Our August Team Spotlight features Anna Kelly, whose distinguished financial aid career spans over four decades before she joined College Aid Services as a Senior Consultant in 2024. Anna’s journey began in 1983 as an administrative assistant, and since then, she has held leadership roles, including Director of Financial Aid at institutions like Boston University. She also served as President of the Rhode Island Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators from 2013 to 2014.
Even after retiring in April 2023, Anna remains committed to the field, offering her invaluable expertise to our clients as a consultant in compliance assessments, interim staffing, and business process reviews. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study, a Bachelor’s in English, and a Master’s in Public Administration.
What do you like most about being a consultant?
If I had to choose just one thing, I would say that problem solving is my favorite part of being a consultant. I think there is something special about working with a great team that wants to step in and be useful in a financial aid office.
What do you enjoy about working for College Aid Services?
I love the atmosphere that the leadership at College Aid Services has created. I actually worked with Ray Nault back in 2010; I was a director at the time, and he was brought in as a consultant to help my office set up Banner. Even though Banner was new for me, Ray always took the time to explain everything and made sure that my office had the tools that we needed to succeed once he left. I knew that College Aid Services would be a great place to work because the leaders set this tone, and I can see it in the people that they hire as well. Everyone has been accessible, helpful, knowledgeable since I came onboard. I really rely on the whole team to answer my questions or address issues that I’m having with a school, and they are very approachable.
What areas do you specialize in?
That’s a tough question to answer in financial aid because everything is always changing. I would say that I am great when it comes to implementing financial aid office procedures; every office needs someone who can take an idea and bring it to life. This is a strength because it’s a position where I can use my experience and judgment to implement different ideas to make an office run. I don’t enjoy it per se, but I’ve done FISAPs for the last 14 years and I’m not intimidated by them. I recently experienced going through a DOE program review as well. I also like to work out strategies for awarding aid to students.
How do you stay up to date with regulations and policy changes?
Staying up to date in this field has always been a challenge, but this year is hard because it feels like the Department of Education is making decisions as they go along. I get the FSA Partner and NASFAA emails every day, the state financial aid associations keep you connected to what is happening on the ground. Building relationships with other professionals in the field is how I truly stay up to date. I am constantly asking “how are you doing this?” or “how did you figure out how to do this differently?”
What challenges do you see on the horizon in Financial Aid?
Gosh, where do I even begin? The obvious answer would be the constant technological problems and delays with the FAFSA. I think the cost of college education combined with the ever-increasing cost of living are the most pressing challenges that we face right now. It saddens me that so many feel like college is unattainable and may not seek out financial aid even if they qualify – especially for students who already struggled to finish high school because of COVID. I fear that this is creating an atmosphere where younger generations opt not to apply for college because they have lost hope that it will have a net positive effect on their lives.
What advice would you give to a new Financial Aid officer?
Focus on the reason that you’re there and the rest should come over time. You are there to help a student and their families get through the college process, you can’t get bogged down about the regulations and being afraid to mess up. Go with an open mind, learn how to multitask sooner than later, and take advantage of your colleagues’ knowledge whenever possible. Many of us aren’t there for attention or personal gains, we want to contribute to something that is bigger than ourselves. It’s a job that changes every day and you work with a lot of great people if you’re lucky.
What do you like to do when you are not doing Financial Aid
I like to travel now that I am semi-retired. I went on a tour of Portugal in March, a European cruise in June, I am headed to Mexico in November, and then to eastern Europe in May 2025. When I am not working, I usually see friends and family, or I am riding my bike when the weather permits. I am a huge movie fan, but I am also trying to read a lot more these days; staying healthy and connected is important to me.
If you are interested in joining Anna and the rest of our College Aid Services team, review our current openings here. To learn more about how College Aid Services can help your institution, contact us at info@collegeaidservices.net or by phone toll-free at 833-GETCAS1 (833-438-2271).