NASFAA was thrilled to have best-selling author Jeannette Walls as the opening session speaker on July 10 at the 2016 National Conference in Washington, DC. Walls is best known for her memoir, "The Glass Castle," which describes growing up in the desert of the American Southwest and then in a West Virginia mining town with her three siblings and her brilliant, unorthodox, irresponsible parents. During her speeches at colleges, corporations, and business associations, Walls discusses overcoming hardship and the keys to turning adversity to your advantage.