Charlette Sauders, director of financial aid at Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary, earned the FAAC® designation from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ accredited Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (CFAA) Program.
The CFAA Program is a first-in-the-industry effort launched in 2019 that validates the skills and knowledge of financial aid professionals at postsecondary institutions nationwide. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, or NASFAA, is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities and career schools across the country. NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis and training for financial aid administrators.
“Financial aid administrators are full-time multitaskers. They are stewards of program integrity and architects of opportunity while managing institutional demands and complex regulations in an ever-changing professional landscape,” says Melanie Storey, NASFAA President & CEO. “The FAAC designation underscores a financial aid administrator’s professional dedication to these critical responsibilities and their unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards.”
Sauders joins the ranks of an elite group of nearly 1,000 professionals, in a field of more than 30,000, who earned the FAAC designation after successfully passing a comprehensive knowledge exam and affirming commitment to the standards of ethical behavior that have long been a hallmark of the financial aid profession.
Sauders has been in financial aid for more than 18 years, the majority of which she has been the director of financial aid at Grace College. She was also the controller at Grace College for three years. She served on the executive board of ISFAA as Delegate at Large for the 2025-2026 year. ISFAA is the Indiana State Financial Aid Administrators Association.
“Earning the FAAC designation is a remarkable achievement,” says Elizabeth Jacquez-Amador, 2025-26 NASFAA Commission Chair and Director of Student Financial Aid at the University of New Mexico. “It reflects your competence, commitment and the countless hours you’ve invested in serving students and families. It also marks the beginning of your connection with a vibrant community of peers who share your dedication.”
More information about the certification program may be found at nasfaa.org/certification_overview, or by contacting NASFAA’s certification program staff via email at certification@nasfaa.org.
