The Negotiators

The Department released its call for negotiations for this rulemaking on August 31, 2023. Nominations must be submitted on or before September 14, 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. The Department generally selects one negotiator and one alternate negotiator for each constituency. The primary negotiator participates in the negreg discussion and votes to reach consensus. The alternate negotiator does so only if the primary negotiator is absent.

The Department has identified several constituencies that they would like to see represented at the negotiation table, listed below. Once negotiators have been selected, we will update this page with their information.

Facilitators (non-voting) Cynthia Jeffries, John Weathers, and Brady Roberts or Mike Franczak with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

• Student loan borrowers who attended programs of two years or less
  • Ashley Pizzuti, San Joaquin Delta College (primary)
  • David Ramirez, Pasadena City College, (alternate)
• Student loan borrowers who attended four-year programs
  • Sherrie Gammage, The University of New Orleans, (primary)
  • Sarah Christa Butts, University of Maryland, (alternate)
• Student loan borrowers who attended graduate programs
  • Richard Haase, State University of New York at Stony Brook, (primary)
  • Dr. Jalil Bishop, University of California, Los Angeles, (alternate)
• Currently enrolled postsecondary education students
  • Jada Sanford, Stephen F. Austin University, (primary)
  • Jordan Nellums, University of Texas, (alternate)
• U.S. military service members, veterans, or groups representing them
  • Michael Jones, Veteran, (primary)
  • Vincent Andrews, Veteran, (alternate)
• Civil rights organizations
  • Wisdom Cole, NAACP (primary)
  • India Heckstall, Center for Law and Social Policy (alternate)
• Legal assistance organizations that represent students or borrowers
  • Kyra Taylor, National Consumer Law Center, (primary)
  • Scott Waterman, Student Loan Committee of the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, (alternate)
• State officials, including State higher education executive officers, State authorizing agencies, and State regulators of institutions of higher education
  • Lane Thompson, Oregon DCBS – Division of Financial Regulation, (primary) No representative (alternate)
• State attorneys general
  • Yael Shavit, Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, (primary)
  • Josh Divine, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, (alternate)
• Public institutions of higher education, including two-year and four-year institutions.
  • Melissa Kunes, The Pennsylvania State University, (primary)
  • J.D. LaRock, North Shore Community College, (alternate)
• Private nonprofit institutions of higher education
  • Angelika Williams, University of San Francisco, (primary)
  • Susan Teerink, Marquette University, (alternate)
• Proprietary institutions (for-profit colleges and universities)
  • Kathleen Dwyer, Galen College of Nursing, (primary)
  • Belen Gonzalez, Mech-Tech College, (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)
  • Sandra Boham, Salish Kootenai College, (primary)
  • No representative (alternate)
• Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) lenders, servicers, or guaranty agencies
  • Scott Buchanan, Student Loan Servicing Alliance, (primary)
  • Benjamin Lee, Ascendium Education Solutions, Inc., (alternate)