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CEE Expert Facilitators
Patty Aronoff has been involved with administrating and regulating educational institutions for the past 17 years. For most of the last seven years she served as an integral part of the regulation, compliance and customer service protections for the State of Florida's Commission on Independent Education. She now serves as the Assistant Director of Education for Kaplan College in Fort Worth, Texas.
Patty's instructional experience includes conducting HR trainings for Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College. She has also conducted seminar sessions on current regulation issues, changes in law and rule promulgation for COBA, FAPSC and NASASPS. In additional to professional presentations and trainings, Patty also has extensive experience in the classroom, having taught a number of business courses at the collegiate level.
Patty's extensive experiences is backed by a Master of Science in Adult Education and a Master's Certification in Human Resource Development from Florida State University, a Bachelor of Arts in American & Florida Studies from Florida State University and an Associate of Arts from St. Petersburg Junior College.
Chyrl is a founding partner and Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Global Financial Aid Services, Inc., one of the nation's largest financial aid service providers. She has specialized in the administration of Title IV Programs in the post-secondary education industry for the past 18 years. Chyrl started in the Career College field as Director of Financial Aid for a chain of ten colleges and moved up through the corporation, ultimately serving as Corporate Director of Financial Aid. Prior to Global, Chyrl served as Director of College Operations for the Student Finance Service Center at Philips Colleges, Inc.
Chyrl is a highly respected member of the financial aid community and her approach to the administration of Title IV funds has and always will be to make sure the student comes first. She has served as co-chairman of the Program Committee for the Mississippi Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and has presented topics on Title IV Administration for several State Associations of Private Postsecondary Schools and State Associations of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Susan serves as President of Integrated Enrollment Solutions and is one of the founding partners. She has held administrative and senior level management roles in higher education for 16 years including positions as Associate Dean for Enrollment, Campus Dean, and Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at both single location and multi-campus entities. Prior to founding Integrated Enrollment Solutions, Susan oversaw all recruiting, retention and student service functions for a 15,000 student, 30-campus university offering both in-seat and online classes.
Susan has experience with for-profit career schools, private non-profit institutions as well as Masters level universities. Her professional experiences include front-line roles such as high school recruiting, inside admissions, advising, job placement and corporate relations. Susan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Davenport College and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University.
Dr. Larry Banks is currently the Chief Academic Officer for Eagle Gate/Provo College Group. Prior to joining the Eagle Gate Group, Larry worked for Mountain West College as President, University of Phoenix as Colorado State Vice President, Apollo Group as Vice President of National Accounts, and other senior management positions. A passionate career educator, Larry has taught ground, online, and blended classes. Larry has created and implemented successful training programs for presidents, deans, associate deans, program administrators and instructors with a focus on student outcomes.
Larry earned his Doctorate in Business Administration from Touro University. He holds an MBA in Technology Management, and a BS degree in Business Administration. For his doctoral research, Larry studied and compared the effectiveness of blended courses with traditional classroom and online models. Larry has presented seminars and workshops for the Career College Association (CCA), career college state associations, accrediting agencies and publishers. He continues to and has published articles on learning with technology. Deana and Larry live in Utah with their dog, Nester. For fun, Larry continues to play lead guitar in a band.
Bob Boudrot has been Vice President of Human Resources for Harrison College (formerly Indiana Business College) since 1997. He has over 17 years of Human Resources experience, with expertise in areas of compensation and wage administration, employee relations, performance management, management development, personnel selection, strategic planning, and policy development.
Bob earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Ball State University in 1991, and he has been certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) since 1999 as designated by the Society for Human Resources Management. Bob is a strategic business partner who helps provide daily solutions to management and leadership issues within his organization, helping build a strong workplace culture and an effective management team.
Dr. Gary Carlson has been the Vice President for Academic Affairs at ITT Educational Services, Inc. since 1997. He has served the career education sector in many capacities including seven years as a College Director. His 39 years of educational experience includes top-level management in Higher Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education for learning disabled, behavior disordered and mentally retarded high school youth. Gary has been a regular speaker for the Career College Association (CCA) Leadership Institute and the CCA annual conventions for the past ten years.
Gary graduated in 1969 with a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education, 1972 with a Masters Degree in Special Education and 1978 with an Ed.D. in Administration, Curriculum and Instruction. Gary's career has been completely dedicated to service to the academic field as a teacher, coach, counselor, school administrator and executive for career education. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).
Dr. Tena B. Crews is currently a professor of Integrated Information Technology (IIT) at the University of South Carolina (USC). She also serves as the Director of Online Learning for the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management and is the Associate Director of Technology Pedagogy for the Center for Teaching Excellence. Prior to joining the faculty at USC, Tena taught at Ball State University and West Georgia University where she taught in the College of Business and served as the Director of Online Learning.
Tena has taught pure online and blended courses for over 10 years and traditional face-to-face courses for over twenty five years. She has designed and implemented many online courses and an online master's degree. Tena has an Ed.D. in Business Education with a minor in Management Information Systems (MIS) from the University of Georgia. She holds a B.S. in Business Education and M.A. in Secondary Education from Ball State University. Tena's research interests include online learning design, development and assessment.
Jane Davis has over twenty years of diverse experience in adult education, program management and human services. She has held several positions in federal civil service as well as having owned and operated an employee training and consulting company oriented to the career education and human services communities. Jane is a certified trainer for both AchieveGlobal® and Workplace Essential Skills®, and has been publicly noted as an expert in curriculum development and facilitation in the adult learner environment. As a classroom instructor, Jane has taught numerous courses for an accredited, nationally-based career college system and remains active in the teaching field. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to develop and oversee discipline-specific, continuing education programs at the postsecondary level.
In addition to her teaching and training experience, Jane has served on the Hampton Roads Workforce Development Board and the Virginia Employment Commission's Employer Advisory Council. Internationally, she has lectured on both business and educational principles at the University of Greenwich in London and at the University of Algarve in Portugal. Jane holds an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Masters Degree in Urban Education, with a concentration in Guidance and Counseling, from Norfolk State University.
Michele Deck, an internationally renowned presenter, author, and educator is the co-founder, President and CEO of G.A.M.E.S., a company that provides training seminars on adult learning and interactive teaching methods. She is also the founder and CEO of Tool Thyme for Trainers, a company that supplies creative presentation tools to educators worldwide. Michele is particularly known for her innovative teaching methods in the field of healthcare education and training. Her travels have resulted in thousands of people who gained valuable expertise of adult education and training, from Australia to Scotland, Canada to Taiwan. She is the author of eleven books, including "Instant Teaching Tools For Healthcare Educators" published by Elsevier.
Michele has a BS degree in Nursing and a Master's degree in Adult Education. She has won many professional awards, including the prestigious "Excellence in Nursing". Michele was selected as a "Great 100 Nurse in Louisiana" and was elected to Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society. The National Nursing Staff Development Organization named her the recipient of the prestigious Belinda Puetz award and the National Business Council named her "Business Woman of the Year" in 2003 and 2004. Michele has a passion for healthcare education and has been training educators full-time for the past twenty years.
Dr. Michele Ernst is currently the Chief Academic Officer for Globe Education Network, which operates 18 campuses primarily in the Midwest. Prior to joining Globe Education Network, Michele worked for ITT Educational Services as the National Director of Academic Affairs and before that she served as the Director of ITT Technical Institute in Eden Prairie, MN. A passionate career educator, Michele has taught both residential and online classes. Using her 17 years of progressive experience in the career college sector, she has created and implemented successful training programs for deans, associate deans, program chairs and instructors with a focus on faculty performance management and student retention.
Michele earned her Doctorate in Education from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. She holds an MA degree in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a BA degree in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For her doctoral research, Michele studied why for-profit career colleges move from national to regional accreditation and the implications to higher education. Michele is an active member of the Minnesota Career College Association and a board member for the Minnesota ACE Network. Michele, her husband Jeff and their 12 year old triplets enjoy spending time at their family cabin on Lake Vermilion in Northern Minnesota.
Dr. Blake Faulkner currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Pinnacle Career Institute System. Dr. Faulkner began his 20 year career in higher education as a faculty member at Peru State College and Cameron University. He then moved into the higher education administrative ranks at Western New Mexico University. In 1994, Dr. Faulkner joined National American University and served as a senior leader in the NAU system for 14 years. During this time he served stints as Vice President of Admissions and Marketing, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Vice President of Administration, President of the University's main residential campus, System Vice President of International Affairs and President of the Online campus.
Dr. Faulkner has conducted research on the management of successful strategic alliances in higher education and has consulted with a number of career colleges and universities in their development of online and blended education offerings. He has established innovative strategic alliances with institutions in the US, Greece, Cyprus, Malaysia, Turkey, India, UAE, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Japan, and Kenya. Through his extensive travels across the globe he has worked with leaders in education, government, and business in developing programs and strategies that help higher education better meet the changing needs of the global workplace. Dr. Faulkner currently serves as a Systems Appraiser for the Higher Learning Commission. He holds a doctorate in business administration and is an avid reader of work related to leadership development, organizational behavior, strategy, process improvement, and the opportunities and challenges of globalization.
Paul is the Vice President of The Source for Training, Inc., an admissions training and consulting firm that works exclusively with private career schools. As a nationally known expert in educational sales, he travels all over the country consulting and training admissions departments. He has over 15 years of experience in the career education industry and has been an accomplished Admissions Representative, Director of Admissions, and School Director.
Paul has been successful in countless admissions departments in many schools in North America and Canada. He has a well-documented track record of proven excellence in furthering the effectiveness of admissions departments. His experience as a former social worker has given him a unique perspective on the importance of education in the lives of all individuals.
Shannon Gormley has worked for nearly 15 years in higher education and possesses a breadth of experience at both not-for-profit and proprietary institutions. She is the Director of Training at Norton | Norris, Inc., with locations in south suburban Chicago and western Michigan. Norton|Norris, Inc. is a full-service agency that provides marketing and training services to schools and colleges nationwide. Shannon has developed and implemented a variety of online training tools for admissions, advising, faculty and financial aid.
Shannon is a certified 7/8ths Selling® trainer, a training program to help individuals connect at deeper levels with students to increase enrollment and retention. Shannon is completing her MA degree in Psychology at Lewis University and received her BS degree in Community Health Education from the University of Wisconsin.
Frank Hammack currently serves as Associate Vice President of State Compliance for ATI Enterprises, Inc. In this capacity, Frank ensures that the appropriate staff members are trained in compliance issues, answers questions concerning rules and regulations, and conducts audits to ensure compliance with all state regulations. For seven and a half years Frank was a program specialist with the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges Section (CSC). For many years, Frank was one of the expert presenters for the School Director's Workshops, covering many of the compliance issues.
Frank has been in the career school sector for 10 years. He has served as a regulator, a Director of Education of a career school, and regional staff member. In addition to his current compliance position, Frank is also on the Board of Directors for the Texas trade organization, Career Colleges and Schools of Texas (CCST). He has a bachelor's degree in religious education from Hardin-Simmons University and a master's degree in religious education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Mary Lyn is the President and CEO of Champion College Services, Inc., formerly Hands On, Inc. She founded Hands On in 1989 to provide default management services based on essential \"Hands On\" techniques that prevent student loan defaults. Since then numerous career colleges have experienced dramatic results by implementing her innovative default prevention programs. Mary Lyn has conducted training sessions and workshops for state, provincial, regional, national, and private associations in both the U.S. and Canada in a continued effort to share her experiences and knowledge of default prevention techniques and cohort appeal procedures. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Career College Association (CCA) and received CCA\'s National Achievement Award in 2005 for the Allied Member of the Year.
Mary Lyn has actively worked with the U.S. Congress and the Department of Education on every \"Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act\" from 1988 to date. She has helped to write the regulatory criteria for schools\' default prevention programs and her work has been recognized by the Department of Education for its remarkable results. She served as a negotiator in the 1999/2000 Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking sessions as a representative of CCA and its 1200 member schools. Mary Lyn\'s belief that education is the vehicle for making dreams come true has led her in a passionate fight for identifying problems in the higher education industry and finding solutions to insure future participation for all students.
Jay Hollowell is the Vice President & Training Manager for MaxKnowledge and has over 25 years of experience in adult education. As a certified corporate trainer, he has designed and facilitated training programs throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East with emphasis on leadership, core business principles, workforce development, project management and customer service. Jay is also an ongoing facilitator for the National Institute for Leaders, and participates annually as a guest presenter for the Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry at the Iacocca Institute, Lehigh University. Internationally, he has lectured at the University of Greenwich in London and at the International Conference on Creativity and Innovation at the University of Algarve in Portugal.
In the career college sector, Jay has worked in various faculty, staff and management positions with an emphasis on curriculum design, faculty development, student retention and placement. He has delivered workshops for numerous career education associations as well as career schools across the country. He has served as a career education consultant for Harvard Business School Publishing and Houghton Mifflin Publishing, and is a former member of the regional employer advisory committee for the Virginia Employment Commission. Jay holds a degree in Business Administration from the College of William and Mary and has completed graduate work in management and education.
Dr. Patricia Kapper is the past Sr. Vice President of Academics at Career Education Corporation (CEC), a position she held for ten years. During that time, she established the Faculty Development Network and spearheaded the Educator of the Year event to recognize outstanding faculty. Prior to joining CEC, she was the Dean of Academic Affairs at the Addison campus of DeVry Institute of Technology. In addition to her work in the career college sector, Dr. Kapper has held a variety of management positions in public education, including Dean of Business and Graphic Arts at Milwaukee Area Technical College, where she was selected as the Administrator of the Year.
Dr. Kapper has served on the board of directors of several professional associations, including the Association for Career and Technical Education and the Career College Association. She earned her Ed.D. in Adult Education with an emphasis in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University. Her M.S. and B.A. degrees are in Teaching and Business Education respectively. She began her career as a high school teacher and has a strong passion for educational leadership, faculty development and student retention.
Cheryl Kesson is the current Client Relations Manager for Champion College Services, Inc., a company that specializes in default prevention and education debt recovery for educational institutions. She joined the Champion College Services team in July 2006 and was promoted from auditing to her current position in June 2007. Previously, Cheryl worked as an Account Maintenance Specialist for Southwest Student Services where her primary duties were the approval and processing of forbearance and deferments for the company\'s borrowers. She has also worked in Loan Originations for the Federal Family Education Loan Program.
With over ten years of experience in student financial aid operations and sales, Cheryl\'s current focus is building and maintaining effective business relationships with Champion\'s clients, and marketing the company\'s related products and services to meet the current needs of the educational community. In December 2007, she was awarded the distinction of Manager of the Year.
Tracy is the Chief Marketing Officer at PlattForm Advertising, Inc. In her role at PlattForm, Tracy manages the advertising and marketing programs for proprietary schools in markets of various sizes with a broad range of programs and start goals. Her work includes budget development and planning, reporting, setting goals and accountability measures and creative development. Tracy and her team of 14 Account Executives develop and implement highly successful and cost-effective advertising plans for a client base of over 100 school campus locations across the United States and Canada.
Tracy holds a degree in Communication Studies with an Emphasis in Public Relations from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. She has been a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) since 1998 and currently serves as a board member. Tracy's passion for traveling and her social nature have translated into her work as she focuses much of her time visiting schools to better meet their needs.
Loren is the Co-Founder and President of Corvus, LLC, a company committed to improving student success rates at career colleges. Prior to Corvus, he was the President/CEO of Bradley Academy, a school that he owned and operated for 15 years and successfully sold to Education Management Corporation (Art Institutes). Utilizing his 25 years experience in the proprietary school business, Loren has developed a unique student retention intervention system (GradMax) in collaboration with a team of organizational development experts. The GradMax system continues to help Bradley Academy to achieve 92-95% quarter-to-quarter retention rates.
Loren serves on the Board of Directors of several career colleges and has served on the Small College Advisory Council of the Career College Association. He is frequently invited to speak at proprietary school association meetings and has been active in community work, serving as the Chair of the York County Chamber of Commerce and as a board member for the York County Economic Development Corporation and the York County Alliance for Learning. Loren holds an MBA degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in Economics from Bucknell University.
Traci currently serves as the Director of Business Analytics for Bridgepoint Education. In her present role, she provides guidance to the company's ground based and online colleges to optimize their performance while staying within regulatory guidelines. Traci has over 20 years of experience in the education industry. Her experience encompasses virtually all aspects of the education business, including admissions, financial aid, academics, career services, and management of multi-campus operations. She has held senior level management positions at Career Education Corporation, MedVance Institute and the University of Phoenix (Apollo Group) as well as providing consulting services to a multitude of colleges and universities during her tenure with Campus Management Corporation.
Traci's focus has been on campus start ups, regulatory compliance, and operational oversight of multiple campus colleges, including international campuses. She recognizes the challenges of working in a highly regulated environment that has grown more complex as companies have expanded operations, either organically or through acquisition, to include multiple regulatory bodies and governing oversight entities. Traci was approved as an evaluator for the Accrediting Commission of Independent Colleges and Schools. She holds a B.S. degree in Business from Arizona State University and an M.A. degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. She has completed the Apollo Group's Executive Development Program and the Career College Association's Leadership Institute.
David is Executive Director of the Training & Consulting Division of Global Financial Aid Services, Inc., a financial aid service provider recognized for its leading position in the development of practices and procedures for the efficient administration of Title IV programs. David has been a part of the postsecondary education industry for over 17 years and previously served as Global's Director of Operations. Prior to joining Global, he served as Operations Manager of the Student Finance Service Center for a large Career College chain.
David has extensive experience in training and evaluation of financial aid administrators, supporting on-site DOE/OIG Program Reviews and yearly SFA Audits, performing Due Diligence Audits, and assisting in the completion of Applications for Approval to Participate in Title IV Programs. He has been a presenter for Title IV workshops for several State Associations of Private Postsecondary Schools and State Associations of Student Financial Aid Administrators. David holds a degree in Business from Western Illinois University.
Mike is the Vice President of Interactive Marketing at PlattForm, a full service enrollment company for the school industry. Mike manages PlattForm's interactive marketing team and supervises their venture to drive leads to career colleges. He specializes in developing marketing plans, implementing creative advertising techniques, and analyzing the results. With proven excellence in marketing campaign development, Mike has supported numerous schools across the country in achieving their goals.
Mike earned his B.S. degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing from Emporia State University and began his career as a Media Analyst/Buyer. His well-rounded background in the advertising industry and his focus on customer service has allowed him to better serve his clients. Mike is truly passionate about helping schools accomplish their objectives through the application of innovative marketing strategies. He can often be found wearing the apparel of the schools he works with, and he is driven by the success he helps each campus create.
Dr. Meers is a professor of Leadership and Communication at Bob Jones University and has a particular interest in organizational change and personal transitions. Ryan also actively consults with a variety of organizations and leaders. This work consists of coaching and assisting leaders in further developing skills and abilities to better maximize their influence, developing effective leadership programs, crafting compelling vision statements and increasing overall performance. Prior to his academic position, Ryan worked as a Leadership Development Advisor at State Farm Insurance.
Ryan has been requested by a variety of groups (for-profit, non-profit, educational, religious) to present on numerous topics related to leadership development and effectiveness as well as organizational improvement. Ryan is a certified School Improvement Specialist through the North Central Association and a member of the American Society for Training and Development. He holds a Master's degree in Educational Administration and a PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with an emphasis on Leadership Studies.
Dr. Meers is the Vice President of Education at MaxKnowledge, providing leadership for the development and delivery of our training programs for career college instructors. His extensive background in career education includes research, consulting and training in the areas of instructor performance, curriculum development, classroom management, student motivation, learning and assessment. He has authored over 100 articles and conducted over 500 workshops on instructional improvement and professional development. Dr. Meers earned his Ed.D. from the University of Missouri with an emphasis on Vocational Education, Adult and Higher Education, and Instructional Media.
Dr. Meers started his educational career as a vocational instructor, progressing to become a professor of education and human sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Meers has served as the president of the Association for Career and Technical Education, and as a commissioner of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. He has also chaired the Employment Preparation Committee of the President's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities.
Greg Nathanson is the past president of Western Career College. In 1989, he joined the college and worked as a campus executive director and vice president of operations before being named president in 2002, prior to US Education Corporation's acquisition of WCC. Working with US Education, Greg built WCC to 8 campuses and 4,000 students before retiring in 2007. His responsibilities included strategic planning and budgeting, team building and program development, maintaining efficient student recruitment processes, and allocating resources to ensure positive educational outcomes and compliant operations. Before joining WCC, Greg worked as a television writer and producer in Los Angeles.
Greg is currently a member of WCC's Governing Board, Eskaton's Board of Directors and The Writers Guild of America. He is also a past president of the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools (CAPPS) and helped create the CAPPS' Director's Boot Camp training series. Greg continues to present on various industry topics at workshops and conferences throughout the country. He holds a BA degree in Political Science from UCLA.
Dr. Jean Norris has nearly 25 years experience in the field of higher education, having worked at both not-for-profit and proprietary institutions. She is a managing partner at Norton | Norris, Inc., with locations in south suburban Chicago and western Michigan. Norton|Norris, Inc. is a full-service agency that provides marketing and training services to schools and colleges nationwide. Dr. Norris is on faculty at Robert Morris University, teaching leadership courses in their MBA program. She is a former University of Phoenix facilitator, teaching in their Organizational Leadership program.
Jean is a licensed NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Practitioner and the developer of 7/8ths Selling®, a training program to help individuals connect at deeper levels with students to increase enrollment and retention. 7/8ths Selling® was created in conjunction with Australian partner firm, The Right Mind. Jean received a doctorate degree from the University of Sarasota. She holds an MA degree in Communication and Training from Governors State University and a BA degree in Management from National-Louis University. Jean is a member of the professional development committee for the Career College Association (CCA). She is on the Executive Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Chicago, and is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
Ron Obstfeld, most recently, was the Vice President of Learning and Development for Universal Technical Institute (UTI). Ron has over 40 years of experience in the field of Education. His experience ranges from public education as a teacher and administrator to adult corporate education leader for such organizations as American Express and MBNA America. Ron was awarded the "Manager of the Year" award at American Express. Ron also was recognized at MBNA America with the "Customer Service Award".
Ron has developed a wide range of education experiences including instructional design, performance assessment, computer assisted instruction and e-Learning. In the Career College sector, Ron has developed and delivered a number of education workshops on such topics as individualized instruction, performance assessment in the corporate world and instructor development. Additionally, he has built several start-up corporate training and development organizations. Ron holds a Masters Degree in Education from Stony Brook University and has been an adjunct instructor of the University of Delaware. Ron has served as an officer for both the Mental Health Association and the Delaware Theater Company.
Jon is currently the Vice President of Technology Innovation for the online campus of National American University (NAU). Prior to this position, he served NAU as the Vice President of Academic Quality and before that as the Academic Dean for Distance Learning. Jon has taught over 100 online classes for NAU and its partner schools. As a content expert and instructional designer, he has developed over 40 online courses in disciplines such as management, information technology, e-business, finance and web design. Additionally, he has managed the development of hundreds of online courses for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Jon has an MBA in Finance from the University of Illinois and a Master's degree in Information Systems from Dakota State University. He has been managing instructional design and technology projects for over 12 year and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI). Jon is currently pursuing his PhD in Business Administration at the Northcentral University. Prior to his educational career, Jon worked for a number of technology companies in both IT and finance positions.
Dr. Pace currently serves as the Managing Partner of the Higher Education Initiative for The Pacific Institute. A psychologist and former college president, Dr. Pace has over 36 years of experience in the career college sector and is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and educator. In his current role, Dr. Pace created a comprehensive enrollment management program for career schools and colleges based on proven performance improvement solutions developed by The Pacific Institute. Dr. Pace's "Success Strategies for Effective Colleges and Schools" has been implemented at over 300 career colleges nationwide. Dr. Pace has also conducted a variety of seminars and workshops throughout the country on such topics as school management, faculty development, student retention, psychology, and motivation.
Dr. Pace was appointed by the Governor of Florida to the Florida State Department of Education's licensing commission for private schools, serving on the commission for ten years. Additionally, he is the former president of the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges. On a national level, Dr. Pace served as Commissioner of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Career College Association. Dr. Pace holds a doctorate in education, a master's degree in psychological counseling, and a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is known for his warmth, enthusiasm, humor, and his "intelligent heart." His audiences enjoy his genuine spirit and heartwarming stories.
Sean is the Vice-President of Sales for PlattForm Advertising, Inc. He manages PlattForm's sales team and leads them in providing solution-based sales to hundreds of school clients throughout the USA and Canada. As an accomplished professional, Sean travels all over the country visiting school representatives to offer consultation in both advertising and admissions training. With a well-known ability to provide admission assessments and propose solutions, Sean works hands-on with the schools to improve troubled areas.
Sean graduated from Friends University with a degree in Human Resources Management. He has worked in the student recruitment field for over 12 years in a variety of positions, including Admissions Representative, Sales Manager, and Vice President of Sales. He has been responsible for growing a number of companies through training, managing, and leading sales and recruiting staff. Sean's diverse background in advertising and admissions has endowed him with unique insight and prospective into the inner workings of a successful recruitment team. This has enabled him to develop compact and powerful training programs that deliver results.
Michael is the Owner and CEO of PlattForm, one of the largest full-service enrollment companies in the career education industry. In 1989, he began operating his advertising business from the basement of his home. Since then, the company has grown into a multi-million dollar success servicing nearly 1000 school campus locations with over 200 employees. As an expert in marketing and business operations, he has led his company to provide all aspects of media planning/buying, creative production, and web marketing in-house. Michael also specializes in empowering and increasing productivity of admissions staff. He has over a decade of proven excellence in admissions training, management, and consulting.
Michael's reputation lies in his visual imagination and enticing ability to enrich a sales message. He has authored numerous articles on effective advertising methods and student recruitment strategies. Prior to launching PlattForm, he was ordained as a minister, hosted a sports talk-show, and owned a professional wrestling organization. Michael's diverse background translates into what his business philosophy is today - if you have the courage to take risks, then you have the courage to succeed. Michael strongly believes in doing everything with integrity and personal accountability, and he has a true passion for making a difference in the school industry. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Career College Foundation.
Susan is the Coordinator of Training and Development at Pittsburgh Technical Institute (PTI). In this role, she manages continuing education and training programs for over 300 employees, including faculty, staff and administrators. Susan is also the president of a non-profit association that provides training opportunities to the employees of its member organizations in the Pittsburgh area. Her previous experience includes career education positions such as assistant dean for adult and corporate admissions, adult education specialist and academic advisor.
Susan earned her MA degree in Educational Technology Leadership through an online program offered by the George Washington University. She is actively involved with the Center for Teaching and Learning at PTI, where instructors are trained in learning theory, classroom management and the use of educational technology. Susan is a member of the American Society for Training and Development and serves as the president of the Continuing Education Association of Pennsylvania.
Danny Pumpelly is the Associate Media Director for PlattForm Advertising, a full-service agency specializing in direct-response advertising within the career school sector. He co-leads the Media Department, which works with dozens of clients across the United States. Danny works with over 15 media placement specialists to provide low cost, high yield campaigns in television, print, and radio. Staying on top of advertising trends in an ever-changing industry keeps Danny motivated to provide the highest levels of service on a daily basis.
After earning a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Kansas, Danny went on to a media-focused career. With over eight years experience in sales and media placement, Danny continues to work in both traditional media and new media. Joining PlattForm in 2005, Danny has worked as a Media Analyst, Media Buyer, Senior Media Buyer, Media Planner, and now Associate Media Director. In his current role as a department manager, Danny is tasked with ensuring his team is well-versed in the best practices for establishing and maintaining effective media schedules.
Dr. Read is currently a consultant for Susan F. Schulz & Associates, Inc., a training and consulting company serving career schools worldwide. Formerly, she served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Armstrong Atlantic State University. Dr. Read's area of specialization is Human Factors Psychology with a focus on workplace issues such as job stress, time management, human-technology interaction, and learning.
Dedicated to teaching, Dr. Read has spent her career studying how students learn and retain course material and how teachers can best serve the needs of their students. She has developed methods to enhance the learning environment and has presented these methods at national conferences such as the Conference on 21st Century Teaching Technologies. Dr. Read holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of South Florida.
Dr. Ruth Reynard is the Dean of Faculty Services for the Career Education Corporation where she works with various campuses and faculty coaches to develop a wide range of faculty resources. Her work in adult education began in Canada where she served for years as a curriculum developer, instructor and consultant for such organizations as the Halton Multicultural Council and the Center for Education and Training. Ruth designed and delivered the first Internet-based distance language learning course for adults in Canada and developed a process-based language curriculum for the workplace. Prior to joining the Career Education Corporation, Ruth was Associate Professor of Education and the first Director of Instructional Development at Trevecca Nazarene University, Nashville, TN, where she provided training for faculty in the application of technology in instruction.
Ruth earned her M.Ed. and Ph.D. degrees at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (OISE/UT) where she concentrated on dynamic learning environments; multicultural, instructional design; blended course delivery; multi-media and Internet-mediated instruction; and distance learning. Additionally, Ruth worked with a project team from Vanderbilt University on the development and implementation of an Internet-based resource and training center for faculty. Ruth has been published in various journals in the area of applied technology and faculty development, and continues to teach as an adjunct professor for Olivet Nazarene University.
Dr. Roehrich is currently the System Vice President of the Enhanced Learning Solutions Group at National American University. His previous management positions include: executive vice president of the Colorado School of Professional Psychology, president/chancellor of Colorado Technical University, president/CEO of Concorde Career Colleges, Inc., and vice-president of academic affairs for DeVry, Inc. His contract positions include serving as the director of corporate training for Corinthian Colleges, Inc., and as an adjunct faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership in Colorado Springs.
Dr. Roehrich earned his Ph.D. in Vocational-Technical Education with an emphasis on Two-Year Institutions and Higher Education Administration from The Ohio State University, Columbus. His M.S. and B.A. degrees are in Industrial Arts and Technology and Industrial Education respectively. He started his educational career as a college instructor and has 28 years of experience in the field. Dr. Roehrich has a strong passion for improving the performance of career school operations through the application of quality assurance and a focus on customer service.
Nancy is the President of The Source for Training, Inc., an admissions training and consulting firm that works exclusively with private career schools. She is a highly acclaimed educational sales trainer and enrollment management consultant. Her career education experience spans over 25 years and includes Admissions Representative, Director of Admissions, School Director, Regional Marketing Specialist, and Vice President of Student Services.
Nancy has presented hundreds of admissions seminars, training thousands of career school professionals. She has won many educational sales contests and awards and her accomplishments have been recognized in Who's Who Worldwide in Business. Her expertise includes the adult market, high school recruiting, foreign student recruitment, contract training, customer service, team building, and sales management.
Patricia is a seasoned, award winning career college instructor. She was named the "Career College Association National Teacher of the Year" in 2001. Patricia has been a career educator for over 18 years. She currently serves as the Academic Coordinator for Brookstone College of Business and continues to be active in the classroom as a Business Instructor. In 2007, Patricia received the Brookstone President's Award. She is known for her strong expertise in effective classroom management, building student-teacher rapport, and student retention.
Patricia has a bachelor's degree in Business Education from North Carolina A&T State University and a master's degree in Business Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is an active member of the North Carolina Business Education Association and the National Business Education Association. Patricia's favorite motto is, "A student doesn't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Linda Scharp, Director of Education Innovation, McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, has worked in educational publishing for 27 years. As co-founder of the Learning Solutions Group at Pearson Education and in her current role, she has contributed to the instructional design and development of over 600 online courses. She has ten years experience collaborating with career college administrators and faculty developing successful online programs, curriculum, and courses. This experience has provided both a "big picture" and "hands-on detail" view of issues and challenges faced at all types of career colleges.
Linda has been both an acquisitions/sponsoring editor and a development editor for the best-selling curriculum and instruction list in education at Merrill/Prentice-Hall. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Michigan State University and graduate work in instructional design at the Ohio State University. Her passion is learner-centered teaching; she has taught every age group from Head Start through college. Linda served as a curriculum consultant for the teachers and administrators who founded the successful Center for Research and Technology alternative high school in Clovis, California; its mission promotes collaboration with businesses and community agencies to educate students in a cross-curricular, collaborative, project-based environment.
Jeff Schillinger is currently the Director of Academic Training and Compliance for Harrison College, a chain of privately held career colleges in Indiana that has been serving students for over 100 years. Prior to joining Harrison College, (formerly Indiana Business College), Jeff served as the National Dean at ITT Educational Services. Jeff's primary responsibility during the past several years has been training teachers and administrators to better serve students and improve outcomes. Jeff has also served as a career college faculty member and Director of Education.
Jeff has delivered numerous workshops on retention and teaching at career school association meetings across the United States. He has also facilitated the retention workshops at ACICS Forums and served as a member of the CCA Retention Leadership Forum. Jeff earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Wayne State University in 1981 and his Master of Science degree in Education from Indiana University in 1985. He has taught sixth grade through college and coached several sports.
Dr. Schulz is the President of Susan F. Schulz & Associates, Inc., a training and consulting firm serving proprietary schools worldwide. She has over 20 years of experience in career education and her expertise includes proprietary school development, operations and program needs assessment, licensing, accreditation, student services and marketing. Dr. Schulz completed her doctoral research and dissertation on "Program Completion in Proprietary Schools" and earned her Ed.D. degree in Educational Leadership at Florida Atlantic University.
Dr. Schulz is the publisher of Career School Solutions, a monthly online newsletter offering innovative tips on school development strategies. She is also the author of The Publicity Workbook for Career Schools, a 200-page workbook that provides effective methods and detailed procedures for gaining free and low-cost publicity. Dr. Schulz trained as a certified educational standards evaluator for the Distance Education and Training Council and as a site visitor for the Commission on Occupational Education.
Kimberly Stein has been the lead investigator for the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools since January, 2003. During this time, she has conducted hundreds of investigations of complaints against licensed career colleges and schools. In addition to her investigatory duties, she assists with developing policies and regulations setting standards for career colleges in areas such as admissions practices, recruitment and solicitation of students, student enrollment contracts, and tuition and fee refund policies.
Prior to joining the Board of Career Colleges and Schools, Kimberly served as an investigator with the Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Athletic Trainer's Board investigating complaints against licensed professionals. Kimberly has also served as an investigator for Children Services, responsible for investigating complaints of abuse and neglect and she is a ten year member of the Ohio Investigators Association. Kimberly received her Bachelor of Science from Bowling Green State University.
Katie Tomlinson is the Director of Media Resources for PlattForm Advertising, a full-service agency specializing in direct-response advertising within the career education sector. Katie co-leads the media department and oversees the coordination of more than 90 full-service accounts in the United States and Canada. She has been with the company since 2002. Within her department, Katie leads and develops the analyst and assistant team comprised of 18 individuals. She is responsible for their training and development as well as keeping them on the cutting edge of reporting and analysis through the integration of technology, and the evaluation and development of new media resources.
Katie holds a degree in Business Administration and Psychology with an Emphasis in Information Systems. Utilizing her experience in programming and her technical communication ability, she helped build PlattForm's proprietary buying and analyzing software in 2005, and currently works closely with the programming team for updates and efficiency initiatives. Katie is passionate about her clients, her team and improving technology to better meet the needs of PlattForm's employees and the industry.
Cory is the Director of Website Marketing at PlattForm, a full-service agency exclusively dedicated to direct response advertising in the career education industry. He trains and manages PlattForm's full-service web marketing team and leads their efforts to improve web site exposure and traffic. With proficiency in website analysis and marketing techniques, Cory has provided online marketing solutions for hundreds of web sites. He has developed partnerships with over 700 sites since he joined PlattForm.
Cory has a wealth of experience in online media buying and specializes in web site development to improve search engine positioning, traffic flow, and conversion into sales or leads. His expertise in balancing online paid advertising with organic marketing has proven successful for the many clients that he has serviced over the years. Cory received his B.A. degree from The University of Kansas. He serves as a volunteer editor for the Open Directory Project (ODP), the largest comprehensive human-edited directory on the web.
John Ware has served as Executive Director of the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools since 1997 and is responsible for the oversight and regulation of Ohio's 250 career colleges and schools. In addition to the Board's general oversight responsibilities, John is responsible for drafting and implementing Ohio's rules and regulations governing career colleges including academic standards, admissions standards, and regulations for the recruitment and solicitation of students. John is also active on many state and national education organizations and currently serves as Vice President of the National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools (NASASPS).
Prior to joining the Board of Career Colleges and Schools, John served as an Ohio Assistant Attorney General for education, representing numerous state education entities including the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Department of Education. While serving as an Assistant Attorney General, John was responsible for the implementation and prosecution of administrative enforcement actions against state licensed teachers, private elementary and secondary schools, as well as licensed career colleges. John received his Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and his Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University.
Barry is an award winning educator and health practitioner. He has over 35 years experience practicing and teaching in the medical sciences. For the past 25 years he has served as Dean and Administrative Director for Respiratory Care Education at San Joaquin Valley College (SJVC). Barry was instrumental in writing SJVC's first A.S. degree program, developing its online Respiratory Therapy degree program, and creating the college's study skills seminar for at-risk youth ("Positive Perspectives"). He has been the recipient of numerous professional and educational awards, including the Career College Association (CCA) Teacher of the Year award in 2003.
Barry has specialized teaching credentials in adult and vocational education. He is a licensed trainer for the Coaching for PROformance management training program. He has been an active textbook reviewer and professional credentialing examination writer since 1994. Besides associate degrees in Respiratory Therapy and Business Administration, Barry has a B.S. degree in Vocational Education from California State University Stanislaus and an M.S. degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from the University of LaVerne. He has also completed graduate course work in Business Organizational Management.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson is currently the Director of the Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology and an Associate Professor in the Scott College of Business at Indiana State University, Terre Haute. Prior to joining Indiana State University, Kelly served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Kelly has taught face to face, online, and blended courses to a variety of different student types for over 10 years.
Kelly earned her Doctorate in Vocational Education, Business Education, and Information Science from University of Missouri-Columbia. She holds an MSE degree in Business Education and a BS degree in Accounting both from Arkansas State University. Before entering academia Kelly was an accountant for several businesses in Arkansas. Her passion as well as her research area is in effective online teaching that includes online grading and assessment.
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