Meet the Staff

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.x

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

 

Dr. Peterson has over 30 years’ experience in training managers and supervisors of several major Fortune 500 companies as well as numerous medium and smaller-sized firms.  Additionally, he has over twenty years of full-time university and college level teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, nine years working in the marketing department of a Fortune 250 company, and over 3 years’ experience as the Training Manager at a plant of a major US automotive manufacturing company.

 

Dr. Peterson has over twenty years of leading Six Sigma certification for all facets of business, including manufacturing, health care, government, education, and service.  He recently completed Six Sigma training for the Lee County Emergency Medical Service.  He holds a PhD in Organizational Development from Southern Illinois University.  Dr. Peterson is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and was trained in Six Sigma by General Electric.

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!

I’Riel is a recent graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University. She received a degree in Psychology. She is a dedicated individual who enjoys helping others and making sure that she excels in all that she does. I’Riel works for Continuing Education as the Internet Marketing Specialist. I’Riel brings a warming personality to any environment and is highly skilled in customer service and leadership skills. She brings a variety of skills that are expressed through her maturity and practical experience.

 

In free time, she enjoys listening to music, cooking, writing and spending time with her dogs, family, and friends. She also volunteers with a local rescue as their Adoption/Volunteer Coordinator.

Alisha obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the Florida Gulf Coast University. She excels in administrative support, customer support, and data management and brings over five years’ experience working in the education and healthcare industries. Having held administrative positions and a track record of strong performance in high-volume, high-pressure environments, she proficiently manages administrative duties and client relations at all levels. Alisha brings her passion, dedication, and ethics to her role as an Office Assistant. She is a motivated team-player with remarkable organizational skills who finds her work to be abundantly rewarding. She also enjoys traveling and photography in her free time. 

Andrea Muench works for Continuing Education as an Office Assistant. She moved to Fort Myers from Libertyville, IL in the fall of 2014 with her husband and family. Andrea was the Department Assistant for the Education, Religion and Theater Departments at Lake Forest College for 13 years. She found it very interesting working for three diverse departments. While at Lake Forest College she was involved in Intervarsity, including being an advisor for a year, and was an Ally participant. She also started a Bible study for female staff.

 

Andrea’s passion is helping people, especially the homeless. She volunteers at the Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army and Come As You Are Ministries. In the past she volunteered weekly at Community Cooperative. In Illinois she volunteered at Feed My Starving Children, the county jail, was a mentor for homeless families in transition, served at mobile food pantries, took classes on poverty and studied the effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ADD and ADHD in children and teenagers.

 

Her other passions are the beach and animals. She and her husband go to the beach as often as they can to see the sunsets. She also dog sits Thursday through Sunday for her daughter’s dog that she has fallen in love with.

 

Andrea misses her friends, family and colleagues back in Illinois but is very happy to be in Florida and working at Florida Gulf Coast University!

Rose is an Administrative Specialist at Renaissance Academy, Naples, Florida. Rose is a graduate of Central Connecticut State University where she received her BS degree in Marketing. She also has an AS degree in Respiratory Therapy.  Rose is a past member of PPAI (Promotional Products Association International) and is CAS certified.  (Certified Advertising Specialist).

 

Rose is a Recipient of the Community Service Award 2010 Nominee for her years of service and dedication to the community of Granby, CT.  Rose is the past VP of the Granby Chamber of Commerce, Granby, CT, and she is the past President of the CT Chapter of the American Marketing Association.

 

Rose developed a non-profit organization (raising $100K annually) to support the development of a high school football program in her hometown. That program is now entering its 12^th season.

 

Rose comes to us from Granby, CT where she resided for the last 35 years with her husband Bill and where she raised her 4 children. Rose is an excellent addition to our team here at FGCU and the Renaissance Academy. 

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 at Brockport, an MSEd 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.