ACCSCT Leadership Team

Elise Scanlon
Executive Director

(B.A., Dickinson College; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center)

Elise Scanlon has served as the Executive Director of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology since 1999.   As such, she acts as the Chief Executive Officer of the accrediting commission, managing the day-to-day operation of ACCSCT’s Arlington, Virginia office and staff, and overseeing the accreditation process for nearly 800 accredited and applicant institutions throughout the United States. Scanlon is also responsible for the commission’s liaison activities with state and federal agencies, institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations, higher education associations, and coordinates the commission’s legislative activities.

In 2007, Scanlon participated at Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings’ invitation in a national forum on accreditation and the Summit on the Future of Higher Education, A Test of Leadership.  She also was appointed by the Secretary to serve as a non-federal negotiator on a team tasked with developing new regulations for Department of Education recognized accrediting agencies. She is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences on accreditation and higher education.  Scanlon, who began her career as a high school history teacher, has also worked as an attorney. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College where she graduated with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Michale S. McComis
Associate Executive Director

(B.A., M.Ed., Ed.D., University of Virginia)

As the associate executive director, Michale McComis is a member of the ACCSCT leadership team, serves as lead staff for the development of ACCSCT standards and policies, oversees many Commission relations activities, and serves as a presenter at ACCSCT workshops and training seminars. Michale’s tenure with ACCSCT began in 1994 and during that time he has conducted over 275 on-site evaluations, presented at over 60 workshops and training seminars, authored several publications and conducted several research projects for the Commission. Michale’s research specialty is in the area of measuring and evaluating student achievement outcomes and his training seminar topics cover areas such as leadership in private career colleges, the role of accreditation in institutional enhancement, and distance education and degree program development.

Michale has participated in international accreditation activities in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Brazil, Canada, and the Caribbean and has on behalf of the Commission met with numerous international delegations seeking information about accreditation in the United States. Michale is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia's Northern Virginia Education Center teaching graduate courses in education policy. Before joining ACCSCT, Michale earned experience in the trades by working as an electrician’s apprentice and HVAC technician and through his service in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as a NCO.

Thomas J. Cornacchia
Director of Accreditation

(B.S., St. Francis University; M.Ed., American University)

Tom Cornacchia began his tenure with ACCSCT in February 2005 as the Associate Director of Accreditation. In his current capacity as the Director of Accreditation, Tom supervises and manages the staff within the area of institutional review and oversees the ACCSCT on-site evaluation visit process and procedures with regard to initial and renewal applications.  Tom also coordinates the activities for initial applicant institutions, as well as conducts on-site evaluations, including specialized reviews. 

Tom and the Institutional Review Management Team are responsible for recruiting and training new team member volunteers, as well as producing the Team Member Update electronic publication.  Tom has 16 years of experience within the accreditation sector and has conducted several hundred on-site evaluations.  He possesses expertise in policy and program development, committee work and agenda development, standards review and analysis, and distance education initiatives.  

Bettina Falwell
Manager of Institutional Compliance

(B.S., Columbia Union College; M.S., Capella University)

Bettina Falwell joined ACCSCT in May 2001 as a research assistant. As manager of institutional compliance, Bettina is responsible for coordinating and monitoring compliance activities that relate to progress and financial reporting, complaints, agency notices, and the ACCSCT annual report.

Bettina has 12 years of experience in managing at-risk youth and adult education programs in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Bettina also serves as staff liaison to the ACCSCT complaint committee.

Juanita Gurubatham

Associate Director of Institutional Development

(Ph.D., University of Maryland - Baltimore  County)

Dr. Juanita Gurubatham joined the Commission in August 2007 as the Associate Director of Institutional Development.  In this role, Juanita will support strategic planning and process enhancement activities in the area of substantive change, degree, and distance education applications. Juanita comes to ACCSCT with more than 25 years of experience in higher education in the areas of curriculum development, faculty and academic administration, and distance learning. 

Prior to joining ACCSCT, Juanita served as the Associate Vice President for Academic Administration and Institutional Research at Columbia Union College in Takoma Park, Maryland.  Juanita holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy with an emphasis in higher education from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. 

Aillen King
Manager for Institutional Records

2006 marks Aillen King’s 20th year with ACCSCT. As the Manager for Institutional Records, Ms. King is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of ACCSCT’s database, which ensures the timely flow of communication and information to respective departments at ACCSCT. Additionally, Ms. King’s responsibilities include maintaining the integrity of all institutional files and archives, and institutional record management. Ms. King is the primary staff contact for all changes to school contact information, including changes in school director position, and also serves as the primary staff contact for voluntary withdrawals and school closures.

Christopher D. Lambert
Associate Director of Commission Relations

(B.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania; M.Ed., University of Virginia)

Christopher Lambert began working with ACCSCT in 1996 as an accreditation specialist and during his tenure with the Commission, has participated on hundreds of on-site evaluations to ACCSCT-accredited and applicant institutions.   

In his current position as Associate Director of Commission Relations, Christopher is responsible for the development and administration of ACCSCT’s external affairs and public relations campaign, serving as the primary staff liaison to numerous state and national higher education organizations.   Additionally, as an advocate for accreditation with a strong belief in the transformative power of education, Christopher has represented the Commission on several international endeavors, including participating in accreditation activities in Canada, Brazil and the Caribbean.

Christopher currently serves as the primary staff liaison for the Commission’s distance education committee and is responsible for the development of the Commission’s online training initiative, as well as ACCSCT’s publication efforts, including web site design and development. Since 1998, Christopher has also served as a Lead Presenter on the ACCSCT Presentation Team, regularly speaking at ACCSCT sponsored workshops and seminars, and is a frequent speaker at numerous higher education conferences hosted across the United States.

Leah K. Matthews
Director of Institutional Compliance & Agency Recognition

(B.A., Westminster College; M.P.A., University of Oklahoma)

Leah Matthews has worked at ACCSCT since April 1998. Prior to that she lived and worked in Tokyo for the United States Army-Japan Headquarters from 1993 to 1998 as the chief of family support services. In this capacity, she led the Child Development Services to become the first NAEYC-accredited early childhood program in Japan and developed and administered policy, plans and regulations for the family support program. Her responsibilities included providing services to more than 5000 military personnel, civilians and their families.

As the director of ACCSCT’s Institutional Compliance & Agency Recognition department, Leah oversees the coordination of the Commission’s quarterly meetings, monitors the compliance of accredited institutions, and directs all research and processes related to the Commission’s continued recognition by the U.S. Department of Education.

Lisa J. Miles
Manager of Field Operations

(B.S., University of Missouri)

Lisa Miles began working with ACCSCT in November 1996 and has conducted nearly 300 on-site evaluations since then. Prior to her tenure with ACCSCT, Lisa was a research associate with the Missouri Proprietary School Certification Program, a compliance reviewer with the Missouri Student Loan Program, a financial aid officer at Central Missouri State University, and a student loan processor at Colorado State University.

As the Manager of Field Operations, Lisa's primary responsibilities include the oversight and management of the accreditation process for both member institutions and initial applicants, as well as coordinating subsequent follow up verification activities that include degree program activities and separate facilities review. Lisa is also a member of the ACCSCT presentation team.

Anne Santalla
Director of Operations

(B.A., Marymount University)

Anne Santalla joined ACCSCT in the fall of 2003. As the director of operations, Anne is responsible for the management and oversight of the administrative and fiscal operations of ACCSCT. She has more than 18 years of nonprofit management experience and is a member of both the American Society of Association Executives and the Society for Human Resources Management. Prior to joining the Commission, Anne served as the director of finance and administration for the American Association of University Professors. Anne also previously served as the director of administration and membership for the American Industrial Health Council.

Jessica Tanaka
Manager of Institutional Review

(B.S., Pennsylvania State University)

Jessica Tanaka joined ACCSCT in August 2000 as a program assistant analyst in the Institutional Development department and since then has worked in the Institutional Review department as an accreditation coordinator and accreditation specialist.  As the Manager of Institutional Review, Jessica is responsible for overseeing the accreditation process for renewal schools and initial applicants, overseeing travel staff, and coordinating on-site evaluation teams.  In addition, Jessica’s responsibilities include participating in quarterly Commission meetings and conducting on-site evaluations to initial applicant schools and renewal schools. Jessica is also a member of the ACCSCT presentation team.

Mandy Wong
Senior Advisor for Institutional Development Planning

(M.Ed., Temple University)

Mandy Wong began working for ACCSCT in 1996 as an accreditation specialist and has conducted over 150 on-site evaluations to member and applicant institutions. As manager of institutional development, Mandy is responsible for the oversight of the institutional development department charged with program reviews, including: degree applications, distance education reports and program applications/program modifications. The institutional development department is also responsible for separate facilities reviews, including branch applications, satellite locations and facility expansions. Mandy also serves as staff liaison to the ACCSCT degree committee.