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 Review Committee
Commission Liaison – Appeals Panel

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

Mary Clare DiGiacomo, Ph.D. - 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 Review 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
 
202-668-5606
rhelfer@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

Miia Rasinen - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

MA, Instructional Design & Technology – West Virginia University

Certification, Secondary Mathematics – University of St. Thomas

BA, University of Notre Dame

Proficiency in French, L’Universite Catholique de l’Ouest

Previous Work Experience:

  • Electronics Transactions Association – Manager
  • Truckload Carrier Association – Education Manager
  • Prestige Academy Charter School – Teacher
  • Teach for America – Teacher

Co-Chair – Branching Review Committee (Vocational)
Co-Chair – Financial Review Committee
 
202-695-2780
mrasinen@accet.org
 

Cristina Rodarte - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

M.A. – International Education, American University

B.A. – French & Francophone Studies, Santa Clara University

Previous Work Experience:

      • Stafford House – Student Services Manager
      • Management Concepts – Instructional Designer 
      • Hubert H. Humprey Fellowship Program at American University  – Assistant
      • Lille France and Antofagasta (Chile) – English Teacher 

Co-Chair – Program Review Committee
 
510-473-7046
crodarte@accet.org
 

Courtney J. Smith - Accreditation Coordinator

Education:

  • B.S. Economics & B.S. Psychology, University of Pittsburgh Honors College
  • Univ. of Cambridge Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), St. John’s University

Previous Work Experience:

  • Academic Director – U.S. Ling Institute
  • Consultant/Language Professional

Co-Chair – Branching Review Committee (IEP)
 
202-695-2605
CSmith@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

‪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

‪
CKassas@accet.org