As we celebrate Nurses Month, we at USAHS wanted to get a sense of what a typical workday is like for a nurse manager. We asked alum Ahnnya Slaughter, DNP, to tell us all about a day in her life. Dr. Slaughter graduated in 2021 from USAHS’ Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the Nurse Executive role specialty. Coming from a military family, she began working at a VA hospital in the Los Angeles area 30 years ago as a critical care RN. “Veterans deserve the best care,” she says. “My calling wasn’t to be in the military. This is my way of being able to serve the country.” Over the years, she worked her way up, through positions such as informatics specialist, deputy nurse executive, and director of clinical staff development. She began Read more
University Leadership

Chancellor
Vivian A. Sanchez
Vivian Sanchez brings extensive higher education and business experience to her role as Chancellor. Having worked in public research universities in the United States and private institutions in nine countries, Sanchez brings comprehensive global insights to higher education for both campus-based and digital learning.

President and Chief Academic Officer
Brian Goldstein, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Goldstein is an accomplished teacher, scholar and academic leader with more than 25 years of experience in higher education at public and private universities with multiple locations.

Dean, Teaching, Learning and Innovation
Maria Puzziferro, PhD
Dr. Maria Puzziferro’s experience as a transformational academic leader, researcher, and teacher spans more than 25 years at public and private institutions in roles related to the advancement of innovative teaching and learning approaches. She has served as a President, Provost, and Dean with extensive experience developing, launching, and operating online and blended programs.

Associate Dean of Physical Therapy for the College of Rehabilitative Sciences
Jackie Crossen-Sills, PT, PhD
Dr. Jackie Crossen-Sills is the Associate Dean of Physical Therapy for the College of Rehabilitative Sciences. She has been with the University since 2015 and served in varied capacities including a full-time Professor and Academic Program Director for the DPT program for St Augustine and Miami campuses.

Associate Dean of the College of Rehabilitative Sciences for Occupational Therapy
Tia Hughes, OTD, MBA, OTR/L
Dr. Tia Hughes joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in June 2020 as Associate Dean of the College of Rehabilitative Sciences for Occupational Therapy. Dr. Hughes has been a faculty member and academic leader at AdventHealth University in Florida since 2002, serving as the Program Director for the occupational therapy programs.

Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences & Program Director, tDPT Program
Elaine Lonnemann, PT, DPT, OCS, MTC, FAAOMPT
Dr. Elaine Lonnemann is the Associate Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Program Director of the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. She has served as a contributing faculty member in online courses for the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy program since 2002.

Program Director, EdD/DHSc Programs
Sunddip Aguilar, EdD
Dr. Sunddip Aguilar is the Program Director for the Doctorate of Education program in the College of Health Sciences.

Program Director, OT Programs—St. Augustine, FL Campus
Helen Carey, PhD, MSc Adv OT, OTR
Dr. Helen Carey is the Program Director of the Occupational Therapy programs on the St. Augustine, FL campus. She joined the University in March 2020 from the United Kingdom.

Program Director, DPT Program—Austin, TX Campus
Tony Domenech, PT, DPT, EdD, OCS, FAAOMPT
Dr. Manuel (Tony) A. Domenech is the Program Director of and an Associate Professor for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program on the Austin, TX campus.

Vice President, Enrollment Management and San Marcos, CA Campus Director
Julie Gonick
Julie Gonick, Vice President of Enrollment Management, joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2016 with more than 15 years of experience in admissions and higher education.

Interim Program Director, OT Programs—Miami, FL Campus
Marcia Hamilton, OTD, MSHS, OTR/L, BCP, BCTS
Dr. Marcia Hamilton is the Program Director of the Occupational Therapy programs on the Miami campus, where she also serves as an assistant professor.

Director, Continuing Professional Education and St. Augustine, FL Campus Director
Lori Hankins
Lori Hankins brings more than 20 years of operational experience to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences as the Director of Continuing Professional Education and St. Augustine, FL Campus Director.

Interim Program Director, OTD Program—Dallas, TX campus
Keith B. McWilliams, OTD, OTR/L, DRS
Dr. Keith McWilliams is the Interim Program Director for the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program on the Dallas campus, where he also serves as an Assistant Professor.

Assistant Program Director, SLP Program and Dallas, TX Campus Director
Ashley Bourque Meaux, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Ashley Bourque Meaux, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor and Assistant Program Director for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program on the Dallas, TX campus.

Program Director, Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Karen Menard, PhD, OTR/L
Karen Menard, PhD, OTR/L is the Program Director for the Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

Program Director, DPT Program—San Marcos, CA Campus
Cherie Peters-Brinkerhoff, PT, EDD, MPT, MHA, C/NDT
Dr. Peters-Brinkerhoff is the Program Director for the DPT program at the San Marcos, CA campus.

Executive Director, School of Nursing
Kathleen Polley-Payne, PhD, RN MSN PNP
Dr. Kathleen Polley-Payne has been an early adopter of the online and blended teaching modalities. Her clinical experience lies with the pediatric population. Dr. Polley-Payne joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2020.

Program Director, Physician Assistant Program
Michael Roscoe, PhD, PA-C
Michael Roscoe, PhD, PA-C is an experienced physician assistant (PA) educator and clinician. He has been a PA for more than 20 years, with a primary specialty in emergency medicine. He joined the University of St. Augustine in March 2021 and is based at the University’s Austin, TX campus.

Program Director, MS-SLP Program
Meghan Savage, PhD, CCC-SLP
Meghan Savage, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is the Program Director and an Associate Professor in the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program.

Program Director, OT Programs—San Marcos, CA Campus
Erin Schwier, OTD
Dr. Erin Schwier is the Program Director and an Associate Professor for the Occupational Therapy programs on the San Marcos, CA campus. She brings more than 15 years of experience working with children with disabilities and their families to her position.

Miami, FL Campus Director
Arvie Vitente, PT, DPT, PhD, MPH, GCS
Dr. Arvie Vitente joined the University as a core faculty in November 2018 and serves as the Miami, FL Campus Director and Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE)/Assistant Professor for the DPT program.

Program Director, DPT Program
Thomas P. Werner, PT, MA, PhD
Dr. Thom Werner is an Associate Professor in and the Program Director for the DPT program at the Dallas, TX campus.

Program Director, MHS/MHA Programs
Kathy H. Wood, PhD, FHFMA
Dr. Kathy Wood, PhD, FHFMA is the Program Director for the Master of Health Administration (MHA) and Master of Health Science (MHS) programs at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

Program Director, OT Programs and Austin, TX Campus Director
Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L
Dr. Mary Zadnik, ScD, MEd, OTR/L, is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the entry-level Occupational Therapy programs on the Austin, TX campus.

Executive Director of Clinical Services
Mariesol Wallace, PT, DPT, CCI
Dr. Mariesol Wallace joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in December 2017 as an academic coordinator of clinical education and is now Executive Director of Clinical Services.

Chief Information Officer
Damien Cooper
Damien Cooper serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and provides leadership and direction for University-wide IT strategies and initiatives to meet the complex needs of the University.

Chief Experience Officer
Terry Rakosky
Terry Rakosky, Chief Experience Officer, joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) with more than 30 years of experience in consumer products and higher education.

General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Compliance
Deborah Zimic
Deborah Zimic, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Compliance, provides cross-divisional legal and compliance support to the University.

Vice President, Accreditation and Assessment
Melanie Davis, DHED
Dr. Melanie Davis joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in March 2021. Dr. Davis worked in K–12 education for 13 years, first in the classroom and then as a curriculum and assessment administrator.

Vice President, Human Resources
Susan Waugh
Susan Waugh serves as Vice President of Human Resources for University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. She has more than 20 years of professional experience as a leader in human resources, with strong functional expertise in talent acquisition, operational efficiency, organizational design, training and development.

Vice President of Student Administration
Dawn Werling
With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, Dawn Werling has served in numerous operational leadership positions, during which she oversaw all student and administrative functions, developed and launched new programs, and planned and opened numerous new campuses. Prior to her career in higher education, she served as an Ordnance Officer in the U.S. Army, where she worked in operations, training, and logistics before retiring.

Executive Director, Student Financial Services and Compliance
Frank Ravja
Frank Ravja serves as the Executive Director of Student Financial Services and Compliance. His experiences span a decade in student financial services, financial aid, student accounts, enrollment management and compliance.

Executive Director, Admissions and Registration Services
Heidi Terry
Based at our St. Augustine, FL campus, Heidi Terry joined the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in September 2021. She has served in enrollment and admission leadership roles at multiple institutions ranging in size from 1,000 to 29,000 students throughout her 30+-year career.