Ohio Academic Advising Association

Meet Your 2010-11 Executive Board

Please contact us with any questions, concerns, ideas and suggestions!

President

Kelly Conkle
Lourdes College: Academic Advisor
kconkle@lourdes.edu

I graduated from the University of Toledo with a degree in Human Resource Management. I then went to Kansas State University and earned my master’s degree in Student Personnel Services with an emphasis in Counseling. For the past three years I have been working as an Academic Advisor at Lourdes College. I primarily advise business, history, English and nursing students. I really enjoy the small college atmosphere. I have the opportunity to meet with each of my new students for an hour during our first appointment.

I have served on the Ohio Academic Advising Association (OHAAA) Executive Board since 2008, as the 4-year private school representative. As the President of OHAAA, I hope to continue to increase OHAAA’s membership and attendance at events. Twenty-seven different institutions were represented at our Annual Conference. I hope to increase this number for next year. OHAAA does a good job of providing low cost, high quality professional development opportunities for academic advisors. I think this is very important, as most budgets in higher education have been reduced. We will continue to develop relationships with other professional organizations in the state and build on our relationship with National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).

President-Elect

Jeannette Passmore
Owens Community College
jeannette.passmore@gmail.com

I am excited to be a part of the OHAAA executive board. Many people in organizations such as OHAAA, OCPA and ACPA encouraged me along the way, provided leadership and mentorship, and have continued to help me grow as a professional. I look forward to giving back to the wonderful higher ed community and to our OHAAA members in particular!

I am a Student Success Mentor at Owens Community College (Findlay Campus). I see primarly students-at-risk and enjoy mentoring and advising them through to being students-of-success. My experience as a student in higher education spanned 12 years, 5 institutions, and 248 credit hours. I like to believe that all of those experiences and my M.A. in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University make me a unique mentor for both students and professionals.

My areas of interest include nontraditional students, technology, and social media. I also enjoy spending time with my partner, four children, and two grandchildren. Not to mention the dog and the fish! But I will always carve out time for OHAAA and my fellow student affairs professionals, so feel free to contact me anytime.

Past President

Dan Dakin
Wright State University: University College: Academic and Transfer Advisor
daniel.dakin@wright.edu

I am an academic and transfer advisor for University College at Wright State University. I’d like to think I am a pretty normal guy with a non-traditional background for an advisor. I have lived in six different states and have had several different careers before becoming the academic advisor I am today.

I graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1988. Afterwards, I went to work for many different companies including the likes of The Kroger Company as a store manager, Capitol Cleaners as a district manager, UNX as a laundry, ware-washing and housekeeping sales/service man, Allient Foodservice as a food salesman, Progressive and American Family Insurance as an auto claims manager just to name a few. After 20 years of working "in the field" I decided I wanted to go back to graduate school and start working in the higher education environment. I graduated a second time from Wright State University, in 2008, with a Masters of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education.

My non-traditional background and conscious choice to become a student affairs professional after many years of "working in the real world" gives me a unique insight and advantage when working with college students. I approach my academic advising career with an open mind and fresh perspective.

Treasurer

Susan Spacht
Sinclair Community College: Academic Advising Center: Senior Academic Advisor
susan.spacht@sinclair.edu

I am a Senior Academic Advisor in the Academic Advising Center of Sinclair Community College in Dayton. I have worked at Sinclair for 19 years in advising or teaching roles. I work with students in the division of Liberal Arts, Communication and Social Sciences and the division of Science, Math and Engineering.

I obtained a Master of Science in Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Wright State University. I also earned an Associate of Applied Science in Executive Secretarial from Sinclair Community College. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and a member of NACADA, OHAAA, OCPA (Ohio College Personnel Association), OCA (Ohio Counseling Association), and MVCA (Miami Valley Counseling Association).

Away from work, I enjoy traveling, flower gardening, mothering my five cats, and taking physical education classes in water aerobics, weight training, and flexibility fitness.

Secretary

Cassi Stewart
Clark State Community College
stewartc@clarkstate.edu

In 2008 I graduated from Wright State University with a Masters of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education. For the past two years I have been an academic advisor at Clark State Community College in Springfield, OH. I also teach a first year college success and career directions course. Before coming to Clark State I worked at Wright State University in the Office of Student Activities. The WSU Office of Student Activities was my home for seven years where I worked as both a student employee and as a staff member upon the completion of my Bachelor of Science in Business from WSU. Working there was a great experience and is the reason that I am so passionate about higher education today.

I am delighted to be a part of this year’s OHAAA executive board. I look forward to giving back to an organization that has provided academic advisors with outstanding professional development opportunities.

Community/Technical Institution Rep.

Jayna "Nickey" Brown
Clark State Community College
brownj@clarkstate.edu

I am a graduate from Central State University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering Technology. In addition, I am an alumnus of the Antioch McGregor University where I received my Masters of Educational Leadership. My professional background includes positions as an engineer, high school math teacher and currently an academic advisor for Clark State Community College. During my four years as an advisor I have been a member of the Ohio Transfer Council and maintained membership with the National Association of Academic Advising (NACADA). I believe my background and education have fostered a passion to improve the profession of academic advising. As the Community College/Technical Institution Representative I will bring that passion as my contribution to the Ohio Academic Advising Association to further the goals and objectives of the organization.

4-Year Public Institution Rep.

Heather Casto
Wright State University
heather.casto@wright.edu

I graduated from Wright State University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in History and in 2006 with my M.Ed. in Student Affairs Higher Education. I have been an advisor for University College at Wright State University for almost four years. In addition to advising, I am also the Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction and have been co-creator of the WSU Learning Communities Supplemental text since 2005.

The opportunity to teach one of the First Year Seminar courses as a Peer Instructor during my undergraduate program is really what got me interested in working in higher education. Subsequent teaching experiences and a graduate assistantship is what steered me in the direction of academic advising. I am very excited to be serving on the OHAAA Executive Board and look forward to working with all of you.