UOPX - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Vice President, Public Relations
• Public Relations

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean
• Associate Dean for the College of Education

Ashley Bartley serves as the Associate Dean for the College of Education at University of Phoenix. She has accumulated over 15 years of experience in higher education. Starting her career as an instructional designer and later pairing her undergraduate work in elementary education with her graduate degree in adult education to serve in her current capacity. Bartley oversees the design, development, and management of College of Education programs and course curriculum to ensure the highest academic integrity using principles of instructional design, assessment data of student learning outcomes, regulatory requirements, and faculty expertise. Bartley works as the administrative head of the college's advanced preparation programs and continuing education coursework. Creating teachers is like planting seeds for a brighter future. It's not just about lessons; it's about nurturing a love for learning and cultivating the passion to inspire others. In prior roles within the University, Bartley has managed program and curriculum development processes for associate, undergraduate and graduate education programs within the College of Education. This included program conceptualization, market research, program architecture, course development, and all policy and procedure administration associated with the program. She managed various projects related to compliance within the College of Education and communicated the outcomes of these compliance requirements to various departments and campuses nationwide. She also coordinated projects internally and externally with multiple colleges and departments within the University and with various external stakeholders, including faculty, to maintain accreditation. Bartley has an undergraduate degree in elementary education from Arizona State University and a Master of Arts in Education, Adult Education and Training, from University of Phoenix.

Job Titles:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Finance
• Leader
• Treasurer

Blair Westblom, chief financial officer and treasurer, leads the finance and real estate and facilities functions. In her role, she partners with executive management and the Board of Trustees to drive value creation in support of the University's strategic objectives. Her areas of responsibility include accounting, internal audit, financial planning and analysis, treasury, strategic sourcing, tax, financial systems, real state and facilities, and collections. Westblom is a seasoned finance leader with over 21 years of experience in publicly traded and private companies across various industries including higher education, biotechnology, investment banking and REITs. She joined the University in 2010 as associate director of finance and was promoted multiple times, with significant expansion of responsibility. In January 2023, Westblom was appointed chief financial officer by the University Board of Trustees. Prior to joining the University, Westblom was senior group controller at Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, the $259 billion global pharmaceuticals and diagnostics business, where she was responsible for fiscal management of the $3 billion biologic oncology business during a period of rapid growth and investment in multiple clinical trials, product launches and line extensions. She also served as financial analyst at Thomas Weisel Partners, which was subsequently acquired by Stifel Financial, where she conducted industry research and advised corporate clients on multiple transactions, including initial public offerings, private placements and mergers and acquisitions, from deal origination through to completion.

Job Titles:

• Chief Human Resources Officer
• in 2009 As Vice President of Human Resources

Cheryl Naumann, our chief human resources officer, leads the human resources function responsible for aligning people strategies with University objectives. Her areas of responsibility include talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, talent management, employee engagement, performance management, talent and succession planning, learning services, HR information systems and employee services, internal communications and ethics, compliance and data privacy. Naumann joined University of Phoenix in 2009 as vice president of human resources with more than 25 years of HR leadership experience in various industries, including technology solutions and distribution, sports and entertainment, hospitality and the nonprofit sector. In 2013, Naumann was promoted to chief human resources officer. Immediately prior to joining the University, Naumann served as vice president of human resources, North America for Avnet, where she led the HR business partner function for the $13B Fortune 300 organization within the United States, Mexico, Canada and Brazil. Before Avnet, Naumann served as president and chief executive officer for one of the ten largest regional nonprofit organizations in the United States. Previously, she also served as the head of human resources for the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks professional sports clubs for 10 years. Naumann earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources and the National Association of Corporate Directors certifications.

Job Titles:

• President
• Meet President

Chris Lynne was named the president of the University in December 2022 after serving as interim president since June 2022. Lynne works collaboratively with the Senior Leadership Team to further accelerate the University-wide vision to be recognized as the most-trusted provider of career-relevant higher education for working adults. A seasoned executive in higher education, Lynne previously served as the University's chief financial officer since from 2018 to 2022. Before joining the University, Lynne's professional background included, most recently, serving as the chief financial officer of Cadence Education, a holding company with more than 200 preschools across the U.S. He also founded Transcend Education Group and served as president and chief operating officer of Hot Chalk, an online program management company. Prior to that time, Lynne served at Northcentral University in a dual chief financial officer and chief operating officer role. During his tenure at Northcentral, Lynne helped the institution achieve a reaffirmation of accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission, led a successful recapitalization effort, and built data-driven operational processes across the student journey that improved outcomes and enhanced the institution's student-focused culture. Earlier in his career, Lynne also held other financial and operational roles within the higher education industry. Lynne holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from the Booth School of Business at University of Chicago.

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean
• Chairman
• Leader

Dr. Lalley is a trailblazing leader. She helps shape the future of healthcare education. With a career spanning over three decades, Dr. Lalley fosters a culture of continuous learning and excellence. Actively engaging clinicians, doctoral faculty and students, she champions ongoing professional development and pursues research excellence to transform healthcare. Dr. Cathy Lalley is dedicated to nurturing excellence in doctoral students through meaningful and supportive mentorship relationships. Dr. Lalley's expertise transforms education into a dynamic and transformative experience where innovation thrives, and excellence is the norm. Dr. Lalley takes pride in her inclusive approach to faculty development. Dr. Lalley actively recruits, mentors and trains interdisciplinary tenure, tenure-track and doctoral faculty creating a diverse and interprofessional academic community. Dr. Lalley is the dissertation chair for multiple healthcare administration research projects. She role models for faculty the pivotal role they play in guiding and supporting students to achieve success in their academic endeavors. As the Associate Dean of the Doctor of Health Administration program, Dr. Lalley believes in the power of mentorship to shape the next generation of scholars. She is dedicated to nurturing excellence in doctoral students through meaningful and supportive mentorship relationships.   Lalley, C. & Malloch, K. (2010). Work-arounds: The hidden pathway to excellence. Nurse Leader, 8(4), 29-32.

Job Titles:

• Associate Dean
• Associate Dean of the Criminal Justice, Public Administration

Dr. Franzi Walsh is the Associate Dean of the Criminal Justice, Public Administration and Security programs in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. With 20 years in her current role, she applies her passion for student support throughout their journey through program operations and curriculum development - ensuring programs stay relevant for tomorrow's leaders. Further supporting academic excellence and professional development, Dr. Walsh serves as faculty advisor of Alpha Phi Sigma, Eta Theta Chapter and Order of the Sword and Shield honor societies. Prior to joining the University, Dr. Walsh enjoyed a rewarding career in law enforcement. As a patrol officer with the Honolulu Police Department, she experienced various assignments with the Alternative Call Services Unit, the Bicycle Unit, and the All-Terrain Vehicle Unit (ATV) on Waikiki Beach and surrounding parks. After moving to Arizona, Dr. Walsh began working with the Arizona Department of Corrections as a Correctional Officer in a maximum-security institution. Each assignment embraced leadership, community outreach and advocacy, and a passion for making and being a positive difference in the community. She enjoys spending time with her two rescue dogs, a black Shepard named Pele and a Blue Lacy named Storm. When out jet-setting, Dr. Walsh will travel just about anywhere and explores the globe as often as possible to experience new cultures and new foods! Dr. Walsh earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Western International University, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management (MAOM) and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the University of Phoenix. Having a passion for lifelong learning, Dr. Walsh is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education (EdD) with Northern Arizona University. My teaching philosophy centers on fostering the learning environment that blends course content and theory with real world practical applications and skills.

Job Titles:

• Senior Vice President
• Senior Vice President, Government Affairs
• University As Senior Vice President of Government Affairs

Eric Rizzo, senior vice president of government affairs, leads the University's federal and state advocacy, legislative, and political programs. His responsibilities include managing the University's government affairs function and overseeing strategic public policy and public affairs development, and political engagement with elected officials, lawmakers, and stakeholders in support and alignment of operational objectives and strategic initiatives that advance University employees, students, and alumni interests. Rizzo joined the University as senior vice president of government Affairs in November 2019. He comes to the University with 25-years of legislative, public policy, political, and communications experience, including congressional legislative aide assignments on Capitol Hill, and private sector government affairs leadership positions with international and national financial services firms. Prior to joining the University, Rizzo led Mizuho Bank Ltd.'s government affairs group from December 2017 to November 2019. Rizzo started his public policy political career in 1995 as a legislative aide for U.S. House Representatives Bill Zeliff (NH) and Pete Sessions (TX), followed by tenures representing national industry trades association. Rizzo was then promoted to corporate executive and officer roles where he established and managed Washington, DC government affairs offices for Farmers Insurance Group and Fifth Third Bancorp. Rizzo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Business Communications from Bentley University. He and his wife, Laura, and their three children reside in Warrenton, VA.

Job Titles:

• Chief Information Officer

As chief information officer, Jamie Smith is renowned for his strategic vision and leadership in technology. He specializes in driving digital transformation, operational excellence and innovation across various sectors. His expertise encompasses strategic IT leadership, cloud-based solutions, agile methodologies and stakeholder engagement. Jamie's role is pivotal in aligning technology initiatives with corporate goals to boost growth and efficiency. Jamie's career spans over two decades, with a significant emphasis on transforming University of Phoenix through digital initiatives. He orchestrated a comprehensive cloud transformation and a shift to agile methodologies, achieving a 40% reduction in operating costs while enhancing student experiences. His approach has consistently delivered cutting-edge, data-driven solutions. Previously, Jamie held key positions at ServiceMaster, Nissan (NMAC), PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and IBM. His achievements include leading ServiceMaster through a digital transformation, driving Nissan's CRM and technology strategies and pioneering CRM and eCommerce solutions for various high-profile clients. He has been recognized as the InspireCIO Arizona CIO of the Year and served as a board member of several technology councils. Jamie holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Iowa State University. His educational background and professional accolades underscore his commitment to advancing the field of information technology.

Job Titles:

• Chief Academic Officer and Provost
• Provost and Chief Academic Officer
• Trustee of the Worthington Educational Foundation

John Woods, Ph.D., is chief academic officer and provost for University of Phoenix, responsible for the University's academic mission and high-quality, rigorous and career-relevant academic programs. His team defines student learning outcomes that align with employer expectations and with the skills students need to improve their performance in today's competitive economy. Dr. Woods leads assessment of student learning, instructional innovation, faculty engagement, the student experience, accreditation and institutional reporting. He is the founding director of the University of Phoenix Career Institute®, which annually publishes the Career Optimism Index®, whose insights are featured in numerous publications including Forbes and Inc. Prior to Phoenix, Dr. Woods served as a dean, an adjunct faculty member at numerous institutions over the last twenty-five year and as chief academic officer for over fifteen years at other institutions, serving working adult learners. He began his career in higher education helping colleges and universities leverage technology for instruction with the Eduprise, Collegis and Deltak family of companies. Dr. Woods has served as a trustee of the Worthington Educational Foundation, a peer evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission and board member with Kivuto, an educational technology company that simplifies how schools manage and distribute digital student resources. He is also author of a chapter in "Doing More With Less: Making Colleges Work Better." Dr. Woods earned a PhD in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University, where the focus of his research was adult learning, training and development, as well as academic honesty policies and procedures. He also has a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.

Job Titles:

• Chief Operating Officer
• Leader

Raghu Krishnaiah serves as the chief operating officer at University of Phoenix, where he is instrumental in the transformation of the University and responsible for all operating strategy and results. As part of his responsibilities, Krishnaiah oversees all student academic, financial aid, enrollment, technology and career advising; corporate, tribal and community college relationships; product development; operational analytics; regional campuses; and business innovation. Krishnaiah is an innovative leader experienced in turning transformative products and business concepts into successful global companies by bridging the gap between strategy and execution. He holds strong expertise in data monetization and analytics that drives faster, more accurate decision-making in start-ups, turnarounds and Fortune 500 companies. His career as a seasoned change agent and strategist spans more than 20 years of progressive P&L management, strategy, sales and marketing, product development, operations, technology and Board responsibilities. Before joining University of Phoenix, Krishnaiah held the role of chief operating officer at Western Governors University, where he led significant growth in student outcomes. Prior to Western Governors University, Krishnaiah worked as senior vice president at Kaplan Higher Education Group and has served in a number of senior leadership roles throughout his career, overseeing large operational infrastructures at complex global organizations in financial services, management consulting and business services industries. Krishnaiah earned both a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.

Job Titles:

• Chief Strategy and Customer Officer
• in 2009 As Chief of Staff

Ruth Veloria, our chief strategy and customer officer, leads consensus-building on our University objectives. Her areas of responsibility include aligning investment options to financial plans, assessing competitive intelligence, creating visions for the customer experience and the right road maps to take us there. Her role now includes the critical role of utilizing customer data to help students progress, graduate and get new careers. Veloria joined the University of Phoenix in 2009 as chief of staff to the former chief operating officer of Apollo Education Group. She has led the Business School and played the role of chief customer officer at the University, implementing critical customer listening capabilities. She is passionate about fostering student success at a transformational level. Prior to 2009, she had 12 years of strategy experience across Booz Allen and BCG and corporate experience at Charles Schwab, where she also ran brokerage contact centers for two years. Veloria earned a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from New College at the University of Oxford. She also holds a Master's in Management (Beta Gamma Sigma) from The Kellogg School at Northwestern University.

Job Titles:

• Director, External Communications & Media Relations
• Media Relations

Job Titles:

• General Counsel
• Secretary
• Senior Vice President

Srini Medi has served as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of the University since June 2020. Prior to joining the University, Mr. Medi served in a number of different legal roles at Bisk Education, Inc. including associate general counsel from January 2017 to September 2017, general counsel from October 2017 to January 2019 and as chief legal officer from February 2019 to June 2020. Prior to that, Mr. Medi served as associate general counsel at Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc. n/k/a Red Lion Hotel Corporation from January 2016 to December 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Medi worked for nearly eight years at Kaplan, Inc., a global provider of higher education and education related services, where he led their Commercial Transaction team and spent some time serving as the lead attorney Kaplan University. Mr. Medi began his legal career at various law firms working in the areas of corporate securities, corporate finance, technology, and real estate. Mr. Medi holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, a Master of Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston.

Job Titles:

• Chief Marketing Officer

Steve Gross is the chief marketing officer for University of Phoenix. He is responsible for the University brand, as well as the acquisition, progression and retention of students. Included in these areas are content marketing, social media, analytics, product marketing, all forms of advertising, public relations and our website. Gross joined the University in 2019. His career has been characterized by marketing and general management roles across a series of industries including consumer packaged goods, wireless, legal publishing and education. Prior to joining University of Phoenix, Gross was the chief executive officer of Calvert Education, a K-12 online learning company. He also worked at Pearson, a global education company, as divisional global chief marketing officer. Gross also worked in marketing leadership roles at Lexis Nexis, Arch Wireless and Pepsi, where he held a series of marketing and operational leadership roles. Gross holds a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the EF Gould Foundation.