The Negotiators

The Department released its call for negotiations for this rulemaking on November 29, 2023. Nominations had to be submitted on or before December 13, 2023.

Negotiator information is now public. We have listed the negotiators below.

Negotiators usually are knowledgeable about the topic, represent the interests of those significantly affected by the topics proposed for rulemaking, and reflect the diversity of program participants. ED generally selects one negotiator and one alternate negotiator for each constituency. The primary negotiator participates in the neg-reg discussion and votes to reach consensus. The alternate negotiator does so only if the primary negotiator is absent.

ED has identified several constituencies that they would like to see represented at the negotiation table, listed below.

ED has listed the following constituency groups and negotiators for the full committee:

• Federal Negotiator
  • Gregory Martin
• Office of General Counsel (non-voting)
  • Denise Morelli and Donna Mangold
• Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (non-voting)
  • Cynthia Jeffries, John Weathers, Brady Roberts, Kevin Wagner, and Krystil Smith
• Civil rights organizations and consumer advocates.
  • Carolyn Fast, The Century Foundation (primary)
  • Magin Misael Sanchez, UnidosUS (alternate)
• Legal assistance organizations.
  • Robyn Smith, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and National Consumer Law Center (primary)
  • Sophie Laing, Pine Tree Legal Assistance (alternate)
• State officials, including state higher education executive officers, state authorizing agencies, and state regulators of institutions of higher education.
  • John Ware, Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools (primary)
  • Robert Anderson, State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (alternate)
• State attorneys general.
  • Diana Hooley, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (primary)
  • TBD (alternate)
• Students or borrowers, including currently enrolled borrowers, or groups representing them.
  • Jessica Morales, American University – Washington School of Law (primary) Emmett Blaney, Young Invincibles (alternate)
• U.S. military service members, veterans, or groups representing them.
  • Barmak Nassirian, Veterans Education Success (primary)
  • Ashlynne Haycock-Lohmann, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (alternate)
• Public four-year institutions of higher education.
  • Jason Lorgan, University of California, Davis (primary)
  • Alyssa Dobson, Slippery Rock University (alternate)
• Public two-year institutions of higher education.
  • Jo Alice Blondin, Clark State College (primary)
  • Michael Cioce, Rowan College at Burlington County (alternate)
• Private nonprofit institutions of higher education.
  • Erika Linden, Des Moines University (primary)
  • Scott Dolan, Excelsior University (alternate)
• Historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and Minority-serving institutions (institutions of higher education eligible to receive federal assistance under Title III, parts A and F, and title V of the HEA).
  • Charles B W Prince, Dillard University (primary) D’Angelo Sands, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (alternate)
• Proprietary institutions of higher education.
  • Jillian Klein, Strategic Education, Inc. (primary)
  • David Cohen, Five Towns College and APC Board of Directors (alternate)
• Institutional accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary.
  • Jamienne S. Studley, WASC Senior College and University Commission (primary)
  • Michale McComis, Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (alternate)
• Programmatic accrediting agencies recognized by the Secretary, to include State agencies recognized for the approval of nurse education.
  • Laura Rasar King, Council on Education for Public Health (primary)
  • Amy Ackerson, Missouri State Board of Nursing (alternate)
• Financial aid administrators.
  • JoEllen Price, San Jacinto College (primary)
  • Zack Goodwin, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (alternate)
• Business officers from institutions of higher education.
  • Joe Weglarz, Marist College (primary)
  • Dom Chase, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (alternate)

For the TRIO subcommittee, these are the negotiators and the groups they represent:

• U.S. Department of Education.
  • Aaron Washington, Office of Postsecondary Education (Subcommittee leader)
  • Hannah Hodel, Office of General Council
• Institutions of higher education.
  • D’Angelo Sands, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
• Public or private agencies or organizations, including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth.
  • Emalyn Lapus, Japanese Community Youth Council
• Secondary schools, including local educational agencies with secondary schools.
  • Geof Garner, Multnomah Education Service District
• Current or former participants in a federal TRIO program.
  • Wade Williams, Crowder College Foundations
• State officials, including state higher education executive officers, State authorizing agencies, and state regulators of institutions of higher education.
  • TBD