National University President’s Circle
2 02 6
Table of Contents
National University Mission ...................................................................... 2 National University Vision ........................................................................ 2 About National University ......................................................................... 3 National University President’s Circle ...................................................... 4 2026 President’s Circle Inductees ............................................................. 7
Kathryn (Kate) Brunskill....................................................................... 9
Savanna McDonald............................................................................ 40
Darren Kyle D. Calica.......................................................................... 12
Rogelio Mendez Estrada.................................................................... 43
Dakota Cox......................................................................................... 15
Angelia Michelle Nixon...................................................................... 45
Renise De Armas................................................................................ 17
Alex Pujols.......................................................................................... 48
Linda Hamer....................................................................................... 20
Jennifer Ramirez................................................................................ 50
Tiffany Johnson................................................................................. 23
Christina Maria Sanchez.................................................................... 52
Emily Kazutomi................................................................................... 26
Keyt Supelana..................................................................................... 55
Colleen Lyn Kelly................................................................................ 29
Charlie Van De Voorde....................................................................... 57
Ross Kenlay........................................................................................ 32
Abraham Velez-Rivera........................................................................ 59
Toby (Alexis) Lariviere....................................................................... 35
Philip A. West..................................................................................... 62
Dominic Maleknia.............................................................................. 38
Robin Woodward................................................................................ 65
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
1
Mission
To deliver accessible, world-class student experiences by providing quality programs and ser vices that ensure student success through meaningful learning.
Vision
To be an inclusive and innovative university ser ving lifelong learners who contribute to the positive transformation of society.
2 | National University President’s Circle 2026
About National University
Since 1971, National University has been helping ANDers™ overcome barriers to education and create oppor tunities for personal and professional growth. As a Veteran-founded nonprofit university, NU ser ves a diverse community of learners through more than 150+ degree programs, credentials, and cer tificates, as well as flexible four-, eight-, and 12-week courses designed to fit the realities of our students’ busy lives.
80K
50K
50%
255,000+
130,000+
Workforce and professional development students
Degree-seeking learners
Undergraduate students who are active-duty military, Veterans, and dependents
Alums worldwide
Total learners served per year
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
3
National University President’s Circle
The President’s Circle represents the highest expression of the ANDers stor y, and at the hear t of these journeys you’ ll find Whole Human Education™, our student-centered philosophy that understands our ANDers are balancing careers, m ilitar y ser vice, family responsibilities, financial obligations, and personal aspirations, all while pursuing their education. Each recipient recognized in the following pages embodies the excellence, perseverance, and achievement that define the ANDers spirit. While balancing multiple responsibilities, they have excelled academically, demonstrated leadership, and exemplified the lasting impact National University strives to create in the lives of its students.
4 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Given that our students are ANDers, students with a lot of ‘ands’ in their lives, they are students and employees, and parents, and serving our country, these stories of academic achievement and the pathway to possibility that is education are special.”
Dr. Mark Milliron National University President and CEO
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
5
6 | National University President’s Circle 2026
2026 President’s Circle Inductees
National University is proud to induct these 2026 graduating students into the President’s Circle.
Kathryn (Kate) Brunskill
Savanna McDonald
Darren Kyle D. Calica
Rogelio Mendez Estrada
Dakota Cox
Angelia Michelle Nixon
Renise De Armas
Alex Pujols
Linda Hamer
Jennifer Ramirez
Tiffany Johnson
Christina Maria Sanchez
Emily Kazutomi
Keyt Supelana
Colleen Lyn Kelly
Charlie Van De Voorde
Ross Kenlay
Abraham Velez-Rivera
Toby (Alexis) Lariviere
Philip A. West
Dominic Maleknia
Robin Woodward
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
7
8 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Kathryn (Kate) Brunskill Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Trauma Informed Systemic Therapy
Stretching Her Capacity Generational trauma has captivated Kathryn Brunskill for quite some
Although she has a long personal history with military trauma, her
time. She is married to a military Veteran, and several members of
professional focus only recently pivoted. Until 2023, she had been
her family are Veterans, including one who was a World War II POW
working in recruiting and staffing. Psychology was a nagging passion,
captured at Dunkirk.
and it was a field she felt called to both by her faith and her lived experience. Her husband encouraged her to pursue the field, warning
She has seen how trauma can cascade through generations of a family
her she might regret it if she didn’t. Her only hang-up was debt. She
tree, and that fascination pulled her towards the pursuit of a master’s
wanted to work while in school to avoid accruing debt, so she needed a
degree in marriage and family therapy with a specific focus on trauma
program with flexibility that would allow it.
informed systemic therapy. National University seemed like a good fit. “It’s meaningful to me personally, and I also think I really click with and can attune to that population,” Brunskill said, referring to Veterans. “I
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “It was brutal, but so
think it’s very validating for people to hear the physiological impact it
rewarding to be on the other side of it now. I didn’t want to drag it out
can have because, for a long time, it was stigmatized. Mental health is
too long.”
just as real and just as important as physiological health.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
9
After starting her coursework, she and her husband moved from San Diego to Nashville, which required her to find a new job, settle into a new community, and transfer her coursework to a local track. It was a lot, but it was also doable. “It was just a change of scenery,” she said about the move. “San Diego is expensive, and it would have been really hard, almost impossible, for us to do school and work.” It’s not always easy to know for sure if changing paths is the right thing to do, but Brunskill received pretty powerful confirmation that she had made the right decision to leave the corporate world and pursue therapy. While studying a foundational concept for her degree, Brunskill developed a clear, accessible diagram of the systematic circular hypothesis. Once faculty members were exposed to it, they asked her if the diagram could be incorporated into the curriculum so other students could learn from it. “That was really cool and wild,” she said. “It was very humbling. It meant a lot to me.” Armed with her master’s degree, Brunskill is already building her caseload at a private practice and hopes to pursue becoming a supervisor once she obtains independent licensure. The practice she is at offers supervisor training, which aligns with her goal of helping future clinicians develop in the field. There are still a couple of milestones to reach before that achievement is met, including a national exam and licensure, but she is on her way in a practice that carries with it considerable industry prestige.
10 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“I was looking for a private practice that was really empirically sound and really cared about making sure that we’re moving the needle with people,” Brunskill said of joining the Briggs Institute in Nashville. As she builds her practice, she is learning yet another necessary skill. She must market herself. Part of that effort included appearing on the practice’s podcast, and for the rest, she will rely on her undergraduate studies, which focused on business marketing. The podcast showed her that the sound of her own voice wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. “I was ready to be horrified, and I was pleasantly surprised,” she said. Regardless of the challenges ahead, Brunskill said her experience at National University has shown her how to stretch her capacity. She can handle more than she realizes. Brunskill said the experience was character-building. “It was a testament to how we can be stretched,” she said. “I feel more prepared to handle life’s stressors. I feel better prepared to become a parent. It’s exactly what parenting is: your capacity gets stretched. It was not always pretty. It was an absolute grind and tested me in ways I didn’t think I could be tested. It was very humbling and it forced me to look at areas of my life where how I was coping wasn’t working. This field pushes you to the point where you have to look in the mirror as well, so that was incredibly life changing for me, honestly.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
11
Darren Kyle D. Calica Bachelor of Science in Financial Management
Seizing Every Opportunity Nursing felt like it was imprinted on Darren Calica’s DNA. Both of his
course of study. The change, for him, didn’t mean he was abandoning
parents are nurses. His cousins are in the medical field. He has aunts
the tenets of nursing or exiting healthcare. From his point of view, a
and uncles who are also nurses. It was a path that was familiar to
degree in financial management would actually complement his desire
him. It felt safe, which is why he started down that path with National
to take care of patients and providers.
University while serving in the Navy. “You can call it an enlightenment,” Calica said of the way he decided But something changed for him after a particularly challenging shift in
to change paths. “I just felt like I can do more than just treat patients.
the intensive care unit of the Navy hospital at Camp Pendleton during
What better way than to go for an executive position, so I can have a
the COVID pandemic. Standing on the pier and decompressing from
say on how I take care of the providers and the patients.”
a long night shift, Calica realized nursing wasn’t his ultimate dream. Finance was.
Calica joined the Navy as an enlisted corpsman, directly out of high school. His path to graduation included moving from the Philippines
“I guess you can call me the black sheep of the family,” Calica said.
when he was 14. Before coming to the U.S., he had to walk several miles to school and work to support his family. Making sacrifices was
After he received orders from the Navy to move to Japan, Calica connected with his National University counselor and adjusted his
12 | National University President’s Circle 2026
just part of life.
When he arrived in the U.S., he saw opportunity and made a
“It’s challenging taking a class on a ship,” he said. “No matter where I am
commitment to seize every one that came his way.
in the world, it’s very convenient to get to my classes, especially when
“So many doors opened,” he said.
professors record their lectures.”
In the Navy, he worked as a medical assistant and knew he could
The next steps in his educational journey, after graduating from National
only elevate his status to commissioned officer if he earned a college
University Cum Laude while also earning an associate degree in
degree. Earning that degree at sea presented new sacrifices for him.
business, include pursuing a master’s degree in healthcare management
He had heard that National University was accommodating to military
at Johns Hopkins University. Ultimately, he’d like to become a chief
students, and he liked the fast-paced nature of the courses. It was
financial officer at a healthcare facility or within a healthcare system.
what he was used to.
Since he is committed to serving 20 years in the Navy, he will first work towards that goal at a military hospital. Once he retires, he wants to
“I really love what I do,” Calica said. “Being a corpsman and being in the
transition into a similar capacity in the civilian sector.
service opens my eyes to different cultures, to see different kinds of perspectives and how people live and the Navy humbled me. It gave
Even though his journey is unique to him, Calica said his experience with
me the discipline and meaning of hard work.”
National University is one of many. As a husband, a sailor, a student, a leader and a lifelong learner, he embodies the ANDer spirit National
When deployments came, including orders to Australia, Indonesia,
University fosters and embraces the school’s motto “by learning, we live.”
and the Philippines in a single year, coordinating with professors was
He knows there are other students, even other students on active duty in
a breeze, he said. He appreciated how responsive professors were
the Navy like he is, who are making similar sacrifices.
when he had questions, and the flexibility of the courses allowed him to make time for his schoolwork on a schedule that balanced his Navy
“I can say for a fact that there are other service members out there who
commitments. Sometimes that meant doing work by red light after
are enrolled in National University who are somewhere in the world going
everyone else had gone to bed.
through the same environments and same pressures and stresses that I went through,” he said. “That perspective alone gives me the humility to
The novelty of taking classes on a ship meant he had to know how far
look at people differently, to basically just humble myself. They probably
from land he was at any given time so he could gauge connectivity. It
have things they are sacrificing and opportunities, and they are trying to
also meant he’d take classes while in port in Indonesia or in a field in
get the kind of education the Navy and military provide. Education is an
Australia. His small Wi-Fi bank was a lifesaver.
opportunity that should not be taken for granted.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
13
14 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Dakota Cox Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies
Testing The Waters As a mechanic in the U.S. Marine Corps, Dakota Cox has a schedule
“If there are things to be done, it’s going to be done. You could work 40
that can change from week to week. After all, the maintenance needs
hours one week and 100 the next. You just never know,” Cox said of the
for amphibious combat vehicles often don’t pay any regard to things
demands of his military career. “I just made it work.”
like outside commitments or previous engagements. He figured an associate degree in paralegal studies would be the best When things need to be fixed, they need to be fixed. And Cox is one
way for him to see if the field of legal studies was a viable path forward
of the people who needs to do the fixing. That unpredictability was a
for him. He hadn’t been in a formal school setting for 11 years, since
factor for Cox as he decided to test the waters on an educational path
graduating high school and enlisting in the Marines. But he had seen
he had long had an interest. He was curious about the legal profession
several friends suffer the consequences of poor legal representation,
and wondered whether he could succeed in it.
so he figured he might be able to make a difference for someone in need of quality legal guidance someday.
With a GI Bill available to help cover educational costs, Cox weighed his options. He was drawn to National University because of its pace. The
“I had a lot of friends who had horrible lawyers who got in trouble
fact that classes were only four weeks long appealed to him. And the
for things most of them didn’t even do, and they ended up in prison
flexibility of the class schedule aligned with the unpredictability of his.
because they had horrible lawyers,” he said. “So, I was curious how the whole legal system worked.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
15
Once he enrolled at National University, he decided to save his GI Bill
As for where he will specialize? He appreciates that his options are wide
benefits for future educational expenses, understanding that higher
open at the moment. Cox said he knows he is not interested in family
degrees may be more costly. And when classes started, he tapped into
or property law, but criminal defense and business law are intriguing.
the school’s resources, which he believes might be underutilized by
Regardless of the path he takes, he has a newfound appreciation for
other students. Concepts like AP formatted papers and certain math
patience and a newfound respect for what he can accomplish in the
functions were in his rearview mirror, as he hadn’t really used any of
face of adversity.
them since high school. “At first, I didn’t think I’d have time to do this,” he said, referring to his “I had to relearn most of that stuff,” he said. “I’m trying to keep my
degree. “I kind of learned patience and figured out ways to persevere. I
grades as high as possible to get into the best school I can. I have
can do it. I had to learn a lot of patience and time management. That
a notion of a plan that I slapped together a few years ago that I’m
was my biggest takeaway from this.”
working towards.” That plan includes completing a bachelor’s degree while he’s still in the Marines and pursuing law school once he retires. He’s only about six years away from retirement. He will wait to continue his studies until he receives his next assignment from the Marines. He’d like to be settled before he commits to school. He learned through his associate degree at National University that he can balance a military career and the pursuit of a law degree. He especially appreciated hearing from a professor that he would make a great lawyer because of his ability to think outside the box. “Seeing the progress really helps,” he said. “Most of the professors are lawyers, so getting their feedback is a motivation as well. Seeing it all come together and seeing my grades are good, which means I’m at least halfway decent at this, and hearing it from other people...it gives me extra motivation to keep going.”
16 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Renise De Armas Doctor of Health Administration
Earning A Seat Renise De Armas has dedicated her entire adult life to supporting
“The degree isn’t something just to achieve,” she said. “The degree
vulnerable communities. Born and raised in the Caribbean island
complements what you already are. It highlights who you already are.
nation of Dominica, De Armas began working for the Ministry of Health
It goes hand in hand with what I was doing. And it allows me to have a
when she was 18, supporting community programs that focused on
greater potential for impact. I want to make an impact in the world.”
chronic diseases. For De Armas, National University was a departure from the academic When she immigrated to the U.S. as a young adult, alone, she
structure she had come to know. She earned her associate, bachelor’s
volunteered as a community outreach intern in New York, supporting
and master’s degrees in traditional settings — inside physical
energy efficiency programs for low-income households. And before
classrooms instead of online. As a working professional, the online
she decided to pursue her doctorate at National University, she
format worked well with the demands of her career. She said the
dedicated her professional expertise to the clinical investigation of
lessons were intertwined with the work she was doing in the field.
adaptive immunotherapies, specifically HIV vaccine development as well as CAR-T cell and gene therapies.
“You’re at an intersection,” she said. “You’re using the theory you learned and applying it in real life. It meets you where you’re at.”
She views her PhD as a platform rather than a destination.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
17
For De Armas, she was at a point where she wanted to step into a leadership role in the healthcare field. She has an affinity for strengthening Quality Risk Management (QRM) frameworks that “enhance drug manufacturing integrity, regulatory compliance and patient safety.” And she has a strong desire to make healthcare more equitable, drawing on her work with vulnerable communities. Earning her PhD gives her a new footing. It earns her a seat at the table where decisions are made. And that was the goal. “I am more interested in being an agent for change. I can be included at the executive table now,” she said. “Before, yes, I could make changes, but not at an executive level. I feel like I can help shape those systems.” Adding to her inspiration is the arrival of her first child, whom she carried while working on her dissertation. Balancing the final stages of her doctoral studies with the final weeks of her pregnancy added an intense layer of pressure. She successfully balanced the dual demands of a third-trimester schedule with the preparation of her final dissertation defense. “The day I did the dissertation, I was like, ‘This baby could come any day now.’ That’s how I opened my defense,” she said. “I didn’t plan it that way, but it just happened.” In more ways than one, De Armas believes that the experience she had while pursuing her doctorate transformed who she was. For one, she became a mother. And along the way, she learned she can balance things of extraordinary consequence.
18 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“Learning how to balance my leadership role at my job, but also being pregnant and doing school and doing my own research. I was able to understand, to be successful, you have to learn to balance all these things,” she said. “I kind of experienced how academic flexibility helps you structure your learning better. Now, I feel like I have the confidence to mentor others who want to navigate similar pathways.” The experience also afforded her newfound confidence. As someone who is qualified to lead at the executive level, De Armas said earning her PhD solidified her belief in herself. “It wasn’t an academic milestone. I think it was a personal transformation for me. My voice as a leader will be more sound. I can use that to uphold integrity and be of service to my community. I want to be that guide of change,” she said. “To be working in quality, you have to have integrity. Doing it right when nobody’s looking. I want to advance therapies and deliver them to the patients and do it in a way that’s done with fairness and compassion and build quality systems to protect patients.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
19
Linda Hamer Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Research For Understanding She may work with numbers, but Linda Hamer understands that data
Before she enrolled at National University, she realized she would
paints a picture. As a statistician who worked for the U.S. Census
need a degree to advance at the Census Bureau. She supervised field
Bureau for two decades, Hamer knew that her work was vital to
teams during the 2010 and 2020 national censuses. The work was
understanding how communities and the individuals in them were
gratifying, and she took the responsibility seriously, knowing that the
navigating life in America.
data collected would help inform social service programs as well as influence the number of elected seats available in certain communities.
It is that work that pulled her toward sociology. Despite returning to school later in life, as a grandmother who focused on raising her own
“When we go to a person’s house, we’re giving that person the ability
children and her younger siblings in her younger years, earning her
to tell their story,” Hamer said of her Census Bureau position. “It’s a
bachelor’s degree has now inspired a desire to continue her
narrative of how we are progressing as a nation. Are we regressing?
academic journey.
Where are people struggling, and where can we put resources?”
“Life has a way of elbowing in front of you,” Hamer said of her academic
Being a statistician is data intensive, but more in a storytelling way
hiatus. “I started college when I was out of high school and here I am,
than a mathematical way. And advancement in her field would require
30-some years later. Sociology seemed like the one thing that tied all
a certain set of statistics classes. Sociology checked the boxes she
of my interests together.”
needed along with the boxes she wanted.
20 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“I think my math brain shut off in seventh grade,” she said. “It’s more
“So, I took it as a challenge.”
than numbers and data. It’s about talking to people in the community and telling their story. I liked that part. We are all connected. That’s the
To free her mind from studying, though, she would try listening to all
important part.”
kinds of music, even in different languages. Or, she’d tackle puzzles.
National University was the most natural fit for Hamer, who was still
When her eyes had maxed out on screen time, between work and school,
working while enrolled. The pace was fast, which felt intimidating at
she appreciated the audio version of coursework texts. It gave her eyes
first. But she also knew that as a late-in-life learner, she had less time
a break and allowed her to continue studying while completing other
to work with on the other side of her degree than the average, straight-
tasks, like prepping dinner. The National University platform taught her
from-high-school graduate.
that one step is better than no step. And every step gets you closer to where you want to be.
“I think I still have more to contribute. I certainly don’t regret putting others ahead of me all that time, but my only regret is not going back
What Hamer enjoyed most about pursuing her sociology degree was the
to school sooner or finishing my degree earlier.” Hamer said, noting
opportunity to dissect social structures, to dive into the ways society
that she and her husband are proud to have put their kids through
has developed and how that development impacts different populations
college without debt. “There were no excuses anymore. National
and communities. Her senior project focused on hostile architecture
University was a really good fit for me. The accelerated part of it,
and allowed her to explore the societal shortcomings that women most
especially. Time was ticking. It was both terrifying and exciting.”
often face.
One of the aspects of the accelerated coursework that caught Hamer
“Sociology can dig deeper into the ‘how’ and ‘why’ and ‘when’ things
by surprise was her inability to “turn it off.” Even if she had moved on to
happen, and look at that and see if there are patterns, and do we need
another class, she felt like she was still pulling from that previous class.
to make adjustments? The more we study things, the better we can understand each other,” she said. “Going back to school gave me
To her, it seemed detrimental, until a professor said it was ideal.
permission to reinvent myself but also remember who I was originally.”
“One of the professors told me, in the perfect situation, you don’t want it to turn off. You want all of them to be woven together. You don’t want to forget what you’ve learned, you want to carry it with you,” she said.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
21
22 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Tiffany Johnson Master of Public Health with a specialization in Health Promotion
Making The Time When Tiffany Johnson’s son expressed interest in moving back to the U.S. to finish high school, she didn’t realize the move would open a new path for her, too. A Navy Veteran, Johnson was working at the time in the Middle East as an intelligence and training contractor. The move allowed her son to participate in football and allowed her to reconsider her own future. “Things work out for the reasons they work out,” she said, noting she had been working in Bahrain before moving back to the U.S. “I’m thinking back and I’m glad I’m back here in the U.S.” Although her background was not anchored in health, she decided to pivot with her master’s degree because of the health struggles she had seen around her. Her family had dealt with some challenges. And
struggle with debilitating chronic diseases. Sometimes, she said, it seemed like they had come out of nowhere. When she found National University and decided to enroll, she was working part-time and managing the emotions that come with her son entering his senior year of high school. The program’s hybrid framework fit her needs. She also found a buddy in the program that helped with accountability. Johnson would recommend that to anyone who enrolls. “I had a partner, and we challenged each other with everything,” she said. “Find someone right on the level with you. A buddy. You don’t have to go it alone. There’s always someone you meet, even professors.”
as a retired Veteran, she had seen many of her colleagues and peers
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
23
Johnson’s degree gives her some flexibility in the field of public health, meaning she could pursue several avenues, from community support programs to chronic disease prevention. Her thesis was focused on Black maternal health, which is a field she has found is challenging to break into. She’d love to work as a health and wellness coach in a clinical setting. In that role, she could coach individuals on chronic disease treatment and prevention. Her endgame, though, is launching a non-profit organization that works with Veterans living with chronic disease. She wants to be able to provide support outside the VA in a setting designed for Veterans by Veterans. “When it’s coming from someone who has already gone through it, sometimes Veterans take it better,” she said. “That’s our why. A lot of times, they respect someone who has already gone through it.” If she gets that chance, she wants to use her lived experience coupled with her academic achievements to teach other Veterans how to advocate for themselves. She understands it can be a tough thing to do. “Not everyone knows how to advocate for themselves to get healthcare,” she said. “It’s a two-tier thing I’m working on.” Johnson also has an appreciation for policy and would love the chance to be involved in influencing how healthcare policy is developed. With her master’s degree in hand, she really has her options open, but her next steps involve becoming certified for a clinical setting. She expects that to take up to nine months.
24 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Her experience at National University, along with her military career — which included deployments to war zones — has reinforced her resilience. She’s confident she can do whatever she puts her mind to. “I kept moving. I challenged myself,” she said. “I knew I could do it because I did it in the military. I knew it would be hard, too.” Johnson recalls doing homework in her car while she was between appointments, or while traveling to a football event for her son. She fit it in. And she got through it. “I would be staying up until 1 o’clock in the morning,” she said. “I didn’t want to miss anything with him, but I just buckled down. It’s just up to you.” In the immediate future, she plans to get a few photos with her son with both of them in their graduation gowns. She wants to take in the moment and feel the accomplishment that they both achieved. “There’s time in the day for everything,” she said. “You can get it done.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
25
Emily Kazutomi Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Improving Emotional Resilience Emily Kazutomi is personally driven to equip adolescents with the
“The reason I pursued it in the first place is I had my own issues when
emotional tools and awareness she was never exposed to. Her desire
I was younger. I didn’t have the coping skills or training to get through
to create systemic change through a proactive model, rather than
some of the stuff that happened after high school,” she said. “I truly
individualized, reactive interventions, inspired her to pursue a PhD.
don’t believe kids these days are taught what they will need when they get out of high school. The craziness of life that happens after you get
While working towards her Doctor of Philosophy in psychology,
out of high school, that was the hardest part.”
she discovered significant gaps in accessible data in her attempt to measure and analyze the efficacy of a specific type of school-
Kazutomi’s passion for the subject is tethered to the emotional abuse
based, adolescent suicide prevention program. Despite encountering
she endured by a previous romantic partner and the lingering effects
obstacles in data collection and analysis, Kazutomi collaborated with
it had on her psyche. She experienced severe depression and received
her professors and identified alternative methods.
inpatient treatment that changed the trajectory of her life. A specific type of therapy she received, called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT),
The other option was to switch directions in her research. Doing that
proved transformative for her by helping with emotional regulation,
didn’t align with her personal connection to the research.
resilience, and self-awareness.
26 | National University President’s Circle 2026
DBT was so instrumental in her recovery and growth, she felt it could be invaluable in school-based settings, where teens are beginning to navigate romantic relationships while also navigating hormonal changes, academic stress, and social nuances. With her dissertation, she had hoped to measure the efficacy of that type of approach to suicide prevention compared to students who aren’t exposed to a DBTbased model. “I don’t want someone to feel the same way I did,” Kazutomi said. “I want someone to have the tools before they get to that state of mind. Depression is everywhere. It isn’t taboo. We should be talking about it.” Gathering the data she needed for her dissertation was time consuming, particularly because it involved information about minors and relied on reporting from school districits. In addition, the specific data she had hoped to collect simply wasn’t available. More than once, she needed an extension for her dissertation because of the nature of the data collection. She said her professors were always supportive and that support lifted her spirits when the stress of the work began to take its toll. Changing the focus of her data analysis, due to its inaccessibility, was a “crushing feeling” for her. “If it wasn’t for Dr. [Jill] Blackwell, I don’t know. There were a lot of quitting moments,” she said. Her family and friends were also there to support her throughout the process, which she appreciated. While enrolled, Kazutomi was also
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
27
While facing a crossroads in her research, she persevered. When she needed extensions to gather her data, she made it work. And through it all, she juggled demanding coursework and career advancement. “I am a lot stronger than I think I am. After the incidents of trying to commit suicide and emotional abuse, I have been told I’m strong,” she said. “It’s like, oh yeah, anything that comes my way, I can handle it. I think this PhD experience made me realize my strength even more than I had already.” Moving forward, Kazutomi hopes to publish her research and share the results with school districts. She also learned, in conversations with a professor, that just because her original, desired data wasn’t available now didn’t mean it wouldn’t be available in the future. With her PhD, she is well positioned to pursue the research she had originally hoped to pursue once that type of data is available. It’s a perspective she hadn’t considered at the time, and an invaluable working full-time as a pharmacy technician with Kaiser Permanente,
byproduct of earning this type of advanced degree.
and she has since been promoted to a pharmacy benefits position that allows her to work from home.
“I do feel like I could make a difference,” she said. “I think we need more training; faculty needs more training. I really do think my study can
The entire experience of completing her dissertation and navigating obstacles has shown Kazutomi that she is truly stronger than she gave herself credit for. In essence, the experience demonstrated the resilience she gained and admires so much from the DBT therapy she received. By way of her focus and determination en route to earning her doctorate, Kazutomi is essentially a walking case study for the type of therapy she believes will be so valuable to young people.
28 | National University President’s Circle 2026
make a difference in that part of it.”
Colleen Lyn Kelly Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Poster of the Year 2026 Recipient
Centering Educator Wellness For Colleen Lyn Kelly, the road to her doctorate began years ago, while
“Social emotional learning is where my heart belongs,” she said.
she was working in the finance industry in New York. While coaching a kickline team at the high school she graduated from, Kelly realized
Kelly began pursuing her doctorate several years ago while working
something was missing.
in school administration. She put her education on pause, thinking she may be walking away from it, to help care for her mother while
“There was a hole in my heart,” she said. “Helping rich people get richer
she battled breast cancer. She didn’t think completing her degree was
wasn’t really filling my cup.”
possible after an eight-year absence, until a colleague told her about National University’s Dissertation Completion Pathway (DCP). It was
That realization prompted her to leave the finance industry and
exactly what she needed.
transition to education, where she continued coaching that kickline team while also teaching and eventually moving into administration.
“The type of support I got at National University was completely
Once she dove into leadership coaching, she found true alignment
different from my original program,” she said. “The support from the
by working with teachers and administrators across the country to
school and my family was vital. I didn’t do this alone, even though it
implement more effective social-emotional and whole-child strategies.
has my name on it. There was a whole group of people lifting me up or walking alongside or sometimes dragging me along the way.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
29
Kelly said she loved the program’s design, which included one-onone support and inclusion in a cohort with the school’s dissertation bootcamp. She also appreciated one of the first classes she took at National University, which required her to examine her support network and ensure that she had people in her corner cheering for her success. “They actually cared about student wellness. And I really leaned into that,” she said. “They set me up with timelines and prompts to share information with my support system. This was reminding me, you can’t do this alone. That was very different from where I was before.” As she developed her dissertation and learned she was expecting her first child after years of trying, that network and those outreach prompts became invaluable to her progress. While conducting her research, she hit a snag. Her research focused on the barriers and successful pathways in professional learning that early childhood educators encounter when supporting students who exhibit persistently challenging behaviors. To allow for intentional contrast, Kelly focused on two different states, and she circulated a questionnaire to gain insights on the topic. She had to get creative to get responses, and once she began receiving them, she realized AI was playing a role. Not all of the responses were from actual humans. To confirm the validity of the responses, she had to take the unusual step of confirming identities by video.
30 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“That was very surprising to me,” she said. “I thought I might get a couple ChatGPT answers and have to vet that out, but not at the rate or numbers I was getting them. It was interesting to see that AI interference.” Now that she is on the other side of her research, earning distinguished honors and looking ahead to life as a business owner, a mother, and an EdD recipient, Kelly wants to put her theories into action. She hopes to join a school district, likely in an administrative role, that would allow her to unfurl her findings in an actionable way and see if the specific support for educators she researched could be fruitful in the classroom. She is also working on publishing her findings. While her doctorate was challenging and many years in the making — including a second brief hiatus while at National University to welcome her daughter, Colbie Quinn, into the world — she is taking away from the experience more than a degree. Kelly admits she has fully embraced the ANDer ethos that National University trumpets. “It was really eye opening for me. We can be this and something else, even though people tell us we can’t,” she said. “I can do research and build myself up and work and be a mom. I call myself a recovering perfectionist because I don’t need to be perfect in order to do the research or be a mom or be human. The imperfection of my journey has allowed me to grow in much bigger ways than a perfect journey would have allowed me to.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
31
Ross Kenlay Associate of Science in Business and Economics
Fulfilling A Promise While Ross Kenlay was in the Navy, he had lengthy conversations with
A couple of months before leaving the Navy, Kenlay’s dad passed
his dad about opening an auto shop someday. Ideally, the shop would
away. But the promise he made to his father remained. After spending
be more of a DIY-type space where customers could pay to use tools
several years as a gunner and months-long deployments at sea, Kenlay
and park in an open bay that could get dirty without consequence. At
thought hard about what path forward would best prepare him to
the shop, customers could do their own oil changes, tire rotations, or
become a business owner.
brake pad swaps. Becoming an entrepreneur was not just a promise to his dad. It was a Kenlay got the idea for the shop after seeing something similar on the
promise to his kids as their dad, too. He wanted to be around to attend
military bases where he was stationed. The concept, he and his dad
soccer games and dance recitals. Being deployed as an active member
figured, would also work well in communities where high-rise living
of the Navy didn’t align with that vision he had for himself. Working as
was common, and driveways were scarce. It would be a space for car
a machinist, a line of work many of Kenlay’s fellow gunners pursued
and motorcycle owners to tinker.
after leaving the Navy, didn’t either. There was the potential for work to keep him away from home for weeks at a time.
“He kept making me promise to start it,” Kenlay said of his dad. A few friends from the Navy recommended National University, and Kenlay investigated it.
32 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“I pursued business so I could have more knowledge to run the
A degree in digital media arts will formalize some of the “fun” he’s been
business,” he said, referring to the auto shop. “As I was getting out of
having on his own. And Kenlay said that by continuing his educational
the Navy, I had two kids. I liked the flexibility for scheduling. It worked
journey, he and his wife are setting examples for their young children.
perfectly for my schedule.”
Kenlay’s wife is a recent college graduate, too.
While he was in school, Kenlay worked full time while balancing the
“I am the first in my family to graduate high school,” he said. “To graduate
needs of his young family. And before completing his associate degree
from college is awesome. I think it gives our kids, I want to say, hope.
in business and economics, he opened the shop he and his dad had
But it sets an example for them that they can do whatever they put their
discussed many times. He named it DBK’s Auto Hobby Shop, using an
minds to.”
acronym for David Bruce Kenlay, his dad’s name. Ultimately, Kenlay had to give up the business he started with the Kenlay had the tools he needed for the shop. And he rented space to
big idea he and his dad had cooked up. But its absence may only be
bring it to life.
temporary. Kenlay wants to purchase a house, which is no small feat in San Diego. Once he is settled, he plans to bring it back without the added
“I’m not sure how I managed it. I’ve always wanted to keep busy. I’m
overhead of renting a space to run it out of.
always trying to do something,” Kenlay said, about the hectic schedule he kept while in school. “I’m glad I dove headfirst and started it and
“In order to get a house, I had to give up the business, for now,” he said. “I
fulfilled a promise. I think he’d be proud.”
plan to open the business and get the garage on the property of my house.”
As Kenlay looks to the future, he is switching gears. He learned quite
For Kenlay, the entire journey has been worth every sacrifice he
a bit about entrepreneurship by opening the shop and earning his
has made. Long days coupled with the ups and downs of business
degree, and he intends to fold that knowledge into his next chapter,
ownership, set against a demanding school schedule, challenged him.
which includes pursuing a bachelor’s degree. As passionate as Kenlay
But that’s what he loved about it.
is about business ownership, he is just as driven to pursue a degree in digital media arts. He likes creating.
“School is very challenging, and it pushes me to explore my knowledge and expand on that,” he said. “Being challenged was just very enjoyable.”
“I make social media accounts and make content for them and watch them grow and see people’s reaction to it,” Kenlay said. “It’s super fun for me.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
33
34 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Toby (Alexis) Lariviere Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Learning With Resilience To Alexis Lariviere, cybersecurity didn’t seem like a career path worth
Lariviere lives with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder that
exploring until she became the target of a personal and malicious
impacts the body’s connective tissue. It causes overly flexible joints,
cyberattack. At the time, cybersecurity didn’t receive the attention
chronic pain, and fragile skin. And for years, Lariviere didn’t know why
it does now, so Lariviere went looking for answers. She wanted to
she felt the way she did. In fact, her at-the-time undiagnosed condition
understand how the attack had happened and why.
completely disrupted her education at Old Dominion, where her grades dipped so low that she failed.
“I found it really interesting,” she said. “I hated feeling vulnerable like that, but the technology behind how it happened interested me. I
Her experience at National University was entirely different.
wanted to do something with my life to make sure no one felt the way I did again.”
Once she received a diagnosis and understood the support she would need, she enrolled at National University on the advice of a
So, she switched gears. Lariviere changed her educational focus from
professional colleague and reached out to student services to make
electrical engineering and networking to cybersecurity, transferred
sure she had the accessibility accommodations she would need
credits from Old Dominion, and finished her bachelor’s degree
to be successful. Lariviere said the online access and flexibility of
at National University. Most notably, she finished despite facing
professors, especially when her medical condition would flare up, were
significant, health-related obstacles.
invaluable to her.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
35
“It was very, very helpful,” she said. “Working, and traveling sometimes out of the country, it was very helpful to get online and take school with me. It’s really set up for you to succeed.” Lariviere has learned to embrace the setbacks she experienced as evidence of her resilience. She needed eight years to finish her bachelor’s degree, in part because of her health condition and in part because of relocations and school transfers. While earning her degree, she moved multiple times, an experience she got used to while serving in the Navy. Lariviere said the level of accessibility she had to professors while at National University was unmatched by her previous experience, and she credits that as one of the reasons for her success. She’s admittedly a question-asker. And there was always someone willing to answer. “When you can ask a question and have someone get back to you within 24 hours…I didn’t have that before,” she said. “It was a huge difference. They’re very involved and that was very helpful.” Since earning her degree, she has now set her sights on pursuing a master’s degree at National University. While she relishes the puzzlecracking type of thinking that cybersecurity allows her to dive into, she also wants to learn computer science theory and gain a better understanding of how systems work. She also wants more practice with coding to support her interest in exploring the emerging AI industry. “I want to move into AI. It’s the next forefront,” she said. “My next big thing is securing AI, because we’re running towards that, and when we
36 | National University President’s Circle 2026
find something new and shiny, we don’t think of the consequences of what that can mean before we run with it.” As a gamer, she feels like she’s found her niche in the online world. Except, she’s intent on playing for the good guys. While learning about cybersecurity, she was surprised to learn that hackers are often plucked from the gaming world. Now that she knows, she understands why. Gaming serves as an online playground for her and her sisters, who live several states away. When they want to connect, they get on World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy or other story-driven games and run around together inside those imaginary environments. It’s a way for her to zone out and connect with her siblings, but it’s also a way for her to further her understanding of the way cyberattackers think. “Some aspects of cybersecurity can be like solving a puzzle. That’s the aspect I really like,” she said. “Some of it’s programming or code driven, trying to find a bug. If you’re working with encryption, algorithms, or decoding, those are like solving puzzles. That’s the part I like the best, solving puzzles and unraveling.” Ultimately, she hopes to become a Googler someday. And the steps it takes for her to get there include advancing her education. As a first-generation college student raised by grandparents whose unconditional love, hard work, and sacrifice provided opportunities for her and her siblings, she is extremely proud of how far she’s come. “I can absolutely say resilience and determination definitely got me here,” she said. “If you get knocked down three times, get up four.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
37
Dominic Maleknia Associate of Science in Human Biology
Pursuit Of Redemption When Dominic Maleknia returned to school, enrolling at National
Overall, his first foray into college was not one he remembers fondly.
University as part of his plan to ultimately become an advanced
His decision to return to school, prompted in part by the untimely
practice nurse, he viewed the experience through a lens of redemption.
passing of his young brother, included a complete reevaluation of
While he had completed a bachelor’s degree elsewhere several years
his life. At the time, he had been teaching computer science and had
earlier, he had struggled through it while living with an at-the-time
dabbled in a couple of tech start-ups, but he wanted to earn more and
undiagnosed intellectual disability.
make a bigger impact on his life. Nursing, as his younger brother had done, seemed like a viable path forward for him.
He didn’t receive the support he needed at the time. And the classes he was enrolled in were emotionally draining. He felt adrift and somehow
“When you become older and see how hard it is out there and you’ve
not equipped to handle the load, despite his intellectual ability.
been working for more than a decade, you have a renewed fighting spirit where you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get where you want
“When you have a hypercompetitive and elitist-type dynamic in a
to be,” he said. “I started to look at where I can get my missing courses
school, it’s not going to be a setting where everybody can thrive, even
done, and it turned out National had by far the best program.”
someone who is very skilled,” he said. “Sometimes, the modalities are not equipped to support everyone.”
38 | National University President’s Circle 2026
With a renewed focus, Maleknia appreciated the rapid pace of the
Beyond the achievement side of earning an associate degree, and
National University courses. He also loved that the cadence of the
completing classes he was missing on his way toward this new
classes created a cohort of peers, offering a camaraderie he hadn’t
professional goal, Maleknia said his time at National University was
experienced previously. And he embraced the spirit that National
what he needed. He may not have done as well had he tried to wrap
University promotes, and professors foster, that every student should
up his prerequisites at a community college. It wouldn’t have been the
find success and thrive.
same energy.
“National has a very different attitude about student success. It’s
And for him, it was that energy that kept him going, even when the days
not The Hunger Games. I had very good professors who were very
were long and the breaks were brief.
supportive of me,” he said. “It really allowed me to become that top student again. So when I talk about redemption and being able to
“I do not think I would have been a straight Acer at a community college. I
come back from a situation where in my first undergraduate degree I
needed to ramp up,” he said. “I needed to be somewhere at first where I
was not as successful, it was very key.”
was going to be a little bit more protected and nurtured to feel confident again and believe in myself again.”
The National University format allowed Maleknia to fast-track his education, which he valued as an adult returning to school later in life.
His first college experience took a toll. And while Maleknia said National
While enrolled in National University classes, he also pursued a full-
University is no less rigorous than other schools, it’s just more nurturing,
time medical assistant program at another school, carried 12 credits in
which was the environment he needed.
a separate program at a third school, and volunteered at a hospital on the weekends, doing his best to make up for lost time. He stacked his
“One thing I was able to learn is that for me, it was all about the right fit.
schedule so that he had long school days twice a week and room for
This was a problem I had. I was not in the right place. I was swimming
his externship on the other days.
upstream. I was in a place where I wasn’t well received or well liked,” Maleknia said of his previous college experience. “Now, I was in the right
“It really set me up to know I can be successful and juggle a lot of
place and had good relationships with my classmates and professors.
responsibilities,” he said. “It really helped me to realize I am very
Now I’m like, I can go anywhere.”
confident and hardworking, and I can push myself to a level that’s very extreme and be happy the entire time and not be burned out at all. I just enjoy it.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
39
Savanna McDonald Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Supporting A Community It might sound funny, but Savanna McDonald is glad she dropped
“A lot of it was figuring myself out and trying to figure out my place in
out of college when she was younger. She had a stellar grade-point
the world,” McDonald said. “There were a lot of fears and anxieties
average in high school, earned a scholarship to a Texas community
when I went back to school, like can I still do this? I came back and
college, and carried the weight of considerable expectations.
I excelled. It’s like I never stepped out. I found myself and found a degree I like.”
After all, she was a first-generation college student. Hopes and dreams were pinned to her success. But at that time, she was out of alignment.
McDonald was named salutatorian of her class while earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a field that overlapped with the social
Her mental health was faltering, the major she had chosen didn’t seem
services work she was already doing in the community. While in school,
to mesh with the passions she had in life, and figuring out adulthood
she worked as a peer counselor on a warmline and she volunteered
was taking a toll. So, she took a five-year break before deciding to
as a domestic violence advocate. Both of those experiences led to an
return. And when she did, she felt that National University was a good
opportunity with the county, where she connects individuals with social
fit for her as a military spouse and someone who may need flexibility
support services, from food drives to resource fairs.
while working full-time and attending school.
40 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“I am so proud of what I have accomplished and the things I have learned,” McDonald said, giving a nod to a 30-page research paper she had long dreaded tackling. “It was so long. I actually wrote about adolescent self-harm behavior. I had an amazing experience with that and a lot of support from my professor and peers.” As she considers what’s next for her, she is driven by her lived experience and her background in social services to pursue a graduate degree in marriage and family therapy. Her childhood included exposure to a parent living with mental health challenges, and her own journey has included a bipolar diagnosis. By folding her background into an advanced degree, she hopes to offer support to community members who need it. “These are resources I would have liked to have while I was growing up,” she said. “I love working with children and mental health, so it’s really the best of both worlds.” As a member of the LGBTQ community herself, McDonald is acutely aware of the unique challenges queer youth face as it relates to identity, sexuality and social stigma during their formative years. She’s been there. And she hopes to put her empathy, education and her own personal journey to use in ways that support the community. “That has been a really big factor in my life and with my education, and everything I do. I’m in the minority with people,” she said. “I have seen a lot of struggles that people in the LGBTQ community have had and part of the work I want to do is with those in the community and struggling with their identity. It’s a very big part of myself.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
41
It is also not lost on her that she persevered through failure to come out the other side more appropriately aligned with where she wants to be in life. Her work with the unhoused, with those struggling with mental health conditions, with the uninsured, or those looking for work has only fueled her desire to continue working in a nonprofit or community-facing environment. “I realized with my struggles and family struggles, I wanted this line of work to relate and pass on care and compassion to other people who are probably in a vulnerable state like I was,” she said. She’s also teed up an educational legacy for future generations of her own family, if and and when she decides to have children. As the first member of her family to earn a college degree, she began a new legacy. And she’s proud of that. “It’s amazing to be the person who could start that. The most amazing thing is, whenever I do decide to have children, they have this path now. It’s such a luxury to have,” she said. “Growing up, and even as an adult, a lot of the time there’s that box you check if your parents went to college, and it’s amazing that my kids get to check ‘bachelor’s or higher’ because I never had that.”
42 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Rogelio Mendez Estrada Master of Arts in Education
Full Circle Education Rogelio Mendez Estrada believes that education has the power to
propel his career, while also giving him the opportunity to double down
transform not only individual lives but communities as a whole. As the
on his commitment to social-emotional learning. He believed the cost
first member of his family to earn a master’s degree, Mendez Estrada
of achieving a master’s degree would prohibit him from pursuing it, but
is a living example of the transformative power of education.
he found ways to make it more financially accessible.
After immigrating to the U.S. at 16, Mendez Estrada had to learn the
Once he enrolled, he immediately appreciated the company he was in.
culture and language while keeping up with schoolwork, so he could graduate and attend college. He earned his associate degree, followed
“Our professors are also teachers, and they have had interactions
by his bachelor’s degree and then found himself delaying the start of
with students in the past. They are very well versed with what they’re
his master’s.
teaching,” he said. “They understand what you’re going through every day in your jobs.”
“I was making excuses. It was too expensive or I didn’t have the time. Until I saw the need,” he said.
The accessibility of National University professors has set an example for Mendez Estrada. His ability to reach out to teachers personally
Working as a resource specialist, Mendez Estrada realized an
made him realize the value that students, and even parents, take away
advanced degree would allow him to improve his financial footing and
from being able to connect with an instructor as needed.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
43
“Especially for the ones that, you know, they are going through something
“The mentality of parents in the community is you have to work hard to
or need more support,” he said. “Providing that resource for their families,
earn your money,” he said. “They rarely focus on higher education.”
it will be something to help them. We’re talking about students going through a lack of food, clothing, and anything they need.”
He wants to change that and make sure that every student can pursue whatever they’d like to do. In essence, he would like to be a motivating
He particularly appreciated the level of support his professors offered
force for student empowerment while also creating a more educated
during trying times. More than once while working through his master’s,
community in the process.
Mendez Estrada experienced personal challenges that could have sidelined his progress. The support he received from his professors, he
Mendez Estrada finds great joy in seeing the growth of each student he
said, prevented it.
works with. As a special education specialist, sometimes that growth is hard fought, making it even more meaningful.
“The teachers really went above and beyond and looked at us as individuals,” he said. “They are teaching you that, as educators, you
“I like to be able to make a difference,” he said.
have to look past the surface of individuals and see what is going on every day with your students.”
When he was in school, he had teachers whom he now aspires to embody. The one who took a little extra time with him, prepared
As an educator focused on culturally responsive teaching, inclusive
packages for him, and recorded lessons for him. The entire experience
practices, and social-emotional learning, Mendez Estrada is looking
has now come full circle.
forward to being in a position to advocate for his students and their families. He would like to return to school to earn his administrative
“I had amazing teachers who brought me along the way. That’s one
credential, which would allow him to advance at the district level and
of the things that this master’s helped with, to connect me back to
give him the opportunity to perhaps serve as a Director of Special
my childhood. I see that a well-rounded individual who is socially and
Education one day.
emotionally healthy can have success,” he said. “Every day is a learning experience. Every day makes us who we are. There’s no lost cause or a
In the meantime, he wants to make sure the families he works with
person who can’t make it. It takes time. Everything in the right moment
understand that education beyond high school is within reach. The
will come.”
school where he works has a high number of families from the farmworker community. Work is generally the focus. Education comes second, he said.
44 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Angelia Michelle Nixon Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurship
Keep It Moving When Angelia Nixon decided to go back to school, she did not expect
her husband was opening an electrical business, so she figured the
to become the owner of her own publishing company. But she wouldn’t
expertise on the entrepreneurial side would be helpful.
change where she is right now. Pursuing her degree in business administration in entrepreneurship at National University expanded her
After seeing how things played out, she thinks returning to school
field of opportunity beyond what she had expected when she began.
was “in her cup,” so she could write a book and publish it herself. But her inspiration wouldn’t hit her until she became ill about eight months
“I’m so glad things evolved the way they did. I believe that when you’re
after starting school.
born into this world, you’re given a cup of everything you’re going to go through. All this stuff must have been in my cup to go through,” Nixon
She spent about a year in and out of the hospital before undergoing a
said. “I always like to try to keep it moving. You’ve gotta keep it moving.
lung biopsy and the removal of a portion of her left lung. The biopsy
Can’t stop.”
ultimately revealed that she had lupus. She also continues to navigate other chronic medical conditions. These life-changing experiences not
Her personal mantra and her faith have carried her through every
only altered the course of her life but also reshaped her purpose.
challenge, including debilitating health challenges while enrolled in school. Nixon originally chose a degree in entrepreneurship because it
“I had to start back at school after being gone for a year. I don’t like
seemed like a natural complement to her accounting degree. That, and
leaving things undone,” she said. “My children will see everything that
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
45
I’ve been through and understand never to stop, no matter what. It’s
One of the most meaningful outcomes of Nixon’s MBA journey was that
been something.”
she graduated not only with a specialization in Entrepreneurship, but also as an entrepreneur.
She wanted to lead by example and let her children see her finish. By founding ALL of Us Books LLC before graduation, she had already While the illnesses and hospitalizations disrupted and delayed Nixon’s
begun putting her entrepreneurial education into practice before walking
educational timeline, they also offered an unexpected blessing.
across the commencement stage.
Because earning her degree took longer than she anticipated, she graduated one day before her older daughter graduated from college
Her first book, Through the Eyes of DaShawn: DaShawn Gets Admitted to
and one week before her younger daughter graduated from high
the Hospital, was inspired by her son’s real-life asthma hospitalizations
school. During her time at National University, she also earned
and blends those experiences with fictional storytelling.
membership in the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Omega Nu Lambda National Honor Society. Both daughters also
Her coursework primed her for what to expect along the way as a new
graduated with honors.
business owner and fledgling author.
“That was kind of crazy. We didn’t even realize it,” she said. “I know
She especially appreciated learning about marketing strategy and
Jesus has his hands on it.”
business planning and applying them. To that end, Nixon began building her brand through business cards, networking, and a growing online
Most notably, her health crises inspired her entry into the publishing
presence.
world. As someone who now must navigate the challenges of chronic disease and disability, Nixon gained firsthand insight into the impact
Her passion for literacy began even before founding ALL of Us Books
those experiences can have on individuals and their families. It’s why
LLC. After a young boy told her he did not enjoy reading, Nixon asked
her publishing company, ALL of Us Books LLC, focuses on inclusion and
why and whether he would read a book if it was about a topic he liked.
aims to foster understanding, inspire, and encourage readers of all ages.
When he said yes, she realized other children might feel the same way.
“I’ve always had a soft heart when it comes to the disabled. Now I’m
She launched a reading incentive program at a local academy using
deemed disabled, even though I don’t like to say that,” she said. “It’s like
books on topics the students selected themselves. Every student
everything came around full circle. It’s just so amazing how everything
participated and received snack coupons in recognition of their
is going down in my life right now.”
participation, while the first- and second-place readers received new
46 | National University President’s Circle 2026
books as prizes. That experience became the foundation for what is now the ALL of Us Books Reading Initiative. “When it comes to running a business, there’s a method to the madness and I didn’t know there was,” she said. “I’m still learning. But I’m so glad it equipped me.” She also understands that she must keep things fresh to keep things moving. Her company, as it turns out, keeps her moving even on days when she doesn’t feel up to it. So she is grateful to be continually inspired. Beyond her degree, she has learned that sometimes life requires a regroup. Sometimes, she said, you have to punt and try things a different way. “Everything you plan to do may not necessarily be what happens in life. You can plan all day long, but one little thing can make everything change,” Nixon said. “I had to talk to myself and bring myself back and regroup. I had to revamp my whole life so that I was able to persevere with the new norm. This is a new norm for me. I may never be who I was before, but I’ll never stop researching and striving to get better. You have to find your niche and keep it moving. I truly believe the Lord made it all possible. I don’t take credit for any of it. All the glory belongs to Him.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
47
Alex Pujols Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science
Becoming Limitless When Alex Pujols was seven years old, he would sneak into his uncle’s
Although he had always been fascinated by technology, he didn’t realize
bedroom and steal moments on his computer. The computer had a
it could be a viable career path until he was in college, pursuing an
kung-fu game on it that his uncle never let him play. But when his uncle
undergraduate degree while playing baseball in Texas.
was gone, he would pop the lock on his bedroom door, log on to the computer and try to figure out what made the animated guy on the
Until then, baseball was in the driver’s seat. Admittedly, he was a terrible
screen kick or light up.
student. But something changed when three professors took him under their wing. Advancing his education became more important than the
“It got so annoying and frustrating for him that the next Christmas he
home runs his family had become known for. His dad played baseball
gave me that computer as my first computer, and that started the love
professionally and coached for 14 years. His second cousin, Albert
affair,” Pujols said. “Then I taught myself to code and program. I would
Pujols, is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer.
drag my mom to used bookstores to look for books on coding and programming so I could learn to be a developer.”
While Pujols loved the game, he loved taking things apart and putting them back together again more.
That love affair with technology has carried him through his professional life, outlasting a semi-professional baseball career, and leading him
“When I was really, really young, I used to get yelled at for disassembling
to a hard-earned professional pinnacle of a PhD in computer science.
electronics in the house,” he said. “If there was a stereo system, they
48 | National University President’s Circle 2026
would catch me with a screwdriver taking it apart. I was always drawn
“I went from London to Singapore, and I remember being dead tired with
towards trying to understand how things worked.”
an assignment due in 48 hours,” he said. “The entire plane was dark, and I remember thinking, ‘This is nuts.’ I’m researching and writing and barely
It is that curiosity that in some way may have fueled his doctoral
hanging on and I remember thinking back to the stories I heard from
dissertation topic, Emergence in Quantum Neuromorphic Artificial
professors who overcame significant struggles to pursue their doctoral
Intelligence. It’s likely that Pujols may be among the select few that
degrees. There are so many times I pulled from those stories to help me
understands the gravity of that topic, or even the context behind the
break through a particular area where I was struggling.”
words within it, but it brushes up against the questions of the current era as technology undergoes a massive shift.
One of the experiences he found the most beneficial was the National University Dissertation Boot Camp. He attended shortly after enrolling
“As systems become bigger, they sometimes tend to exhibit behaviors
in his doctoral program and he attributes the bootcamp with setting a
we didn’t ask them to exhibit. It becomes really interesting when you
northstar he followed throughout his doctoral journey. The stories shared
fully remove the limitations of computers through the power of quantum
by students and professors at the camp offered him inspiration he didn’t
computing and apply it to something as important as AI. Do we really want
yet know he would need in the months ahead.
systems exhibiting behaviors we didn’t program into them?” Pujols said. “Everybody hits a wall, if not multiple walls,” he said. “The PhD thing is His dissertation involved developing a framework designed to detect
not for the faint of heart. There were so many times in my journey where
unfavorable patterns before they emerge. And the framework he
things got tough, and I remembered those professors’ stories.”
developed predicted emergent behaviors at around the 70th percentile, which he said was high.
Looking ahead, Pujols is eager to teach. He didn’t pursue his PhD to earn a higher salary or score his dream job. He already has it, he said.
Of course, the dissertation didn’t come together without some
Instead, he’d like to be a formative influence on others the same way his
sleep-deprived nights. While enrolled at National University, Pujols
professors have been on him. As the first in his family to attend college, it
maintained his full-time position as the Vice President of Global
could be said that with his doctorate, he’s hit a grand slam.
Solutions Engineering at Cisco Systems. It’s a demanding job that includes extensive global travel. When coupled with his responsibilities
“I would be lying if I said I was 1,000 percent confident I could pull this off,”
to his wife and two kids, the flexibility of National University’s
he said. “My intention now is to pay forward the great generosity given
coursework seemed like the best fit for him.
to me by previous professors so that I can help those future generations contribute to a field that has given me so much joy and wonder in my life.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
49
Jennifer Ramirez Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
Becoming A Resource When Jennifer Ramirez was raising her children, she often found herself
“If you would have told me five years ago that this would have
advocating for the specialized support they needed. Those experiences
happened, I wouldn’t have believed you. I can do it. And I am good at
inspired her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education
it. And that’s hard for me to admit. I am really good at my job. It’s so
and a career in special education, where she hopes to make the
important to remind myself that I am good at it,” she said. “It took a
educational journey less overwhelming for other families.
minute, and it was hard, but I did it, and I did it well.”
“I felt like I needed to be the person that I needed,” she said. “I get to be
While in school, Ramirez worked two jobs, pulling down 10-hour days
the person for other people I wish I would have had when my kids were
as a classroom aide in a morning preschool program and an afternoon
growing up and going through school.”
kindergarten program. She intentionally compressed her degree into two-and-a-half years by taking two classes at once, because she felt
Returning to school in her 40s came during a major life transition that
she needed to move forward as quickly as was humanly possible.
required Ramirez to build a new career while supporting her family. The experience challenged her to rediscover her confidence and purpose while
“Working 10-hour days was not it. I did not love it,” she said. “So now,
pursuing a profession that aligned with her passion for helping others.
I’m doing seven-hour days and getting paid more in a field I want. I can get bored very easily, so if I’m not pushing myself, I won’t do it.”
50 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Ramirez is currently teaching students with extensive support needs while pursuing her Master of Education and Education Specialist Credential in Special Education at National University. She hopes to continue advocating for early intervention and helping families navigate available resources with confidence and support. “The earlier we can implement interventions, the better it is for the kids and parents,” she said. “If you can catch them early and they can understand what’s going on with the kids, it’s helpful for parents. A lot of parents don’t know that there’s respite care available though most counties. So you have mental health breaks. I didn’t know any of that.” Ramirez knows her efforts are paying off, not only financially as her salary increases, but socially and emotionally for the students she teaches. Many of her students are nonverbal, so her work focuses on behavior, social-emotional regulation, and managing sensory dysregulation. Milestones in these classrooms look and feel different but are no less monumental. Recently, a student who is triggered when others experience emotional meltdowns chose to remove himself from the area rather than succumb to an emotional state he couldn’t manage. It was a significant breakthrough.
meaningful learning experiences for her students. She looks forward to continuing her graduate studies while expanding her impact as an
“It was massive,” Ramirez said. “It was a step in the right direction. His
educator and advocating for inclusive education.
mom was so proud of him.” “I was told for a long time that I couldn’t do it. That realization was a big Today, Ramirez leads her own extensive support needs classroom,
one,” Ramirez said. “Everything is finally coming together. I’m learning
where she collaborates with families and support staff to create
and figuring it out.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
51
Christina Maria Sanchez Doctor of Business Administration with a specialization in Organizational Leadership Dissertation of the Year 2026 Recipient
Researching Representation For Christina Maria Sanchez, her dissertation — recognized as National
summer job ended up being a gateway to a healthcare industry
University’s 2026 Dissertation of the Year — was personal. While
career that has spanned nearly three decades and taken her from
pursuing her Doctor of Business Administration in Organizational
administrative work to clinical coordinator to a gastroenterologist
Leadership, Sanchez wanted to gain a better understanding of the
technician handling endoscopies and colonoscopies. When she
obstacles, motivations, and success strategies of Latina women as
entered the hospital ecosystem, her path led her to quality and
they tried to crack the glass ceiling in the healthcare industry.
compliance, and eventually meetings with executive leadership.
To do that, she interviewed 12 Latina leaders currently seated in
“I realized representation at the table was missing for Latinas and
hospital C-suites of their organizations. Her research surprised her.
Black and brown people,” she said. “It was a very poor community, and the senior leadership on that team did not match the community
“I thought there were systemic barriers,” Sanchez said. “After speaking
they were serving.”
to these women, I found that the systemic barriers existed, but a lot had to do with themselves. The imposter syndrome.”
Sanchez is a second-generation Puerto Rican American. Her grandmother didn’t finish third grade. Her parents didn’t finish high
Sanchez has been working in the healthcare industry since a family member of hers got her a job filing charts when she was 16. That
52 | National University President’s Circle 2026
school. To earn a doctorate is a tremendous milestone for her family.
“Even getting an associate degree was next level for my family,” she said. “I still find it hard to land the roles I’m looking for, even though I have all this kind of experience and education to back it up.” It was her lived experience that inspired the focus of her dissertation. And for her, the entire process was life changing, in part because she could directly apply the research she was collecting to her own professional life. The connections she made, and the journeys the women shared, were invaluable to her — not just for research purposes, but for her own empowerment. “To have an understanding of what they’ve endured and not feeling like I’m the only one,” she said. “Learning the different barriers that exist and knowing there’s a cheat sheet behind it. To have people say your name when you’re not in the room.” Sanchez folded those life lessons into another one for her son as the two traveled to San Diego for National University’s graduation ceremony. Departing from Newark, their flight was canceled the night before the ceremony. Sanchez rebooked for the following morning, hightailed it to the ceremony, finished getting ready in the car, and made it just in time to be recognized by her peers for her work. She and her son walked into the venue just 15 minutes before her award was announced.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
53
“It was a lot of adrenaline. It was a New York minute,” she said. “My goal in life is to have him know that any kind of barriers that are in our presence, we have the power to change them into opportunities. Down to the very last drop, that’s what it wound up being.” Now that her research is complete, Sanchez will look for ways to disseminate it. Due to a lack of Latina representation in academia and across healthcare administration, she knows she has nowhere to go but up with the report she authored, entitled “Breaking Barriers Obstacles, Motivations and Success Strategies of Latinas in Hospital C-suites: A Phenomenological Study.” Sanchez built her research around two frameworks. One looked at intersectionality. The other involved diversity intelligence, a practice that involved actively integrating diverse populations and perspectives. She hopes to have an opportunity to publish with the woman who developed and trademarked the concept of diversity intelligence. In the meantime, she will focus on the Ascender Leadership Program from The National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) she enrolled in, and balance that against her responsibilities as the director of regulatory compliance for Allied Digestive Health, where she oversees 70 offices in New York and New Jersey. “This journey changed my life,” she said. “These are the moments where you say to yourself all of these hard moments have been worth it.”
54 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Keyt Supelana Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science
Decisions With Purpose When Keyt Supelana puts on her lab coat, she is reminded of the
opportunity it has given her. Her journey started with a familiar level of
choices she made to get the opportunities she has. Those choices
uncertainty, as one would expect by moving to a new country, but she
included nights with little sleep, working an administrative job in a
said the deliberate choices she has made have allowed her to reach
hospital while in school, setting her sights on finishing summa cum
milestones worth celebrating.
laude, and keeping her eye on her goal of formulating a skincare line. “I don’t have any regrets about moving to the U.S. I feel grateful that I get One of the most consequential choices was deciding to continue her
this opportunity. It’s not one that everyone can actually have,” she said. “I
studies at all after she immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines.
never expected to be in this position or have these accomplishments.”
“I knew I wanted clinical lab science,” she said. “I was just drawn to the
Among her first milestones was acing her first class at National
precision and the responsibility of working behind the scenes. It’s a
University. Earning a good grade in her first class, public speaking, gave
field where accuracy directly impacts patient outcomes. I just value
her the confidence she needed at the time to feel she could actually
that level of accountability and contribution in healthcare.”
complete her degree and hold down a demanding work schedule. As an administrative assistant in the pediatric ICU at UCSF Medical Center
Supelana moved to the U.S. because her father petitioned her. She
in San Francisco, Supelana worked full-time during the day while taking
didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, but she recognizes the
coursework in the evenings.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
55
“I had a lot of sleepless nights, but it’s worth it,” she said, mentioning
“Success, to me, is being able to set a clear goal and follow through
she was determined to finish with a high GPA so she could earn
with it,” she said. “The outcome matters. The ability to execute despite
summa cum laude. “It was difficult. I would say I’m really proud of what
changing circumstances is what defines it.”
I accomplished at this point. It’s just ... no excuses.” More than anything, Supelana said her experience at National University For someone who needed to work while attending school, the
instilled in her empathy for others and the circumstances they may be
flexibility of National University was valuable to Supelana. She had
quietly navigating. She said she is moving forward with a heightened
also researched other programs and decided on National University
emotional awareness as she aims to treat everyone with fairness,
specifically because it offered the program she wanted. For her, the
compassion, and care.
school checked a couple of nonnegotiable boxes. “Navigating change, uncertainty, and personal challenges taught me to “It aligned with both my academic goals and my situation,” she said.
be mindful of how I show up for others,” she said. “I value integrity and respect, especially in situations when emotions run high.”
“The flexible structure that the university offers made it possible to continue working while pursuing this rigorous science degree. It allowed me to stay consistent instead of delaying my progress.” That job at UCSF opened the door for her to apply for the hospital’s Clinical Lab Science training program. The 12-month program is required for Supelana before she is eligible to take her licensure exam. Her short-term goal is to become a generalist, so she can work in different departments, from microbiology to blood banking and beyond. Once she can work in the lab, playing a pivotal role in diagnostics, she intends to dive deeper into her field by pursuing a master’s degree in cosmetic science. Ever since she was little, she’s had a fascination with formulation. It led her to launch an LLC for a skincare business. And she hopes to eventually shift her focus to formulating her own skincare line.
56 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Charlie Van De Voorde Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration
Investing in Community Charlie Van De Voorde has thanks to give. He is where he is now, he
By most accounts, Van De Voorde has experienced a complete
believes, because his community did not give up on him. And that
180-degree transformation. He became a father at 16. He struggled
support allowed him to believe in himself.
with addiction. And he found himself in trouble shortly after, which led to 15 years in prison. College was the furthest thing from his mind.
“It hasn’t been easy,” he said. “They have always been there for me.” “Law enforcement was never around me when I was doing the right Van De Voorde is referring to quite a few people. The grandmother who
things. But, whose fault is that really? They have a duty to protect
raised him. The deputy, known as “Hollywood” Hayes, who invested
and serve, and I respect that. At the time, I was a liability and a
in him and held him accountable. Neighbors who supported a small
dysfunction, and I understand that,” he said. “Now I go to lunch with
business he and his partner launched. He has felt every bit of support.
law enforcement buddies. I have them on my cell phone.”
“I never thought about school. It wasn’t an option. It was something I
While in prison, he enrolled in a couple of college courses, and that
regretted,” Van De Voorde said. “I never thought I would be a college
experience, coupled with positive reinforcement from mentors, fueled
graduate, so when the opportunity presented itself, I took it.”
a desire to continue. After meeting his partner, who graduated with a master’s degree from National University, Van De Voorde investigated the school for himself.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
57
The schedule, the pace of the classes, and the flexibility seemed like
allowed him to meet people where they are and connect with them in a
it would align well with the life he was building. At the time, he and his
way that shows he understands the struggles they are facing. His ability
partner had just launched a mobile gaming truck, so he sometimes
to connect, and to remind individuals who are facing challenges that
did schoolwork on it. He was also working as a program manager for
they are worth the investment, reflects the support he received.
rehabilitation services at a local nonprofit. He likes to remind people that when they succeed, they make everyone With a degree in public administration, extensive lived experience,
who believed in them look like geniuses. For Van De Voorde, he felt he
and a certificate in drug and alcohol studies, Van De Voorde has
had that type of support from professors as he navigated his courses
maintained forward momentum toward his ultimate goals.
at National University. And now he believes that his educational achievement will open doors for others.
“I’ve seen it from both sides. I’ve seen the dark side, the mass incarcerations. I’ve seen how money is used in our community and
“It will have a ripple effect,” he said. “I hope it shows people coming
backroom politics. I see how people are maintaining the problem
behind me that no matter where you come from in life, if you put your
rather than eradicating it,” he said. “Leadership is a passion of mine,
faith in God and yourself, and put your nose to the grindstone, and
and going into government work is on my radar right now. I’ve seen
work and push and don’t give up, you can achieve great things. You can
firsthand where the system has failed us.”
achieve the life you want. It shows people who have doubted that we can go through these things and do things at an elite level. There are
Now, as the Vice President of Rehabilitation Services at a California-
other people who can do this, too. They just need the opportunity that I
based nonprofit organization, Van De Voorde draws on his education
was given.”
and experience to assist with re-entry for individuals experiencing homelessness, exiting incarceration, or living with substance abuse disorder. With his degree, he is now eager to shape policy and drive change. “I want to spread my wings and fly,” he said. “I don’t want to give up on my community because they didn’t want to give up on me.” Van De Voorde is quick to acknowledge that his faith has carried him through some very trying times. He also thinks that same faith has
58 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Abraham Velez-Rivera Doctor of Public Administration
Breaking New Ground When Abraham Velez-Rivera joined the Marines, he enlisted because
“All of the classes were specific to the topic of leadership and
he wasn’t interested in college. He was tapped out after high school.
management and human capital,” he said. “I liked studying things I
But just two years after shipping off to boot camp, he decided to
wanted to study. That’s when the idea of a doctorate got ingrained in
pursue a bachelor’s degree. He didn’t know it then, but earning that
my head and I couldn’t get it out.”
degree was his first step in an educational journey that would lead him to achieve a doctorate, a first for his family.
For Velez-Rivera, growth and educational achievement became somewhat addictive. Before he finished his master’s degree, he began
“I just became a dad before finishing my bachelor’s, and I was enjoying
shopping for doctorate programs. As a Marine on active duty, he would
the father life, being a Marine, going on deployments,” he said. “Then I
need a program that understood the unique demands of a military
met a fellow Marine, and he is the one who pushed me to continue.”
career. National University fit the bill.
That Marine was halfway through earning his master’s degree and he
He felt supported by the school staff. None of his questions went
promised to show Velez-Rivera the ropes. Velez-Rivera immediately
unanswered. And the experience overall was smooth and easy to
noticed that the coursework required for a master’s degree was
understand, he said.
different from that included in a bachelor’s, and it proved to be a pivotal difference.
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
59
Over the course of his military career, and even as he was pursuing his doctorate in public administration, Velez-Rivera navigated a number of professional and personal changes. He began his military career as a radar, communications, and navigation systems technician, working primarily on radar used by F-18 fighter jets. Over time, his responsibilities expanded to include several other aircrafts, including H-1, V-22, CH-53, and the F-35, with which he is currently working as a senior enlisted advisor for avionics. Much like his years of experience in the Marines, his dissertation for his doctorate would focus on elements of communication. Specifically, it focused on the impact of toxic leadership within units. As it turns out, his need to communicate would play a critical role in completing his dissertation. He began his doctorate studies while stationed in Japan at a time when his position meant he was among the first to get to work and among the last to leave every day. He credits the officer in charge with granting him the flexibility he needed to get through those first classes. “It was very stressful in the beginning,” he said. Then, he received orders to move to New Orleans, a relocation that prompted him to take two months off from school as he settled back into American life. The research aspect of his dissertation required that he receive permission from his commanding general, and he received it with “no hesitation.”
60 | National University President’s Circle 2026
“The Marine Corps has been nothing but supportive throughout this
Into the future, Velez-Rivera said he will carry with him aspects of his
process,” he said. “They made it possible for me to continue pursuing
National University experience. Beyond the studies for his degree, he
this doctorate with minimal interruptions.”
said he learned more about being a Marine, being a father, and being a husband.
A final hiccup during his studies included a move to South Carolina. He received the new orders toward the tail end of his dissertation
“More so as a human, I learned to observe and obtain clarity on things
and realized a move would throw off his timeline. Velez-Rivera knew
before I proceed,” he said. “I learned to be more effective in everything I
he wouldn’t have time to finish the final portion, so he requested and
do. It just made me a better person overall.”
received an extension. “I have a very understanding and supportive wife,” he said. “I had a very supportive unit, also. They made it possible for me. There were times when, instead of taking lunch or going to the gym, I would stay at my computer. It is doable. If I did it, anybody can do it.” As he considers his next steps, Velez-Rivera reflected on a connection he made with a professor who had a similar, military-based background to him. The professor worked for the Secret Service, served in the military, and then chose to teach at the university level after retirement. For Velez-Rivera, that seems like an attractive path forward. “He’s truly inspirational,” he said of his professor. “We connected almost immediately. When I think of the future, that’s where I see myself.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
61
Philip A. West Doctor of Education in Organizational Innovation
Real-World Application For Philip West, real-world conflict influenced how he would pursue
West originally decided to pursue his PhD after completing his
his doctorate in organizational innovation. As a combat pilot and
master’s degree and realizing the accomplishment didn’t really set
instructor with the Air Force, West deployed to Germany to support
him apart from his peers in the Air Force. Known by the call sign “Flip,”
the U.S. position with the war in Ukraine, and when he did, he saw an
West saw opportunities for operational improvement but realized he
opportunity.
wasn’t at a level where he could influence change. A doctorate would alter that landscape for him.
The concept of dispersion operations presented itself as he evaluated combat operations. So from an educational stance, he decided
“At that moment in my career, there was nothing I could do to fix it,”
to develop his dissertation based on an actual military need at an
West said of the opportunity he saw. “I was too low on the totem pole.
unclassified level.
So I thought, let me see if there is some kind of methodology in raising my level in the chain of command so I can be placed in a position to
“The angle I have for dispersion operations is to decrease the number of people at military bases to the bare minimum, and that way it’s just enough to get the same mission done,” he said. “Minimizing losses and dispersing forces makes it more difficult for the enemy. It complicates their ability to target.”
62 | National University President’s Circle 2026
make a difference.”
After earning his master’s degree at National University, West decided to continue his educational journey because of the school’s military affiliation, its flexibility, and his familiarity with the pace and expectations. Its remote platform also worked well in the face of potential deployments. “I was comfortable with it,” he said. After successfully defending his dissertation, West enrolled at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, which is the oldest naval war college in the world. There, he has taken his dissertation on dispersion operations to a higher level of classification, folding in real-world applications and scenarios that he hopes could influence military theory and action. Through his research, he ultimately hopes to create a more efficient, more agile, and less vulnerable operational posture for U.S. forces, particularly when conflict erupts. “My theory is that by focusing on minimizing potential losses and using unmanned systems also in an agile employment framework, you can stay ahead of the enemy’s targeting cycle,” he said. “The research I have done is actionable and it’s already being practiced. When you start to see huge amounts of drawdowns, that is following that framework.” One of the more novel aspects of West’s work on his dissertation was the fact that he was able to action a proof of concept for his theory on a combat mission in Poland. While the data he collected on the mission
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
63
could not be used in his dissertation due to its sensitivity, putting it into practice allowed him to confirm the results he had theorized. “I think that’s quite special from a university perspective because they can see the fruit of what they’re giving their students immediately take hold,” he said. From here on out, West plans to complete an advanced program at the naval college and eventually move to Washington, D.C., where he would like to see how he can influence change at a higher level. When he does, he will take with him the tools he embraced while working on his doctorate. Patience and networking proved instrumental to him throughout his journey. “Networking is very valuable. So many people get tunnel vision in what they’re doing and only what they’re doing,” he said. “For the longest time, I was only focused on the military perspective. My cohort provided an outside perspective and helped me diversify my thoughts, and that’s even more valuable. You can find something you didn’t think of.” As for patience, he will continue to practice the type of restraint he tries to instill in his students as a flight instructor. “Something I’ve found value in is tactical patience. To slow it down and see every step is beneficial,” he said. “A slogan we used to say to students is ‘slow is smooth, smooth is fast.’ If I’m able to slow myself down in a methodical manner, in a temporal manner, I’m able to meet the objective, and not make mistakes, and meet the intent.”
64 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Robin Woodward Master of Arts in Strategic Communications
Overcoming the Unexpected Robin Woodward has built a career around solving problems, adapting
Her plan was to complete her degree and become eligible for
to change, and communicating with purpose. She jokes that she’s like
advancement at a company that paid well but where long workdays
a Swiss Army knife in a professional setting because she’s spent her
were often the norm. As she prepared to begin her master’s program
career wearing many hats.
at National University, the company announced that significant layoffs were imminent. Around the same time, Woodward also stepped into
“You name it, I did it,” Woodward said.
the role of caregiver for her ailing father. The news meant she would have to perform at the highest level at work while balancing graduate
When she was given the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree, with
school, caregiving responsibilities, and the uncertainty of whether her
considerable financial support from her employer, she chose to formalize
own position would be eliminated.
the training and work she had been doing for more than a decade. About halfway through her program, she learned her position was “What I thought was going to happen and what ended up happening
among those eliminated.
were two different things,” she said. “There was a complete, divine redirection along the way.”
“It was intense. It was a lot,” she said. “I’ve always held myself to a very high standard, so losing my job felt deeply personal.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
65
Knowing her employer-sponsored tuition assistance would soon end because of the layoff, Woodward reached out to her academic advisor and professors to explore options. National University worked with her to create an accelerated independent study plan, allowing her to complete her remaining coursework before her tuition assistance expired. She continued moving forward, believing the master’s degree would strengthen her opportunities as she searched for her next role. Rather than allowing the layoff to define her, Woodward continued investing in herself while navigating one of the most uncertain seasons of her career. During one interview, a prospective employer described her educational background as “impressive.” “That was incredibly affirming because it reminded me that I had made the right decision,” she said. “The layoff was something I couldn’t control, but I could control how I responded. I stayed focused on what was in front of me, kept moving forward one step at a time, and finished something I wasn’t sure would even be possible under that kind of pressure.” Looking back, Woodward sees the layoff not as the end of a career path, but as the beginning of one she never would have chosen for herself. What once felt devastating ultimately became the catalyst for a new purpose. Today, Woodward leads grant development and strategic funding initiatives for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, her first role in the public sector. She said she has been able to immediately apply many of the skills she developed at National University.
66 | National University President’s Circle 2026
One of the aspects of National University’s curriculum she valued most was how assignments and projects were designed around real-world scenarios, making them immediately applicable in the workplace. One of her signature graduate projects involved developing a social media strategy for a nonprofit organization. She approached the assignment as though she were working with an actual client, developing a fully actionable communications plan and presenting it to the organization for its use. “I had meetings and pressure-tested it along the way,” Woodward said. In her new role, the pace has changed considerably. Working a more predictable schedule has been an adjustment, but one she now deeply appreciates. “I was constantly going with my hair on fire. Chest palpitations were normal. I didn’t even notice them anymore,” she said, recalling the demands of her previous position and the emotional toll of the layoffs. “It turned out to be an amazing blessing. I have work-life harmony now.” Her husband, friends, and family have noticed the difference. They tell her she’s happier, more present, and more like herself again. “There was so much uncertainty,” she said. “You constantly wondered what might happen next while still trying to exceed expectations at work, stay on top of graduate school, care for your family, and be present for the people who mattered most. It was one of the most challenging seasons of my life, but looking back, I’m incredibly proud that I stayed focused and kept moving forward.”
National University President’s Circle 2026 |
67
Now settled into her role in the public sector, Woodward is focused on learning, growing, and making a meaningful contribution. While she hopes to pursue a doctorate someday, she sees it as part of a longer-term professional development journey. For now, she’s enjoying the opportunity to apply what she’s learned while remaining open to wherever that journey leads. “It’s not about getting a check in the box,” she said. “It’s about growing my capabilities so I can create more value for the organization and better serve students, families, and my community.” For Woodward, education has never been about collecting credentials. It’s about becoming better equipped to serve others, lead with excellence, and embrace whatever opportunities God places in front of her next.
68 | National University President’s Circle 2026
Learn More at NU.edu 9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123