Michele manages the logistics for AFSA’s six annual meetings as well as all of the association’s committee meetings and special events. Michele has extensive experience producing domestic and international conferences, as well as special events. Prior to joining AFSA in 2007, she worked for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) for five years as Director of Meetings and Special Events.

 

Prior to NAB, Michele worked for a government contractor, where she served as Project Leader for more than a dozen government contracts primarily for the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education. 

Before moving to Washington, Michele worked as the Assistant to the Director of Communications, Culture & Tourism, for the city of Pittsburgh, where she assisted in the coordination of citywide special events, including the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Week festivities. She also wrote speeches, organized press conferences, and responded to media requests.

 

Michele is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, where she majored in Political Communications. 

Jenny oversees all aspects of the association’s membership database and online membership directory, Industry Buyer’s Guide, and other member-only related services. She also manages membership inquiries and processes new applicants. Jenny manages company participation on Committees of Professional Interest, and oversees the Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Employee Award Programs. 

 

Prior to joining AFSA, Jenny served as Manager of Member Services for the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.

 

Jenny has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology and a Master’s of Science in Communications from Boston University.

Hope oversees the registration process and is the liaison for AFSA’s many meetings, conferences and webinars. She assists with onsite conference production and works with AFSA’s Accounting Department in the audit and reconciliation of meetings. Additionally, Hope has used her talents as a mezzo soprano, singing inspiring anthems at many of AFSA’s opening sessions.

 

Bringing 20 years of service as the Staff Accountant for The American Postal Workers Union, she joined AFSA in 2006.

 

Hope attended George Washington University, majoring in Accounting.

Matt serves as a federal lobbyist representing AFSA member interests on Capitol Hill, leads the association’s active member recruitment activities, and directs the marketing program for associate members. 

 

Before joining AFSA in 2005, Matt served as the director of individual major donor programs at the National Republican Congressional Committee for the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. 

 

Matt has a Bachelor of Science from James Madison University and is currently working towards a Masters in Business Administration at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, due to graduate Spring 2011. 

 

Sheilah has been involved in association management for 26 years. She joined AFSA in 1983 as the Director of Programs and Conferences. In 1999, she was promoted to her current position, where she is responsible for planning and directing the activities of the Member Services Department, including recruitment and retention of AFSA’s Active, Commercial, Associate, Affiliate and Foreign Members. Sheilah also serves as the staff liaison to the Vehicle Finance Division Advisory Board, as well as the Accounting, Human Resources, Remarketing and Risk Management Committees.

 

In 1996, Sheilah earned recognition from the American Society of Association Executives by being designated Certified Association Executive (CAE). In 1997, she was selected as the Meeting Partner of the Year by the National Speakers Association.

 

Prior to joining AFSA, Sheilah was a program director for Executive Enterprises, Inc., a New York City-based private seminar company. Sheilah began her professional career as a teacher of special education in Alexandria, Va. She earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Elementary and Special Education from Kent State University.

 

 

Bill and his government relations team have enhanced AFSA’s presence in the political debate affecting a number of issues that impact member companies’ ability to offer affordable credit options to American consumers. He has been called on to sit in the hot seat at the witness table in congressional hearings and has served as an industry spokesman on a number of pressing topics.

 

Bill came to AFSA in 2004 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he headed the congressional relations office. Prior to joining HUD, Himpler was director of legislative affairs for BGR Holding, LLC, where he worked as a lobbyist for Haley Barbour, who is now the governor of Mississippi. While on Capitol Hill, he served as tax counsel and legislative director for Rep. Jerry Weller of Illinois, as well as a senior legislative assistant with Rep. Charles Canady from Florida. 

 

Bill holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Steubenville, a master’s degree from Dominican House of Studies, and a law degree from The Catholic University of America.

 

 

 

Susie oversees the foundation’s initiatives to help consumers understand responsible money management and wise credit use. AFSAEF’s primary initiative is MoneySKILL®, a free online comprehensive personal finance course that educates high school students on money management fundamentals. She travels nationwide providing teacher training to promote the use of the curriculum. Susie received the 2005 Jump$tart Coalition’s William E. Odom Visionary Leadership Award, which recognizes individuals who provide outstanding service in the personal finance education arena.

 

She also coordinates the management development opportunities for the future leaders of AFSA member organization at the National Institute on Consumer Credit Management, Marquette University, and the Leadership Development Program at the University of North Carolina. Susie serves on the AFSA Education Foundation Board of Directors, the AFSA Professional Development Committee, and the NICCM Board of Governors.  

 

Susie joined the AFSA Education Foundation in 1995 as the first full-time Executive Director and was elected President and CEO of the foundation in 1998. Prior to joining AFSAEF, Irvine was director of the Consumer Credit Counseling Agency in Columbia, S.C.

 

Susie holds a B.S. in Consumer and Family Economics from Kansas State University and additional hours of graduate credit from the University of South Carolina. She attended AFSA’s Executive Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2004 and 2007.

 

 

 

 

Tracy performs a variety of administrative duties in her primary role as the assistant to AFSA’s Executive Vice President. She also serves as the association’s office manager and is an AFSAPAC liaison. 

 

Before joining AFSA in 2005, Tracy was an executive assistant for engineering consulting firm Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc.

 

 

 

Karen manages the association’s external and member communications functions and provides communications support for government affairs initiatives, while serving as an AFSA spokesperson and staff liaison to the association’s Communications and Marketing Committees. She oversees the annual report, website, and other member communications, and also serves as the editor of the association’s weekly e-newsletter, AFSA Newsbriefs.

 

After serving associations on the agency side, Karen joined AFSA in 2007. Previously, she was an account executive for Communications Marketing Group, a subsidiary of association management company AMG.

 

Karen has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Media Studies from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s in Corporate Communication from Duquesne University.

 

 

 

Perla serves as the corporate secretary to the association and the staff liaison to the AFSA Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Operations Committee. She works closely with the Chairman of the Board during his/her tenure and plans the Board and Executive Committee meetings. She oversees the Chairman’s quarterly visits to Washington, D.C., and also serves as the executive assistant to the president & CEO of AFSA.

 

Perla joined AFSA in 1987 and served as the AFSAPAC manager and legal assistant in the government affairs department before moving into her present position in 1997. Previously, she was a database administrator for Data Resource Management in Rosslyn, Va.

 

Perla has a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from George Mason University.

 

 

 

Tom oversees all aspects of the association’s six annual conferences and expositions as well as the board and committee meetings. He works with the advisory boards responsible for developing the content, programming and marketing of each conference. In addition, Tom manages the meetings department staff, negotiates vendor contracts with speakers and hotels, and manages the department’s budget.

 

Tom has more than 25 years experience in the association industry, having worked at the National Automobile Dealers Association, United Ski Industries Association, American Osteopathic Healthcare Association, and the Snack Food Association. Tom began his career doing political advance work for the White House during the 1980s. He joined AFSA in 1998.

 

Tom has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

 

 

 

Tony oversees all financial and budgeting activities for AFSA, its Education Foundation, its Political Action Committee & AFSA’s other entities.

 

Before joining AFSA in 2006, Tony was Director of Finance and Information Technology for the National Fisheries Institute (NFI). Prior to joining NFI, he was Director of Finance and Administration for Heritage Preservation, Inc. Before moving to the Washington D.C. area, Tony worked in various accounting and finance position in the manufacturing sector of Ontario, Canada.  

 

Tony holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from La Salle University in Manila, Philippines, a Master of Science of Technology and Management from American University, and a Master in Business Administration from Auburn University.  In Canada, Tony studied industrial & manufacturing accounting with the Society of Industrial Accountants of Ontario.

 

 

Alejandra Siles
State Government Affairs Associate

Alejandra regularly communicates with members to inform them of priority issues and legislative trends emerging in the states. She is in charge of AFSA’s state legislative and regulatory tracking and is involved in drafting comment letters, white papers, and talking points on behalf of AFSA's members.

 

Prior to joining AFSA, Alejandra interned in the Organization of American States’ (OAS) Legal Services Department. At the same time, she attended American University’s Washington College of Law, where she obtained her LL.M. (Master of Laws) in International Law, with a specialization in International Business Law.

 

Alejandra also holds a J.D. from Bolivia’s Catholic University and is fluent in Spanish. 

 

 

 

Before assuming the helm at AFSA in 2006, Chris served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), which represents the interests of manufacturers, lenders, and communities that produce, sell, finance and purchase factory-built homes. Prior to joining MHI in 1998, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Concrete Masonry Association. 

 

Chris has more than 30 years experience in managing national trade associations with key highlights in government affairs and advocacy, strategic planning and implementation, technical standards and regulations, and economic and statistical data collection. 

 

A graduate of Randolph-Macon College, Chris currently is the chairman of Americans Well-informed on Automobile Retailing Economics (AWARE), whose missions is to educate consumers on vehicle financing. He also serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100, which is comprised of 100 CEOs of leading trade associations.

 

 

 

Celia helps develop comment letters to federal regulators, organize AFSA amicus efforts, draft congressional testimony, and monitor federal legislation and regulation. She provides member companies with timely and important information. Additionally, Celia assists with the Law Committee and Mortgage Division Advisory Board.

 

Before joining AFSA, Celia worked in the Development Office at the Pontifical North American College, America’s seminary in Rome. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from The Catholic University of America.

 

 

 

Mark has held various executive positions in product, software development, telecommunications systems and global business development during his 25-plus years experience in the financial retail services industry. He has a solid track record of being on the leading edge of product innovation for new market penetration and expansion for start-up and mature organizations. He has been an officer at HSBC, Goldome Bank, Global Payments Inc., GTE Spacenet, CyberCash Inc. and Longitude Systems.

 

He was past chairman of ISO TC68 – Financial Services – for nine years. This group had the responsibility for the development of international standards for banking, securities and related financial services for use in the financial services and securities industries. Mark is also past chairman of X9C, the American National Standard subcommittee responsible for consumer credit. 

 

Mark received a Bachelor of Science from State University College at Buffalo and an MBA in Finance and Marketing at Canisius College. He also graduated from the Graduate School of Retail Bank Management at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce.