Vice-Chairman

Michael Platt
PlattForm
Olathe, KS

Michael Platt is a renowned leader and innovator in the career college sector. As founder and CEO of PlattForm, he has guided the development of the trend-setting creative agency that offers lead generation and admissions support solutions for career schools. He has provided out-of-the-box marketing and advertising solutions for all types of learning institutions for nearly 20 years.

Under Platt's direction, PlattForm has become the largest full-service enrollment solutions agency in the education sector. PlattForm was the first agency to produce all creative in-house, including TV and radio production as well as web design, newspaper ads, and inserts. Introducing another significant innovation, Platt developed cost-per-lead advertising, which revolutionized online marketing for the career college sector. PlattForm now earns more than $100 million in annual billings and employs about 350 individuals who service more than 1,400 schools.

Platt's success lies in his vision and forward thinking as well as his team's ability to see the big picture while executing on a daily basis. He is widely regarded by his colleagues for his creativity. Many of his team's Print, Web and Video/TV productions have won Addys, Tellys, Webbys and a variety of international awards. He has authored numerous articles on effective advertising methods and student recruitment strategies. Platt specializes in empowering and increasing productivity of admissions staff and has over a decade of proven excellence in admissions training, management and consulting.

As a 22-year veteran in the marketing field, he has established a distinguished career as a successful entrepreneur. At 23 years old, Platt became Vice President of Marketing for Stage II Apparel, the world's largest importer of men's active wear. Later, Platt represented numerous professional athletes in the product endorsement arena, hosted a sports talk show, and owned and operated a professional wrestling organization in Charlotte, N.C.

After enjoying much success through early advertising ventures, Platt ultimately discovered his passion in the education industry. After handling a diverse account base, which included the recruitment advertising for Domino's Pizza and consumer advertising for Flight 23 by Jordan (retail outlets owned and operated by the family of Michael Jordan), Platt landed his first career school. Within four months, Platt was handling 13 schools and made the strategic decision to focus exclusively on school recruitment advertising.

In 2004, Platt was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the category of Business Services. Most recently, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Imagine America Board of Directors and was lauded by the Career College Association with its "Irreplaceable and Indispensable" award for his service to the organization.

Treasurer

Jim Gessner
Duluth Business University
Duluth, MN

Jim has been actively involved in postsecondary education for over 30 years. He has been on the Imagine America Foundation (IAF) board since 2005, and he was elected as the IAF board treasurer for the 2006-2007 term. Jim has served on the Career College Association (CCA) board of directors since 2001. Jim is currently the chairman of audit committee and is a member of the litigation committee. Previously Jim served as a member or chairman of many other CCA committees including the convention, PAC, state affairs and leadership committees.

Jim is very active with the Minnesota Career College Association (MCCA) and has served as an officer and director. He has also been chairman and/or a member of a number of MCCA committees including the Strategic Planning, Scholarship and Revitalization Committees. Jim has served on the State of Minnesota Legislative Task Force and the State of MN Public Law 141 (original law regulating private schools) Regulations Committee member.

He is active in a number of professional and civic associations.

Kathleen deLaski
The Sallie Mae Fund
Reston, VA

Dr. Ellis C. Gedney
Ex'pression College for the Digital Arts
Emeryville, CA

Dr. Ellis C. Gedney is vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Ex'pression College for the Digital Arts located in Emeryville, California. He was formerly chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Silicon Valley College with campuses located in Fremont, Walnut Creek, Concord, San Jose and Emeryville, CA.

Ellis has devoted more than thirty years to education, the last twenty of which he has served as a college president or chairman of the board. Prior positions include director of student financial aid, dean of student services and professor of counseling psychology.

Ellis holds a B.A. degree from Denison University, a Master of Science degree from Columbia University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia. His publications include presentations at both national and international conferences on higher education.

Active in community service or leadership positions, Ellis is the former President of Rubicon Children's Center, a non-profit organization that provides treatment for special children; a board member of the Northington Foundation; a member of educational honoraries: Phi Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi and Alpha Beta Kappa; Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Emeryville Chamber of Commerce and the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools. Committee assignments included convention committee chairman, CCAPAC chairman and the Legislative Advisory Council. He is active as a team leader for ACCSCT and serves as a member of the appeals panel.

Sabrina Kay
Chairman and CEO of Fremont College

As Chairman and CEO of Fremont College, Sabrina Kay brings an expansive vision to the field of higher education and understands the difference education can make in the lives of the students. She believes that the beneficial effects of education extend far beyond the walls of any campus. Armed with an outstanding management team, Sabrina's goal is to create an institution that closes the gap between the classroom and the workforce. Fremont College is the perfect vehicle to leave a legacy in higher education community and corporate learning system. It also provides opportunities for students to become exceptional members of the industries they serve.

Sabrina comes from a diverse and successful business and education background. She founded California Design College in 1991 as the nation's leading institution teaching computer-aided fashion design, and sold it to Education Management Corporation in 2002. As a founder of various entrepreneurial businesses such as Premier Business Bank, Fremont Private Investments, Fashion Umbrella LLC, and LAdesigns.org, she has been at the forefront of educating and empowering others to foster success with integrity and achieve their full potential. She has had a profound influence on a generation of young professionals by spearheading several educational programs and influential events in design, business, finance, and leadership.

She currently serves as a commissioner of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission; a director of the Golden State ScholarShare Program; an Executive Committee member of USC Alumni Association Board of Governors; Director of the Career College Association; Imagine America Scholarship Foundation; Chairman of CCA Political Action Committee; an accreditation evaluator for the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS); and a member of YPO (Young Presidents' Organization) Bel Air Chapter.

As a philanthropist, she founded Sabrina Kay Charitable Foundation, and serves as chairman and annual dinner chair of After-School All-Stars Los Angeles; a director of LA, Inc., the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, and California Fashion Association; and is a member of The Trusteeship, American Friends of the Louvre, LACFR (Los Angeles Council on Foreign Relations), and Geffen Playhouse Founders.

Sabrina has been recognized for her achievements with numerous awards, including being named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young, Woman of the Year by the State of California Legislature, and Rising Asian Woman by the World Affairs Council, among many others.

Sabrina received her MBA at the University of Southern California and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. She is a doctoral candidate in Work-Based Learning Leadership at Wharton School of Business and the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania.

Harris N. Miller
Career College Association
Washington, DC

Craig Quigley
Lockheed Martin
Manassas, VA

Craig Quigley serves as the principal communications and public affairs advisor to Fred Moosally and the seven Maritime Systems & Sensors (MS2) lines of business.

Mr. Quigley leads the development and execution of an integrated communications program that creates, projects, and reinforces perceptions of MS2 as a single, customer focused enterprise. He directs media relations, advertising, marketing communications, community relations, multimedia and Web sites, and employee communications. In addition, he works with MS2 business leaders, Washington Operations, and Business Development functions to create integrated communications strategies that support business objectives and strengthen relationships with the U.S. and allied military customers, as well as with government policymakers.

He joined Lockheed Martin following a 27-year career in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a rear admiral and the senior uniformed public affairs officer in the Defense Department. From 1999 until his retirement, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). Since late 2001, he also served as acting director of public affairs for the U.S. Central Command, developing a strategic communications plan for the military organization in charge of the global war against terrorism. Previously, he was special assistant for public affairs to Navy Secretaries John Dalton and Richard Danzig. Prior to his involvement in public affairs, he served for eight years as a surface warfare officer at the beginning of his Navy career.

Mr. Quigley is a 1975 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. and serves as president of his class. A native of Winthrop, Iowa, he is an active public speaker, and believes in the value of mentoring juniors and developing teamwork to accomplish difficult objectives. He has been listed in “Who's Who in American High Schools” and “Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities,” and was selected as an “Outstanding Young Man of America” in 1980. He also serves as a National Director in the Navy League of the United States; as Chair of the Navy's League's Communications Advisory Board; as a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association Communications Committee; as a member of the Board of Directors of the Imagine America Foundation; as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Prince William County Health System Foundation; and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Enduring Heroes Foundation.

MS2, with more than 12,000 employees, provides advanced mission equipment for surface and undersea combatants, land-and-sea-based radars, aircraft avionics, sea-based elements of the nation's missile defense capability, and team leader for the Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship. Its principal customers are the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Air Force, and the armed forces of U.S. allies. The segment is expanding its expertise into adjacent markets with products that have both civil government and commercial applications.

Dennis Spisak
McGraw-Hill Career College Division
McGraw-Hill Higher Education
St. Louis, MO

Dennis graduated from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and holds a B.S. degree and Master's degree in Business Education. He taught business and office education at the secondary and postsecondary levels in Pennsylvania before joining the Gregg Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies as a sales representative in 1981. Dennis is currently the Eastern Region Vice-President for the Career College Division of McGraw-Hill Higher Education.