Take advantage of this opportunity to exercise your voting privileges and participate in the selection of the chair-elect and two board directors.
Please review the 2024 Campaign Guidelines for details on nominee and member behaviors to avoid that could detract from the integrity of the election process. This includes the discussion or promotion by the nominee, or anyone acting on their behalf (intentionally or unintentionally), of the election or the nominee through public E-lists, blogs, websites and social media.
Additional information relating to the Annual Member Vote can be found in the FAQ.
Jump ahead to: Nominee Town Hall | Chair-Elect Candidate | Director Candidates
The Annual Member Vote 2024 is open through 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 6. Voting will be conducted electronically via ElectionBuddy. To participate in this year’s Annual Member Vote, you must have been a NACAC voting member by May 25. All eligible voting members should have received an email from invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com on July 24 that contains a personalized voting link.
If you won’t be using your employer’s email over the summer, or if you didn’t receive your personalized voting link on July 24, please contact governance@nacacnet.org to provide an alternate email address where your link can be sent.
All nominee materials are now available:
- Candidate Intro Videos
- 2024 Nominee Town Hall
- Written response to the question: NACAC’s vision states that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all,” yet recently a multitude of things occurred beyond our control that have negatively impacted our members, the admission profession, and corroded the public opinion of our process. As Chair/Director, how would use NACAC’s vision to guide your approach in navigating the challenges and contribute positively to influence the work of our profession?
Watch the 2024 Nominee Town Hall
Chair-Elect Candidate
Derek DuBose
Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Director of Admission
University of Denver (Colorado)
Director Candidates
Johnnie Johnson
Vice President for Enrollment Management
Washington College (MD)
Jennifer Lee
Deputy Director of University Counseling
Chinese International School (Hong Kong)
Justin Mohney
Director of Recruitment
Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Sean Ohira
Director of College Counseling
Mid-Pacific Institute (HI)
The 2024 annual member vote is governed by the 2024 Campaign Guidelines for NACAC Board of Directors Nominees.
Derek DuBose, 2024 Chair-Elect Nominee
Sean Ohira, 2024 Director Nominee
Justin Mohney, 2024 Director Nominee
Johnnie Johnson, 2024 Director Nominee
Jennifer Lee, 2024 Director Nominee
Derek DuBose, 2024 Chair-Elect Nominee
NACAC’s vision states that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all,” yet recently a multitude of things occurred beyond our control that have negatively impacted our members, the admission profession, and corroded the public opinion of our process. As Chair/Director, how would use NACAC’s vision to guide your approach in navigating the challenges and contribute positively to influence the work of our profession?
As Chair-elect nominee of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), I am committed to championing our vision that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all.” Our vision is a beacon guiding us through the challenges we currently face. Despite external adversities impacting our members, the admission profession, and public perception, we must stand resilient and steadfast in our beliefs.
As many of you know, I am a true believer in the power of we. You’ve heard me say it before, We Are NACAC! Our strength lies in our dedicated members who tirelessly advocate for equitable access to higher education. Celebrating their achievements, innovative practices, and success stories fosters a sense of pride and excellence within our community. This not only reinforces our message of college admissions but also educates and rebuilds the public perception of our profession.
We are NACAC! I truly believe our greatest assets are our affiliates and the diversity of our members. The myriad identities, lived experiences, and ways of life represented within NACAC enrich our collective wisdom and approach to college admissions and the students that we serve. Embracing this diversity is about leveraging varied perspectives to develop more inclusive and effective admission practices. As Chair-elect, I would hope to initiate forums; specifically, through our SIG’s, where members can share their unique experiences and insights, fostering a culture of mutual learning and respect.
As NACAC, we must stay true to our ideals of fairness, transparency, and integrity. Committing to transparent communication helps demystify the admissions process and outside perception. This involves being open about the challenges we face, the steps we are taking to address them, and the progress we are making. This was most notable in the work of our members in the wake of the SCOTUS decision on the use of race in college admissions and continued with the push and pull of the new FAFSA rollout.
Advocacy plays a critical role in our efforts. We must engage with policymakers, educational institutions, and communities to advocate for policies that support access to postsecondary education for all students. This includes addressing systemic inequities that hinder underrepresented groups from pursuing higher education. By being vocal and proactive in our advocacy, we can drive systemic change that aligns with our vision.
In NACAC, professional development and continuous learning is essential. We must equip our members with the tools, knowledge, and skills needed to adapt to the evolving landscape of college admissions. Offering opportunities that focus on current challenges and emerging trends will empower our members to excel in their roles and uphold the standards of our profession.
With the aforementioned, while celebrating our members, we can navigate the current challenges and continue to advance the cause of making postsecondary education accessible to all. As Chair-elect, I will remain dedicated to leading NACAC with these guiding principles, ensuring that we not only withstand the current adversities but also emerge stronger and more unified in our commitment to our vision. My friends, We are…NACAC!
Sean Ohira, 2024 Director Nominee
Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Operation Varsity Blues upended public trust in our admission process, which inflamed doubts on the value of postsecondary education. Uncertainty prevailed at the disbandment of our CEPP ahead of the enrollment cliff. Even prior to the pandemic, student mental health was on the decline, as it was, too, in our profession.
The chaos seemed to only intensify this year with the rise of generative AI and volatile changes in standardized testing policies. The SCOTUS decision obstructed our commitment to right our country’s past wrongs. Wars raged across the globe and also within. And the disastrous FAFSA rollout engendered disillusionment and exhaustion across all sides of the desk, as sudden institutional mergers and closures continued.
Recent years have been Everything Everywhere All at Once, with the temptation to succumb to the hopeless vortex of the film’s emblematic, nihilistic Bagel. To be honest, there were days when despondency got the best of me. And yet, I found my way out at the sound of my ancestors’ rallying cry, Okagesamade, “I am what I am because of you.” Despite post-war racial prejudice, my grandparents sacrificed everything for their children to experience the transformative power of postsecondary education. I am a product of their steadfast resolve – and the realization of NACAC’s vision.
As we were back then, I believe that we are at a crossroads in college admission counseling. Regardless of the mayhem that abounds, we have the capacity to break the chains of generational trauma that we inherited – Everyone Everywhere Altogether as One – to create a more equitable future.
I believe to do so, however, will require courageous leadership that reflects the diverse identities and experiences of those in our profession and the communities we serve. For I believe that the transformative power of postsecondary education can only be accessible to all when every voice is valued, heard, and uplifted around the leadership table.
I hope to bridge divides to champion critical matters such as student-centered admission practices; the value of postsecondary education; mental health, wellness, and safety; test-optional policies; the benefits and achievement of diversity, post-race-conscious admission; and the recovery of students lost to the FAFSA. And I hope to inspire additional underrepresented colleagues to take their seat at the table.
Our forward progress requires the embrace and empowerment of every human through which we can triumph over any tumult to come. I will thus be accessible across affinity, affiliate, and volunteer spaces to promote inclusivity in our strategic priorities, cognizant of those still not yet represented. And I will amplify the expertise of our members and partner associations to formulate solutions that maximize our collective impact.
Come what may, I remain dedicated to NACAC’s vision and my calling to promote postsecondary education as a fundamental right that transforms every human to realize their purpose. And should I have the privilege to be the first AAPI male and HACAC member elected to our board, Okagesamade will continue to be my rallying cry.
Everyone Everywhere Altogether as One.
Jennifer Lee, 2024 Director Nominee
As Director, I would use NACAC’s vision that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all” as a guiding principle to address the various challenges we face to positively influence the work of our profession.
I am a product of this vision statement. I emigrated to the United States as a
four-year-old from South Korea, and my parents sacrificed to ensure that I had access to great public schools to provide me the opportunity to attend Wellesley College and Harvard University for my Master’s in Education. As a first-generation Korean-American, I navigated the college admissions process with parents who spoke limited English and had no idea how the process worked, I had to figure out Financial Aid and fill out all my college applications. My college degree opened the doors to Wall Street and allowed me to follow my heart to a new career in college admissions.
It feels like a full circle to have gone from being that young teenager applying early decision to now, having worked both on the college admissions side and at numerous schools throughout California, Korea, China, and Hong Kong, and having helped thousands of students achieve their dreams of college admissions. However, our world and the college admissions landscape have become even more complex and competitive since I was a teenager.
I believe NACAC’s mission is vitally important in being a bridge between students and their admission to college and opportunities beyond higher education. We need to keep access to colleges and universities open to people of all backgrounds. As we improve the gateway for BIPOC to better mirror the demographics of our communities, we can help to develop inclusive college campuses where ideas can be exchanged and where relationships and people are nurtured so that they can address the geopolitical rifts we face. Training and professional development on diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity are crucial. We must engage stakeholders like community-based organizations, businesses, and leaders to enhance educational opportunities. My leadership style is collaborative, and I would foster a culture of respectful discourse among members, educational institutions, and stakeholders to address challenges. I want to engage policymakers, educational institutions, and students to create collaboration to drive positive changes in the admission process and ensure education’s transformative power is accessible to all.
Addressing the challenges in the admissions world requires fearless engagement and difficult conversations. I deeply care about the well-being of colleagues as it directly impacts their ability to serve students effectively. We need to address burnout and mental health of our colleagues in this high-stress field so that they can support students and families who feel pressured in navigating the college admissions process, with the goal of matching students to colleges symbiotically. My professional background has given me a global perspective, combining managerial skills, financial acumen, and diverse experiences both in the U.S. and internationally. These assets will be valuable as we shape the future of our profession and support professionals and students alike on the NACAC board.
Johnnie Johnson, 2024 Director Nominee
NACAC’s vision states that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all,” yet recently a multitude of things occurred beyond our control that have negatively impacted our members, the admission profession, and corroded the public opinion of our process. As Chair/Director, how would use NACAC’s vision to guide your approach in navigating the challenges and contribute positively to influence the work of our profession?
As a board director, it would be my responsibility to be an active listener to our members and promote all the positive that is happening in our profession. This allows us to stay true to our vision: the transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all. One of the reasons that public opinion about higher education has turned sour is because negative stories have taken up so much air space. In every industry, unfortunate situations happen. But those other industries quickly move to highlighting their positive moments to keep the focus in the right direction and prevent the negative cloud from lingering. I don’t believe this is meant to cover up or gloss over the negative headlines, but they recognize that there is always more positive being done than the public truly knows about.
This is true in higher education as well. There is so much positive to highlight! We have amazing individuals doing awesome work in our communities. We have schools that are creative and innovative in ways of counseling, advising and connecting with students across so many platforms. We are moving education into more accessible spaces to give students from all backgrounds a chance at a successful and productive future. I believe as a board director, it’s one of my jobs to find these stories, listen to the individuals who are doing this work and promote this to the public so that it can be duplicated and celebrated.
Many industries and institutions have a communication problem, and our association is no different. [My own institution recently put a task force together across campus to keep us more informed of the daily, weekly and monthly issues affecting our institution.] The key, I believe, is being consistent in that communication. How much are we posting on social media? (And have we let our community know which social media outlets we’re using?) How often are we visiting communities and institutions, and highlighting individuals who are coming up with ways to help students connect to colleges and universities? With every story that is published about a scandal in various blogs, public journals and daily listservs, NACAC should have a public POSITIVE response or story, highlighting the work our membership is doing. With over 27,000 members, I know we have plenty of stories to tell. I know our NACAC staff does this work with relentless passion; so the board has to do its part as well. We can be the strong voices of the organization, for and along with our members.
This not only confirms to members why they joined NACAC but invites others to be part of this progressive and forward-thinking organization. At our core, we empower our members with tools and information to serve the students within their communities. Continuing the positive promotion of their work allows the members to see that NACAC is paying attention and seeks to change the public view of higher education well into the future.
Justin Mohney, 2024 Director Nominee
NACAC’s vision states that the “transformative power of postsecondary education is accessible to all,” yet recently a multitude of things occurred beyond our control that have negatively impacted our members, the admission profession, and corroded the public opinion of our process. As Chair/Director, how would use NACAC’s vision to guide your approach in navigating the challenges and contribute positively to influence the work of our profession?
NACAC recently updated the mission and vision for the Association, putting access to the “transformative power of postsecondary education” for all in the spotlight. To achieve that vision, the Association’s members need to act as a profession that centers shared ethics, prioritizes the value of education to the public sphere, and advocates for increased access to postsecondary educational opportunities. It is a mission that is very personal to me – I grew up in a rural community and was a first-generation college student who benefited greatly from the support of college admission professionals who were served by organizations like NACAC. Central to this mission is engaging counselors from communities that have historically been underrepresented in our membership like public schools, community-based organizations, and rural areas.
But this shared mission faces challenges. We’ve collectively faced a series of crises these past years – the pandemic that brought both public health and financial crises; continued examples of our nation’s ongoing reckoning with our history of inequity, exclusion, and social injustice; and public discourse that has often failed to find common ground and humanity. These crises have had lasting, meaningful, and unique impacts on each of us as individuals, the institutions we represent, and the students we serve. NACAC leadership and staff have worked tirelessly to address these challenges. I see serving on the board as an opportunity to invest time and talent in furthering this good work by ensuring that the diverse experiences, contexts, and needs of our members and the students they serve are centered in our decision making.
One of the greatest personal rewards of this work is the relationships built with colleagues across the field. This collaboration sets us apart as a profession – I’ve spoken to my affiliate about the impact that associations have had on my career by shaping what was initially a job into a profession. The sense of shared ethics and mission that centers students, the open and collaborative network, and the commitments to furthering a more accessible and equitable community were key to fostering the sense of mission that has made this work a profession. As a NACAC Board Director, I would keep these key characteristics of our shared community front of mind and would seek to strengthen that sense of shared community through my contributions to the board.
Hall of Fame baseball player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente is quoted as saying “Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don’t, then you are wasting your time on Earth.” Being a small part of NACAC’s efforts to achieve our vision of making the transformative power of postsecondary education available to all is, to me, one such opportunity. I would be honored to make a difference to this network of professionals through NACAC board service and see doing so as an opportunity to invest in furthering that sense of professionalism I’ve come to value to another generation of counselors supporting students in their transition to post-secondary education.
