College of Professional Studies

Meet Our Faculty

These individuals are industry practitioners who have extensive professional experience and are leaders in their field. With a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds, Villanova faculty are high level executives, authors, sought after speakers, consultants and dedicated mentors that bring a passion for teaching and a desire to see their students succeed.

Angela Francesco

Angela Francesco, J.D., SPHR, SCP, received her Bachelor’s Degree from Villanova University and her law degree from Temple University School of Law. She has extensive experience in Human Resource Management. Her positions in for-profit corporations have included Vice President of Human Resources with overall HR responsibility for pharmaceutical Research and Development scientists and staffs in the U.S., U.K. and France. She also has experience in not-for-profit academic institutions, where she was responsible for recruiting, policy development, employee relations and training and development. She is an adjunct faculty member at Villanova University, where she teaches courses in Employment Law, Management and Human Resources to graduate and undergraduate students. She also teaches in Villanova’s Department of Continuing Studies in their Human Resources Certificate programs, both on site and online. She taught at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in their undergraduate degree and executive education certificate programs. Angela also consults on a variety of human resources management issues.

Anthony Henderson

Anthony Henderson, MBA, PMP, is an accomplished executive with extensive business and consulting experience in both the public and private sectors. Anthony has worked in a variety of industries including pharmaceutical / life sciences, energy, financial services, distribution and state and local government. Much of his experience has involved applying creativity and drive to develop and deploy program delivery frameworks and implement complex business transformations.

Bob Schmitz

Bob Schmitz, PMP, MBA, brings over thirty years of professional experience to the Villanova CPS online Project Management certificate program, including sixteen years as an IT project manager with IBM across a variety of industries, where he has manages diverse, global teams. He began his career as an engineer in the automotive industry before completing his MBA in supply chain. His latest project work includes AI system implementations for clients.

Christie Harris

Christie Harris is one of the many Villanova faculty members who bring contemporary, real-world experience into the classroom. The adjunct professor teaches the Essentials of Commercial Contract Management, Essentials of Government Contract Management and Advanced Contract Management courses in Villanova’s College of Professional Studies. To the classroom, Harris brings more than 10 years’ experience as a contracting officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as well as previous experience working for companies vying for government contracts. Having instructors who are active in the fields they teach about is a benefit for Villanova students, Harris said, adding that those instructors “bring their live practical experience to the classroom.”

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Christopher LaRocca

For over 20 years, Christopher La Rocca, DBA, PMP, has managed programs and projects in information technology powering healthcare, publishing, education, insurance, and transportation industries. As a project manager, Chris’ team secured two federal grants for a statewide tele-behavioral health expansion. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and Stanford Certified Project Manager (SCPM). Chris holds a Master of Information Technology degree and a Doctor of Business Administration. In his doctoral research, he discovered how to improve the psychiatric hospital discharge process with machine learning. Currently, he works as a program manager for a healthcare non-profit in Albany, NY. Chris’ students enjoy his interactive class activities and relevant case studies.

David Comroe

Debra Dee Bradford

Debra Dee Bradford, M.S., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is a people strategist who combines strategic HR, industry compliance, transformational OD, and leadership development to align employee behaviors with organizational goals. She has been a senior level business consultant specializing in change management, and strategies for inclusion and diversity for over 20 years. She holds two BS degrees (Human Resources and Healthcare Management), a MS degree in Organizational Development & Behavior, and certifications in HR (SPHR, SHRM-SCP), OD (RODC), Training & Development, Workshop Creation & Facilitation, Investment Brokerage (S7, S66, LAH), and K-12 School Administration.

Denise Citarelli

Denise Citarelli, EdD, teaches courses as an adjunct faculty member at Villanova University in both Team Effectiveness and the History of Leadership. With master’s degrees in English and Publishing from Rosemont College, and Educational Leadership from St. Joseph’s University, Denise continued her pursuit of lifelong learning by earning her doctoral degree in Policy, Planning and Leadership from The College of William and Mary. The three years of study in Williamsburg, Virginia provided a unique view of leadership and education outside of Pennsylvania and resulted in a Superintendent License in the state of Virginia in addition to her Superintendent Certification in Pennsylvania. Working in K-12 public education for 31 years, Denise is currently the Director of Education for the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District and owns a professional consulting business in areas of leadership and learning such as Metacognitive Learning, Self-Efficacy, Corporate Team Building, Effective Instructional Strategies, Design Thinking, and Appreciative Inquiry. Denise works as a Travel Agent in her free time, capitalizing on her love of Disney and cruising.

Duane Fisher

Ed Hayes

Ed Hayes, CPBI, CLSSBB, MBA, is an adjunct faculty member who teaches Business Process Management, Business Intelligence and Lean Six Sigma courses within Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies. In addition to teaching, Hayes has 38 years of experience in law firms with knowledge of all aspects of support management, client accounting, new business intake and data management. He currently works as a Business Intelligence Data Manager for Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in Richmond, Virginia, where he is responsible for managing the law firm’s database of demographics and related information about clients and legal matters. Hayes earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master Certificate in Business Process Management from the University of San Francisco and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Hayes has earned several professional certifications including Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova, Certified Professional in Business Intelligence from Villanova, and Certified Change Management Practitioner through Prosci®.

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Edward Benzing

Edward Benzing, B.B.A., is the Owner/CEO of Quick Turn Marketing Research; a full-service provider of marketing research solutions, business plan development, and business strategy consulting. Ted brings 15+ years of industry experience to the classroom along with an MBA in Marketing Research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has a passion for helping small businesses thrive, using the newest business and marketing research tools available. In addition to running a company, Ted has been a Professor at Villanova in the College of Professional Studies since 2016; teaching courses in contract management, leadership, and business analysis. Ted also currently teaches in the College of Business at West Chester University, where he teaches in the Economics and Marketing Departments. In his previous career, Ted was an accountant, and he holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Iowa. Ted Benzing currently lives with his family in Media, PA.

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Elena Bozylinski

Elena Bozylinski, Ed.D., PMP has over ten years of project management experience and considers project management her passion. She studied the influence of the PMP certification from PMI on the careers of female IT project managers for her EdD dissertation, which she earned from Creighton University in 2017. Elena loves to share project management experiences within her professional network.

Elom Tuani

Elom Tuani, M.S.PMP, has over 10 years of experience in Project & Program Management from diverse professional sectors. He lectures on-campus and online project management courses including Project Management Professional (PMP)/Certified Associated of Project Management (CAPM), Project Management Capstone and Mastering of Project management.

Erin Gerst

Erin Gerst, MBA. Executive Mindset and Growth Coach Erin Gerst is a published author, passionate speaker, and professor of leadership and mindset at Villanova University. Erin has over 18 years of experience as a startup founder, healthcare sector leader and sales professional in the life sciences sector. Erin holds an MBA in Systems Thinking and a BS in Marketing from Villanova University. She also has professional certifications in Qigong, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Therapy, Transformational Vinyasa Flow, Reiki healing, Meditation and Pranayama (Breathwork).

Francois Springuel

Francois Springuel, MBA, PMP, is the director of new business implementations for UnitedHealthcare’s Group Retiree business. Francois Springuel is a seasoned Project Manager (PMP certified since 2006, became Certified Scum Master in summer 2013) with extensive experience with PMBOK (PM Body of Knowledge) and PMP curriculum, including experience teaching the curriculum to other project managers. He has developed 2 project case studies to enhance the classes he teaches, is highly skilled in teaching techniques for both the in person and online learning environments that drive student engagement and retention. He is a graduate of Villanova MBA program 2012 with a concentration in Strategic Management.

Heather Gelting

Heather Gelting, M.S., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, has taught online and on campus for Villanova for over ten years. Heather holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Temple University and a Master of Human Resource Management from Penn State. She spent twelve years working for PepsiCo and YUM Brands before transitioning to a mid-sized professional services firm as VP of Human Resources. Heather operated a Human Resource Consulting business for five years served as the Human Resource Director for The Hill School in Pottstown, PA for over nine years. Heather is currently the Executive Director of the PAISBOA Health Benefit Trust and serves as the program coordinator for the Human Resource courses offered in the College of Professional Studies.

Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson, PhD, Adjunct Faculty, has worked as a practitioner within the Human Resource Development field for over thirteen years. She began first with an international healthcare organization, before shifting to offer consulting services in training, instructional design, and facilitation in the virtual environment for a variety of organizations, domestic and international, large and small. Dr. Jackson is also an Affiliate Scholar at the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Adjunct Faculty at the School of Business at VCU. Dr. Jackson’s current research interests include the evolution of Human Resource Development (HRD), the idea of disciplinary identity, HRD’s role in Education and Business, organizational leadership and the evolving role of management consultants. Dr Jackson also has an evolving interest in the inclusion of voices from workers and scholars from disadvantaged groups, and how to build these voices into the components of HRD theory and practice. Dr Jackson has presented her work at the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education, as well as the Academy of Human Resource Development.

Javier Leon

Javier Leon, MBA, MS Business Intelligence and Analytics, MS in Food Marketing, PMP, is a project manager for the largest mango importer and distributor of the U.S. Javier’s career has had a focus on ERP implementations, databases, data warehouses, business intelligence tools, business analytics and data visualization software. Javier has a passion for the academia and his primary goal is to see his students succeed.

Jayme Lara

Jayme Lara is an information assurance engineer for Lockheed Martin and has served as an adjunct professor for the Mastering Cybersecurity/Security+ course in Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies since January 2018. A graduate of James Madison University with a Master of Science in Computer Science in Information Security, Lara received her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Information Technology from the University of New Mexico. She has also worked as a systems engineer for Raytheon and in corporate information security for Leidos. She is a member of (ISC)2, an international nonprofit focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world and holds CISSP certification.

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Jeffrey Brown

Jeffrey Brown is an adjunct professor for Villanova University, teaching the Essentials of Project Management and Essentials of Business Analysis courses since 2002. He is a Director of Cybersecurity for GE Healthcare where he is responsible for ensuring that products are designed, developed and manufactured with security principles in mind. Brown earned his master’s degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his bachelor’s and Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Michigan. He holds a Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification from the Project Management Institute, a Six Sigma Green Belt and holds a patent for a unitary molded elastomer conduit for use with a medication infusion pump.

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Jeffrey Sipes

Jeffrey Sipes, M.S., I.S., is Principal with Back2Basics, LLC, specializing in operations improvement, manufacturing strategy, and business process management. He has MS in Industrial Administration from Purdue University and Gold-level lean certification (LGC) from Lean Alliance. In addition to using lean and six sigma bodies of knowledge to serve manufacturing companies in North America, he writes a monthly Continuous Improvement column for The Fabricator magazine. Jeff is an instructor for Villanova University’s Lean Six Sigma professional studies.

Karam Labban

Karam Labban is an adjunct professor in Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies who teaches the Mastering Agile Applications in Planning and Advanced Agile Business Solutions courses in the Certificate in Agile Management program. Labban has accumulated experience in a number of industries in the United States working as an Agile Advocate, Agile Coach, Agile Trainer and Agile practitioner. He also has held positions as a traditional PMO PMP® project manager and software developer. Labban has earned a number of certifications during his Agile transformation journey including Certified Scrum Professional (CSP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified Scrum@Scale Practitioner (CSaSP), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Certified SAFe Agilist (SA), PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, Team Kanban Practitioner (TKP), and AgilityHealth Facilitator (AHF). He also obtained Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification when he was a project manager.

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Kelly Douglas

Kelly Douglas, M.S., I.S., PMP, currently serves as the Data Warehouse Team Scrum Master for a global bank. In this role, she assumes multiple responsibilities, encompassing the positions of Project Manager, Business Analyst, and Quality Assurance analyst. Throughout her career spanning over twenty years, Kelly has worked in various capacities and levels within organizations, spanning multiple industries. Her educational background includes an MBA, a Master’s in Computer Information Systems, and a Bachelor’s in Business. Additionally, she holds Villanova Master’s Certificates in both ‘Applied Project Management’ and ‘Business Intelligence’. Kelly is an esteemed member of professional organizations such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), Scrum Alliance, Agile Alliance, and the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). She has earned multiple certifications through these associations, augmenting her expertise in Business Analysis, Business Intelligence, and Project Management. Passionate about teaching and training, Kelly firmly believes in the power of knowledge sharing as a profound gift. She takes genuine pleasure in witnessing the professional growth of others as they acquire new skills and embrace valuable experiences. Being part of their development and observing their mentorship and instructional roles brings her great fulfillment.

Kimberly Nash

Kimberly Nash is an adjunct professor for Villanova University, teaching the Human Resource Management course for 18 years. She holds SHRM-SCP® certification through the Society of Human Resource Management, as well as a Senior Professional Human Resource (SPHR) certification through the HR Certification Institute. Nash is the owner of THriv(CQ), whose mission is “serving others to achieve results in leadership growth.” She is a graduate of York College with a degree in Business Education and earned her MBA in Human Resources Management from the University of Phoenix.

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Kimberly Strong Flint

Kimberly Strong Flint, MPA, has served as the contract administrator for Oneida County, New York for nearly eighteen years. With a background in program management, she has acquired a firm knowledge of contract procedures, government operations, public service and administrative law. Kimberly has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Keuka College and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Marist College. She began teaching for Villanova in 2017, presenting courses that include Maximizing Team Effectiveness, Effective Contracting Skills, Essentials of Government Contract Management and Advanced Contract Management. Prior to her tenure with Villanova, she spent ten years as an Adjunct Instructor for Mohawk Valley Community College in Upstate New York, teaching course on American National Government, State and Local Government, Macroeconomics and Organizational Behavior.

Mark Anderson

Mark Evans

Mark Evans, P.E., teaches courses as an adjunct professor at Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies in Essential Principles of Agile Management, Mastering Agile Applications in Planning, and Advanced Agile Business Solutions for the Certificate in Agile Management program since 2017. Outside of Villanova, Evans is currently employed by a Naval Defense Contractor and designs and supports electrical power generation, automation, and distribution upgrade projects for the U.S Navy. He has over 29 years’ experience in Electrical Power & Controls design and specializes in robotics and automation design, programming, and troubleshooting. Evans received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Drexel University and his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from The New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is also a Licensed Professional Engineer in the field of Electrical Engineering/Controls.

Mark McComb

Mark McComb, Ph.D., received his doctorate in Management Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart Graduate School of Business in Chicago, Illinois. He received masters’ degrees in both Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, and a B.S. in Mathematics from Mississippi College. He is currently Associate Professor of Management Science in the Mississippi College School of Business and an Adjunct Professor in the College of Professional Studies at Villanova University where he teaches certificate courses in the Lean Six Sigma Program. Mark worked for several corporations over a period of 10 years. His industry background includes working as the Director of Quality Management and Capital Administration for American National Can’s Flexible Packaging Division (Chicago, IL), Manager of Quality and Reliability Engineering for Case-International Harvester’s Worldwide Engineering Group (Hinsdale, IL), and Senior Statistician for United Technology’s Motor Systems Group.

Mark Messinger

Mark Messinger, MBA. Lean & Six Sigma (LSS) Master Black Belt with over 18 years’ applied experience. Craft and deliver high impact continuous improvement activities, methods, tools, and LSS education. Design build and deliver formal Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt level programs. Served at the level of program manager for the Master Black Belt program formulating this high demand high impact shill set. Chief infrastructure Engineer with 27 years’ experience and expertise in IT Systems, architectures, hardware, software, and quality engineering. Specifically, as a chief engineer I drove advances in the evolution of IT infrastructure projects for Federal Government projects across Lockheed Martin, Leidos, and Perspecta. Scaled Agile 5.0 Certified Program consultant. Serve as a Lean-Agile consultant coaching Scaled Agile teams on Lean methodologies and high impact improvements around Agile value Streams. Hold a Master of Science in information Science from Penn State University, and Bachelor of Business From Ursinus College. Certifications in root cause analysis and Reality Charting.

Martin Boyle

Martin Boyle, DM, MBA, is an adjunct professor at Villanova University, where he teaches Maximizing Team Effectiveness, Advanced Process Strategy & Practices and Advanced Contract Management. “My degrees are all in business and my expertise is in the field of security and training,” Boyle said. He went into the security field following high school, first with the Jersey City Police before being recruited by UPS at age 21. He spent 25 years with the company, eventually rising to the post of corporate manager. Boyle retired from UPS in 1999 by which time he had begun pursuing his academic career. “I went back to school at the age of 40 and received my bachelor’s at 43, my master’s at 46 and my doctorate at 50,” Boyle said. ”I understand the struggles of people going back to school late in life and adult learners and going to school evenings,” Boyle said. He began teaching in 2000 at Centenary University in New Jersey. He served as the director of academic affairs for University of Phoenix from 2007-2011, From there he went to DeVry University in New York City and then served as a director of the Anthem Medical School in Jersey City. He was named national dean for graduate studies in business at 80 Strayer University campuses throughout the United States. In addition to his duties at Villanova, Boyle also teaches at New York University.

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Marv Meissner

Marv Meissner is a Professor of the Practice for Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies, teaching Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt courses since 2017. He has more than 30 years of experience as a quality and training executive within both manufacturing and transactional administrative environments. His specialties include Lean Six Sigma, Total Quality, continuous improvement, change management and training within industry. “I became involved with quality and continuous process improvement relatively early in my career and developed a lifelong passion for it,” he said.  Meissner earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University and a Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University. Meissner is a trained Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has educated more than 1,500 professionals in various Six Sigma belt levels.

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Mary E. Sweeney

Mary E. Sweeney, MSHRD, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, CCP, GBA, is an accomplished HR professional with over 25 years of experience and success in HR operations, succession and strategic planning, executive coaching and talent management. She provides impactful HR solutions that deliver measurable improvement in organizational performance. Mary uses her strategic thinking and tactical competencies to lead change, engage the workforce and help organizations grow and achieve results. Mary’s work experience includes Trinity Health, St. Mary Medical Center, Proxus and UJB Financial.

Kamrul Hasan

Kamrul Hasan is currently working as Adjunct Faculty of College of Professional Studies at Villanova University and Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at Comcast. I have completed Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH. Previously I worked as an Information Security Engineer at Bed Bath and Beyond, Union, NJ and as an Information Security Specialist at Grameenphone Ltd, the largest telecom operator in Bangladesh. I have 17 years of experience in IT and Information Security. I also have a lot of professional certifications including: CISSP-ISSAP, CCSP, CISA, CISM, CRISC.

Megan Gerety

Megan Gerety, MS, MBA, is a Contract Specialist within the Defense Logistics Agency’s Aviation branch where she’s involved in the planning, procurement, and financial management of several military aircraft platforms. She strives to minimize supply chain risk and overspending by focusing on small business opportunities, strategic contracting, and effective negotiation. Megan received her bachelor’s in English from Fairleigh Dickinson University, a master’s in Communication and Public Relations from Lasell College, and an MBA with a concentration in supply chain management from the University of Scranton. She’s currently pursuing her PHD in Leadership and Business through the University of the Cumberlands.

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Michael Cunningham

Michael Cunningham, M.S., MBA, is a passionate and purpose-driven technologist whose education and practice is rooted in the liberal arts, and specializes in business systems and process management. Michael currently leads HRIS and CRM initiatives for the Philadelphia Phillies, Major League Baseball Organization after serving 10 years in Villanova’s University Information Technology Department. Michael holds a bachelors of Arts, as well as a master’s degree in Counseling and Human Relations and an MBA in Strategic Management from Villanova University. He is currently pursuing doctoral work in Business Administration at Temple University with an expected graduation and defense in 2023. He is an active member in the greater Philadelphia community, serving on the board as Treasurer of Family Promise of the Main Line, the President’s Advisory Council of his alma mater, St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and the Vocations advisory board of the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova. Michael enjoys a good cup of coffee, international travel, and above all, spending time with his wife and son. Michael currently is an instructor in the Business Process Management courses. Prior to joining CPS in 2019, Michael spent 6 years as an instructor in undergraduate leadership.

Michael F. Palladino

Michael F. Palladino, PMP, is a Project Management and Agile professional with broad international experience across several industries such as Pharmaceuticals, Banking, Travel, Music, and Supply Chain. He is the Director of the Agile Center of Excellence at Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals and is responsible to implement Agile Enterprise wide, Worldwide, helping to accelerate benefits to patients. Mike is an adjunct Professor at Villanova University, the Past President of PMI Delaware Valley Chapter (PMI-DVC), an author for Data Management University and has presented various topics in several countries for over 25 years. He brings his passion for teaching to Villanova for over three years as a co-author and instructor for several Project Management and Agile courses.

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Michael O’Neill

Michael O’Neill, JD, SHRM-SCP, is the CHRO of MLB Players Association and teaches human resources and finance related classes as an online adjunct professor at both Villanova and Penn State.Prior to his current positions, Michael was the CHRO of Wilson Elser, a national law firm and was a Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Corporate Services and Global Administration at Guggenheim Partners. Michael joined Guggenheim in 2006 and has more than 20 years of Human Resources and Administration experience in a variety of industries. Prior to joining Guggenheim, Michael was a Director of Human Resources and Administration in the Technology, Private Equity and Legal industries for over 10 years. Michael received a BS in Accounting from St. John’s University and a JD from New York Law School. Michael is admitted to the New York and New Jersey Bar Associations and practiced law prior to starting his career in Human Resources and Administration.

Mike Deldon

Mike Deldon is an instructor at the Villanova College of Professional Studies. Mike earned his BA at Westfield State University and later received his MSA from the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University. He holds both CPA and CMA licenses, and has been teaching college courses for over six years. In addition, Mike has several years of experience in accounting and finance operations having served in executive roles in various industries.

Minerva Cruz

Minerva Cruz, EdD, teaches courses in Strategic Organizational Leadership, Mastering Organizational Effectiveness, Ethics and Leadership, Leadership in a Borderless Economy, Essentials of Business Analysis, Essentials of Business Process Management, Essentials of Commercial Contract Management, Essentials of Government Contract Management, and Education in Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies. Outside Villanova’s classrooms, Dr. Cruz has instructed police recruits for more than 12 years at the Philadelphia Police Department Academy. Dr. Cruz is a 25-year veteran of the PPD, where she holds the rank of lieutenant. Whether she’s instructing college students or police recruits, Dr. Cruz brings with her a collection of skills that includes crisis management, counterterrorism, private investigations, public safety, budgeting, statistical analysis, labor laws, and ethical and behavioral leadership. Dr. Cruz said she entered college with plans to become a physician until an instructor convinced her she was “a natural teacher.” She worked as a financial planner before joining the PPD as a radio dispatcher, eventually becoming a police officer. “I saw police work as an extension of my commitment to help and serve people,” Dr. Cruz said. “My teaching experiences, combined with my doctorate and my passion for helping people reach their educational and personal goals, led to me deciding to teach at the collegiate level.” Dr. Cruz believes “I am here not only to teach you but learn from you as well.”

Patrick Schaffer

Patrick Schaffer, MS. As a Senior Investor in J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank, Patrick is responsible for advising, crafting, and implementing investment strategy for high net worth families, individuals, foundations, and privately held businesses. He previously served as a member of the US Portfolio Construction Team and Opportunity Calls Team which are responsible for the Private Bank’s strategic and tactical asset allocation decisions and idea generation. With twenty years of financial markets experience including time in J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank, Investment Bank, and as an equity analyst at two hedge funds, Patrick is also currently an Adjunct Faculty Member at Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies teaching finance and accounting. A frequent guest in the media, Patrick has appeared on CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Street.com, Cheddar TV and is often quoted in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, and the Los Angeles Business Journal. Patrick holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University, an MS from Villanova University, and has earned the CFA designation from the CFA Institute. Patrick is a member of the CFA Society of Los Angeles, actively volunteers with LA Alliance for College Ready Public Schools, is a board member for the Kathy and Frank Baxter Family foundation, and lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son. Proactively supporting families with multigenerational wealth in all their financial service needs from trust & estate work and investment implementation to lending and day-to- day banking is the perfect role for Patrick as it combines his passion for people, service, economics, markets, and finance.

Richard Rinaldi

Richard Rinaldi, MBA, PMP, A-CSM, is an adjunct professor for project management who has 8+ years of experience in applying hybrid and agile methodologies in the not-for-profit space. He serves as the director of project management for a national behavioral health care company and is passionate about supporting diverse teams from all industries to get work done together on complex projects. In his free time, you can find him outdoors hiking, biking, or golfing. Rich lives in Ardmore, PA with his wife and three cats.

Richard Stein

Richard Stein, PMP, PMI-ACP, is a commercially astute and accomplished professional with substantial experience in spearheading high-performing projects, leading IT governance processes, and building relationships with stakeholders at Villanova University. He currently serves as a Senior Enterprise Project Manager in the IT department at Villanova University and has managed a variety of projects including enterprise resource platform systems, enterprise content management systems, learning management systems, and relationship management outreach. Richard’s primary focus is to engage all partners to facilitate a culture of working together to achieve individual targets, milestones, and project objectives.

Rita D’Angelo

Rita D’Angelo, M.S. Health Administration, Ph.D., is an independent contractor that works to bring advantage to healthcare institutions through D’Angelo Advantage LLC Consulting. Rita has worked to transform organizations by implementation of Lean Manufacturing and ISO 15189 international standard for quality. In Addition, Rita offers educational courses for diagnostic laboratories through Laboratory Learning Solutions, an online solution for renewal of continuous improvement credits and programs for career advancement. In addition to continuous improvement, D’Angelo has a regulatory background with quality managerial experience at the American Red Cross, and an FDA-regulated chemical manufacturer. Rita has taught Lean Management and regulatory topics extensively over the past 15 years and serves as Adjunct Professor at Villanova University in the School of Professional Studies. She holds a Ph.D. from Wayne State University, Master’s Degree in Health Administration, and a ASQ Six Sigma Black Belt, Quality Engineer and Lean certifications.

Robert Todd Kane

Robert Todd Kane, MBA. Todd’s experience in business, healthcare and healthcare administration spans 25 years where during that time he has served as the president and CEO of a multi-million dollar private national healthcare recruitment, human resources, and outsourcing firm for more than a decade, the vice president of a publicly traded healthcare staffing and outsourcing firm, and in various other leadership positions including chief operating officer, regional vice president, regional director, and more. Todd received his Masters of Business Administration with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Northcentral University where he graduated in the top of his class. Additionally, Todd has a Masters of Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership along with a Masters of Science in Information Technology. Todd has a post-graduate certificate of human resources from Purdue University. In August of 2018 Todd began his doctoral journey and will defend his dissertation in January 2021.

Roberta Dillon

Roberta Dillon, MS, is a Communication and Conflict Management Specialist, who works as a facilitator, trainer and coach to leaders and teams in higher education, healthcare, not-for-profit, and governmental agencies. Bobbie holds a B.A. in Communication/Journalism, summa cum laude, from St. John Fisher College and an M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her studies and writing focus on organizational and interpersonal conflict including workplace violence. Bobbie worked professionally as a mediator for more than a decade with mediation training at the Upstate New York Family Mediation Training Institute, the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation at Hofstra University School of Law, as well as completing studies in the use of Narrative Mediation and Non-Violent Communication. She is a certified coach and trainer for the Comprehensive Conflict Coaching Model, an approved trainer for the Family Section of the Association for Conflict Resolution, and a certified assessor of the Conflict Dynamics Profile and Entrepreneurial Mindset Profile instruments.

Ronald Bean

Ronald Bean, MBA. Ron Bean’s experience includes Healthcare management, sales and sales management and real estate. I have specialized in developing compensation plans and promoting career development for associates through didactic and experiential learning plans. I joined CPS as an adjunct faculty member in September of 2017.

Rosanne Foley

Rosanne Foley. Ph.D., joined Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) in 2018 as an instructor in the Six Sigma program. Rosanne holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Long Island University, a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Maryland College Park and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. She spent over 25 years working for a Fortune 100 company where she held both technical and management leadership positions in areas of manufacturing, product registration, regulatory science, and corporate environmental health and safety (EHS). She led global projects and programs, cultivated strong team leadership skills and effective communication techniques with executive, functional, and technical staff across all levels of an organization. As an instructor, Rosanne believes in using interactive on-line teaching techniques and is always willing to provide one-on-one instruction to insure a meaningful educational experience. This often includes using real world examples of Six Sigma principles to link the principles to practice. Her belief is that students should leave her class equipped with tools and techniques that can be applied immediately in their current roles as well as their future professional endeavors.

Roy (Neal) Armstrong

Roy (Neal) Armstrong, MBA, has a BA in Religion and MA in Theology from Trevecca Nazarene University, MDIV in Christian Education from Northwest Nazarene University, MBA in Finance from California Southern University, and is currently ABD in the DBA program at California Southern University. After graduating from Trevecca in 2006, Professor Armstrong got a job in insurance and found a passion that lead to many different positions that allowed him to learn project management, business analysis, quality assurance, and process improvement. In doing this, he has earned the CPCU, AIM, CTFL, API, CLCS, and PLCS designation. At Villanova, Professor Armstrong teachers Essentials of Business Analyst, Mastering Business Analysis, Mastering Process Methodology, and Finance and Accounting for Non- Financial Managers. He is able to mix the technical knowledge with practical experience to present the subject matter in a ground way.

Sally Slook

Sally Slook, MPA, is the Township Manager for Willistown Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania where she is the Chief Administrator Officer of the Township and is responsible for oversight of all day-to-day operations. Overall, Sally has served in Township Management positions since 2008. In 2007, while working in non-profit management for a Philadelphia based organization, Sally decided to enter Villanova’s Masters of Public Administration program (MPA). While attending the program, she was appointed as the first ever Graduate Assistant for the departments of Public Administration and Political Science. It was during this time that Sally also landed an internship with Upper Merion Township. Hence, after graduation she decided to enter the profession of municipal management and has been serving in either Assistant Township Manager or Township Manager positions ever since. In 2014, Sally was hired as an Adjunct Faculty member at Villanova. She teaches classes in Land Use and Zoning and Economic Development in the MPA program, and Strategic Organizational Leadership in the College of Professional Studies. Sally is particularly interested in helping professionals develop real world organizational and communication strategies and techniques that can be applied to all leadership positions. Sally has a BA in Liberal Studies from Wesley College and an MPA from Villanova. She also has earned at Villanova Graduate Certificates in City Management and Politics and American Government. Sally currently serves on the Advisory Board on Graduate Education for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and has been a recurring guest speaker for the MPA Program and BRIDGE Society.

Stephen Bartorillo

Stephen Bartorillo, MBA, QKA, is a business professional and instructor with an MBA from Villanova University, an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Lock Haven University, and a Certified Scrum Master. He works in the areas of process improvement and project management and has been a professor in finance and business for several years. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching sporting events, and helping others.

Steven Babb

Steven Babb, M.S. Chemical Engineering, has over 35 years of experience leading business and quality operations in medical device, chemical processing, aerospace, nuclear, information technology and business consulting industries. As one of GE’s early Six Sigma Master Black Belts, Babb led the complete Lean Six Sigma initiative in a global information technology business. He received a GE Young Engineer Award. Babb teaches Lean and Six Sigma topics for the College of Professional Studies, Villanova University. He is also an instructor for the American Society for Quality and holds certifications in Six Sigma, Quality Auditing, Quality Engineering, and Quality Management. Babb has been very active with the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and is a senior member. He served as Vice Chair of the ASQ Quality Management Division, and co-authored Lean Six Sigma, the Financial Impact. Additionally, Babb was Chair and Programs Chair for the St. Petersburg-Tampa Section of ASQ for several years. Babb holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering, from Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Florida, respectively.

Tina Agustiady

Tina Agustiady is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, award-winning author, continuous improvement leader and Lean Six Sigma Course Designer and Professor of Professional Studies in Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies, where she teaches Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Essentials of Business Process Management. Agustiady is a Sustainability Agent for MetLife Way where she is responsible for supporting organizational leadership in building a culture of continuous improvement. She also currently serves as the Technical Vice President of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). Agustiady is an experienced leader who has facilitated many Kaizen, 5s, and Root Cause Analysis events throughout her career in the healthcare, food and chemical industries.

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