As the leading student brand ambassadors, Collegiate DECA executive officers represent a network of over 5,000 members. They dedicate a year to serving Collegiate DECA during their term in office. Though demanding, this experience fosters both personal and professional growth.
The following candidates are running for executive office and hope to serve as the leaders of DECA’s Collegiate Division for the 2026-27 school year.
Collegiate DECA ICDC: Meet the Candidates
Collegiate DECA members attending the CDECA ICDC in Louisville, KY, are invited to meet the candidates on Monday, April 20 from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM in the Event Hub.
The new Executive Officer Team will be announced at the Grand Awards Ceremony of the 2026 Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference in Louisville, KY.
Candidates for President
Angela Ye
Angela Ye is a junior standing marketing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the current President of UNLV Collegiate DECA. In just two years at UNLV, she has served in two UNLV DECA officer roles. She has held five officer positions overall across campus organizations, reflecting her strong commitment to leadership and service. Her leadership journey is distinguished by four consecutive DECA officer teams, two of which were presidencies.
Leading across both high school and collegiate chapters has allowed her to build culture, strengthen teams and execute sustainable growth strategies. She is passionate about developing emerging leaders and creating opportunities that foster confidence, professionalism and excellence. Angela’s leadership philosophy is simple: growth must be intentional, and opportunity must be accessible.
Madelaine Bugg
Madelaine Bugg is a student at Transylvania University, majoring in marketing with a minor in anthropology. She was the founder and president of the first collegiate DECA chapter at Transylvania University, leading the organization to growth and early success. Within its first year, multiple members qualified to compete at the International Career Development Conference (CICDC), and in the following year, Madelaine supported the expansion of DECA chapters at other colleges across the state.
Madelaine is also a student-athlete and holds leadership positions within the Chi Omega sorority. Additionally, she serves as an orientation leader at Transylvania University and works as a college intern for the high school division (Kentucky DECA), where she supports student engagement and development. Through her involvement in academics, athletics, leadership, and service, Madelaine demonstrates a strong commitment to leadership, collaboration, and personal growth.
Myles Frueh
Myles Frueh began his DECA journey in high school, where he discovered a passion for business, competition and leadership. In his transition to college, he uniquely participated in both High School and Collegiate DECA during the same year, pushing himself to grow at a higher level. He fostered new opportunities at the Alexandria Technical & Community College chapter, providing members with professional development, career-ready skills and community service through speaker events, workshops and community giveback programs.
Through intentional mentorship and elevated standards, Myles has worked to strengthen chapter performance and culture, striving to ensure the organization continues to advance well beyond his tenure.
Myles also served as a Vice President for Minnesota Collegiate DECA, stepping into the role with integrity, passion and a dedication to serve the members of Minnesota Collegiate DECA. He also founded the “DECA Dialogues” podcast, with a primary focus on inspiring and connecting members through unique stories from across the country and beyond. Altogether, Myles fosters community, opportunity and growth for Collegiate DECA members.
Niya Denny
Niya Denny is the Collegiate DECA President for 2026-27. She is studying Management, Communication and Sales at Arizona State University. Niya has been in DECA since her sophomore year of high school in Wisconsin.
Niya has served in many DECA leadership positions, including chapter president of her high school. She has held three positions on ASU CDECA’s Leadership Team and has also served as an Arizona Association Vice President. Niya competes primarily in Retail Management and was a top-10 finalist at the 2025 ICDC.
Niya is a devoted leader whose passion for DECA is clear through her experiences in the organization. As a leader, she values transparency, communication, integrity and passion.
Xavier Sandoval
Xavier Sandoval is a third-year Digital Marketing & Social Media student at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He has been involved with DECA for seven years and has held officer positions in both the high school and collegiate divisions. He is currently proudly serving as Rhode Island Collegiate DECA President and is always inspired by the power of creative collaboration.
Xavier is a four-time ICDC attendant with experience in two of the Emerging Leader Series Academies. He contributes to the growth of his chapter and association by serving as a DECA representative and a JWU Collegiate Ambassador for prospective students, helping them make the transition from high school to college.
As a former wrestling team captain, Xavier knows what it means to be a leader and put a team’s goals above his own. He aims to elevate his perspective, leadership experience and work ethic while advancing the organization's goals.
