Directory of State Authorization and Lead Contacts
Each state has a point of contact for higher education or postsecondary education.
Directory of State Authorization Agencies and Lead Contacts
SHEEO – April 2014
US States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico
Alabama
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
Elizabeth C. French
Director
Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning Alabama Commission on Higher Education Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
(334) 242-2179
elizabeth.french@ache.alabama.gov
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education
Annette Funderburk
Private School Licensure Specialist
Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education Office of Private School Licensing Division
(334) 293-4651
annette.funderburk@dpe.edu
Alabama Office of the Secretary of State
Rebecca Morris, CPM
Director of Business Services
Office of Alabama Secretary of State
(334) 242-7221
rebecca.morris@sos.alabama.gov
Alaska
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
Kierke A. Kussart
Program Coordinator for Institutional Authorization Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education
(907) 465‐6741
Kierke.kussart@alaska.gov
EED.ACPE-IA@alaska.gov
Arizona
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
Teri Stanfill
Executive Director
Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
(602) 542-2399
teri.stanfill@azppse.gov
Arkansas
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
Alana Boles
Coordinator, Academic Affairs
Arkansas Department of Higher Education
(501) 371-2060
Alana.Boles@adhe.edu
Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
Brenda Germann
Director
Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education
(501) 683-8000
brenda.germann@arkansas.gov
California
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
Joanne Wenzel
Deputy Bureau Chief
Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
(916) 431-6905
joanne.wenzel@dca.ca.gov
Colorado
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Heather DeLange
Academic Policy Officer
Colorado Department of Higher Education
(303) 866-2723
heather.delange@dhe.state.co.us
Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools
Georgia Roberts
Deputy Director Division of Private Occupational Schools
(303) 866-2723
Georgia.roberts@dhe.state.co.us
Connecticut
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
Patricia Santoro
Director of Academic Affairs
Office of Financial and Academic Affairs for Higher Education
(860) 947-1822
PSantoro@ctdhe.org
Delaware
Delaware Department of Education
Angeline Willen
Director
Teacher and Administrator Quality Development
Delaware Department of Education
(302) 857-3388
angeline.willen@doe.k12.de.us
District of Columbia
DC Education Licensure Commission
Robin Y. Jenkins
Executive Director
DC Education Licensure Commission
(202) 724-2095
robin.jenkins@dc.gov
Florida
Florida Department of Education, Commission for Independent Education
Sam Ferguson
Executive Director
Commission for Independent Education Florida Department of Education
(850) 245-3200
sam.ferguson@fldoe.org
Georgia
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
Carl G. Camann, Ph.D.
Deputy Director
Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission
(770) 414-3208
ccam@npec.state.ga.us
Hawaii
Hawaii Post-Secondary Education Authorization Program Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Bobbi Lum-Mew
(808) 586-PEAP (7327)
bobbi.lummew@dcca.hawaii.gov
Idaho
Idaho State Board of Education
Valerie Fenske
State Coordinator for Private Colleges and Proprietary Schools
Idaho State Board of Education
(208) 332-1587
valerie.fenske@osbe.idaho.gov
Illinois
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Dr. Dan Cullen
Deputy Director
Academic Affairs Illinois Board of Higher Education
431 East Adams Street
Second Floor Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 557-7352
Cullen@ibhe.org
Indiana
Indiana Commission for Higher Education Public, and Private Non-Profit, Degree-Granting Institutions
Ken Sauer, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Commissioner for Research and Academic Affairs
Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE)/ Executive Director
Indiana Board for Proprietary Education (BPE)
(317) 464-4400 ext. 121
ksauer@che.in.gov
Private For-Profit, Degree-Granting Institutions
Ross Miller
Director of Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance
Indiana Board for Proprietary Education (BPE)/ Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE)
(317) 464-4400 Ext. 138
rmiller@bpe.che.in.gov
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Dinell Edge
Accreditation Specialist Office for Career and Technical Schools (OCTS)
Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
(317) 234-8338
dedge1@dwd.in.gov
Iowa
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
Carolyn Small
Postsecondary Registration Administrator Iowa College Student Aid Commission
(515) 725-3413
carolyn.small@iowa.gov
Kansas
Kansas Board of Regents
Jacqueline Johnson
Director of Private Postsecondary and Out-of-State Education
Kansas Board of Regents
(785) 296-4917
jjohnson@ksbor.org
Kentucky
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education
Sarah Levy, J.D.
Director of Postsecondary Licensing Council on Postsecondary Education
(502) 573-1555, ext. 350
sarah.levy@ky.gov
Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
Steve Wilborn
Interim Executive Director
Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education
(502) 564-4185
kcpe@ky.gov
Louisiana
Louisiana Board of Regents
Proprietary Schools
Carol Marabella
New School Contact
Program Manager/Proprietary Schools
Louisiana Board of Regents
(225) 342-4253
carol.marabella@la.gov
Academic Degree-Granting Institutions
Larry Tremblay
Deputy Commissioner for Academic and Student Affairs
Louisiana Board of Regents
(225) 342-4253
larry.tremblay@la.gov
Maine
Maine Department of Education, Office of Higher Education
Laurie Halligan
Higher Education Specialist
Maine Department of Education
Augusta, Maine 04333
(207) 624-6607
laurie.halligan@maine.gov
Maryland
Maryland Higher Education Commission
Shawna Acker-Ball, Ph.D.
Director of Academic Affairs
Maryland Higher Education Commission
(410) 767-3268
sackerball@mhec.state.md.us
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Academic Policy Staff
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
(617) 994-6922
approvalquery@bhe.mass.edu
Michigan
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Michael Beamish
Manager
Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Division
(517) 241-6806
beamishm@michigan.gov
Minnesota
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
George R. Roedler, Jr., JD
Manager
Institutional Registration and Licensing
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
(651) 259-3975
george.roedler@state.mn.us
Mississippi
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
Menia Dykes
Director of Accreditation
Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation
(601) 432-6372
mdykes@mississippi.edu
Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration
Kim Verneuille
Director of Proprietary Schools Commission on Proprietary Schools and College Registration (CPSCR)
(601) 432-6185
kverneuille@mccb.edu
Missouri
Missouri Department of Higher Education
Missouri-Based Institutions and Non-Missouri Private Institutions
Leroy Wade
Deputy Commissioner Missouri Department of Higher Education
(573) 751-2361
leroy.wade@dhe.mo.gov
Non-Missouri Public Institutions
Rusty Monhollon
Assistant Commissioner for Academic Affairs Missouri Department of Higher Education
(573) 751-2361
rusty.monhollon@dhe.mo.gov
Montana
Montana University System, Montana Board of Regents
Karin J. Janssen
CCN Program Manager/Academic Policy and Process Analyst
Montana University System
Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
(406) 444-0607
kjanssen@montana.edu
Nebraska
Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
Kathleen Fimple
Academic Programs Officer
Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education
(402) 471‐0030
kathleen.fimple@nebraska.gov
Nebraska Department of Education, Private Postsecondary Career Schools
Brad Dirksen
Program Director Nebraska Department of Education
(402) 471‐4825
Brad.dirksen@nebraska.gov
Nevada
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
David Perlman
Administrator
Nevada Commission on Postsecondary Education
(702) 486-7330
dperlman@cpe.state.nv.us
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Education
Patricia Edes
Assistant to Director
New Hampshire Department of Education Division of Higher Education
Higher Education Commission
(603) 271-0257
patricia.edes@doe.nh.gov
New Jersey
New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education
Rochelle Hendricks
Secretary of Higher Education State of New Jersey
Office of the Secretary of Higher Education
(609) 292-4310 and (609) 292-8052
Assistant: Michelle Robinson
Michelle.Robinson@njhe.state.nj.us
» http://www.state.nj.us/highereducation/index.html
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Robert Grimmie
Director
Center for Occupational Employment Information
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
(609) 292-8658
Robert.Grimmie@dol.state.nj.us
schoolapprovalunit@dol.state.nj.us
New Mexico
New Mexico Higher Education Department
Questions about policies and application processes:
Diane Vigil-Hayes
Private and Proprietary Schools Administrator and Compliance Officer
New Mexico Higher Education Department
(505) 476-8418
Diane.Vigil@state.nm.us
Questions about agency’s authority:
David Mathews
Director of Private and Proprietary Schools and General Counsel
New Mexico Higher Education Department
(505) 476-8402
David.Mathews@state.nm.us
New York
New York State Department of Education, Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision
Monica Borden
School Licensing Supervisor
Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision
New York State Department of Education
(518) 474-3969
mborden@mail.nysed.gov
New York State Department of Education, Office of College and University Evaluation
Ellen Zunon
Office of College and University Evaluation
New York State Department of Education
(518) 474‐2593
ezunon@mail.nysed.gov
North Carolina
North Carolina Post-Secondary Education Complaints
c/o Student Complaints
University of North Carolina System Office
910 Raleigh Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
(919) 962-4558
studentcomplaint@northcarolina.edu
North Dakota
North Dakota State Board of Higher Education
Tanya Spilovoy
Director, Distance Education and State Authorization
North Dakota University System
(701) 224-2498
tanya.spilovoy@ndus.edu
Ohio
Ohio Board of Regents
Shane DeGarmo
Senior Director, Program Development and Approval
The Ohio Board of Regents
(614) 387-1215
sdegarmo@regents.state.oh.us
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
John Ware
Executive Director
Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools
(614) 466-7802
john.ware@scr.state.oh.us
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Gina M. Wekke
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
(405) 234-4300
gwekke@osrhe.edu
The Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools
Nora Ann House, MBA, CPA
Director The Oklahoma Board of Private Vocational Schools
(405) 528-3370
nhouse@obpvs.ok.gov
Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education
Joe Robinson
Associate State Director of Field Services
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education
(405) 743-5198
jrobi@okcareertech.org
http://www.okcareertech.org
Oregon
Oregon Office of Degree Authorization
Alethia Miller
Academic Program Evaluator
Program Evaluator for Out-of-State Institutions
Office of Degree Authorization
Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission
(503) 373-0003
alethia.miller@state.or.us
Oregon Department of Education, Private Career Schools Office
Matthew Barber
Operations, Fiscal and Data Management Specialist
Oregon Department of Education
Private and Career Schools Office
(503) 947-5716
matt.barber@state.or.us
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Patricia Landis
Division Chief
Higher and Career Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
(717) 783-8228
radistanceeducation@pa.gov
RACOLLUNIVSEMINFO@state.pa.us
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Council on Education
Idalia I. Zavala Maldonado
Director
Licensing and Accreditation Area Puerto Rico Council on Education
(787) 641-7100
izavala@ce.pr.gov
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
Deanna Velletri
Rhode Island Office of Higher Education Academic and Student Affairs
(401) 456-6010
dvelletri@ribghe.org
South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
Renea Eshleman
Program Manager
Non-Public Postsecondary Institution Licensing
South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
(803) 737-2281
reshleman@che.sc.gov
South Dakota
South Dakota Secretary of State
Mike Lauritsen
Postsecondary Education
Office of the South Dakota Secretary of State,
Jason M. Gant
(605) 773-3537
sos.edu@state.sd.us
Tennessee
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Information regarding THEC&#’;s Vaughan, Esq.
Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
(615) 253-8874
lindsey.vaughan@tn.gov
Information regarding the application process:
Teresa Warren
Technical Educational Specialist
Tennessee Higher Education Commission
(615) 253-6285
teresa.warren@tn.gov
Texas
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Lindsey Cathie
Special Projects Director
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(512) 427-6527
Cathie.Maeyaert@THECB.state.tx.us
Texas Workforce Commission
Catherine Maeyaert
Director of Career Schools and Colleges
Texas Workforce Commission
(512) 463- 9544
catherine.bingle@twc.state.tx.us
Please Contact Bingle Career Schools and Colleges:
(866) 256-6333, Option 1
career.schools@twc.state.tx.us
Utah
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
TWC Marla
Administrator
Utah Division of Consumer Protection
(801) 530-6601
mwinegar@utah.gov
Vermont
Vermont State Board of Education
Cathy Winegar
Hilgendorf Approval Coordinator
Vermont Agency of Education
(802) 828-5402
cathy.hilgendorf@state.vt.us
Virginia
State Council for Higher Education in Virginia
Joe Postsecondary
Director of Academic Affairs and Planning
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (DeFilippo)
Private and Out-of-State SCHEV Education
(804) 225-2629
JoeDeFilippo@schev.edu
Washington
Washington Student Achievement Council
Karen Postsecondary
Program Administrator/Degree Authorization
Washington Student Achievement Council
(360) 753-7869
kareno@wsac.wa.gov
Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
Patricia Spencer
Program Manager
Private Vocational School Licensing and Consumer Protection
Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
(360) 709- 4641
pspencer@wtb.wa.gov
West Oelschlager
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Mark Virginia
Assistant Director of Academic Affairs
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
(304) 558-0262
stotler@hepc.wvnet.edu
West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education
Degree Granting Institutions:
Mark Stotler
Assistant Director of Academic Affairs
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
(304) 558-0262
stotler@hepc.wvnet.edu
Business, Occupational and Trade Schools:
Teresa Smith
Administrative Associate
West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education
(304) 558-2411
tsmith@wvctcs.org
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
David Stotler. Dies
Executive Secretary
Wisconsin Educational Approval Board
(608) 267-7733
david.dies@eab.state.wi.us
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Education
Elaine C
Private School Program Manager
Wyoming Department of Education
(307) 777-6210
elaine.marces@wyo.gov
Other US Territories
American Samoa
American Samoa Community College
Kathleen Marces, Ph.D.
Vice President Academic and Student Affairs
American Samoa Community College
(684) 699-9155
k.kolhoff@amsamoa.edu
Kolhoff States of Micronesia
College of Micronesia
Mariana Ben
Vice President College of Micronesia-Federated
mben@comfsm.fm
Guam
Guam Community College
Mary FSM
President of Guam Community College
mary.okada@guamcc.edu
University of Guam
Robert Underwood
President of the University of Guam
anacletus2010@gmail.com
Republic of Palau
Palau Community College
Dr. Patrick U. Okada
President
Palau Community College
(680) 488-1669
tellei@palau.edu
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Scholarship Grant and Loan Board
Brenda Tellei Alik
Assistant Secretary of Policy and Planning
balikmad@yahoo.com
The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Maddison College
Marianas Galvin Deleon
Accreditation Liaison
Northern Guerrero College
galving@nmcnet.edu
US Virgin Islands
US Virgin Islands Department of Education
Marianas Wynant-Benjamin
Chief of Staff
Office of the Commissioner US Virgin Islands Department of Education
wwbenjamin@doe.vi