U.S. Deputy Education Secretary William D. Hansen today announced that Kristie Hansen has been selected to serve as general manager of financial partners in Federal Student Aid effective July 1. Hansen currently is executive vice president for the National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP). Hansen replaces John Reeves, who has held the job since October 2000 and who is retiring.

Ms. Hansen is no relation to Deputy Secretary Hansen.

"I'm delighted we were able to attract such an experienced partner from the community of student loan providers," Hansen said. "Kristie not only has the industry background we need, but knowledge of federal student aid as an organization and the challenges it faces."

In her role as general manager of financial partners, Hansen will work with the almost 4,000 lenders, guaranty agencies, servicers and others who administer student loans through the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. FSA is the office of the U.S. Department of Education that helps put about 8.7 million Americans through school each year by administering Title IV student loans and grants totaling about $61 billion a year.

At NCHELP since 1999, Hansen served as the primary liaison to the U.S. Education Department and spent much of her time on Title IV student loan regulatory and policy issues.

From 1998-1999, she was with the law firm of Vana, Pergl and Partners of Prague, Czech Republic, and consulted with the Hungarian Ministry of Culture and Education to develop a student loan program.

From 1993-1997, Hansen served as general counsel for Prague Investments, a real estate development and international investment company in the Czech Republic. Hansen served as general counsel for Colorado's student loan program from 1989-1993.

She holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and a law degree from Boston University.

"I would also like to thank John Reeves for his service," Hansen said. "John has been an invaluable adviser. His leadership in building consensus around the authentication standards for electronic signature was a model of how we should work with the lending community."

###

Top

Back to June 2002