Each year, WACAC members are asked to submit Executive Board nominations for review by the Governance and Nominations Committee and election by the association’s membership.

WACAC’s Executive Board is made up of 5 elected positions and a host of committee chairs that are appointed by the Board. We are anchored by our Managing Director and part-timeTechnology Coordinator, both of which are paid positions.

The elected positions on the WACAC Board are: President-Elect, President, Past-President, Treasurer and Secretary.

ELECTIONS 2023-2024

Candidate Statements

Congratulations to Julio Mata, President-Elect for the 2023-2024 year. He will assume this position after the April 2023 SuperConference in Spokane, WA.

Julio Mata

Director of College Counseling
Francis Parker School

WACAC EXPERIENCE:

• WACAC Language Access Ad Hoc Committee Chair – 2021-2023
• WACAC Assembly Delegate – 2020-2023
• WACAC Conference Committee – 2016, 2017
• WACAC Member – 2012-present

NACAC/RELATED EXPERIENCE:

• NACAC Ad Hoc Committee on Serving Next Generation College Counseling and Admission Professionals – 2021
• Phoenix SuperConference Committee – 2019
  Salt Lake City NACAC National Conference: Registration Co-Chair – 2018
• San Diego NACAC National Conference: Special Events Co-Chair – 2015
• NACAC Hispanic/Latino Special Interest Group Co-Leader – 2017-2019
• Regional Admission Counselors of California Executive Board, Technology Chair – 2014-2017
• RMACAC Executive Board: Communications Chair (2017-2019), President-Elect (2019)

STATEMENT:

As someone who has been a part of our profession for 10+ years on both the secondary and post-secondary side of the work we do, I feel that I have a deep understanding of the many intersecting parts of the college admission landscape. My time as a college rep allowed me to gain an intimate personal knowledge of the higher education landscape across the WACAC region, across the Western US, and nationally. Now, as a school-based college counselor, I have a deep understanding of how all of that knowledge directly impacts the lives of students and families as they engage with the many college admission professionals in our field. This extensive, personal knowledge of our profession and how it can be improved upon is what drives me to do the work I do everyday and what motivates me to serve WACAC members in this capacity. I understand how WACAC operates as an organization and have ideas on how it can continue improving. I believe that my prior experience on the RMACAC and RACC Executive Boards, as well as my current service on the WACAC Board, has positioned me well to lead WACAC through whatever challenges or opportunities we may face as an organization and profession in the coming years. Additionally, I believe that my experiences working with NACAC and the national conference planning committee process will come in very handy to help coordinate WACAC’s efforts in hosting the NACAC Conference in Los Angeles in 2024.

Above anything else, though, I credit WACAC for many of the personal and professional highlights of my career. It is through WACAC that I learned from the experts, mentors, and leaders found within our membership. It is through WACAC that I connected with countless college admission professionals that are equally passionate about the work we do, and that help to keep me motivated whenever I need a personal boost. It is through WACAC that I have been repeatedly inspired to step up by the bold leadership showcased by previous leaders of the organization to help do my part to ensure that WACAC remains a national leader within the college admission profession. It would be a true privilege to serve WACAC as President so that I may continue to help foster an organizational culture that will lift other professionals up, just as it has lifted me up over the past decade.

GOALS:

One of the biggest benefits that I’ve found from being a WACAC member has been the professional community that I’ve been able to build. This vast network has provided me with opportunities to learn from others, collaborate creatively on all kinds of projects that serve our communities and membership, and simply be able to find a friendly face or two at all kinds of events. As someone who prides himself on being a good community builder, some of my primary objectives as President revolve around helping develop deeper connections across our membership.

1. Establishing permanent special interest/affinity groups within WACAC as a place for members to connect and support each other. It would be crucial that these groups not be limited to only interacting during the annual conference, so I would work with the other WACAC Board members to find opportunities for these groups to connect throughout the year. Once established, I would want to make sure that these groups have formalized connections to the WACAC Board in order to inform the work we do as an organization, as well as serve as an easy point of entry for those wishing to get more connected/involved with WACAC.

2. Identify the communities where WACAC is not serving its members as strongly as it could be and develop ways to intentionally and intelligently establish a greater presence in those areas. I have several ideas in mind as to how to do this, but none of those feel complete without input from those very communities. I would like to establish ad hoc committees similar to what NACAC has been doing with these identified communities that would not only provide ideas as to how WACAC can better support them, but also create pathways to increased engagement and leadership opportunities within the organization.

By the end of my Presidency, my primary goal would be for WACAC members to find their increased connection with other members to be one of the main benefits of their continued WACAC membership.

For more information, contact Breanne Boyle.