Success Education Colleges’ 2024 Professional Development Conference will be held on December 13, 2024!
Welcome to SEC’s 2024 Professional Development Conference
Welcome to Success Education Colleges’ 2024 Professional Development Conference (PDC)! We are excited to once again gather for what will no doubt be a day full of learning and fun. As always, our Team Members are at the heart of this event—we firmly believe “Our Students Are at Their Best When We’re at Our Best”!
SEC continues to find ways to grow as a Highly Reliable Organization (HiRO) for our Students and Employers—making no assumptions, pressing to the root of problems, deferring to expertise, and destigmatizing failure—all while demonstrating extraordinary resilience as an organization. Of course, we could not continue to press forward without our incredible Team Members—who are doing HiRO work in each of their roles.
The conference format will follow past years, consisting of a few general sessions along with learning labs. The caliber of our presenters is simply remarkable and we look forward to hearing what they share. These esteemed presenters will undoubtedly inspire us and galvanize our resolve to continue to carry out our mission every day.
We’ve made it easy to personalize the day by attending the learning lab sessions that best fit your role and learning goals. These sessions fall into four different tracks: Leadership Track, Nursing Faculty Track, Compliance Track, and Faculty Track—each labeled with a helpful icon so you can choose the right sessions for you.
We cannot wait to see what this year’s conference will bring!
2022 Highlights
2019 Highlights
2018 Highlights
Past PDC Presenters
Meet our esteemed presenters. Click on any of them to learn more!
(Updated often, please be sure to check back)
Experienced education leader with over a decade of expertise in online learning, curriculum development and academic administration. Adept in program development and strategic leadership across higher education and healthcare sectors, Angela has demonstrated a consistent track record of improving student outcomes, ensuring compliance with accreditation standards, and driving innovation in instructional design. Known for her ability to build effective support systems, she manages faculty and program operations to foster student success and retention. Angela’s dedication to academic excellence, commitment to fostering collaborative learning environments, and proficiency in aligning educational programs with institutional objectives make her a dynamic leader in higher education.
Dr. Sara Safari is an author, speaker, mountain climber, college professor, electrical engineer, and advocate for women empowerment. She is the founder and president of a nonprofit called, Climb Your Everest, that focuses on empowering marginalized young women through educational programs.
She received The Global Citizen award from the United Nations Association in 2015. She is a board member and director of development for the Empower Nepali Girls foundation. She also received the 2017 award for Outstanding Practice with Broad Impact in the area of women and leadership from the International Leadership Association. Sara is the first Iranian in history to climb the Seven Summits, the seven highest peaks on each continent. Her historic Everest climb is featured in the Netflix documentary, “Aftershock.”
A 6-time award-winning public speaker, Meredith Breitstein tours the world encouraging leaders to step into their destiny, walk through fear, and SHINE by finding their courage.
She specializes in helping teams—and her audiences—speak up, stand out, and command a room with their presence.
In Meredith’s wildly popular TEDx talk, “Don’t waste a minute, shine RIGHT NOW,” she inspires her audiences to take fast, committed action to show up powerfully so they can SHINE after adversity. She is frequently hired as both a Motivational Speaker and a Leadership Trainer for organizations to help leaders and teams stand out and SHINE. She loves teaching clients how to level up their courage to power up their presence and be SEEN!
She is also a seasoned TV journalist, who found her passion for storytelling while working for FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN. For more than a decade, she has served as host of The Meredith TV Show, helping others share their amazing stories of overcoming adversity and finding the courage to SHINE. You can watch her TV show on The Motivation and Success TV Network, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon TV.
Meredith’s inspirational story of overcoming personal adversity, The Magic in Change, has been featured in several national magazines, and on Amazon Prime’s TV show, Speak Up.
Meredith’s two greatest loves are hitting the road while teaching her audiences how to SHINE and chasing sunsets at home on the beach in California with her husband, son, and rescue puppy Pepper.
Internationally known educational consultant and nurse educator, Tim Bristol, is a faculty member at Walden University, consultant for the Haiti Nursing Foundation and FSIL nursing school, and owner of NurseTim, Inc. Dr. Bristol helps empower schools not only across the country, but also across the globe — at all levels of education and accreditation. He has led teams through initial program approval, interim reports, and reaccreditation as a faculty member, administrator, and consultant, and specializes in active learning for class, clinical, and lab environments. Schools and government organizations around the world consult with Dr. Bristol to integrate new standards, introduce curricular innovations, make education more accessible, and develop strategic plans. As a faculty development and curriculum design specialist, he is an expert in bringing the evidence-base of nursing, healthcare, and education to students and faculty in the states, and as far away as Haiti. Dr. Bristol also writes and contributes to numerous publications, and is known for his motto: “Today we will learn how to learn.”
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Gary Byron has presented to over 40,000 people from ages kindergarten to adult. He started 3 businesses, has an MBA in Management from Loyola Marymount University, and a BS in Chemistry from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. When he got bored, he wrestled an alligator, did standup comedy, and coached little league baseball. The toughest was little league baseball. Currently, he is General Manager of Dale Carnegie Southern Los Angeles, and a certified Dale Carnegie Senior Trainer. His training specialties are Sales, Effective Communication and Human Relations, and High Impact Presentations.
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One of Nancy’s greatest joys is working directly with individuals and leaders, and witnessing their transformations. Prior to joining Dale Carnegie of Southern Los Angeles in 2004, she excelled throughout a 20-year career with Delta Air Lines. In 2000, she was promoted to Learning Manager, where she regularly developed management teams. In 2004, specializing in aerospace, her Dale Carnegie career highlighted her passion to influence individuals to perform optimally. Technical experts from various STEM professions, including many Boeing and Northrop Grumman managers, have benefited from Nancy’s relationship-building coaching and her ability to help people effectively present. Using her expertise, she specializes in developing and delivering Dale Carnegie seminars for lead generation, motivation, and inspiration. She holds a Master’s degree in communication and is trainer-certified in the Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations program.
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Steven Howard is an attorney and CPA with his own private practice in Mission Viejo, California. Steve advises families and their businesses with all of their legal, tax and estate planning needs. Steve was previously the managing partner of The Bush Firm in Irvine, California. Prior to that, Steve was with Ernst & Young, a national “Big 4” accounting firm. Steve has a BS in Accounting from USC, a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law and a Master’s in Tax Law from Southern Methodist University. Steve is proud to be a Board Member for SEC.
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Dr. McComis is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer for ACCSC. His tenure with ACCSC began in 1994 and he has spent the last 29 years working towards helping to make schools and opportunities for students better through the accreditation process. His efforts are focused on identifying best practices, developing leadership, and driving institutional improvement, student achievement, and student-centered approaches to quality education.
Michale oversees ACCSC’s accreditation process for over 650 institutions focused on career and vocational education and is an advocate for establishing multiple quality pathways to student success through postsecondary education. Michale has served on several task forces and groups looking at issues such as quality credentials, emerging providers, and expanding opportunities for students. Michale has also testified in Congress and served as a negotiator for federal rulemaking on multiple occasions.
Michale earned his BA in History, Master of Education, and Doctor of Education degrees from the University of Virginia. Before going to college, Michale served in the United States Marine Corps and worked in the trades as an electrician’s apprentice and HVAC Technician.
Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown are the bestselling authors of The Unsold Mindset, practitioners, and professors of entrepreneurship. They met at enterprise software startup, Bitium, which they helped lead to an acquisition by Google. They teach at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, where the course they created, “Sales Mindset for Entrepreneurs,” has become one of the school’s most popular classes. They are also investors, startup advisors, and co-founders of Agency18, a firm that helps mission-driven companies adopt the Unsold Mindset. Sought after as keynote speakers and lecturers, these two dynamos love connecting with purpose-driven audiences from diverse industries, professions, and backgrounds. Check out their website at www.colinandgarrett.com.
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Valerie Mendelsohn is a senior executive with more than 20 years of combined private sector and traditional education experience. She is president and co-founder of Mendelsohn Solutions, a comprehensive compliance, risk management, accreditation and Title IX consulting firm. Valerie received her Bachelor of Arts from Lake Forest College and her Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law. Valerie previously served as an Executive Board Member for the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools.
Frances has been working in academic publishing with Pearson for the last 5 years. She has experience on the Product and Content sides of both the Physical and Life Sciences list. Prior to her current role, she was a rep in the field, covering HE accounts in Northern and Southern California, where she truly came to understand the needs of instructors and their students. She is delighted to be in a position to improve the experience of today’s teachers and learners. Frances is based in Los Angeles, CA.
Michele Deck presents nationally and internationally on innovative teaching methods in the field of health care education and training. She is the recipient of many honors and awards for her creativity, innovation, productivity and exemplary leadership qualities. Honors include ANPD’s prestigious Belinda E. Puetz Award, election to Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society, Business Woman of the Year by the National Business Council, and Best Over All Trainer by Creative Training Techniques Companies. She is co-founder and chief executive officer of G.A.M.E.S., a company that specializes in seminars on adult learning and interactive training methods, and Tool Thyme for Trainers, a company which supplies innovative and creative presentation tools for educators worldwide. She has authored twelve books on creative and involving ways to train adults. She is a past president of Lamaze International. She serves on ANPD’s Education committee and was a member of the Editorial board of the Journal for 8 years.
A truly effective account services professional not only understands the central roles of listening and asking the right questions, but how creative and media play integral parts in ensuring campaign success. Tammy has spent more than two decades honing this craft, guiding industry giants in Healthcare, Education, Finance, and Travel and Hospitality to success. Tammy is proactive in working with cross-functional teams in Digital, Traditional Media, and Tech.
Media buying and planning is a science and an instrumental part of every successful campaign. With veteran media strategist, Jackie Post, at the helm of EXACTA’s omni-channel media services department, every marketing effort is on-target, cost-effective, and aligned perfectly with client objectives. Over the years, her keen sense of negotiation and her extensive advertising and marketing know-how in both digital and traditional formats have been key in the overall growth and success of our clients in Healthcare, Education, Finance, Travel and Hospitality, and e-Commerce. “Great creative needs the right platform and audience to succeed,” Jackie professes. “Never underestimate the power of media planning and placement with the right message.”
Kate is Special Counsel with the Higher Education Practice Group of Cooley LLP. She has been working in higher education for nearly 15 years in operational, legal, regulatory, compliance and governmental affairs capacities. She has developed expertise in accreditation, state licensing, federal Title IV and other relevant state and federal higher education statutes and regulations. Her role also includes assessing and operationalizing new and changing laws and regulations; developing compliance structures, including analysis of existing operations; conducting compliance auditing; and reviewing and developing legislative and other governmental policy. Kate has served as an institutional representative with the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education Advisory Committee since 2010.
Dr. David Gonzalez, D.P.A., M.A. is an experienced crisis communications and emergency manager. With 25 years severing the public sector, Dr. Gonzalez has implemented strategic emergency plans, handled a wide range of crises include municipal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and advised on behavioral threat assessments for higher education institutions. Holding a Doctor of Public Administration from the University of La Verne and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Biola University, Dr. Gonzalez serves in leadership positions for several community non-profit organizations, in addition to being the Faculty Vice President and Associate Professor of Public Administration and Leadership for the University of Massachusetts Global.
Elizabeth Keifer Herron, a founding partner of PEAC Student Loan Assistance, is currently a member of the executive management team of CARS. Elizabeth provides client services, community outreach, and is the chief compliance specialist for the family of companies. Serving on numerous committees for higher education associations, she presents at many workshops and conferences; her presence in Washington, DC enables her to access up-to-the-minute information on a variety of legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry. Prior to founding PEAC in 1992, Elizabeth was the chief lobbyist for the Career College Association (now CECU) and served as an experiential educator for Outward Bound Professional, facilitating corporate teambuilding workshops to improve organization efficacy. She received her BA with honors in Political Science and Economics from Douglass College of Rutgers University, and resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two boys.
Chris Alvarado has been a Dale Carnegie Certified Trainer since 2012! After taking the most advanced public speaking program offered by Dale Carnegie Training – called High Impact Presentations – Chris checked out of a career in banking and immediately pursued a career as a trainer with Dale Carnegie Training, and he hasn’t looked back since. He loves to train public speaking, leadership and people skills, and he loves to help those who may have struggled for years with fears and lack of competency in these areas. He trains everyone from executives to college students. He is certified to train High Impact Presentations and Dale Carnegie Training’s most well known program, The Dale Carnegie Course.
Rachel Friend is a Mindset Coach & Relationship Expert who has made it her mission to help you find more joy on the journey by tapping into the power of your mindset. She specializes in giving you the tools to shift your perspective so you can experience the life changing effect it will have in your personal & professional world. She believes that once you learn how to harness the power of perception, you can navigate any situation and connect more meaningfully with others — a solid recipe for joy. With a Masters Degree in Human Communication, Rachel has taught her methodology in the University setting and is excited to show you what your life could look like with a limitless perspective.
Dr. Keri Ohlrich, CEO and co-founder, is an outcome-focused senior executive with more than 20 years of success in the HR, manufacturing, consumer goods, and consulting industries. Her broad areas of expertise include strategic planning, business development, employee relations, talent management, culture change, conflict management, performance management, organizational development, workshop facilitation, and employee engagement and development. Throughout her career, Keri has held leadership positions at a variety of organizations ranging from start-up to Fortune 500 companies. In her previous roles she has created and implemented HR processes, redesigned the talent function for an organization serving 25,000 global employees, led change management for a new business strategy, and overhauled the Human Resources department. Keri obtained her PhD in Human Development and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University. She holds an MS in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University, an MS in Global Human Resources from Loyola University Chicago, and a BS in Psychology and Business from Carnegie Mellon University. She resides in Pasadena, CA.
Registered Dietitian, Adjunct Professor, Pilates & Mindfulness instructor in the North County San Diego area. I am passionate about balance – incorporating health, wellness, nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness daily while enjoying life! I love to teach and work with people to improve their lives through healthy eating and exercise while making behavior changes that last a lifetime. My true love is working with animals. Their amazing ability to connect with humans and genuine nature should be experienced by all.
Dr. Jason Altmire is President and Chief Executive Officer of Career Education Colleges and Universities, the national trade association representing private postsecondary career schools. Since joining CECU in 2020, Jason has led the association to double-digit percentage increases in membership, revenue, and media coverage. In addition, CECU has during this time exponentially increased its member service, communications, and multimedia capabilities, including the acquisition of Career Education Review magazine and initiation of the association’s popular podcast. He also spearheaded the association’s creation of two new subsidiaries, the Alliance for Career Education in the States (ACES), and the CECU Research Foundation.
He has been a senior executive for multibillion-dollar companies in both the hospital and health insurance industries, and from 2007 to 2013, he served three terms in the United States House of Representatives. A prolific public speaker and commentator, Jason in 2017 authored the critically acclaimed book Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It. He has been a frequent guest on national television news programs and a regular opinion contributor to a variety of national media outlets. He is also a member of the U.S. Speakers International Exchange program at the U.S. State Department, which designates American public speakers to represent the country at official overseas engagements.
In Congress, Jason was a bipartisan centrist known for working with both sides of the aisle, which led to an extraordinary record of legislative success. He served as a subcommittee chairman, had 29 of his legislative initiatives signed into law, and introduced a bipartisan bill that gained the most cosponsors of any congressional bill in American history. During his time in office, the nonpartisan National Journal calculated Altmire’s voting record to be at the exact midpoint of the House — the Dead Center — giving him the most centrist voting record in Congress. He also served on the House-Senate conference committee that negotiated the final language of the Higher Education Act the most recent time it was reauthorized.
He has served on more than two dozen boards and civic organizations from the local to the international level. Currently, he co-chairs the Board of Advisors of the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a collaborative project of the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University. He also serves on the boards of several other organizations, including: Jacksonville University’s Public Policy Institute, the political reform group Unite America, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and the Washington Political Film Foundation. He serves on the congressional advisory board of the Middle East Media Research Institute, and is a distinguished fellow at the European Institute for International Law and International Relations, a think tank focusing on global issues. In 2019, he was appointed to co-chair the national Commission on Civility and Effective Governance, which consisted of former cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and members of Congress.
Dr. Jason Altmire is also an adjunct professor of healthcare management at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He earned his Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Florida, his Master’s degree in Health Administration from George Washington University, and his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Florida State University.
Andrew Jahn is the president of Adventist Health’s Southern California Network. In this role, Jahn leads strategy and operations for Adventist Health in the greater Los Angeles basin, which includes acute care hospitals in Los Angeles, Glendale and Simi Valley, with more than 1,000 licensed beds, 40,000 annual discharges and over 750,000 emergency department visits each year. The network includes an integrated graduate medical education program, a multispecialty physician group with over 25 outpatient clinics and three ambulatory surgery centers as well as home-based services. Andrew has served as chairman of the board for Adventist Health St. Helena, Adventist Health Glendale, Adventist Health White Memorial and Adventist Health Simi Valley and as a member of Adventist Health’s executive cabinet since 2018.
Prior to this role, Andrew was president of Adventist Health’s Care Division. He also served as president of Adventist Health Sonora and executive leadership roles at AdventHeath in Kansas City and Florida Hospital in Orlando.
Andrew is a member of the Glendale YMCA board and Union College Advisory Board, past treasurer and Executive Board member for the Hospital Council of Northern & Central California and past board member and trustee for the California Hospital Association. He holds certifications from G.E. in Lean & Six-Sigma, a Bachelor of Science from Union College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Florida.
Edward M. Cramp represents institutions of higher education around the United States in accreditation, regulatory, litigation, and transactional matters. He also serves as the managing partner of the firm’s San Diego office.
Mr. Cramp is active in the private postsecondary education community. He regularly speaks at conferences and events throughout the country on a variety of issues.
Mr. Cramp served as a judge advocate in the United States Navy, where he was appointed to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. During his time in the naval service, he defended numerous matters before courts-martial and administrative boards. He also represented the interests of the United States in claims brought against and on behalf of the Navy.
Mr. Cramp is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and LGBTQ rights. He serves on the steering committee of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion program. He regularly represents members of the LGBTQ community in civil rights matters on a pro bono basis and is active in the local LGBTQ community.
Mr. Cramp is admitted to practice in California and Illinois. He is a graduate, with honors, of the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law and a graduate of the University of California, Riverside.
- Keith Zakarin serves a team lead of the Duane Morris Education industry group and is a member of the firm’s Partners Board. Mr. Zakarin exclusively represents private postsecondary schools and colleges. His representation of these schools nationwide includes such diverse areas of law as student and employee litigation, regulatory and administrative counseling and litigation, mergers and acquisitions, accreditation counseling and advocacy, employment counseling and risk management.
- Zakarin is not just an attorney representing colleges; he also owned and operated an accredited private college for thirteen years.
- Zakarin is a 1986 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of California at San Diego.
Matthew Kennedy Stewart is co-founder and CEO of National Service Group (NSG), which operates College Works Painting, Empire Community Construction, and SMJJ Investments. NSG has grown from a small Southern California-based business into an international company located throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to his role at NSG, Matt serves on the board of directors for multiple organizations. He is past chairman of the global board for the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), a worldwide-business network comprising over 14,000 leading entrepreneurs representing more than 142 chapters located in 46 countries. Matt is consistently recognized for his leadership and management expertise. He has earned the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award from the Orange County Business Journal and the OC Metro 40 Under 40, and he was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Finalist. He has traveled extensively across the world speaking on the topics of entrepreneurship, strategic planning, and business development. In particular, Matt is passionate about mentoring millennials and generation Z. He regularly provides his entrepreneurial insight to high-profile print and online publications. Matt has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur magazine, Inc. magazine, and Fox Business News and on ABC, CBS, and more. Matt is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara and lives in Laguna Niguel, California with his wife, Jill, and their two children.
Liz Augusta, RN, MSN, LNCC, CPHQ, CPHRM is the Clinical Risk Manager for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. She has worked with the Department’s Risk Management and Patient Safety team since completing her training as a Legal Nurse Consultant in 2001. Currently, she assists the Department in multiple roles involving risk management, patient safety, system-wide education, and program development. Prior to her arrival to Health Services Administration, Liz was the hospital-wide shift Nursing Supervisor, Emergency Department Charge Nurse, and Emergency/Trauma Nurse at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. Liz is a frequent speaker, both locally and nationally, on several patient safety and risk management topics, with a special interest in the patient perception of medical error in the provision of healthcare. She imparts a unique perspective in her publications and speaking engagements as both a nurse and consumer of healthcare.
Kathleen Rosales has over 35 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse. 26 of those years were spent full time at the bedside in acute patient care, with the last 18 years spent in Cardiothoracic ICU where she recovered patients following high risk open-heart surgery, heart transplants, and lung transplants. Currently, Dr. Rosales is a full time Professor in the RN program at the Marsha Fuerst School of Nursing in Glendale. Dr. Rosales completed her PhD studies at the University of San Diego where her research focused on the use of clinical simulation to advance nursing practice. Her current research interest is focused on the phenomenon known as failure to rescue, in particular the inability of RNs to recognize signs and symptoms of a patient experiencing a medical crisis, with competent follow-through interventions.
Kimberly Porter has been a Registered Nurse for over 26 years and has worked at the bedside providing direct patient care for over 22 years. Her background in bedside nursing includes medical-surgical nursing, post-anesthesia care nursing, and over 13 years as an emergency room nurse. Dr. Porter currently serves as the lead educator for Emanate Health’s nurse residency program and emergency department nurse training program where she led her team in achieving the program’s Accreditation with Distinction status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Dr. Porter works in collaboration with Glendale Community College’s (GCC) SIM team to provide simulation training to newly hired Registered Nurses and novice Emergency Department nurses. Dr. Porter received her doctorate degree in nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2018. Her doctoral research examined how nurses can recognize and respond to signs of clinical deterioration to prevent failure to rescue.
Valerie Shay began her teaching career as a middle school English, History, and Drama teacher in Ontario, California while completing her MA in Education from Claremont Graduate University. Valerie was acknowledged by Inland Empire Magazine as one of the Inland Empire’s Top 10 Teachers as a first year teacher and subsequently became a literacy coach during her 4th year as a classroom teacher. She later served as an ELD coordinator at two Southern California High Schools.
Kathleen Rosales has over 35 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse. 26 of those years were spent full time at the bedside in acute patient care, with the last 18 years spent in Cardiothoracic ICU where she recovered patients following high risk open-heart surgery, heart transplants, and lung transplants. Currently, Dr. Rosales is a full time Professor in the RN program at the Marsha Fuerst School of Nursing in Glendale. Dr. Rosales completed her PhD studies at the University of San Diego where her research focused on the use of clinical simulation to advance nursing practice. Her current research interest is focused on the phenomenon known as failure to rescue, in particular the inability of RNs to recognize signs and symptoms of a patient experiencing a medical crisis, with competent follow-through interventions.
Tom Leu is the founder of The Education Edge™ and brings a decade of experience as a former instructor and Academic Dean. Tom is a dynamic keynote speaker, corporate and collegiate trainer, professional photographer, and radio host. Tom’s clients include, colleges, universities, higher education associations, fortune 500 companies, and the entertainment industry.
- Founder of The Education Edge™
- Former Academic Dean & Psychology Instructor
- MS Psychology / BS Sociology
- Certified Professional Coach & Certified Body Language Trainer
- Author of 21 Days of Distinction & Musician’s Corner® books
- Professional Photographer and Radio Host
Captain Dean Viana has been in the fire service for over 25 years and currently holds the position of Fire Captain/Paramedic for the Beverly Hills Fire Department. Captain Dean also has certifications as Fire Chief Officer, Fire Officer, State and County Licensed Paramedic, Urban Search and Rescue, American Heart Association Instructor, and Hazardous Materials expert. He has been assigned to presidential details for President Obama, President Clinton, President Ford, and Vice President Biden. As a professional Fire Captain/Paramedic, he responds to emergency medical and fire alarms, trained in fire suppression, fire prevention, public education, participates in community service, and is certified to teach and educate paramedics, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and educators in fire/medical/disaster emergencies. Captain Dean started Celebrity CPR in 2004 when he saw the need of educating the public in life saving skills. “After responding to thousands of people during emergency calls and seeing many times that nobody is rendering aid to save a life, I knew that offering private education to families and organizations was extremely important”.
Kelly Guenther, COO, co-founder of Abbracci Group and the co-host of the reCHARGE® Your Life podcast, has expertise in performance consulting, cultural transformation, change management, organization design, and learning and development. Her consultative style creates the opportunity to diagnose needs and offer solutions based on a thorough understanding of the people, processes, and practices involved. Kelly’s approach is one that is holistic, focusing on the success of the individual and the organization.
Having worked in industries as diverse as healthcare, IT/technology, professional services, manufacturing, and non-profit, Kelly has honed her ability to connect with people holding positions in executive leadership to front-line employees. In prior roles, Kelly has overseen sales training programs and certification processes for over 500 VPs, sales executives, and branch managers and has led the cultural transformation initiative for a 2,500-person organization by engaging employees globally in developing core values, leadership competencies, and a robust engagement strategy.
Kelly is proud that Abbracci Group belongs to the National Small Business Association (NSBA) and is certified as a women-owned business by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) as well as a women-business enterprise by the County of Los Angeles. She is certified in Prosci® change management methodology and a variety of personality assessments including Caliper and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. In addition to receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, she holds a Master of Education from Carroll University.
Having a passion for helping others, Kelly enjoys fostering animals and ensuring they find happy and healthy forever homes. She resides in Southern California with her dog, Stone.
Over her 40 year nursing career, Dr. Cylke (Kat) has developed a wide scope of practice in the areas of clinical patient care, nursing administration, regulatory compliance and nursing education. Her doctoral research resulted in a $750,000 federal grant being used to help Las Vegas employers better transition newly graduated nurses to the workplace. Time spent in many different countries has provided Kat some adventures and conversant insights regarding issues such as health care and gender inequality. While working in Saudi Arabia she created and implemented an EMT Program for Saudi soldiers with the top graduates chosen to be providers for the Crowned Prince of Saudi Arabia. Currently she is a Director of Nursing for Success Education Colleges.
Videos From 2023 PDC
Location
Ontario Convention Center: 2000 E Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764