Region Steering Committee Election

This past year, I served as the Co-Chair of the Sponsorship and Hospitality Committee for the Region 10 Conference in Tucson, AZ this past March. I’ve also read conference proposals for both regional and national conferences. I’ve also served as a Mentor for Region 10.

As an Academic Advisor, you must be organized. You must think five steps ahead of what should be happening and when it will happen. I would like to create a clear calendar for the upcoming year and let folks know when applications open and when they are due, and I would like to work with the Communications Chair to publicize nominations to secure enough nominations to serve our members the credit that they are due. I look forward to ensuring that Awards are not an afterthought but something that our colleagues are proud of and want to nominate either themselves or their peers.

If elected as the Awards Chair for Region 10, I look forward to working with not only the Steering Committee but also with representatives from each community college and university to encourage their colleagues to nominate either themselves or colleagues for awards. Nominations should be easy,  and I want to increase the number of submissions for the awards that are available in Region 10. 

As a former school leader and administrator, I have deep experience leading boards, coordinating groups and using data to inform decisions. In this role, I would support NACADA's mission and aim, as the Inclusive Excellence Chair, to leverage the research and creative capacity of the organization in order to deepen understanding about and responses to a designated national imperative to support inclusion for all. I am strong in creating task force activities, organizing meetings, establishing processes and coordinating development as well as delegating tasks to work as a team collaboratively. I would hope to strengthen the mission and vision, create a community of support and further inclusive initatives.

My name is Roberto Varela and I am an academic advisor for Arizona State University and I am running for the Inclusive Excellence Chair. I have been involved in NACADA for about 2 years and been a member of the Inclusive Excellence for about the same time.

Let me begin with a part of the ASU charter, "we are measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed." My strength comes from that and the reason why I joined this committee. I had many one on ones with students from different backgrounds to come together and understand each other. I have taught classrooms and made sure everyone was included in the discussions. More importantly almost every student understood each other and made meaningful connections. Now I want to include people in a larger scale and the goal is to bring people together from different universities. My goal connect people, understand one another, and grow.

There is a saying, if you are not invited to the table of change, create one. Join me in creating a table of inclusivity. Thank you for you time in reading this. Have a good day. 

With six years at Mohave Community College, including a promotion to Director of Guided Pathways, I am excited to represent the Arizona region in NACADA. In my role, I oversee student-centered programs, collaborating with faculty to create strategic student support. Previously, as Director of Advising and Success, I advocated for student needs in planning and retention. My background also includes 13 years at CSU, Chico, managing Housing Services operations and creating programs like the Basic Needs initiative for housing-insecure students.

I bring strengths in program development, collaboration, and data-informed decision-making to ensure students feel supported and empowered. My experience highlights the impact of an inclusive, responsive advising community, and I am committed to expanding resources and professional development for Arizona advisors. I envision fostering a network to share best practices, address challenges, and support advisor success.

I am eager to contribute to NACADA’s mission and grow alongside a dedicated advising community.

I am excited to apply for this Region 10 Two-Year Institution Liaison position and hope to bring my community college perspective to the committee. As Campus Navigator at Colorado’s Arapahoe Community College, I am creating a campus-wide advisor training, using my experience at the 2023 NACADA Summer Institute and other NACADA resources to help my colleagues better serve our students. Working closely with advisors within my institution and in partnership with outside institutions has provided me with unique insight on the challenges and opportunities faced by advising professionals in our area. As a first-generation student and community college alum, I am aware of the challenges faced by such learners and carry that perspective throughout all my roles.
Throughout my 5-year academic advising career, I have honed my active listening skills, solutions-driven critical thinking, and ability to work collaboratively to support student success. Additionally, I have a passion for advocating for students of all backgrounds to provide equitable access to educational experiences. There is always more that I would like to learn from my colleagues of other institutions about advising, and this is an exciting and impactful way to do so.

On an institutional level, I have held many roles including: University Social Committee chair (2024), Wellness Committee chair and wellness ambassador of the year (2023), department Training & Development lead (2024), and major exploration & design co-lead (2024).

In this role, I would bring a strong foundation in advising, career counseling, and coaching, backed by extensive experience guiding students in their academic and career development. My communication skills enable me to listen deeply, engage effectively with others, and foster a collaborative environment. Additionally, my problem-solving abilities allow me to address challenges with practical solutions, often informed by insights from tools like the STRONG inventory and the Design Your Life framework. I am committed to making impactful contributions by blending strategic thinking with a student-centered approach, ensuring that committee goals are met in ways that genuinely serve our community.

I am new to my advising position and NACADA, but not new to the Rocky Mountain region. I have worked at the University of Wyoming since August 2010 in Enrollment Management with our Admissions Office focusing on student recruitment from across the nation. In my time with Admissions, I served in many professional organizations and credit my success in my career to the mentorship, support, and encouragement I’ve gained in these roles. Transitioning to the academic side of the university and focusing on student success through advising has opened my eyes to how these two sides of student enrollment and retention collide. I also have a Masters in Higher Education Administration and hope to continue learning how best to support students in their higher education journey. As the only 4 year institution in WY, we bring a unique experience and in this role I hope to help increase student access and awareness in our region, as well as UW and the state of WY’s involvement in NACADA. I hope to bring the competencies into our daily work by serving as the connection between my institution, the state, and NACADA based on the connections I’ve made over the past 14 years and the insights I’m gaining from this new advising role.