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As
Partner in Beacon and Managing Director of
Education Solutions, a division of Beacon, Susanna
brings experience
spanning over 24 years, with
a focus in regulatory compliance, change management,
fiscal accountability, and organizational
development in public, private and market-funded institutions.
She served as the Corporate Compliance Officer for
U.S. Education, a private postsecondary education
company with 18 campuses in 7 states that was recently acquired
by DeVry Inc.; directed workforce development and
resource development initiatives as an Assoc. Dean
and Affirmative Action Compliance Officer in the Chancellor’s Office for Los Angeles Community
College District, with 9 colleges;
served as Executive Director for an Economic
Development Corp (LA PROSPER); served as Assistant
Vice President for Regulatory Affairs for a public
postsecondary education company, with over 24
campuses; and held other positions at West Virginia
University.
Susanna has led change management efforts to convert
administrative systems, and centralize and
decentralize controls, developed internal
audit compliance systems for greater accountability,
written institutional policies to comply with
changing regulations and accreditation standards,
conducted and coordinated compliance reviews, and
accreditation site visits, and assisted schools to
effectively respond to and bring to closure
complaints and inquiries from the U.S. Inspector
General, U.S. Department of Education, CA State
Attorney General, OSHA, accreditation commissions
and various programmatic licensing agencies.
She has assisted career schools and private colleges
with accreditation renewal and removal from
probation and show cause orders under different
accreditation commissions, including ACICS, ACCSCT, ABHES,
WASC and SACS.
Additionally she has assisted
institutions with accreditation compliance in the
sale, acquisition and merger of schools, and
conducted due diligence. She has assisted on two
mergers, one between two proprietary education
companies and another between two private
independent institutions, and the sale of a number
of career colleges.
She was one of the
pioneers to assist career schools in California to
comply with the Maxine Waters Private Postsecondary
Reform Act of 1989 that created a state regulatory
oversight agency. She has also assisted career
schools with state licensing in Oregon, Washington, Arizona,
Nevada, and New Mexico.
Formerly as Associate
Dean for Development for the
Los Angeles Community College District
(LACCD) with an annual budget of $400 million
serving close to 140,000 students, Susanna helped
to build fund development capacity at 9 community
colleges, coordinated grant development and
management for collaborative projects, conducted
training and had oversight over a grant portfolio of
$40 million through externally funded projects.
In her career
she has secured over $23 million in federal, state,
and local grants, and earmarks for private and
public institutions for student retention programs,
faculty training, technology for curriculum
enhancements, distance education, childcare
development, and job training programs. She has also
served as an independent evaluator on grant-funded
projects. For her achievements, she has
received commendations and recognition from various
federal and state elected representatives.
Susanna has consulted with Historically
and Predominantly Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
on issues related to change management, strategic
planning and accreditation; some of her client
institutions have included Fisk University,
Morristown College, and Edward Waters College.
She has presented
and facilitated at numerous national and state
conferences and workshops throughout her career and
serves on the boards of nonprofit organizations.
She has assisted several organizations incorporate
and secure their nonprofit status. |
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