ACCET Staff

The ACCET staff is here to assist you during the accreditation application processes. Please take advantage of our expertise. We look forward to working with you.

Judy Hendrickson - Interim Executive Director

Education:

M.A. – Public Administration/Government, University of Maryland

B.A. – Political Science, Ohio Wesleyan University

Previous Work Experience:

      • Maryland Higher Education Commission – Director of Academic Affairs
      • HumRRO Technical Education Center – Associate Director
      • George Washington University, Cooperative Education and Training Program – Associate Director/Director of Research and Planning

Commission Liaison – Standards and Policy Committee
Commission Liaison – Appeals 

301-259-1161
jhendrickson@accet.org

John Shaheen - Associate Executive Director

Education:

M.A. – Recreation, Central Michigan University B.S. – Psychology, Georgetown University

Previous Work Experience:

      • Distance Learning Consortium – Director/Owner
      • American Institute for Paralegal Studies – Director/Owner

Co-Chair – Application Review Committee (Initial Applications)
 
734-656-8255
jshaheen@accet.org

Dr. Mary Clare DiGiacomo - Assistant Executive Director

Education:

  • Ph.D. – Old Dominion University, Community College Leadership
  • M.Ed. – Lesley University, Technology in Education
  • B.A. – Stonehill College, Child Development

Previous Work Experience:

      • Athens Technical College – Dean for General Education and Online Learning
      • University of Georgia – Manager of Leadership and Management Development
      • Piedmont Virginia Community College – Coordinator for Distance Learning and Instructional Design
      • Thornton Academy – Instructional Technology Coordinator     

Chair – Completion and Placement Committee
 
202-688-5311
 

Scott Faulstick - Senior Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

M.S. – Applied Linguistics, Georgetown University B.S./B.A. – Linguistics and French Literature, Georgetown University

Previous Work Experience:

      • SOME CET – Assistant Director/Job Developer
      • Technical Education Center – Directior of ESL Instruction/Curriculum Specialist
      • LADO International College – ESL Instructor
      • University of Warsaw, Foreign Language Teacher Training College – Lecturer
      • Nagy Lajos Gimnazium – English (EFL) Teacher

Co-Chair – Application Review Committee (Initial Applications)
Co-Chair – Change of Ownership Committee

202-556-0086
sfaul@accet.org

Res Helfer - Senior Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • M.A. – Education, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

Previous Work Experience:

  • Brandon College, San Francisco  – Owner/Director
  • Brandon College, San Francisco – Academic Director
  • Cordast Elementary School – Head Instructor, Special Ed

Co-Chair – Financial Review Committee
Co-Chair – Complaint Review Committee
Co-Chair – Branching Review Committee (Avocational)
Co-Chair – Change of Ownership Committee
 
202-688-5606
rhelfer@accet.org

Beth Hepler - Senior Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • M.S. – Counseling Psychology, Gannon University
  • B.A. – English, York College of Pennsylvania

Previous Work Experience:

  • Cyanna Education Services, LLC – Consultant , Director of Accreditation and Licensure
  • NT Holdings LLC d/b/a Cortiva Institutes and Hollywood Institutes – Director of Accreditation and State Licensure
  • Steiner Education Group d/b/a Cortiva Institutes – National Director of Accreditation and State Licensure and ADA Coordinator
  • Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) – Accreditation Specialist

717-292-8660
BHepler@accet.org

Donna Hutchison - Senior Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

B.S. – Business Education, James Madison University (formerly James Madison College)

Previous Work Experience:

      • ACCET – Commission Representative
      • Southern Careers Institute – Corporate Director of Education
      • ComputerTraining.com and TechSkills – Director of Compliance
      • ACCET – Associate Executive Director

Co-Chair – Program Review Committee

202-656-5135
dhutchison@accet.org

 

Emily Keegan - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • B.A. – French, Bowling Green State University

Previous Work Experience:

  • The Language Company (Toledo) – Center Director, Director of Admissions, Instructor
  • Wood County Humane Society – Board Vice President, Fundraising Chair, Outreach Coordinator
  • French Ministry of Education – English teaching assistant

Co-Chair — Application Review Committee (Reaccreditation Applications)
Co-Chair – Branching Review Committee (IEP)
 
419-534-0842
ekeegan@accet.org

Derek Kerr - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • M.A.- Cross-Cultural and International Education – Bowling Green State University
  • B.A.- Spanish- Bowling Green State University
  • International TEFL Certificate- Canterbury Consulting, Spain

Previous Work Experience:

  • The Language Company (Fort Wayne)- Center Director/PDSO/Instructor
  • ELS Language Centers (Bowling Green)- Director of Academics/Instructor
  • Canterbury Consulting, Spain (Madrid)- English as a Second Language Instructor

Co-Chair – Program Review Committee (Avocational & IEP)
 
202-503-9274
dkerr@accet.org

Andre McDuffie - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • M.S. in Human Resource Management
  • B.A. in Communication

Previous Work Experience:

  • Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) – Senior Coordinator of Accreditation, Accreditation Coordinator, Human Resources Generalist, Senior Human Resources Coordinator, and Administration Coordinator

Co-Chair – Branching Review Committee (Vocational)
Co-Chair – Conference Committee
 
202-743-0556
AMcDuffie@accet.org
 

Kaitlyn Gough - Administrative Assistant and Database Liaison

Education:

B.A. – Anthropology, Ithaca College

Previous Work Experience:

  • On Our Own of Maryland – Administrative Assistant
  • The Human Rights Campaign’s All Children, All Families Project – Intern

Assistant – Accounts Receivable (sustaining fees, visit fees, application fees, etc.)
Assistant – Initial Applications
Chair – Annual Report and Enrollment Statistics (ACCET Documents 12a and 12b)
Liaison – Databases
 
202-695-1254
KGough@accet.org
 

Caroline Kassas - Administrative Assistant

Education:

B.A. – American Studies, Dickinson College

Previous Work Experience:

  • Asbell Center for Jewish Life – Office Assistant
  • Mann Center for the Performing Arts – Operations & Guests Services Intern

Assistant – Conference Committee
Assistant – Technology Committee
Liaison – Financial Review Committee
 
202-630-0141
CKassas@accet.org