Director, Renaissance Academy

John is the Director of The Renaissance Academy. He is a Columbia University graduate and former Wall Street merchant banker.

Program Manager

Chris develops and teaches new and emerging programs in a number of subject areas, including contact hour programs for health and human services professions.

Dr. Gallagher has a range of experience in both the private sector and academia.  Her interests in continuing education and the arts intersect in current work at Lee Memorial Health System, where she provides expressive arts activities for oncology patients.  Prior to joining FGCU, she was Director of Education at Hope Hospice, overseeing health education efforts serving an 8-county area in addition to teaching silk painting workshops as stress relief for field personnel.  She's a graduate of Purdue University and University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she was Director of Precollege Programs for the campus, collectively serving 12,000 K-12 students annually, and offering educational programs proving exposure, enrichment and enhancement. She began her career in inner-city Indianapolis, teaching K-8 art.

Administrative Coordinator

Brenda joined FGCU in 2011 and is currently an Administrative Coordinator with The Renaissance Academy.  Her priority is displaying a “can-do” attitude in serving participants, staff, and instructors. Brenda moved to Florida from Westchester, NY where she worked for 17 years as an assistant to the Director of Finance and Administration for The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester New York. Brenda enjoys all the beauty that is SW Florida, its beaches, canals and palm trees. Brenda says, “It’s like living in paradise.” Additionally, she has enjoyed meeting new friends and is very happy to have made the move from NY.

Program Assistant

Cynthia joined FGCU in January 2011 and is currently the Program Assistant at the Renaissance Academy at FGCU Naples Center.  Cynthia is originally from Massachusetts, where she worked as the Financial Assistant to the Director of Pupil Personnel in the Andover Public Schools.  She and her husband moved to Florida in 2007 when their son entered Florida State University.  Now graduating and attending Rice University as a Piano Performance major, Cynthia spends her spare time supporting her son in his promising performance career.   

Student Advising Assistant/Hendry & Glades Counties Coordinator

A member of Continuing Education since 2008, Rick began as a Graduate Assistant Academic Advisor, primarily helping Edison State College graduates transition to FGCU, while pursuing his own History MA at Florida Gulf Coast University.  Since then, he has been named CE's Hendry/Glades Counties Coordinator, and the Coordinator for online Driving Courses, as well as assisting with Charlotte County's Renaissance Academy program when required. 

Rick graduated from FGCU with a History BA in May 2008 after attending the university for three years.  He enrolled at FGCU in 2005 after serving 28 years in the Untied States Coast Guard.  In the Coast Guard, Rick rose to the rank of CWO4 (BOSN) and commanded the Coast Guard Station in Fort Myers Beach, before retiring in 2003.  

Program Assistant

Nancy is currently overseeing the new facility for the Office of Continuing Education at the Herald Court Centre in Punta Gorda.  In the past, Nancy worked with the Institute of Government for almost 4 years.  In this position, her passion is customer service excellence and strives to ensure that participants, clients and facilitators have exactly what they need.

An interest in life-long learning helped Nancy make the decision to leave a previous position, go back to college and earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education.

In her spare time, Nancy enjoys live music, her two rescue dogs, and being out in the Florida sunshine!

Naples Center Office Assistant

Soon after discovering the Renaissance Academy, as a student in its inaugural year, Patti became the FGCU Naples Center Office Assistant.  That was 7 years ago.  She has enjoyed watching the curriculum in Naples grow from a dozen classes in 2003 to over 200 in the 2010 Winter term.  The reward of her position is witnessing the joy as new students discover us.  Her promise is to continue welcoming back our returning students each year with a familiar smile.