Gayle Juneau
	University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV
	Platform Statement: Highlight your previous involvement within this unit that will help you in leading this unit.  What roles have you played within this particular unit as a member thus far?

I am executive director of academic advising at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I am the first person to perform the responsibilities at my university. I have 12 years of academic advising experience. At UNLV, I am responsible for the leadership, professional development, and advocacy of academic advising at a large, urban university in which advising units are embedded in the respective colleges. My overarching goal for the first year of my position was to develop an infrastructure for community among the academic advising centers as well as develop a campus-wide positive presence about the responsibilities and value of the profession. One of the ways we accomplished the aforementioned 2 objectives was through the construction of commissions that mirror the NACADA commissions. The guiding conceptual
framework for the UNLV commissions is the empowerment of the voices of the academic advisors across units by way of utilizing their talents to create progressive academic advising structures, processes, and events. The commissions are as follows: assessment, non-traditional student populations, academic advising outreach (working group with Nevada colleges), research and professional development, student focus groups, and technology. By way of these commissions, UNLV has developed a powerful, effective community for the profession as well as accomplished a positive identity for academic advising on campus.

I believe in the structure of UNLV academic advising and feel it is would be a powerful and effective model for Region 9 as well. This working community empowers both the individuals in leadership as well as the participating members.

What do you believe are the most important goals and initiatives for this unit in meeting the strategic plan for both the unit and the Association ?

I believe in the professionalization of academic advising. Leadership at the regional level affords the opportunity to build more conversations around supporting academic advisors to participate in the academic community as well as our organization by way of presentations and publications that have the potential to advance our profession and best practices.

As a leader for the regional division, there is also the opportunity to intentionally build a professional community of voice and strategies as it relates to the complexities of difficult economic moments for higher education. From my perspective and as an example, the collective work of a region and its members affords the possibility for exploring assessment strategies that have been useful in positioning academic advising as a critical function of academic service and retention for a university.

Finally, regional leadership makes it possible to communicate and work with colleagues in a manageable, geographically-reasonable space. In this way, it is possible to foster relationships because travel time is possible, issues are somewhat similar across our institutions, and we generally are in the same places at the same time as it relates to professional development in our region.

Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? 

After the Nevada state NACADA drive-in conference, I spent time with my academic advising colleagues in Reno and the University of California, Riverside. Specifically, I utilized my first year or so at UNLV to build an infrastructure of support and advocacy through my position. When this goal was accomplished, I began to work on relationships with my colleagues at the nearby universities. It has been positive and beneficial to share ideas and work toward progress in our individual universities as well as across our universities. One of my colleagues from UCR nominated me and I asked the directors of academic advising at UNLV for their perspectives. In the end, I gained their collective support and I am hoping to represent my university as well as my region with positive, empowering, professional leadership. Again, my colleagues at UNLV have been long-time members and leaders of NACADA across the university, state, regional, and national level. I have the luxury of enthusiastic mentorship at my university.

Provide any additional comments or information (either personal or leadership-related) that you want potential voters to know about you that is not covered elsewhere in your platform information. 

I witness progressive advising on a daily basis and I am enthusiastic about our work as a profession. I have the ability to lead change through existing layers of leadership at my university while establishing new, empowering ways of thinking about our profession and practices. I am a daily change agent in working through hierarchies of leadership that exist without disrupting or disrespecting working systems. I have the ability to see with balance amidst pushing toward positive progress.

I am a fair-minded colleague and a competent, confident leader.

I am involved in my university's reform projects, such as at-risk populations, freshman year experience, mid-term grades, general education transformations, iNtegrate student system, transfer student populations, articulation, assessment of advising, etc.

I have the talent and experience to transfer my university accomplishments to accomplishments for academic advising at the region 9 level.

Past Involvement in NACADA:

Years in NACADA: 3 years

National Offices Held and Accomplishments Achieved While in Office:

Regional Activities/Offices Held, including accomplishments achieved while in office:

• Presenter, inaugural Nevada State NACACA Drive-In Conference in June 2008, hosted by UNLV -- session topic was multidimensional academic advising.
• Responsible for developing a committee/working group between UNLV and the local community college, CSN. Next year, this working group will be expanded to include all universities in the state of Nevada.

Committee/Task Force/Advisory Board Activities and Accomplishments:

Commission/Interest Group Activities and Accomplishments:

• Current member:  Advising Administration Commission, Assessment of Advising Commission, Appreciative Advising Interest Group, Large Universities Interest Group

Other:

• Attendee, 2008 Academic Advising Summer Institute, Austin, Texas.
• Attendee, 2006 NACADA Annual Conference, Indianapolis,  IN.
• Became a participating member of NACADA in 2006 when I joined the academic advising team at University of Nevada, Las Vegas as Executive Director of Academic Advising. I am enthusiastic about exploring channels to serve in leadership positions. My colleagues at UNLV have been active members at national, regional, and state level for the organization. As a result, I have experienced mentorship about NACADA in an educationally comprehensive manner.
• Prior to my position at UNLV, I was an active member of the American Education Research Association and the American College Personnel Association. In 2007, I earned my doctoral degree in Diversity Studies. As a result, I have multiple publications and presentations in the area of creating spaces for voice and participation by marginalized groups.
• Although I have not served on a committee in this realm, my UNLV colleagues have participated across levels of the NACADA organization. UNLV has hosted the national conference, a state of Nevada conference, and will be hosting the spring 2009 regional conference. My university is committed to the objectives of the organization and participates enthusiastically across interest groups and leadership positions.