Published on: December 8, 2025
A NABITA Testimonial by Matthew R. Caires, Ed.D., Dean of Students, Montana State University
Brett Sokolow changed my life (for the better).
It was 2001, and I was a brand-new Assistant Dean at the University of Wyoming, 27 years old, fresh out of my master’s program, and sure that I was the smartest guy in the room. Then in walks this lawyer, Brett A. Sokolow, J.D., who spends a full day politely dismantling everything I thought I knew about FERPA, higher education administration, student development theory, and beyond. Six hours later, I walked out of that training in awe, frustrated, but completely blown away.
Brett is a rebel and a maverick; he sees things differently than the rest of us in the field. He can be “professionally offensive,” which is rooted in deep service to the field. If he hadn’t challenged me that day 25 years ago (and everyone he meets), I’d still be doing things the same old way. In many ways, I’ve built my career and professional life around those same principles: challenge systems, question assumptions, and make people uncomfortable in the service of doing good.
Flattening the Hierarchy: The NABITA Way
I’m not a case manager. I have never been. But as a NABITA Advisory Board member for the last three years, I recently had the privilege of presenting on case management alongside the real experts on my Montana State University (MSU) team: Kate Emmerich, Ph.D., M.A., and Alli Gidley, M.S. Watching their excitement when their names appeared on the NABITA webinar lineup was one of my proudest moments. It showed what NABITA does best: it flattens the hierarchy. It doesn’t matter if you’re from a tiny college in Montana or a massive system in Texas; if you have a good idea, this community wants to hear it.
Belonging to a national network and rubbing elbows with pros in the field who are smarter than you is a gift. When I don’t know the answer, NABITA always does, or they know exactly which campus does. The resources, training, and model policies have elevated my work on campus. From learning to manage involuntary leaves and mandated assessments to navigating parental notifications, NABITA’s work has given my campus structure in places where higher education has struggled.
Eight years ago, we welcomed W. Scott Lewis, J.D., to spend a day with us in Bozeman, Montana. I invited my colleague, Nicole Hazelbaker, MBA (Dean of Students at the University of Montana-Western), because she was also a Scott Lewis fan. She attended with her team and colleagues from MSU-Billings, and everyone loved it. For the past eight years, we’ve hosted a training with NABITA or TNG (its parent consulting firm) in Montana. It’s a great way to get folks the type of training they need in this day and age.
I am deeply grateful for Saundra K. Schuster, J.D., M.S., and the entire TNG team. In 25 years, ATIXA and NABITA have elevated our work across campus.
From Legal Pads to Leadership: The TNG Model
When I started at MSU 15 years ago, our behavioral intervention “system” was the police chief, the counseling director, and me with a yellow legal pad. I would sit down with them to talk through the students we were worried about, jotting notes as they spoke. That was it. Today, we have two fully developed frameworks: one for our most complex cases and another for the larger flow of referrals. It’s not perfect, but it’s professional, coordinated, and an incredible resource for my campus.
A huge reason we’ve grown and matured like this is the TNG model: a non-clinical, team-based, legally sound approach that empowers universities to care for students without losing sight of their institutional responsibilities. TNG and NABITA’s resources helped us move from gut instinct to best practices.
I tell people all the time: I didn’t come up through the counseling center or student conduct. I came up through student government and public service, and I believe deeply in what public land-grant universities represent: access and accountability. That means our Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) and CARE teams don’t just react; they build a culture of care. My job now is to make sure my team has what they need to do their jobs, including the resources and courage to make tough calls.
Having the Courage to be Wrong
One of the biggest lessons NABITA, TNG, and ATIXA (NABITA’s sister association) have taught me is to be brave. The kind of bravery it takes to sit in a room with nine colleagues who all disagree with you and still say, “I think we’re missing something.” Over time, that kind of professional courage changes culture.
Fifteen years ago, the idea of suspending a student for multiple alcohol violations was unthinkable. We saw college as a right, not a privilege. Today, we talk about college as a privilege you earn, and we back it up in policy. That shift didn’t happen overnight; it happened because organizations like NABITA gave me and others the evidence, the precedent, and the vocabulary to hold our ground when it mattered most.
When I need a gut check, I can pick up the phone and call Tim Cason, M.Ed., or Makenzie Schiemann, Ph.D., M.S., whom I have had on retainer, because their expertise helps me navigate the most complex policy challenges. That’s the beauty of this network. You’re never alone.
A Healing Shock Like an Ice Bath
Next June, Brett Sokolow is coming to Montana. I want the whole Brett experience: the crystal ball, the case studies, the challenging questions, and the “you’re wrong and here’s why.” Because you rarely grow when you’re comfortable.
Sometimes change feels like jumping into an ice bath. It’s shocking. It hurts. But it’s also incredibly beneficial for you. That’s what NABITA, TNG, and ATIXA have done for our field. They’ve kept us from getting stagnant. They’ve forced us to be brave, to argue better, to think harder, and to evolve.
That’s why I call Brett’s demeanor “professionally offensive,” and I call the TNG team provocateurs. I call NABITA the reason our campus no longer relies on a legal pad. Whatever you call them, I call them one of the best things that ever happened to my career.
The truth is, if it weren’t for that first shock (the day he cleverly told me I was wrong), I’d never have learned how to do this work right.
Want your teams to be braver, sharper, and more effective? Level up your behavioral intervention, threat assessment, and case management with NABITA’s experts, and strengthen your civil rights compliance with ATIXA. TNG brings that experience and insight to your campus. Contact inquiry@tngconsulting.com.