Contact Us

Paul is passionate about adult and extended education because he has lived it: His entire postsecondary education career—as student, educator, and administrator—has involved non-traditional education.  Paul holds a special affinity for adult learners, as that is how he got started in pursuing his own college education.  Paul earned his bachelor’s degree in management while on active duty with the U.S. Army at Ft. Benning, GA, attending classes far away from his home institution, Troy University in Alabama.  With a growing young family, Paul went on to earn his MBA from the University of Rochester, and then many years later again became an adult learner when he pursued a doctorate in higher education leadership, while maintaining a full-time career in academia.  Paul earned an EdD from the University of Delaware, where he focused on adult education, and his research interest pertained to online education.  At all levels of Paul's postsecondary education, he experienced the challenges, and benefits, of being an adult learner.

 

Paul's involvement with adult learners has been just as substantial as an educator.  As a full-time faculty member, and then as an administrator, Paul has taught in, developed, and/or led working adult learner evening programs on campus, as well as non-traditional programs at satellite locations away from the main campus, online, bachelor degree completion programs at community colleges, worksite locations, at two military installations, and non-credit community outreach programs.

 

Higher education is Paul's third career. He worked many years as a financial executive at a major corporation, and, for over 25 years Paul has been an entrepreneur, owning and operating a variety of small businesses in the retail sector.

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

Barbara began her career at FGCU in 2001 as the accountant for WGCU Public Media and Instructional Technology. In 2006 she became the Accounting Coordinator for Auxiliary Services and Tax in the Department of Finance and Accounting in the Office of the Controller. In 2010, she took the position of Treasury Accounting Coordinator in the same office. In November, 2014 she became the Business Manager for the Office of Continuing Education and Off-Campus Program. Barbara has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida. A long-time resident in the Fort Myers area, before coming to FGCU Barbara divided her time between parenting, career activities and community volunteering.

 

For fun, she leads a monthly book club discussion and is an avid knitter. She loves to travel, especially to the West Coast to visit with her two sons.

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!

Jessica is an Office Assistant at FGCU Herald Court. She is committed to fulfilling her role as the first point of contact for students /staff; as she stands ready with a smile and helpful direction for those who may need it.  Jessica’s passion encompasses health, wellness, and education.  With an associate’s degree from the Florida College of Natural Health, she extends her ever-expanding knowledge of holistic wellness to her part time position at a local health food market.

 

In free time, she enjoys both listening to and making music, singing, beach trips, being a mom, and spending time with her friends and family.

Chris is a retired educator who joined the Renaissance Academy team in Punta Gorda in 2018.  She has more than 30 years in education as a teacher (middle school through doctoral programs) as well as school and district level administration. She earned a BA in Spanish from the State University of New York atBrockport, anMSEd from Nazareth College in her hometown of Rochester, NY while raising her two daughters, and an EdD with a focus on Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota (now Argosy University).

 

In her free time, Chris enjoys activities with her daughters, 4 grandchildren, large extended family and friends, reading, and traveling. Cruising has become a favorite since her retirement from Charlotte County Public Schools in 2016.