2026 Run-off ANNUAL ELECTIONS: meet your candidates!!

Current Professional Position: 
Area Assistant Director

Current Institution:
UMass Amherst

Current & Previous NEACUHO Position(s): 

Current: Media and Publications Engagement Chair

Past: 

• DEIB Engagement Chair ('24-'25)
• Special Events Planning Team ('23)
• Media and Publications Chair ('21-'22)
• DEI Committee ('19-'21)
• ResEd Committee ('19-'20)

Previous Professional Position(s) Held & Location(s): 

• Residence Director, UMass Amherst ('19-'24)
• Residence Director, Montana State University Billings ('17-'19)

Education:

• MA in Postsecondary Education, Murray State University | Murray, KY ('15-'17)
• Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Saginaw Valley State University ('10-'15)

Candidate Statement:

Hello, NEACUHO! My name is Tyler Bradley (he/they). I currently work as an Area Assistant Director at UMass Amherst, and I am running to be your DEIB Officer for NEACUHO.

I got involved with NEACUHO back when I moved to this region in 2019. I served on various committees, worked to run the Navigator (twice), and last year served as a DEIB Engagement Chair where I had the honor of helping create a robust slate of virtual roundtables and affinity space offerings for our members. I’m currently back in the role with the Navigator and always work to ensure we have something centering DEIB each edition.

In my career in higher education, I’ve centered this work a lot. I regularly instruct a course that discusses identity, race, and the student experience. I review grants that work to improve our campus climate through addressing global issues. I helped expand beds in our LGBTQIA+ living learning community. I presented on social class support systems to student staff and full-time staff. I’ve been able to advocate successfully to create and implement a policy and process for indigenous students to practice smudging in the residence halls. I’ve been able to get pronouns added as an option on all name tags in the Montana State University system.  I’m also very much engaged in our labor union where we hold regular lunch and learn discussions exploring critical topics around identity and militarism in the academy. 

Through this position, I really hope to continue and expand on Alexis’s legacy and the work he has done to improve this association. Particularly, I want to focus on accessibility and ensuring we reduce or eliminate barriers that prevent our members from engaging fully in our virtual and in-person offerings. I will continue serving on the planning team for the NEACUHO-endorsed Global Practitioner Summit (or GPS for short), which aims to retain and empower BIPOC and trans and nonbinary members to stay in the field and take on leadership roles within our Association and residential life. 

But let’s be clear, all DEIB efforts this Association does doesn’t just fall to this position. It’s the Association’s responsibility and every member that makes it up that ensures that we are creating a culture of belonging, inclusivity, equity, and more. I want to work very collaboratively with board members to think about how we center DEIB practices in our work. I also look forward to work with incoming President Dave Zamansky, and whoever the future President Elect will be to see how DEIB practices can align in the prioritizes they set for our Association.

Thank you so much for the consideration.

Current Professional Position: 
Residence Hall Assistant Director

Current Institution:
New York University

Current & Previous NEACUHO Position(s): 

Previous Professional Position(s) Held & Location(s): 

• Area Director, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY Campus Life Coordinator, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ

Education:

• M.Ed. - Higher Education Administration - Vanderbilt University
• B.B.A. - Entrepreneurship - Belmont University

Candidate Statement:

Hi there! My name is Neil Butler (He/Him/His) and I currently work at New York University. I’m grateful to be nominated for NEACUHO’s DEIB Officer role.

I will not persuade folks that I’m the best candidate for the position. We have many passionate colleagues who can perform this role exceptionally. Rather, I will share a bit about my professional philosophy, experience, and thoughts. I trust that the Association will assess its needs and determine what candidate best serves the interests of NEACUHO!

I would highlight two things in particular about my professional philosophy. First, I pride myself as a set of hands. If there is work to do, and I can be of assistance, I roll up my sleeves and get to work. We each possess unique skills and experiences, and when we are called on to leverage them, we owe it to our peers to step up! Within the context of DEIB, I find myself leaning heavily into inclusion specifically. It matters to me professionally to connect, outreach, and bring voices to the table. Our tent can always be bigger, and I am excited when I have the opportunity to expand that tent with new people and perspectives.

Over the past eight years, I have learned that our work begins and ends with centering DEIB. As practitioners, we are at our best when folks feel safe, represented, and included. With that belief in mind, I have been fortunate enough to participate in meaningful experiences regarding DEIB. At NYU, I serve on our department’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and our Advisory Council for IDBEA. In these roles, I collaborate on continuing DEIB education, advocate for department needs, and support assessment initiatives for our DEIB practices. This past year, I’ve had the privilege of participating in ACUHO-I’s Leadership Academy, a year-long cohort where we connect with Association members to discuss meaningful representation in leadership and advocacy for colleagues who hold marginalized identities.

In thinking about where I may be helpful as NEACUHO’s DEIB officer, a couple things come to mind. First, it is important to maintain the momentum of NEACUHO’s current initiatives. The Accessibility Task Force just worked so hard to outline new accessibility guidelines and recommendations, and we owe it to them to commit deeply to ensuring each member has what they need to belong within the Association. Additionally, the ongoing Representation & Leadership Pathways Taskforce - led by our current DEIB Officer Alexis - is engaging in meaningful conversations about how individuals with marginalized identities feel welcome, supported, and empowered enough by NEACUHO to consider leadership opportunities. It is prudent to maintain the enthusiasm of these conversations and commit even more deeply to our expressed DEIB statement. However, I would also love to chart new courses in our DEIB initiatives! This requires intentional conversations with members about what they need and how they see themselves within NEACUHO. I hope we can continue to position NEACUHO as an association that folks of any and every identity call their professional home!

Current Professional Position:

Hall Director

Current Institution:

Pratt Institute

Current & Previous NEACUHO Position(s): 

Previous Professional Position(s) Held & Location(s): 

• Resident Director: Mercy University 

Education:

• California University of Pennsylvania (now the Pennsylvania Western University, California Campus)
• Bachelor of Social Work. Mercy University Masters of Organizational Leadership

Candidate Statement:

Hello there! I am honored to have made it this far in the election process. My name is Sydney Holley and I am currently applying for the District Coordinator Role for the Metro NY area. My involvement with NEACUHO started when I attended my first annual conference, and I have been truly attached to this organization ever since! I think what stood out to me right away was the sense of connection and how easy it felt to build relationships and partnerships with people who genuinely care about the (very distinct) work we do. That experience is what has kept me involved over the years.

Over time, I have gotten involved in a number of different ways within NEACUHO. I have served on the Annual Conference Committee for multiple years, working on both the Special Events and the Programming Committee.

Outside of the annual conference, I have also been part of the Corporate Partners committee, the Paraprofessional Engagement Committee we had in 2025, and I am currently on the New Professional Engagement Committee.

I have been working in the Metro NYC region for almost six years, with experience in the city itself and amongst the nature of the Hudson Valley. Being part of institutions in different parts of the district has given me a better understanding of how varied our region really is- each institution coming with its own pace, needs, and challenges, successes, joys, and communities. I have learned how important it is to be flexible, intentional, and creative in how we stay connected across all of the differences and diversity of this particular Metro region.

A lot of how I approach this work comes down to my goals of growth, community, and unity. I try to be intentional about how I show up, whether that is through casual check-ins, bonding at conferences, or just being present and approachable to those who need the camaraderie or mentorship. I like to think I am naturally outgoing and bring a lot of positive energy into the spaces I am in. Being part of something bigger than myself is really important to me- to all of us I am sure, and I find a lot of purpose in helping create spaces where people feel included, engaged, and excited to be there. I care about bringing life into

the communities I am part of, not in a forced way, but by helping build authentic and organic connections with others that are meaningful on all ends.

NEACUHO has had a big impact on my personal and professional growth, and I am excited to continue to give back to the organization in a way that supports connection, engagement, and a strong sense of community across the district if given the opportunity. Thank you dearly for taking the time to read through this!