PPFA Elections

Spring 2026 Elections for the Professionals and Professional Faculty Assembly will begin on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.  An email will be sent to all eligible voters with the link to the ballot.  Please take some time to review the candidates below.  If you have any questions, please email Devan Orr.

The 2026 ballot will be available from Wednesday, May 20, 2026 through Wednesday, June 3, 2026. 

2026 PPFA Election Candidate List

2026 PPFA Election candidates and their statements of interest

Candidate	Statement
Jon-Paul Palacio	I determine the classifications and pay for staff across W&M. I'm interested in serving on the PPFA to deliver improvements for PPF, dive into issues that we may face, and as a member of HR, can help deliver changes that are beneficial to the PPF community. I've worked to advocate for members of UHR to be able to support W&M at large, as well as advocating for fair and equitable pay for Professionals.
Jessica Walton	I serve as the Executive Assistant & Advisor to the Dean of the School of Computing, Data Sciences & Physics. In my eight years at William & Mary, I have seen firsthand how PPF and staff are essential to the university’s success, yet too often feel overlooked. The most stable foundation depends on three points working together, and William & Mary is strongest when students, faculty, and staff are equally supported, valued, and heard. As the university enters a new strategic planning period, I want to serve on the PPFA to ensure staff are represented and to help strengthen resources for this vital community.
Hayley Austin	I am entering my 6th year at W&M’s School of Education this June and I would be honored to serve on the board of PPFA. My purpose in doing so is to engage with my peer PPFs, their needs and interests across campus units, and to ensure that those needs are represented and advocated for to university leadership. I have appreciated the focus on individual employee wellness resources PPFA has provided in the past year. I hope to continue this work to build our collective resilience as we each support higher education, one another, and our students during a challenging period.
Kim Van Deusen	I’ve worked at William & Mary for 25 years, first in Undergraduate Admission and now as Associate Director of the 1693 Scholars Program. I also teach fitness classes for Campus Recreation. I appreciate and enjoy the monthly PPFA meetings and would like the opportunity to serve as a PPFA representative. My current work is student-centered, so I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate more with colleagues across campus and advocate for fellow professional and professional faculty members. W&M is truly a special place, and it would be an honor to serve the community that I have been a part of for many years. Thank you for your consideration!
Abbie Schaefer	I serve as the Senior Director for Strategic Communications for the College of Arts & Sciences, where I lead communications initiatives that support faculty, students and institutional priorities. My work allows me to collaborate with colleagues across campus, and I value opportunities to better understand the goals, challenges and perspectives of different areas of the university. I am interested in serving on the PPFA board because I believe strong cross-campus collaboration strengthens our community and helps us advocate more effectively. I would welcome the opportunity to give back to a university and community that has given so much to me.
John Drummond	In my current position, I work with faculty and co-educators to shepherd our offerings of classroom-based and online academic technologies. I also work with the W&M Esports program, where I work with staff, faculty, and students to provide impactful programming and experiential learning opportunities for our players, coaches, and staff. The call for long-timers as PPFs and the need of the board, as well as the fond memory of my friend Rodney Franks, has encouraged me to see if I can answer the need for service. I like to come to the meetings, anyway! Thanks for your consideration.