COLLEGE READY AZ
2026 CONFERENCE:
FAFSA,
PROMISE AND ACCESS
Arizona State University Memorial Union
Wednesday, September 9th
COLLEGE READY AZ 2026 CONFERENCE:
FAFSA, PROMISE AND ACCESS
The 2026 College Ready AZ Conference: FAFSA, Promise and Access expands on the annual FAFSA Symposium that educators and counselors across Arizona look forward to each year. This year’s conference brings together Arizona and national experts to share practical strategies, timely updates and valuable connections focused on increasing college access and student success.
Agenda
Registration, Resource Fair & breakfast - 7:30 - 8:45 AM
- Registration and Resource Fair
- Location: Ventana A and B
- Breakfast
- Location: Ventana C
Plenary - 8:45 - 10:20 AM
Plenary Agenda
Welcome Remarks
Chad Sampson, Executive Director, Arizona Board of RegentsEmcee Welcome
Lin Sue Flood, former anchor, KPNX-TVRemarks from the Arizona Office of the Governor
Gov. Hobbs (invited)Remarks from the Arizona Department of Education
Superintendent Tom HorneRemarks from the Arizona Board of Regents
Regent Jim McCain
Special Speaker
Updates:
-
- Arizona Board of Regents
- Julie Sainz, Director of FAFSA and College Access Initiatives
- Arizona Board of Regents
- Arizona Department of Education
- Linda Burrows, Deputy Associate Superintendent of Academic Standards
Panel discussion – “Closing the Gap: What FAFSA Completion Means for Arizona’s Students and Economy”
- Luis Cordova, Senior Vice President and COO, Rounds Consulting Group
- Andi Fourlis, EdD, Superintendent in Residence, Arizona Institute of Education and the Economy at Northern Arizona University; former Superintendent of Mesa Public Schools
- Peter Granville, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation
- Caleb McKay, Senior Manager, FAFSA Completion, SchoolHouse Connection
Session A, Track 1 - 10:30 - 11:20 AM
Supporting Undocumented Students: Education in Difficult Times and Difficult Spaces
Aliento helps immigrant students turn trauma into action by advocating for in-state tuition, scholarships, and one-on-one support. This session covers current resources for undocumented, DACA and mixed-status students and families, including financial aid and FAFSA guidance. Attendees will learn the financial aid resources available to undocumented students, and best practices for supporting undocumented, DACA, and mixed-status students and families.
Location: Pima
Presenter: Christian Munoz, Education Coordinator at Aliento
The CCRI Connection: Bridging CTE and College Readiness Pathways
This session offers a blueprint for aligning industry credentials, technical skill assessments and work-based learning under Arizona’s College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI). Attendees will learn practical strategies for evaluating industry credentials and scaling work-based learning to meet CCRI benchmarks and how to shift technical skill assessments from a compliance task to a valued milestone.
Location: Ventana B
Presenter: Melinda Villalovos, PV Schools College And Career Coordinator at Paradise Valley Unified School District
It Takes a Village: Coordinating Schools, Child Welfare, Higher Education, and Community Partners to Improve Postsecondary Outcomes for Youth with Experience in Foster Care
First Star at ASU shares how schools, child welfare agencies, caregivers and community and university partners collaborate to support foster youth through college and career planning. Attendees will learn the roles different partners play in supporting foster youth’s postsecondary success and partnership models that strengthen college and career readiness for these students.
Location: Santa Cruz
Presenter: Rachel Kist, Program Manager at Arizona State University- First Star ASU
From Access to Belonging: Creating Student Success Ecosystems That Support the Whole Student
This session explores how educators, advisors, families and community partners can build student success ecosystems that foster belonging and holistic support, especially for first-generation, immigrant and underserved students. Attendees will learn practical strategies for creating inclusive environments that build belonging and engagement and how to build collaborative support networks across departments and partners.
Location: Coconino
Presenter: Gordana Vincic, Adjunct Professor/ Certified School Social Worker at Paradise Valley Community College
ADE Mathematics Updates
This session provides a timely update on Arizona mathematics education. Attendees will learn about key updates to Arizona’s math standards, including the Algebra 2 revisions and the new Integrated Statistics and Quantitative Reasoning (ISQR) course, and how to apply new fourth-year math guidance to build strong course pathways.
Location: La Paz
Presenter: Laurel Cherry, K-12 Math Specialist at the Arizona Department of Education
A College Access Coach’s Survival Guide to the 2026 Financial Aid Changes
This session equips access coaches to navigate major 2026 financial aid changes, including new loan caps, Pell Grant and scholarship rules, and Arizona’s Pell for Workforce rollout. Attendees will learn the key financial aid changes for 2026–27, and where to find resources to answer students’ questions.
Location: Ventana A
Presenter: Aurie Clifford, Assistant Director of Title IV Compliance at Pima Community College
From FAFSA Chaos to FAFSA Systems: A School-wide Completion Strategy That Works
In this session, ASU Preparatory Academy will share its repeatable, school-wide FAFSA completion system, covering milestone tracking, senior dashboards and family engagement. Attendees will learn practical strategies for increasing FAFSA completion, and how to track and adjust efforts to meet completion goals.
Location: Cochise
Presenter: Michelle Ugalde, Director of Student Advisement at ASU Preparatory Academy
From Exploration to Enrollment: Building a Connected Postsecondary Access Ecosystem Across Arizona
Pipeline Connects shares how Arizona is building a statewide, connected ecosystem linking FAFSA completion, postsecondary planning, and career-connected learning. Attendees will learn how connecting FAFSA conversations to career relevance improves engagement and why introducing career and financial literacy earlier improves long-term postsecondary outcomes.
Location: Apache
Presenter: Jessica Howe, Director of My future AZ at Pipeline Connects
Funding Your Future: A Strategic Roadmap to a Debt-Free Degree
This session offers a guide to financing college with minimal debt, covering Arizona-specific programs like Arizona Promise and Earn to Learn, along with scholarship deadlines and renewal criteria. Attendees will learn how to identify and categorize funding opportunities and how to navigate and manage the scholarship application process.
Location: Alumni Lounge
Presenter: Karla Gonzalez, Assistant Director of Scholarships and Outreach at Pima Community College
Supporting Students Through FAFSA: Policy and Practice Trends
Location: Ventana C
Presenter: Peter Granville, Fellow at The Century Foundation
Removing Barriers to Financial Aid for Students Experiencing Homelessness and Vulnerable Populations
In this session, attendees will receive information about federal policies and specific programmatic support in Arizona for removing financial aid barriers for students experiencing homelessness.
Location: Union Stage
Presenters: Caleb McKay,Senior Manager, FAFSA Completion at SchoolHouse Connection and Rita Rodriguez, Homeless Education Program State Coordinator at the Arizona Department of Education
Session A, Track 2 - 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM
Supporting Undocumented Students: Education in Difficult Times and Difficult Spaces
Aliento helps immigrant students turn trauma into action by advocating for in-state tuition, scholarships, and one-on-one support. This session covers current resources for undocumented, DACA and mixed-status students and families, including financial aid and FAFSA guidance. Attendees will learn the financial aid resources available to undocumented students, and best practices for supporting undocumented, DACA, and mixed-status students and families.
Location: Pima
Presenter: Christian Munoz, Education Coordinator at Aliento
The CCRI Connection: Bridging CTE and College Readiness Pathways
This session offers a blueprint for aligning industry credentials, technical skill assessments and work-based learning under Arizona’s College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI). Attendees will learn practical strategies for evaluating industry credentials and scaling work-based learning to meet CCRI benchmarks and how to shift technical skill assessments from a compliance task to a valued milestone.
Location: Ventana B
Presenter: Melinda Villalovos, PV Schools College And Career Coordinator at Paradise Valley Unified School District
It Takes a Village: Coordinating Schools, Child Welfare, Higher Education, and Community Partners to Improve Postsecondary Outcomes for Youth with Experience in Foster Care
First Star at ASU shares how schools, child welfare agencies, caregivers and community and university partners collaborate to support foster youth through college and career planning. Attendees will learn the roles different partners play in supporting foster youth’s postsecondary success and partnership models that strengthen college and career readiness for these students.
Location: Santa Cruz
Presenter: Rachel Kist, Program Manager at Arizona State University- First Star ASU
From Access to Belonging: Creating Student Success Ecosystems That Support the Whole Student
This session explores how educators, advisors, families and community partners can build student success ecosystems that foster belonging and holistic support, especially for first-generation, immigrant and underserved students. Attendees will learn practical strategies for creating inclusive environments that build belonging and engagement and how to build collaborative support networks across departments and partners.
Location: Coconino
Presenter: Gordana Vincic, Adjunct Professor/ Certified School Social Worker at Paradise Valley Community College
A College Access Coach’s Survival Guide to the 2026 Financial Aid Changes
This session equips access coaches to navigate major 2026 financial aid changes, including new loan caps, Pell Grant and scholarship rules, and Arizona’s Pell for Workforce rollout. Attendees will learn the key financial aid changes for 2026–27, and where to find resources to answer students’ questions.
Location: Ventana A
Presenter: Aurie Clifford, Assistant Director of Title IV Compliance at Pima Community College
From FAFSA Chaos to FAFSA Systems: A School-wide Completion Strategy That Works
In this session, ASU Preparatory Academy will share its repeatable, school-wide FAFSA completion system, covering milestone tracking, senior dashboards and family engagement. Attendees will learn practical strategies for increasing FAFSA completion, and how to track and adjust efforts to meet completion goals.
Location: Cochise
Presenter: Michelle Ugalde, Director of Student Advisement at ASU Preparatory Academy
From Exploration to Enrollment: Building a Connected Postsecondary Access Ecosystem Across Arizona
Pipeline Connects shares how Arizona is building a statewide, connected ecosystem linking FAFSA completion, postsecondary planning, and career-connected learning. Attendees will learn how connecting FAFSA conversations to career relevance improves engagement and why introducing career and financial literacy earlier improves long-term postsecondary outcomes.
Location: Apache
Presenter: Jessica Howe, Director of My future AZ at Pipeline Connects
Funding Your Future: A Strategic Roadmap to a Debt-Free Degree
This session offers a guide to financing college with minimal debt, covering Arizona-specific programs like Arizona Promise and Earn to Learn, along with scholarship deadlines and renewal criteria. Attendees will learn how to identify and categorize funding opportunities and how to navigate and manage the scholarship application process.
Location: Alumni Lounge
Presenter: Karla Gonzalez, Assistant Director of Scholarships and Outreach at Pima Community College
Supporting Students Through FAFSA: Policy and Practice Trends
Location: Ventana C
Presenter: Peter Granville, Fellow at The Century Foundation
Removing Barriers to Financial Aid for Students Experiencing Homelessness and Vulnerable Populations
In this session, attendees will receive information about federal policies and specific programmatic support in Arizona for removing financial aid barriers for students experiencing homelessness.
Location: Union Stage
Presenters: Caleb McKay,Senior Manager, FAFSA Completion at SchoolHouse Connection and Rita Rodriguez, Homeless Education Program State Coordinator at the Arizona Department of Education
Lunch - 12:20 - 1:15 PM
- Awards
- College Ready AZ updates – Presenter: Kevin Kovaleski, Executive Director of Enrollment Services Communications, Arizona State University
- Tri-U updates – Presenters: Julia Eischied, Associate Director of Recruitment for the University of Arizona, Kyla Timmons, Assistant Director of Phoenix and Tucson Recruitment, Northern Arizona University, Jennifer Velez, Senior Director for Arizona Recruitment and Strategic Initiatives at Arizona State University
Session B, Track 1 -1:25 - 2:15 PM
One Vision, One Future: Building Cross-Department Partnerships to Increase FAFSA Completion and College Readiness
This session shows how school counselors and English teachers can partner to guide seniors through individualized graduation plans, embed ECAP requirements into coursework and integrate FAFSA support throughout the year. Attendees will learn how to build cross-department partnerships that meet ECAP requirements and how to create a collaborative structure for guiding seniors through graduation planning starting at the beginning of the year.
Location: Cochise
Presenter: Jennifer Quiver, School Counselor at West Point High School and Tolleson Union High School District
Empowering Foster Youth: Program Strategies for Postsecondary Success
The ETV program supports nearly 1,000 foster youth annually across five states, achieving graduation rates three times the national average. Attendees will learn best practices for supporting foster youth pursuing postsecondary education and the financial resources available through the Educational Training Voucher (ETV) program.
Location: Pima
Presenter: Victor Chandler-Cremades, Assistant Director of Program Delivery at Foster Success
Practical? Possible? Sustainable? Cost of Attendance Calculator
This session explores the University of Arizona Financial Wellness team’s Cost of Attendance Calculator, a tool built with a first-generation student lens to help students assess affordability and connect financial aid to real college costs. Attendees will learn best practices for discussing finances with first-generation students and families, and how the tool has helped improve retention among underrepresented student populations.
Location: LaPaz
Presenter: Alexei Marquez, Assistant Director of Education and Initiatives: Financial Wellness at University of Arizona
CTE Pathways Beyond High School: Connecting Education to Opportunity
This session explores how high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs create pathways to community college, university and certificate programs. Attendees will learn how CTE programs prepare students for postsecondary education, including earning college credit before graduation and the multiple paths available after completing a CTE program.
Location: Apache
Presenter: Lauren Mosley, Recruitment Coordinator at the University of Arizona- College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
Leveraging Engagement Through the Arizona Diploma Seals
This session covers the requirements and process for the Arizona Diploma Seals and how to use them to boost student engagement. Attendees will learn the requirements for all four diploma seals and how the seals support student engagement and college and career readiness.
Location: Santa Cruz
Presenter: Hannah Rude, Director of K-12 Social Studies and World and Native Languages at the Arizona Department of Education
M.A.P.S.: Bridging Social Studies with College & Career Pathways
This session shares a model for integrating college and career readiness, civic engagement and financial readiness into Government and Economics courses. Attendees will learn how to integrate college and career readiness into social studies courses through a scalable model, and how cross-sector partnerships can expand student access to postsecondary opportunities.
Location: Ventana B
Presenter: Maggie Fountain, Director of College, Career, and Professional Learning at Tempe Union High School District
From FAFSA to Financial Aid Offers: A Tri-University Guide to Paying for College
Representatives from ASU, NAU and the U of A share strategies for supporting students through FAFSA completion, key deadlines and financial aid offer letters. Attendees will learn key FAFSA priority deadlines and processes affecting student eligibility and how to help students understand tuition-free pathways and financial aid offers.
Location: Ventana A
Presenter: Kyla Timmons, Assistant Director at Northern Arizona University
Mentorship As A Protective Factor: How Consistent Adult Relationships Strengthen Postsecondary Readiness and Persistence
This session explores how mentorship and trusted adult relationships help youth build confidence, resilience and postsecondary readiness – especially for first-generation, multilingual and historically marginalized students. Attendees will learn strategies for building authentic, culturally responsive youth-adult partnerships and how mentorship strengthens youth belonging, resilience and postsecondary success.
Location: Coconino
Presenter: Vanesa Contreras Rodriguez, Vice President of Programs & Impact at New Pathways for Youth
How to Get College and Career Readiness Off the Ground: Implementation from Start to Finish
This session shares real-world data from launching EdReady, an ed-tech tool for closing college and career readiness gaps, in Phoenix-area districts. Attendees will learn how to plan funding, training and onboarding for new ed-tech implementations and strategies for maintaining student motivation with self-paced tools introduced late in the year.
Location: Yuma
Presenter: Jennie Lasley, Regional Partnership Manager at The NROC Project / EdReady
Fueling Futures: FAFSA Engagement for Postsecondary Success
This session shows how counselor Heather Shew turned FAFSA into a school-wide movement through FAFSA Spirit Week, using themed events, social media and student ambassadors to build a culture of postsecondary planning. Attendees will learn counselor-led strategies for designing engaging FAFSA and postsecondary awareness campaigns and how to collaborate with students and families to expand college and career readiness efforts.
Location: Alumni Lounge
Presenters: Heather Shew, School Counselor and Lauren Harrell, Post Secondary Articulation Specialist from the Phoenix Union HS District
Snack Break - 2:15 - 2:30 PM
Session B, Track 2 - 2:40 - 3:30 PM
One Vision, One Future: Building Cross-Department Partnerships to Increase FAFSA Completion and College Readiness
This session shows how school counselors and English teachers can partner to guide seniors through individualized graduation plans, embed ECAP requirements into coursework and integrate FAFSA support throughout the year. Attendees will learn how to build cross-department partnerships that meet ECAP requirements and how to create a collaborative structure for guiding seniors through graduation planning starting at the beginning of the year.
Location: Cochise
Presenter: Jennifer Quiver, School Counselor at West Point High School and Tolleson Union High School District
Empowering Foster Youth: Program Strategies for Postsecondary Success
The ETV program supports nearly 1,000 foster youth annually across five states, achieving graduation rates three times the national average. Attendees will learn best practices for supporting foster youth pursuing postsecondary education and the financial resources available through the Educational Training Voucher (ETV) program.
Location: Pima
Presenter: Victor Chandler-Cremades, Assistant Director of Program Delivery at Foster Success
Practical? Possible? Sustainable? Cost of Attendance Calculator
This session explores the University of Arizona Financial Wellness team’s Cost of Attendance Calculator, a tool built with a first-generation student lens to help students assess affordability and connect financial aid to real college costs. Attendees will learn best practices for discussing finances with first-generation students and families, and how the tool has helped improve retention among underrepresented student populations.
Location: LaPaz
Presenter: Alexei Marquez, Assistant Director of Education and Initiatives: Financial Wellness at University of Arizona
CTE Pathways Beyond High School: Connecting Education to Opportunity
This session explores how high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs create pathways to community college, university and certificate programs. Attendees will learn how CTE programs prepare students for postsecondary education, including earning college credit before graduation and the multiple paths available after completing a CTE program.
Location: Apache
Presenter: Lauren Mosley, Recruitment Coordinator at the University of Arizona- College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
Leveraging Engagement Through the Arizona Diploma Seals
This session covers the requirements and process for the Arizona Diploma Seals and how to use them to boost student engagement. Attendees will learn the requirements for all four diploma seals and how the seals support student engagement and college and career readiness.
Location: Santa Cruz
Presenter: Hannah Rude, Director of K-12 Social Studies and World and Native Languages at the Arizona Department of Education
M.A.P.S.: Bridging Social Studies with College & Career Pathways
This session shares a model for integrating college and career readiness, civic engagement and financial readiness into Government and Economics courses. Attendees will learn how to integrate college and career readiness into social studies courses through a scalable model, and how cross-sector partnerships can expand student access to postsecondary opportunities.
Location: Ventana B
Presenter: Maggie Fountain, Director of College, Career, and Professional Learning at Tempe Union High School District
From FAFSA to Financial Aid Offers: A Tri-University Guide to Paying for College
Representatives from ASU, NAU and the U of A share strategies for supporting students through FAFSA completion, key deadlines and financial aid offer letters. Attendees will learn key FAFSA priority deadlines and processes affecting student eligibility and how to help students understand tuition-free pathways and financial aid offers.
Location: Ventana A
Presenter: Kyla Timmons, Assistant Director at Northern Arizona University
Mentorship As A Protective Factor: How Consistent Adult Relationships Strengthen Postsecondary Readiness and Persistence
This session explores how mentorship and trusted adult relationships help youth build confidence, resilience and postsecondary readiness – especially for first-generation, multilingual and historically marginalized students. Attendees will learn strategies for building authentic, culturally responsive youth-adult partnerships and how mentorship strengthens youth belonging, resilience and postsecondary success.
Location: Coconino
Presenter: Vanesa Contreras Rodriguez, Vice President of Programs & Impact at New Pathways for Youth
How to Get College and Career Readiness Off the Ground: Implementation from Start to Finish
This session shares real-world data from launching EdReady, an ed-tech tool for closing college and career readiness gaps, in Phoenix-area districts. Attendees will learn how to plan funding, training and onboarding for new ed-tech implementations and strategies for maintaining student motivation with self-paced tools introduced late in the year.
Location: Yuma
Presenter: Jennie Lasley, Regional Partnership Manager at The NROC Project / EdReady
Fueling Futures: FAFSA Engagement for Postsecondary Success
This session shows how counselor Heather Shew turned FAFSA into a school-wide movement through FAFSA Spirit Week, using themed events, social media and student ambassadors to build a culture of postsecondary planning. Attendees will learn counselor-led strategies for designing engaging FAFSA and postsecondary awareness campaigns and how to collaborate with students and families to expand college and career readiness efforts.
Location: Alumni Lounge
Presenters: Heather Shew, School Counselor and Lauren Harrell, Post Secondary Articulation Specialist from the Phoenix Union HS District
Professional Development Certificates - 2:15 PM
Who should attend and what to expect
Counselors and college access professionals will have the opportunity to engage with programming focused on tools, data and best practices they can take back to their schools and communities.
Sessions will explore the FAFSA completion, Arizona Promise Program and college access initiatives while highlighting tools, resources and proven approaches educators and access professionals can use to better support students through every step of postsecondary planning.
Whether you are new to FAFSA outreach or a seasoned college access professional, you’ll leave with valuable resources, actionable strategies and new connections to help more Arizona students take the next step toward college and career success.
Resource Fair Vendors
- Paradise Valley Community College
- Northern Arizona University
- Scottsdale Community College
- Phoenix College
- Education Forward AZ – Ask Benji
- Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County, Superior Court
- Hope & A Future
- Foster Success
- College Ready AZ
- Accelerate ASU
- Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program at Arizona State University