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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

Coming Soon