EDUCATION AFFILIATES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative Officer
Alex has been leading educational institutions since 1986. Alex joined Education Affiliates at its founding in 2004 and is responsible for providing functional support to the schools by leading corporate efforts in Education, Nursing, Financial Aid, Career Services and Human Resources.
Alex's foundation of knowledge in the education industry is built on his initial experiences as a campus president. While those experiences enabled him to grow into various regional and national leadership roles, it was that daily interaction with his students that has informed his approach as Education Affiliates' administrative leader: never forgetting that the Education Affiliates' mission is ultimately accomplished at the school, where talented teachers provide the opportunity for students to gain the skills to work in meaningful and rewarding careers.
Alex has a BA in Economics from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Regional Vice President, Operations
Mr. Marth is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of operational experience guiding teams to create strong educational opportunities for a diverse group of students. Prior to joining Education Affiliates, Mr. Marth was a CEO and a Regional Vice President of Operations for other educational institutions which provided higher education and technical training for post-secondary students.
Mr. Marth joined Education Affiliates in January of 2015 and is responsible for overseeing career school operations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as our two Commercial Driving operations in Georgia, and Indiana.
Mr. Marth focuses his teams on creating student centered operations that lead to positive outcomes in career fields including Allied Health, Nursing, Skilled Trades and Commercial driving.
Mr. Marth holds a BA in Mass Communications from Bloomsburg University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Marketing
Mr. Visco is an accomplished marketing professional with over 35 years of experience in brand and lead generation marketing. He has developed a breadth of marketing skills working across many sectors and verticals with heavy emphasis on education.
Mr. Visco joined Education Affiliates in 2010. Prior to joining EA, he worked for several media advertising and digital marketing agencies working on various accounts for national brands. Mr. Visco started his marketing career with the Colonial Penn Insurance Company, and has worked with other sophisticated companies, where he developed his marketing and advertising skills as he advanced through the organizations holding positions of increased scope and responsibility.
Mr. Visco manages the advertising campaigns for all Education Affiliates school brands with a focus on delivering marketing strategies that clearly communicate the value of the education programs offered at the Company's various campus locations. In this capacity, Mr. Visco is committed to achieving and maintaining high standards for student outcomes by developing and delivering messaging to student prospects and stakeholders. including employers, that accurately portray the value of the education they receive as adult learners attending school.
Mr. Visco earned an MBA from The University of California Berkeley and a BA in Economics with Distinction from The University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President, Operations
Brian Owen is an experienced healthcare and education professional who has assumed positions of increasing responsibility and leadership. He began his education career as a science instructor, then moved on to be an assistant dean of education, academic dean, campus president and, most recently, a regional vice president. His current role as a Regional Vice President for Education Affiliates has him providing oversight and guidance to colleges and schools in Utah, Indiana and Ohio. Prior to entering into education, Brian owned a multi-specialty pain-management office in Reno, Nevada for more than a decade.
Mr. Moore is a versatile, seasoned executive with over 32 years of experience leading education and training, business development and operations functions for multiple organizations. In addition to Education Affiliates, Mr. Moore has served in these capacities at Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and Kaplan Inc. Mr. Moore joined Education Affiliates in April of 2015 and is responsible for overseeing national school operations as well as the corporate functional areas of Admissions, Marketing, and the Customer Contact Center.
Mr. Moore is committed to achieving and maintaining high student satisfaction and outcomes by developing and implementing educational and strategic business initiatives designed to increase learning, employee productivity and operational efficiency.
Mr. Moore holds a BBA in both Marketing and International Business from The University of Texas at Austin.
Cary A. Metz - Chief Legal Officer, VP
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Vice President
- Vice President and General Counsel for Education Affiliates Inc
Mr. Metz is the Vice President and General Counsel for Education Affiliates Inc., having joined the Company in January 2013. Mr. Metz has practiced corporate law for most of his career, and has been a Vice President and General Counsel for several companies in several different industries. Prior to Education Affiliates, Mr. Metz was the Vice President and General Counsel for New World Pasta Company and, before that, Vlasic Foods International, a publicly traded company. Mr. Metz was also a corporate lawyer for Campbell Soup Company.
Mr. Metz attended law school at Boston University School of Law, and received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Metz is located at the Baltimore, Maryland headquarters of Education Affiliates.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Human Resources
- Human Resources Leader
Ms. Kuennen is an accomplished Human Resources leader with experience in design and implementation of Human Resources business practices across diverse environments. Ms. Kuennen has over 25 years of experience in higher education leadership roles and has served in both traditional and proprietary institutions. Ms. Kuennen has served in these roles most recently at Florida Institute of Technology and Brown Mackie Colleges. Ms. Kuennen joined Education Affiliates in July of 2022 and is responsible for Human Resources and Payroll across the organization.
Ms. Kuennen has commitment and vision towards long-term strategies focused on growth, sustainability, efficiency, and people experience.
Ms. Kuennen holds an MBA from Argosy University and BA in Business Administration from Phillips University.
Dr. Foster brings more than 30 years of academic and nursing leadership experience to her role as Vice President of Nursing at Education Affiliates. As Vice President of Nursing, Dr. Foster is responsible for the vision, direction and oversight of all nursing education, with a focus on student learning and overall program outcomes.
Dr. Foster previously served as Dean of Nursing and Health Science for American Sentinel College at Post University, and Associate Dean and Director of Curriculum for the School of Nursing at Kaplan University. Dr. Foster also served at Southwestern Michigan College in various leadership positions, including Dean of the School of Nursing and Human Services and Dean of Academic Studies.
An active member of the nursing community, Dr. Foster serves as a member of the Advisory Council of the National League for Nursing Foundation, is a program evaluator for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and serves on the Organization of Associate Degree Nursing Foundation Board of Directors. She is a member of the National League for Nursing, and Sigma Theta Tau International. She served as the past president of the Cass County Council on Aging Board of Directors and is currently on the Board of Trustees for Southwestern Michigan College. She has previously held positions and been involved in several national nursing and education professional associations.
Dr. Foster earned her PhD in Educational Leadership and Administration and Master of Science in Nursing from Andrews University, and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Michigan. She also holds a certificate from the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University.
Dr. Karen Ferguson is a transformative leader dedicated to building high performing teams and optimized frameworks leading to quality and student success. She is focused on providing access to a quality education for those who may not be served by a traditional university. Karen is an academic and operational leader with experience leading small, large, and cross functional groups on multiple projects including faculty and student performance; persistence, satisfaction and retention; curriculum, assessment and accreditation; enrollment and program growth, and most importantly the student experience. Karen joined Education Affiliates in October of 2022 and is responsible for leading academic operations and ensuring student and organization outcomes are achieved.
As a non-traditional student herself, Karen is dedicated to improving the academic success of adult, military, and other modern learners. Karen holds a BS from Southern Illinois University and a MS and PhD from the University of Louisville.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Financial Planning
Mr. Mika has held a series of positions with increasing responsibility and scope at Education Affiliates. Currently, as Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis, Mr. Mika is responsible for overseeing all budgeting, forecasting, and financial metrics of the Company and all of its subsidiaries, modeling for internal and external stakeholders, and financial analysis for key initiatives of the Company.
Mr. Mika is a dedicated member of Education Affiliates, committed to helping the organization maintain strong financial performance through the development and management of KPI metrics, strategic modeling, decision making, team building, and financial systems. Mr. Mika has more than 25 years of corporate financial experience, providing leadership, guidance, and analytical support at Northrop Grumman, Ciena Corporation, and Education Affiliates. Mr. Mika joined Education Affiliates in June of 2005.
Mr. Mika holds a BSBA in Finance from The University of Florida, and an MBA in Management Information Systems from Loyola University Maryland.
Jerry Smith - Chief Compliance Officer, SVP
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Senior Vice President
Mr. Smith is responsible for the management of federal loan and grant programs, state grant programs, and other student funding sources for all Education Affiliates schools and programs. Mr. Smith leads all accreditation compliance initiatives, and is directly responsible for internal audit functions, default management systems and compliance with all federal, state, accrediting and regulatory requirements and regulations for Education Affiliates.
Mr. Smith has been with Education Affiliates since he joined in 2005 as the Sr. Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to joining Education Affiliates, Mr. Smith held various positions of increasing responsibility with the U.S. Department of Education, a national accrediting agency for post-secondary schools, and as a Vice President of Compliance for a portfolio of schools operated by a private investment group.
Mr. Smith earned a B.S. in Political Science at St. Leo University in 1984.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President, Operations
Dr. Estorge oversees Fortis Colleges and Institutes in the Southeastern United States, responsible for the oversight of all functional areas of each campus, including academics, career services and administration. Dr. Estorge is focused on the quality of the academic and school environment available to students, and student achievement of academic success and excellent outcomes. He is an entrepreneurial leader who is committed to recruiting and retaining great people while creating a culture of accountability, ownership, responsibility, ethics, and kindness.
He is a two-time Education Affiliates Circle of Excellence Award Winner and formerly served as President at two of our Fortis College campuses. Dr. Estorge has a Ph.D. at Regent University through the School of Business and Leadership and published a dissertation on the topic of Organizational Commitment.
Prior to his tenure with Education Affiliates, which he joined in 2017, John led several departments at other educational institutions.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Admissions
Ms. Yates has over 25 years of leadership, management, training, coaching, and sales experience in the fields of education, banking, and retail industries. She joined Education Affiliates in 2005 in the area of student admissions and has assumed positions of increasing responsibility since then.
Her comprehensive understanding of the importance of a successful education experience and outcome to applicants, and the role of the admissions process from every level, has allowed her to tailor the admissions strategy and student recruitment process of Education Affiliates so that it serves the best interests of applicants and students.
Ms. Yates is committed to creating a compliant environment where prospective students feel supported, encouraged, and empowered to pursue their educational and career dreams while striving to achieve their full potential. Skilled in training and development, she wholeheartedly embraces her role in nurturing talent and fostering growth in others.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Information Services
Mr. Belardi is a highly accomplished information technology professional with over 25 years of experience in the education industry. Mr. Belardi currently serves as the Vice President of Information Services and Technology for Education Affiliates. Mr. Belardi brings a wealth of expertise, approachability, and passion to his role. He has a proven track record of success in leading complex projects and fostering collaborative environments.
Mr. Belardi's diverse experiences and strong leadership skills have earned him recognition within the education industry. His positive attitude and effective communication style resonate across all departments, playing a pivotal role in driving innovation and fostering efficiency. Colleagues admire his ability to navigate complex projects with ease while maintaining a sense of humor and approachability.
In addition to his professional background, Mr. Belardi holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Sports Management) from Elon University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Leader
- President
Mr. Finuf is a passionate leader with more than 32 years of experience in business & higher education. Mr. Finuf joined Education Affiliates as President and CEO in May of 2022 after spending his previous five years as President and CEO of Salem University.
Mr. Finuf has a passion for students attending Education Affiliates schools and for creating a work environment that is viewed as a great place to work across the higher education sector, which is the catalyst for driving student success.
Mr. Finuf has a long track record of successfully working with both national and regional accrediting agencies as well as state regulatory agencies across the United States. Mr. Finuf believes that educational institutions should have a strong focus on addressing student needs throughout the entire student life cycle, from enrollment through education, graduation, licensing, and career services.
Mr. Finuf holds a BBA in Business Management, Summa Cum Laude, from American Intercontinental University - Hoffman Estates, IL.
Job Titles:
- Regional Vice President, Operations
Ms. Good has been working in career education for over 30 years. She joined Education Affiliates in November 2021, and was Campus President of our Fortis Institute in Port St. Lucie, Florida. In February 2023 she took on the role of Regional Vice President. She is overseeing our campuses in Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Prior to joining Education Affiliates, she has served career schools as a VP of Operations, VP of Education, Campus President, Director of Education, and her favorite role - Instructor.
Ms. Good chose Education Affiliates and her career path with one desire, assisting members of our communities in finding a career path which works best for them, and allows them to support themselves and their families. As an educator, Ms. Good feels strongly that we should treat every student as if they were your family member.
Mr. Budosh joined Education Affiliates in January, 2004, and has had the lead financial role since the company's inception.
Prior to joining Education Affiliates, Mr. Budosh was a Corporate Vice President for Global Knowledge, Inc. for seven years and had various senior-level financial and operational responsibilities. Before that, he was the CFO of MWI, Inc., a leading regional computer products distributor and training company. He started his career at Black & Decker serving in several financial positions.
Mr. Budosh holds an MBA from Loyola College in Baltimore and is a CPA. He is active in his community, serving as a director for various non-profit organizations, including two educational institutions. He has also been on the Adjunct Faculty of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in the Graduate Finance Dept.