NYSACAC Annual Conference

NYSACAC Annual Conference Keynote

Dr. Angel B. Pérez is CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). In this role, he represents nearly 14,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success. He is the primary voice of the association to government, media, and global partners. Pérez is recognized as a national thought leader and is a sought-after speaker on issues of educational equity, access, and success in American education.  

Prior to his arrival at NACAC, he served for 22 years as a leader in higher education where his work was described as transformative. He most recently served as vice president for enrollment and student success at Trinity College (CT), where he also taught in the educational studies department. 

Pérez is passionate about public policy as a platform for change. During his tenure in higher ed, the governor of Connecticut appointed him to the New England Board of Higher Education, and he was chosen by the Gates Foundation to serve on Forward50, a group of leaders presenting higher ed solutions to Congress. In 2019, a Forbes article named him the greatest influencer in college admission. Dr. Pérez’s work has been featured in many media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, and CBS Evening News.

Coming Together Conference Keynote

Dr. Donovan Livingston is an award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker. In 2016, his Harvard Graduate School of Education convocation address “Lift Off” went viral, reaching over thirteen million views and prompting Hillary Clinton to praise, “It’s young graduates like [Livingston] who make it clear that America’s best days are still ahead.” Since his pivotal speech, Livingston has been featured on CNN, NPR, BBC, Good Morning America, and in news outlets across Europe, Australia, India, and South Africa. His convocation address was published as a book by Spiegel & Grau in 2017.

A believer in the enormous opportunities that education provides, Livingston inspires students, educators, and communities with his conviction that every child has the right to “lift off” and achieve their dreams. Drawing on personal experiences as well as scholarship, Livingston examines the role of hip hop and spoken word poetry in student experiences in higher and postsecondary education. An impassioned and dynamic speaker, he incorporates creative elements into his lectures such as spoken word poetry and audience collaboration.