowers students to excel academically and personally, while ensuring individualized and comprehensive support and resources for students facing challenges.