Board Members
Current Board Members
Jason Garcia
Jason Garcia is a U.S. Army retiree and has worked in Military/Veteran education services since 2016. Jason’s professional experience includes Education Advisor, Veterans Affairs ECSS and ELR, and VA compliance manager for a Non-College Degree School. His current role is Associate Director of SCOs at National University. Jason’s passion is helping Veterans achieve their educational goals; guiding students to enhance their quality of life through higher education and training. He strongly believes in the idea that education is the great equalizer, and strives to be a positive example – Jason proudly holds a certificate in Human Resource Management, Bachelor’s in Management, and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Herzing University.
Darcy Schnuth
Darcy Schnuth currently serves as the Vice President of Student Finance and Records Management at International Education Corporation. She has 20 years of experience in higher education, starting her career in admissions at an international, multi-site education provider where she eventually worked her way to Regional Director of Finance, overseeing 17 locations. Darcy earned an Associate Degree in Specialized Business – Accounting, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Finance, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Kaplan University.
Firdaus Yusuf
Firdaus Yusuf is a Senior Education Partnership Specialist at International Education Corporation. With over seven years of experience as a School Certifying Official, she has a wealth of expertise to share. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from University of California, Berkeley. When she is not helping students, Firdaus enjoys exploring new places, learning new languages, listening to music, and solving puzzles.
Chelsea McElroy
Chelsea is the Assistant Registrar for Certifications at Oklahoma State University. She has worked in higher education for eleven years; the last nine specifically with military-affiliated students. Chelsea has earned her Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master of Science in Psychology from Arkansas Tech University. Along with her work for military-affiliated students at OSU, she is also an adjunct professor at Arkansas Tech University, teaching Developmental Psychology and Lifespan Development.
Chelsea has been a part of WAVES since 2019 and has volunteered with the organization every year since then (other than in 2023)! She is a 2025 recipient of the Bill Pearson Lifetime Achievement Award. Chelsea is committed to School Certifying Official success and has proudly served on the WAVES board for the 2024-2026 term as IHL Member-At-Large.
Tamara Jadallah
Tamara Jadallah currently serves as an Associate Director at National University, overseeing School Certifying Officials who specialize in Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) and Military Tuition Assistance programs. Prior to this role, she worked in National University’s Student Business Services department, where she developed extensive experience in student account management, including collections, account audits, payment processing, and ledger reconciliation.
Before joining National University, Tamara spent five years in the banking industry, building a strong foundation in financial operations, customer service, and account management. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and later completed a Master’s degree in Business, combining a strong understanding of people with sound business and financial expertise.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Tamara has proudly served as the Treasurer for WAVES for the past two years, managing financial responsibilities and supporting accurate, transparent financial reporting. Known for her attention to detail and analytical mindset, she enjoys working with numbers and takes pride in ensuring financial records, budgets, and ledgers are accurate, balanced, and well maintained.
Renee Montilliano
Renee Montilliano currently serves as the Associate Director of Financial Aid at Golden Gate University, where she oversees School Certifying Officials specializing in Veterans Education Benefits, including Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E), Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB), Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33).
Prior to joining Golden Gate University, Renee worked for Sierra Pacific Mortgage for five years, where she specialized in processing home loans and supporting clients throughout the mortgage lending process.
Renee is passionate about serving students veterans, ensuring they have access to the resources and support needed to achieve their educational goals. She has also served on the WAVES Board of Directors for the past two years, contributing to the organization's mission of supporting and advancing professionals in veterans' education services.
Teresa Patton
Teresa Patton currently serves as the Director of Military and Veterans Benefits at Western Governors University. Coming from a military family and holding an MBA, she brings a diverse background in service, business, finance, and higher education. With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, her expertise spans enrollment, admissions, records, financial aid, military and veterans benefits, third-party funding, scholarships, faculty services, and career services.
Teresa is an active member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the Alabama Association of Financial Aid Administrators (AASFAA), the Alabama Veterans Affairs Association (AVAA), where she served as Board Secretary from 2009 to 2011, the Council of College and Military Educators (CCME), the National Association of Veterans' Program Administrators (NAVPA), the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), and her local Chamber of Commerce.
She also serves on the Advisory Board for one of Western Governors University's university partners, Drake State Community and Technical College. In addition, Teresa is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she has chaired numerous committees and contributed to a variety of leadership initiatives.
Past Board Members
Tracy Copeland
Tracy Copeland is the Director of Student Finance at United Education Institute in Dallas, bringing more than 36 years of experience in financial aid administration and veterans’ education benefits. A proud U.S. Army veteran, he served in both the Panama Invasion and Operation Desert Storm.
Throughout his career, Tracy has been dedicated to supporting veterans and their families as they navigate the financial aspects of higher education. Known for his deep knowledge, compassionate guidance, and commitment to student success, he considers it one of the greatest privileges of his professional life to help military-connected students access the resources they need to pursue their educational and career goals.
Cindy Watts
Cindy has had the pleasure of working with student Veterans at The University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma for over 25 years. She was one of the founding members of WAVES. Cindy has previously served on the WAVES Executive Board as IHL Member at Large, Treasurer, Secretary, and 1st Vice President for WAVES. She is currently assisting as a past board advisor for the association.
Chris Henthorn
Chris Henthorn has worked in the field of Education since 1999, with his primary expertise being in Financial Aid and Veteran Education Benefit Services. Recently he has taken on a new role as a Veteran, Residency, and Registration officer at UC Santa Cruz further expanding his knowledge base into the duties of the Registrar. He has a passion for Music, Art, Food, Nature, and Family. Be kind, not because you must, but because you matter. Let’s make WAVES!