Framework for the Future:
Modernizing Enrollment
Management at the System Level

Nancy Zimpher, Ph.D. 
President, National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH)

Nancy L. Zimpher is currently serving as Special Advisor to the President at the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH).  

Dr. Zimpher is Chancellor Emeritus of The State University of New York (SUNY) and from 2009 to 2017, served as SUNY’s twelfth chancellor, the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Prior to SUNY, she served as president of the University of Cincinnati, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and executive dean of the Professional Colleges and dean of the College of Education at The Ohio State University.

Throughout her career, Dr. Zimpher has embraced the expansive responsibilities of public higher education in the 21st century. “To educate more people and to educate them better” is at the center of her collective-impact theory of action: to drive regional and local economic development; to create seamless cradle-to-career education pipelines in every community; and systemically transform teaching and learning for students in urban and rural school settings.

Dr. Zimpher is co-founder of StriveTogether, a national network of innovative partnerships that holistically address challenges across the education pipeline, and served as chair of the National Association of System Heads, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the New York Academy of Sciences, CEOs for Cities, and the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities. She is a board member of the national College Promise, former co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and co-director emeritus of the Association of Governing Boards’ Institute for Leadership and Governance in Higher Education.

Dr. Zimpher holds a BS in English Education and Speech, an MA in English Literature, and a PhD in Teacher Education and Higher Education Administration, all from The Ohio State University.

April Grommo, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Strategic Enrollment Management, California State University Office of the Chancellor

Dr. April Grommo is responsible for system-wide admissions, enrollment management, financial aid, outreach and recruitment, transfer programs, and registration and records policy, practices, and technology for California State University (CSU).  Before joining the CSU Chancellor’s Office, she served in leadership positions in information technology and student services in higher education. 

Craig Cornell
Vice President of Enrollment Strategy, Undergraduate and State Systems, Liaison

Craig Cornell is the Vice President of Enrollment Strategy for Undergraduate and State Systems at Liaison. In that capacity, he oversees a team of enrollment strategists and brings best practices, consultation, and data trends to campuses across the country in all things enrollment management. Craig also serves as the dedicated resource to NASH (National Association of Higher Education Systems) and works closely with the higher education systems that Liaison supports. Before joining Liaison in 2023, Craig served for over 30 years in multiple higher education executive enrollment management positions. During his tenure, the campuses he served often received national recognition for enrollment growth, effective financial aid leveraging, marketing enhancements, and innovative enrollment strategies. Craig has published, consulted, been a keynote speaker, served on multiple boards, chaired national committees, and has presented for many state and national organizations on the many facets of strategic enrollment management and effective financial aid leveraging.

Ashley Crocker 
Senior Associate Vice President, Higher Education Systems, Liaison

Ashley joined Liaison through TargetX in 2020 and works with higher education systems and institutions to create a better student experience—from first contact through graduation with the help of Liaison's tools and services. As a first-generation college student, she was positively influenced by her on-campus experience. She has worked as a director of admission at Erskine College and in student development at Anderson University.