Region Chairs, together with their Steering Committees, and within the missions of NACADA, determine the needs of NACADA members and how best the regional governance can fill those needs. The Region Chairs report to the Regional Division Representatives.
Region 4 Chair - (elected, term October 2018 - October 2020). Nominee must be a current member of the region for which she/he is being nominated as chair and must have been a member of the region for at least one year prior to taking office (Associate Members are not eligible).
Helen Gonzalez
Florida International University Miami, FL
Platform
Platform Statement: Part I
1. If elected to this position, what will you attempt to accomplish that will help to meet the strategic goals of the Association? (1500 characters or less)
Having over 20 years of experience working in Information Technology, Marketing and project management, I plan to use the skills and experience I have acquired over the years to help accomplish the strategic goals for our region. Serving as Florida’s state liaison provided me with the opportunity to interact with advising professionals from all institution types and sizes. One of the top concerns for these individuals is accessing professional development resources. Unfortunately, many institutions are not able to fund membership fees or conferences. I am committed to facilitating the provision of low cost professional development opportunities for our members. I believe using technology that is already accessible to us we will be able to assist those seeking professional development. Social media is an underutilized tool that we can tap into to be able to provide resources and opportunities for professionals to learn, share and connect. There are various platforms via social media...
Having over 20 years of experience working in Information Technology, Marketing and project management, I plan to use the skills and experience I have acquired over the years to help accomplish the strategic goals for our region. Serving as Florida’s state liaison provided me with the opportunity to interact with advising professionals from all institution types and sizes. One of the top concerns for these individuals is accessing professional development resources. Unfortunately, many institutions are not able to fund membership fees or conferences. I am committed to facilitating the provision of low cost professional development opportunities for our members. I believe using technology that is already accessible to us we will be able to assist those seeking professional development. Social media is an underutilized tool that we can tap into to be able to provide resources and opportunities for professionals to learn, share and connect. There are various platforms via social media we have not tapped into or utilized to its full potential. These are free resources we can use that anyone would be able to access and encourage growth with NACADA. I am an outside-the-box thinker and will use this ability to create solutions that will help this region succeed. I would like the opportunity to make this happen for us and help foster an environment in our region where we can learn from one another as we in turn help our students succeed.
Platform Statement: Part II
2. Describe an accomplishment on your own campus or within NACADA of which you are proud. What do you believe your accomplishment demonstrates about your abilities as a leader? (1500 characters or less) One of my greatest accomplishments was serving as the NACADA state liaison for Florida. It was an incredible experience to promote professional development throughout my state at state, regional and national conferences. When I took office, the goal foremost in my mind was helping as many advising professionals as possible. During my 2-year term, I expanded Florida’s steering committee to include an incredible team that shared in the same vision. With this team in place, we turned the Florida Academic Advising Association (FLACADA) into a non-profit organization that has been able to provide awards to well deserving advising professionals in Florida as well as travel scholarships to help individuals attend the state conference.
Platform Statement: Part III
3. Why are you interested in serving in this leadership position or what influenced you to run for this leadership position? (1500 characters or less)
I truly believe in NACADA’s mission; have so since I became a member in 2012. Through my interaction and exposure with the organization and the driving forces behind it, I developed a passion to become involved. The spark began with assisting Craig McGill, the then Florida state liaison and has grown brighter since I assumed the state liaison role. I have only grown to admire and respect the organization more and more as time passes because of the wonderful individuals that I have encountered and later became my friends. Having tasted the excellence that is NACADA, I feel that my next step is to run for the region chair position.
Using my strategic and analytical skills, I plan to review our needs and work with the Executive Office on how to best implement strategies to increase professional development opportunities for members in this region. The needs of each state will vary, but my experience working with diverse groups and meshing individual goals to work towards a common goal...
I truly believe in NACADA’s mission; have so since I became a member in 2012. Through my interaction and exposure with the organization and the driving forces behind it, I developed a passion to become involved. The spark began with assisting Craig McGill, the then Florida state liaison and has grown brighter since I assumed the state liaison role. I have only grown to admire and respect the organization more and more as time passes because of the wonderful individuals that I have encountered and later became my friends. Having tasted the excellence that is NACADA, I feel that my next step is to run for the region chair position.
Using my strategic and analytical skills, I plan to review our needs and work with the Executive Office on how to best implement strategies to increase professional development opportunities for members in this region. The needs of each state will vary, but my experience working with diverse groups and meshing individual goals to work towards a common goal will ultimately lead to our success. There will always be a great deal of work to be done and I know I am up to the challenge to successfully fill this role!
Platform Statement: Part IV
4. Please describe how you will work to promote the enhancement of inclusivity throughout (or within) the association. (1500 characters or less) Inclusivity is a topic dear to my heart. Being involved with diversity initiatives at my University has helped me to promote the idea of equity and respect for all. I care a great deal about service to others and helping those who may not feel they have a voice. Doing this will ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and encourage transparency between national and regional levels. I also believe that providing better support to commissions advocating for inclusivity is key. By collaborating with other regions facing similar issues, we will be able to help these commissions reach their full potential and ultimately assist advisors in becoming knowledgeable about resources available to them and opportunities to become more involved.
Past Involvement in NACADA
5. Outline your past involvement in NACADA:
a. Years in NACADA
b. National Offices Help and Accomplishments Achieved
I have been a part of NACADA since January 19, 2012
I served on the Florida’s steering committee from 2012-2015
I served as the NACADA State Liaison for Florida from 2015-2017
I am also currently serving on the LGBTQA Commission Group Steering Committee
NACADA Executive Office
Kansas State University
2323 Anderson Avenue, Suite 225
Manhattan, KS 66502-2912
Phone: (785) 532-5717 Fax: (785) 532-7732
e-mail:
nacada@ksu.edu
