AACTE and College Ave Partnership: Expanding Higher Education Financial Solutions for Future Educators
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Join AACTE and College Ave in introducing a new partnership designed to better support educator preparation programs, faculty, and aspiring teachers in navigating today’s evolving student loan landscape.
As federal student loan policies continue to shift, institutions and students alike face greater uncertainty about funding options, repayment programs, and long-term financial planning. This new partnership provides AACTE members with access to trusted, flexible private student loan solutions and educational resources that complement federal aid — helping bridge funding gaps and provide greater financial clarity for the next generation of educators.
During this webinar, you’ll learn the following:
- The vision behind the AACTE–College Ave partnership;
- How College Ave’s flexible loan options can supplement federal aid;
- Exclusive benefits available to AACTE member institutions and their students; and,
- Resources to help students and families make informed borrowing decisions.
Whether you are a dean, program leader or faculty member, this webinar will provide a high-level overview of how this partnership enhances your institution’s ability to support students pursuing careers in education.
Presenters
Rene S. Parmar, Ph.D.
Professor and Dean
School of Education, SUNY New Paltz
AACTE Board Member
Rene Parmar, Ph.D., is the dean of the School of Education at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. Prior to her current position, Parmar’s career spans roles from classroom aide and teacher to faculty member and department chair. She has served in leadership positions at the University at Buffalo, St. John’s University, and Lehman College of the City University of New York. She is the author of 30+ research articles in the area of special education and has received numerous federal and state grants for research and program development. She currently serves as the president of the New York State Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE) and a member of the AACTE Board of Directors.
Deb Gossman
Head of Campus Development – Central States
College Ave
Deb Gossman is an experienced professional in the higher education loan services industry with more than eight years at College Ave, a leading private student loan lender. Over the course of her career, she has also held roles at Student Connections, Sallie Mae, and USA Group/USA Funds, developing expertise in student lending, borrower support, and higher education finance. She is passionate about helping students achieve their educational goals and is proud to be part of College Ave’s mission.
Gossman earned her degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Jenn Roberts
Partner Relationship & Marketing Manager
College Ave
Jenn Roberts has over 25 years of higher education finance, operations, administration, and regulatory experience. She is a former financial aid director and has worked at top student lending organizations and most recently at Sallie Mae, where she managed the company’s Career Funding book of business. Roberts has a deep understanding of how to market and administer a successful student finance program, a natural ability to map the UX process, a strong gauge for compliance headwinds, and she thrives on finding solutions that improve opportunities for financing access for students and families.
Roberts earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Suffolk University and a master’s degree in business ethics and compliance from New England College of Business.
Moderator
Marta Perez Drake
Chief Strategy Officer
AACTE
Marta Perez Drake has served the higher education community in a variety of leadership roles for almost 35 years. She has served AACTE in several roles since 2022, where she is currently chief strategy officer. Previously, Drake spent over 15 years at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), where she served as senior vice president. Her career includes programmatic roles at other higher education associations such as the Council of Graduate Schools, the American Council on Education, and the American Association for Higher Education. Drake also held campus-based positions at Duke University and Georgetown University for 10 years.
Drake has taught undergraduate-level courses in communication studies at George Mason University. She holds a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies, completed Georgetown’s Institute for Transformational Leadership certificate program in 2017, and obtained her certification as a health and life coach in 2021.
She earned a BA in psychology and art history from Duke University and an MA in communication studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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