CLEVELAND – The National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) has selected Jenny Womack, Associate Director at NC State University, as President for the 2026-27 membership year.  In addition, new members have been appointed and elected to the board of directors and committees.
 
"It is a privilege to serve alongside such an esteemed group of professionals for the 2026-2027 term," stated N4A President Jenny Womack.  "Our N4A leaders represent a variety of expertise and diverse perspectives that will continue to advance our mission. Together, we are focused on empowering our membership to 'thrive and advance', united in our shared commitment to serving our student-athletes."

Jenny takes over for Liz Fuqua, Executive Director of ICON Collective, who will move into the role of Immediate Past President. Additionally, Dr. Stephon Fuqua, Associate Athletic Director of Academic Services & Student-Athlete Development at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Zach Reed, Assistant Athletic Director of Scholar-Athlete Success at the University of California San Diego, will join the N4A Officer ranks as the new 1^st and 2^nd Vice President, respectively.
 
The 2026-27 N4A Board of Directors will also include:
 

Board of Directors Position	Name	Institution
Chief of Staff	Jean Boyd
Division Director, Membership Services	Binh Nguyen	NCAA
Division Director, Academic & Learning Services	Max Krieger	University of Oklahoma
Division Director, Student-Athlete Enhancement	Cassaundra Thorpe	University of Wisconsin-Madison
Division Director, Educational Services & Initiatives	Dr. Shelby McKay	ACC
Division Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion	George Midgett	NC State University
Director, Programs & Events	Cathy Badger	University of Utah
Director,  Institutional Programs	Dr. Joe Luckey	University of Cincinnati
Director, External Partnerships	Casey M. Stark	University of Bridgeport
Director, Leadership Initiatives	Meredith McCall	University of Memphis
Director At Large	Gabrielle Lathrop	Central Michigan University
Historian	Liberty Bracken	University of Washington
Parliamentarian	Jenna Paulk	Sacramento State
Past President Representative	Ursula Gurney	University of Missouri-Kansas City

 
2026-27 N4A Committees will include:
                                                         
Ethnic Concerns
Chair: Angela Byrd, North Carolina A&T State University                
Vice Chair: Shyandrea Glass, Alabama State University
      
LGBTQA+       
Chair: Dr. Alex Sommer, The Scatter Joy Project      
Vice Chair: Brittani Nelson, Utah Valley University 
                                                                         
Academic Programs & Practices       
Chair: Celestine Akoro, Baylor University
Vice Chair: Riley Vanderveen, University of Arkansas
          
Learning Concerns & Enhancements
Chair: Laura Claydon, University of Minnesota                    
Vice Chair: Scottlyn Cottrell, Penn State University
                                                             
Legislative Affairs      
Chair: Dr. Jennifer Mewes, University of Arizona
Vice Chair: Jared Fries, Virginia Tech

Member Recruitment & Retention  
Chair: Sarah Lage, Iowa State University      
Vice Chair: Carina Thompson, Stanford University 
                                                                         
Student-Athlete Development & Well-Being          
Chair: Liz Johnson, Northeastern University            
Vice Chair: Tori Clark, University of North Texas
                                                                              
Research        
Chair: Solomon Siskind, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Vice Chair: Dr. Emily Plunkett, University of Florida

About N4A: N4A, which has been in existence since 1975, is a diverse educational service and professional non-profit organization. Membership of N4A includes academic support and student services personnel who are committed to enhancing opportunities for academic, athletics and personal success for student-athletes. For more information on N4A, visit www.nfoura.org. N4A is administered by NACDA, which is in its 62^nd year. For more information on NACDA and the 19 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.