Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Activitiesvolunteering
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Aracely Gauna

TX

Summary

Corporate leader with extensive experience in strategic planning, business development, and operational management. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving measurable results. Adaptable with proven track record in leading cross-functional teams, optimizing processes, and driving organizational growth. Skilled in stakeholder engagement, financial oversight, and change management.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience

Work History

Corporate Director of Financial Aid

VCC Management
06.2021 - Current
  • Managed and administered federal financial aid programs for 5 campuses
  • Ensured all accounts and files remained complaint with federal, state, and institutional policies and procedures
  • Reviewed accounts and ledgers for proper transactions, discrepancies, or issues related with accounts payables
  • Enforced accountability for customer service, production of TIV packaging and accuracy of files
  • Trained staff and ensured compliance in all areas of financial aid but not limited to counseling students and/or parents, estimating financial aid outcomes, approving funds for disbursements, file completion and review, administration of verification policies and procedures
  • Monitored federal student loans and grants payments for accuracy of disbursements
  • Administered R2T4 drop calculations
  • Managed the Financial Aid Department staff to achieve short and long-range campus goals and objectives as defined by Campus President and Corporate Polices
  • Performed file audits to review accuracy of contracts and compliance with paperwork and maintained monthly reports of findings
  • Reviewed findings with staff and administered training for any areas of opportunity
  • Reviewed and approved credit balances while reconciling accounts for correct charges and payments/overpayments
  • Interviewed, hired, and trained new staff members
  • Worked collaboratively with Admissions and Education department to ensure future and active students were packaged within set standards and student issues were communicated timely
  • Led cross-functional teams to achieve project goals on time and within budget constraints.
  • Implemented industry best practices for risk management and compliance, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.
  • Championed relationship building, cross-collaboration and mentorship throughout strategic partners.
  • Implemented advanced IT infrastructure to support increased efficiency in daily operations, resulting in improved overall performance levels.

Director of Financial Aid

The College of Health Care Professions
11.2016 - 08.2020
  • Managed all the campus' finances which included student's federal financial aid -grants, student federal and private loans, parent loans, VA benefits, cash collections, scholarships, and agency funding
  • Managed the financial aid team by ensuring that all documents collected, and student account funds were properly processed in accordance with state regulations and compliant with the Department of Education, Texas Workforce Commission, Veteran's Affairs and the school's accrediting body
  • Worked closely with Education and Admissions to ensure students were following plan of action to complete their Financial Aid process and avoid any cancels, drops, reversals
  • Conducted staff trainings in accordance with new information from state regulations to accurately be up to date with compliance metrics as well as customer service skills
  • Reviewed all files for accuracy, errors, and auditing
  • Conducted weekly, monthly, and quarterly employee one on one reviews for performance, monitored calls for quality assurance, audited file rejects for progression and completion
  • Followed up on any student/staff complaints
  • Approved timesheets and managed team's schedules
  • Was responsible for accounts receivable, bank deposits, stipends, and keeping up with finance records/audits
  • Managed collections to ensure we met weekly and monthly goals, assessed calls to determine quality of customer service and collection accountability

Financial Aid Advisor

Universal Technical Institute
08.2012 - 09.2016
  • Reviewed student's federal financial aid applications for any issues and discrepancies and helped them make the necessary corrections to obtain the necessary financial aid they needed
  • Confirmed financial aid eligibility such as grants, student loans and scholarships and requested them to the Department of Education
  • Counseled student and parents on their financial aid awards/eligibility, process, and provided estimate to go over grants, scholarships, student and parent loans
  • Assisted with in house payment plans and scholarship opportunities
  • Processed estimates for program changes, change of enrollment dates and transfer of credits
  • Reviewed files and documents for proper accuracy and discrepancies to make sure the student's courses were properly covered and followed federal regulations to avoid any audit finding
  • Would also follow up with active students on documentation missing/needed
  • This would sometimes include meeting with students and parents on past due or missing documents and setting up a plan of action or warning to advise them of schedule holds or possible withdrawal from their courses if they didn't meet expectations

Bilingual Customer Service Rep.

Healthspring Inc.
05.2009 - 07.2012
  • Provided customer care assistance to new and existing members enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans
  • Explained medical benefits, in network providers, and coverage of their plans
  • Explained invoices and submitted request for payment approval with insurance
  • Assisted customers by setting appointments with their primary care physicians and specialist as well as transportation accommodations
  • Assisted customers by reviewing any pending, approved or rejected claims, and ordering medical equipment when needed
  • Provided status of pending authorizations/referrals and appeals
  • I would also explain eligibility requirements and processed new enrollments
  • Would help customers by providing them with referral information when financial assistance was needed
  • While creating and renewing plans, I would make sure customers knew all contract guidelines and policies commanded by the federal state law for Medicare recipients
  • Review and explained billing and balances due for their health care coverage

Education

Bachers of Arts - Psychology

Southern New Hampshire University

Skills

  • Bilingual (Fluent in Spanish and English)
  • MS Software (Outlook, Excel, Word)
  • Team Leadership
  • Presentational Skills
  • Ethics and integrity
  • Business process reengineering
  • Cross-functional team leadership
  • Problem-solving abilities

    • Staff training/development

  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Professionalism

Activitiesvolunteering

  • English Teacher, Bogota, Colombia, Taught English to middle school students.
  • Student Mentor, Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, Was a mentor to 2 High School students to develop and prepare them for college.

Languages

Spanish
Full Professional

Timeline

Corporate Director of Financial Aid

VCC Management
06.2021 - Current

Director of Financial Aid

The College of Health Care Professions
11.2016 - 08.2020

Financial Aid Advisor

Universal Technical Institute
08.2012 - 09.2016

Bilingual Customer Service Rep.

Healthspring Inc.
05.2009 - 07.2012

Bachers of Arts - Psychology

Southern New Hampshire University

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Aracely Gauna