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Kassandra Vaughn is a Product Manager at Western Governors University (WGU).  In her 12 years at WGU, Kassandra has been involved in the creation of New Faculty Orientation, ongoing faculty training and the instructional design of new curriculums for faculty at the university.  In addition to her work in leading project management for NGE training development at WGU, Kassandra created a number of emotional intelligence based programs for faculty, including The Art of Possibility, a program designed to help faculty develop resilience, grit, and graduation success for undergraduate students in the College of Business.  Author of over 30 books, including her latest book Overcoming Covert Narcissistic Abuse: A Coaching Approach to Reclaiming Emotional Freedom In and Out of Covert Narcissistic Relationships, Kassandra’s mission is to help people transform their limiting beliefs, rewrite their life stories, and activate the leader within.

Dr. Ashley W. Dugger began her career in higher education leadership and has since focused her professional career in operational leadership and human resources management, and holds a Doctorate of Business Administration, as well as her SHRM-CP certification. She joined WGU as the Program Chair for the HR Management degree in 2019. She also has extensive experience as a faculty member at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and has focused her faculty work with primarily adult learners in the online education/blended experience space.

Ashley has presented for organizations such as ACBSP, Online Learning Consortium, SHRM, and CUPA-HR. Her work has been published with HR Professionals Magazine, Talent Management, and Higher Ed HR Magazine.

Dr. Sean Wall‐Carty holds a PhD in Human Resources Management from North Central University. He also earned an MBA in Human Resources Management, a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, and an associate degree in Business. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Phoenix. His prior experience includes graduate level college teaching, leadership seminars, training classes, and consulting.

Sean’s corporate experience includes a blend of supporting the human resources functions for profit retail businesses and children focused non‐profit missions. His personal mission is to provide guidance and support in every interaction with optimism and clarity for positive student outcomes and have a great time doing it!

Kevin Hall currently serves as the Learning and Organizational Quality Manager for WGU Academy with 8 years of learning and development experience. He has worked with individuals and teams for the purpose of helping them establish healthy connections with themselves and others, personally and professionally. Kevin is passionate about creating inspirational spaces tor others to help them make the necessary and meaningful changes that empower them to flourish. He is the founder and CEO of the GoodSpace Collaborative, an educational company that focuses on the power of connection.

Kevin currently holds a Master's in Education and is making his way toward completing an Ed. D in Organizational Development.

Cliff Garinn is an accomplished career specialist holding national certifications as a Career Coach and Resume Writer. His career path led to supervisory roles in the private sector and for the State of Texas as a career counselor for Project RIO: The Re-Integration of Offenders (A State program for Felons to re-enter the workforce).

Cliff was recruited to work for The University of Texas at Arlington as The Coordinator of Career Services. He over-saw The College of Business Career Services Office as well as worked with other graduate students and alumni from all academic units on campus. He has presented on a wide-range of career topics to both faculty and students alike. As a 9-year veteran of the US Navy and USMC, he was one of the founding members of the Student Veteran Advisory Council where he presented career-related topics to more than 1200 military veterans seeking their education and career paths.

Today, Cliff is on the WGU Career & Professional Development team of career advisors for all of our students and alumni throughout the entire university college system. He continues to bring a sense of compassion and empathy to engage WGU students in the best professional way possible. His knowledge of the hiring process, cutting-edge practice of resume development, and effective networking skills expands the professional scope of the team. Cliff works to empower students to take charge of their career path, to develop and design their career goals, and to execute and implement their career plan of action. He strives to advance equity for inclusion in a diverse workspace. He embodies the ability to engage respectfully in order to learn and accept differences as well as to achieve common goals together to advance equity and opportunity.

Jennifer Rhodes is a Career Advisor with Western Governors University where she has served students and alumni in business, education, health professions, and I.T. in a fully remote capacity for nearly two years. Her areas of expertise relate to training and development, as well as webinar development and delivery, and Jennifer currently serves as a Social Emotional Learning Champion at WGU, where she helps to promote SEL principles to faculty, staff, and students. As a student affairs professional with over 15 years of experience related to the areas of admissions counseling, academic advising, adjunct teaching, career counseling and supervision of graduate students and staff, Jennifer feels privileged to have the opportunity to connect directly with students on a daily basis.

Jennifer’s personal mission to meet each student where they are while serving as a compassionate facilitator for lifelong academic/career exploration. One of her favorite quotes, by Maya Angelou, states, “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it,” and she believes that this quote is exhibited in her everyday work with students. She thoroughly enjoys working with students from diverse backgrounds, and she has direct experience serving students from diverse populations such as veterans, first-generation students, international students, Native American students, and students with disabilities.

Jennifer also currently serves as adjunct faculty for the Maricopa Community Colleges in Phoenix, AZ, where she teaches in-person courses in Counseling and Personal Development, Career Development, and Careers in Sustainability.

Before serving as a Western Governors University career advisor, Jennifer served as a career coach for both the centralized career services office and the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University.  She has worked with students ranging from first-time freshmen through PhD candidates, and enjoys the diversity of skills, life experiences, and related stories which each student possesses. Jennifer is originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, and she earned her Master of Arts in Counseling:  Student Personnel Services from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, as well as her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. She is a certified MBTI practitioner, as well as a Nationally Certified Counselor.  Jennifer also possesses the Global Career Development Facilitator certification and she is Past President of the Arizona Career Development Association.  She currently resides in Tempe, Arizona.

Dr. Vincent Franklin served 25 years in the United States Marine Corps, earning the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant/E-9.  During his service, Dr. Franklin served multiple tours of duty during Gulf War operations, specialized in leadership, leadership development, intelligence analysis, intelligence operations, and the development, management, and training of Marines. Dr. Franklin is a Bronze Star recipient. 

Since retiring from the Marine Corps, Dr. Franklin has held positions in corporate human resource acquisition, development, management, and leadership; hospital performance improvement; worked as a Deputy Directorate Manager (Deputy G2) of a U. S. Army Command; and served as a Professor at the University level. Dr. Franklin has served as a Senior Instructor at Western Governors University since June 2019.

Dr. Franklin holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (Specializing in Leadership).  Dr. Franklin’s principal areas of study include (but are not limited to): Leadership; Business management; In-group out-group theory; leader/member exchange theory; Prejudice and stereotyping; organizational cultural development; social group and social identity theory; and ethics within workplaces and work environments.

Dr. Franklin is a member of Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business Administration and is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.

Dr. Mamie L. Pack is a Senior Instructor in the Teachers College at Western Governors University. From writing grants to teach African American literature in high schools to creating diversity, equity and inclusion safe spaces for youth, Dr. Pack has spent more than 20 years in education, amplifying diverse voices. Mamie’s professional interests include cultural studies, educational equity, and mentoring. With a Ph.D. in Education in Mentoring and a MEd in Divergent Learning, she has served as a clinical supervisor and as a mentor for teachers entering education and also provides ongoing support for military spouses. Additionally, she serves as a consultant for teachers supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in her community. Mamie is passionate about breaking barriers in education. Mamie’s other roles include military spouse, mother, entrepreneur, and a former classroom teacher. Her business, Mamie L. Pack Media, creates stationery with purpose.  She creates products to equip women to live a life of wholeness by focusing on emotional, physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual well-being. 

Dr. Michelle Stewart is a Senior Instructor in the College of Health Professions.  She earned a Doctorate in Health Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Management in Health Care Management, and a Master of Public Administration. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and is actively involved in her local chapter. She serves on the Board of Directors as the Director of Student Affairs. She has worked in higher education for over a decade and has over 23 years of health care experience in direct patient care, clinical management, and health care education, with many of those years as a soldier in the United States Army. She believes in life-long education and views every day as a learning experience. She strongly believes in the application of knowledge, is very passionate about student success and is dedicated to the continuous advancement of health care and population health.

Dr. Deborah Ward has served as a faculty member at WGU for 12 years, working as a Program Mentor in the College of Business. She received her Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Northcentral University, and both her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelor of Science/Business Management degrees from the University of Phoenix. She also holds a Master in Education/Technology and Learning degree from Western Governors University.  
 
Dr. Ward has worked in both for-profit and non-profit sectors in higher education for 17 years. She also has a background in law (criminal defense and personal injury) as a paralegal/Legal Administrator, with additional experience in management, marketing, city elections, and a strategic advising and consulting for nonprofit organizations. 

Ann Leary, Program Chair for Management and MBA at Western Governors University, has worked to foster positive experiences in higher education for over fifteen years. Her experiences span across departments and teams such as institutional research, instruction, curriculum development and review, campus management, and faculty leadership. With a heavy focus on student success, Ann has aided in expanding relevance around and leading initiatives and projects in both academics and operations. Through her excitement for management and leadership, Ann is diligent in her commitment to changing and establishing new ideas for higher education through experience and example. Ann has a MBA, as well as a MS in Administrative Leadership in Higher Education, and is pursuing her DBA, with a specialization in Strategy and Innovation.