VETERANS AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATORS OF MISSISSIPPI
VAAMS EXECUTIVE BOARD
Stacy Henley, President
Veterans Affairs Benefits Coordinator, University of Southern Mississippi (Gulf Park Campus)
Stacy L. Henley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and raised in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Due to Hurricane Katrina she relocated to McHenry, Mississippi with her children Zach and Ryan.
After earning two degrees from Pearl River Community College, Stacy earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management from The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park.
Stacy joined The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus staff in 1999 as a Financial Aid Clerk in the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. In 2004, Stacy transitioned to the Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs Specialist and became responsible for certifying VA Educational Benefits for Gulf Park students. Stacy serves with care, compassion and dedication the student veteran population on the Gulf Park Campus as their VA Specialist and most recently the staff advisor for the Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program.
David Magola, Vice President
Veterans Affairs Benefits Coordinator, University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg Campus)
David Magola was born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and is proud to be a Southern Miss graduate.
Although, he has not served in the Military himself, several of his family members have served. This makes David's duty of assisting our Veterans, Service Members and their Families extremely important to him.
David received degrees from Jones County Junior College and the University of Southern Mississippi.
He enjoys helping people and finds serving Southern Miss as the Senior VA Certifying Official very rewarding.
Aside from assisting our Veterans, Service Members and their Families, David enjoys spending time with his wife, Heather, his two sons, Lucas and Eli, and his extended family and friends, as well as painting, writing music and attending church.
Secretary
Coming Soon
Mandy Moore, Treasurer
Financial Aid/VA Certifying Official, Itawamaba CC
Mandy Moore is the Certifying Official at Itawamba Community College. She also works in the Student Aid Office. She has been with the college for eight years. Mandy resides in Fulton with her husband Ben.
Terry Bland,
Northern Representative
Director of Financial Aid/VA Certifying Official, Itawamaba Community College
I am Terry Bland, and I currently serve as the Director of Financial Aid at Itawamba Community College. During my tenure in the Higher Education arena which began in 1994, I have served as a student loan lender, a secondary market/servicer, and now as a Financial Aid Director. I have been a Director and an SCO since 2011, and I cannot say enough about this organization and the training and assistance it and its members have given to me over the years. While I am not a Veteran myself, I did serve in the Army Reserve/National Guard for many years. I am also President-Elect for the Mississippi Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and am very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a board having served MASFAA for many years in different capacities.
Dr. Latoya Reed,
Central Representative
Director of Veterans and Military Student Support Center,
Jackson State University
Dr. LaToya Reed has a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Jackson State University, a M.S. and Ed.S from Mississippi College, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has a wealth of experience in community college counseling and advisement and student support services. Currently, Dr. Reed serves as the Director of Veteran & Military Student Support at Jackson State University. She has served in this capacity at JSU since April 2016.
Dr. Reed resides in Madison, Mississippi with her husband, James and two daughters, Londyn and Lakyn. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Gloria Wasmund,
Southern Representative
School Certifying Official,
Pearl River Community College
Gloria Wasmund has been with Pearl River Community College for over 23 years. In 2014 she was tasked with establishing the Office of Veteran Services for the school, and serves as the Certifying Official. She functions as the point of contact for all three college campuses. While in this role, she has been an active member of VAAMS, WAVES, and NAVPA.
Gloria lives in Picayune and has one son. As the youngest of 11 children, she most enjoys spending time with her family and organizing family functions. She also enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and visiting with a close network of friends.
Matt Grant,
NCD Representative
Big M Trucking, Driver Liaison
Matt Grant is the Driver Liaison for Big M Transportation & currently resides in Falkner, MS. He has always had a passion for the Trucking Industry and has dedicated most of his career to the Industry. He's also a Veteran of the United States Air Force and has a rich & proud history of many of his family members serving as well. He's just as passionate towards our Military Veterans & service members, and counts it an honor to serve & be of service to these men & women, in the capacity of SCO at Big M Transportation since 2019 . He's also looking forward to this opportunity to serve, as well, now being a member of the VAAMS Board.
Rhonda Emmons, Conference Chair,
School Certifying Official/FWS Counselor, Jones College
Rhonda Emmons earned both a B.S. degree in Elementary Education (1997) and M.ED (2004) from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Since 1997, Rhonda has worked with students at the primary, secondary, and post secondary levels of education, both in and out of a classroom setting.
In January 2019, Rhonda joined the Jones College family as the Point of Contact for Veterans, Service Members, and family members with all things related to the military. As the School Certifying Official, she assists students with the request and receipt of any VA or military education benefits they may be entitled to. Whether it’s VA education benefits, the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, VA Work Study, or Tuition Assistance at the State or Federal level, Rhonda is very passionate about her job. She considers it an honor to work with Veterans, Service Members, and their family members.
Rhonda lives in Petal with her husband, Robert. She has four adult children, and one granddaughter that she loves spending time with. Rhonda also loves to read, spend time in nature, and volunteer at Worthy Stables, in Petal.