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Wicked Problems, Bold Solutions: Innovating Aid for an Unpredictable Future
October 22-24, 2025
Hotel Murano
1320 Broadway
Tacoma, WA 98402
WFAA CONFERENCE JUSTIFICATION LETTER
The 2025 WFAA Conference Planning Committee is developing a robust schedule of presentations, including an in-person representative from NASFAA. The conference will provide valuable, up-to-date information vital to managing financial aid programs in Washington. Understanding that many institutions are struggling with budgetary concerns that may limit travel and professional development opportunities, we have created a letter template that can be personalized to help you justify your conference attendance to your institution's leadership.
Click to download the WFAA Conference Justification Letter.
WFAA MEMBERSHIP PRICING FOR 2025-26
WFAA Membership is valid from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026
- 2025-26 WFAA Individual Membership: $45 per person
- 2025-26 WFAA Membership with Institutional Pricing (allows for enrollment of multiple/unlimited individual members from the same institution): $200 per institution
2025 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
Conference registration fees are only for admission to the conference and do not include or guarantee hotel accommodations. Registration fees do not include the annual individual or institutional WFAA membership fees for new or renewing members. Please refer to the section above for membership fee information.
- Current WFAA Members: $225 per attendee
- Discounted! Current WFAA Members Selected to Present a Breakout Session: $150 per speaker
- Non-Members Opting Out of WFAA Membership: $270 per attendee
- 2025-26 Sponsor/Vendor Members: $725 total. Cost includes one $225 individual conference registration plus a $500 vendor table fee. If multiple representatives attend from the same sponsor, individual conference registration fees are required for each additional attendee, but the sponsor will pay only one table fee. Sponsors registering for the conference will receive ads in all 2025-26 WFAA newsletters.
HOTEL GROUP BOOKING INFORMATION - New!
Hotel Murano rooms at the discounted conference rate are $169/night, plus tax. The group rate dates include up to 2 days before the conference. Use this link to book at the group rate: Hotel Murano WFAA Conference Group Booking. Be sure to change the applicable check-in and check-out dates of your reservation, if needed (the default reservation dates are Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24).
Event group rate discount will end at 5:00pm PST on Monday, September 29. Reservations made after this date are not guaranteed and will be accepted only on a space and rate availability basis.
TENTATIVE CONFERENCE AGENDA - New!
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2025 WFAA Conference Agenda
Tentative - Subject to Change
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Wednesday 10/22/2025
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8:00-9:30 AM
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WFAA Fall Meeting for Executive Council
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TBA
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9:00-11:00 AM
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FAC Business Meeting with CTC's
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TBA
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9:00- 12:00 PM
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Sponsor Setup
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General Session Rm
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10:00 - 12:30 PM
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Registration Table Open
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11:00- 11:30 AM
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Newcomers Session with WFAA Executive Council
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TBA
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12:00-12:10 PM
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Welcome from Incoming President
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General Session Rm
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12:10- 1:45 PM
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Welcome Luncheon
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General Session Rm
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12:40-1:45 PM
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Keynote
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General Session Rm
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1:45 - 2:00 PM
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Scholarship Announcement
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General Session Rm
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2:00- 2:15 PM
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Transition
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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Scholarships. An important, and often overlooked, piece of the yellow brick road
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TBA
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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From Guesswork to Game Plan: Using Pre-Bill Surveys to Empower Incoming Law Students
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TBA
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2:15- 3:15 PM
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Defying Gravi-AI: Soaring into the Future of Financial Aid with AI
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TBA
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3:15- 3:45 PM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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General Session Rm
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Internal and External Threats Facing Title IV Institutions
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TBA
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Inclusion, Diversity, Ethnicity, Equity, and Action WASFAA
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TBA
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3:45-4:45 PM
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Wickedly New? Navigating State Aid as a Beginner
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TBA
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Dinner on own
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Thursday 10/23/2025
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Breakfast on Own
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8:00-8:30 AM
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Networking and Sponsor Visit
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General Session Rm
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8:30 - 9:30 AM
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WSAC Policy Update
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General Session Rm
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9:30 - 10:00 AM
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WASFAA Update by WASFAA President
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General Session Rm
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10:00 - 10:45AM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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General Session Rm
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10:45-11:45 AM
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Future-Ready Financial Aid: Navigating the Crossroads of Technology, Policy, and Staffing
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TBA
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10:45-11:45 AM
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Change Management in a Technologically Challenging World
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TBA
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10:45-11:45 AM
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What the PLUS is going on? Your Student Loan Options beyond Parent and GRAD PLUS
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TBA
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11:45 AM-12:45 PM
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Lunch & Networking (Buffet line in Gallery)
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TBA
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12:45-1:00 PM
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Introduce and Thank You to Our Sponsors
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TBA
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1:00-1:15 PM
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Transition
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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Yellow Brick Roadblocks: Clearing the Path to Student-Friendly Communications and Internal Workflow Improvements in the Financial Aid Office
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TBA
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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Wicked Healing: Empowering Every Step
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TBA
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1:15- 2:15 PM
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NASFAA
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TBA
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2:15-2:45 PM
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Sponsor Visit and Break
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TBA
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2:45-3:45 PM
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Defying Norms: Communicating and Collaborating with Play-Doh
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TBA
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2:45-3:45 PM
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SAP: The Wizard's Guide to Staying on Track
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TBA
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2:45-3:45 PM
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NASFAA
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TBA
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3:45- 4:00 PM
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Transition
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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The Wizard of Fraud: How to Recognize and Prevent Student Loan Fraud
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TBA
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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Dungeons, Dragons, and Disbursements
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TBA
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4:00- 5:00 PM
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The Emerald Guide to WASFA - From A to Z
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TBA
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5:30-7:30 PM
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President's Reception- Lite Hors D’oeuvres
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Hors D’oeuvres and Drinks Served
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Dinner on own
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Friday 10/24/2025
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8:00 AM
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Breakfast and Networking
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General Session Rm
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8:30-9:30 AM
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WFAA Business Meeting
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General Session Rm
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9:30-10:30 AM
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Hot Topic Panel
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General Session Rm
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10:30 – 10:45 AM
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Break and Transition
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10:45 – 11:45 AM
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NASFAA Inside the Beltway Update
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General Session Rm
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
WFAA is excited to welcome Kwabi Amoah-Forson as our 2025 WFAA Conference Keynote Speaker! The 2025 WFAA Conference Charity Spotlight will benefit The Peace Bus.
Kwabi Amoah-Forson is a humanitarian and influencer from Tacoma, WA. Through various humanitarian campaigns, he has assisted those in need in his community and across the country. He also strives to educate others about the true meaning of peace and foster dialogue on the subject through The Peace Bus.
He has been featured on PBS Television, KING 5 News, Fox 13 Seattle, and co-hosted the 2023 Northwest Regional Emmy Awards, hosted this years City of Tacoma Dr. Martin Luther King celebration, as well as Tacoma's very own Night Show. Three years ago, he was awarded the Tacoma Peace Prize and was invited to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway.
Last year he traveled to Ghana, West Africa on a humanitarian journey where he gave away food and resources to orphanages. He is even a pilot currently working on his dream of flying for peace with The Peace Plane.
Over the years Kwabi has worked to help those in need with many humanitarian aid endeavors, while speaking to students, businesses and organizations about the most important subject of all.
WFAA AWARD NOMINATIONS - EXTENDED!
We are now accepting nominations for annual WFAA Awards! Submit your WFAA Award Nomination Form by Friday, August 15! All selected winners will receive a plaque of recognition and a discount code for complimentary registration for the 2025 WFAA Conference.
We look forward to acknowledging members of our community for their outstanding achievements. There are currently four individual awards:
- The Marianne Deeken New Professional Award
- Tim Henning Rookie of the Year Award
- Unsung Hero Award
- Distinguished Service Award
Please see the Awards page for detailed descriptions of each award. The Awards and Recognition Committee will review nominations and winners will be announced at the WFAA Conference!
Past Conferences
2024 Annual Conference
2023 Annual Conference
2022 Annual Conference
2021 Annual Conference
2019 Annual Conference
2018 Annual Conference
2017 Annual Conference
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