Saint Leo Center for Online Learning Board of Advisors

The Student Board of Advisors (BOA) serves as a voice for Saint Leo COL students. The board will strive to foster understanding, ensure that equitable opportunities exist online, and advise the University administration regarding student issues and concerns.

The board provides input on the areas of technology, student services, and the classroom. The BOA is a student run group that meets regularly for the betterment of the COL program. Voting Board Members are selected based on a review of qualifications and ability to positively contribute; However, all students are permitted and encouraged to participate in the BOA.

• BOA's Guidelines and Constitution
• Submit Applications and Resumes

Board of Advisors

Tina Kiess, Chair - I am originally from Muncy, Pennsylvania. In June 2008, I moved to Virginia, to take a job working for the Department of Defense. I live near Richmond, VA. I have a daughter, Brittany, who will be graduating from high school in 2010. I have been a student at Saint Leo, since Sept. '06 and earned my Associates degree in Liberal Arts in June '07. I am currently pursuing my Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice here at Saint Leo. I am also a member of the Peer Mentor Group as well as the Student Board of Advisors. In my spare time, I enjoy photography, shooting, gardening and traveling.

Email Tina at: tina.kiess@email.saintleo.edu

Tina Petriella, Vice Chair - I was born and raised in Ohio. I am the proud mother of three children the last one just entered 7th grade. I am a part of the Peer Mentor Group, the Prelaw group, and the Board of Advisors. I waited 21 years before I went back to school because I needed to wait till there was time and with the program that Saint Leo offered online, it was the perfect time to start. I am now looking towards getting my Bachelor's in Criminal Justice and then moving onto my Masters in Psychology and eventually my doctorate. I want to work with Forensic Psychology one day, this is the goal. Outside of school and the kids I work full time for a trucking company. I get to talk to people across the U.S. and I love every minute of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am the head of Customer Service and I assist the Vice President of Operations. It is a great learning experience in talking to so many different people.

Email Tina at: Tina.Petriella@email.saintleo.edu

Jenifer Nicola, Recorder - I was born in Englewood, CO, and at the age of three my family moved to Miami, FL. At 19 years of age I decided to move to Charleston, South Carolina. When in Charleston I attended Trident Technical College for a couple of courses on and off over the three years I lived there. During this time I met my husband, who is in the Navy and was living in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I ended up moving closer to him. We got married two years later. Then the Navy moved us to San Diego, California. I began attending online classes at the University of Phoenix, and received an AA in Business Administration in May of 2008. During that time we also had our son in October of 2007. In October of 2008 I began attending online classes at Saint Leo University for a BS in Criminal Justice. In my spare time I enjoy reading, photography, writing, fitness, and traveling with my family.

Email Jennifer at: Jennifer.Nicola@email.saintleo.edu

Chad Terry, Member at Large - Originally I hail from Southern California where I was born and raised but in 2003, I moved to Chicago and have been in the greater Chicagoland area since. I have been in banking for the last 10 years with my last position as Vice President and Financial Center Manager for Washington Mutual but at present time I am in transition to a new job. My focus has been on completing my degree with Saint Leo in Business Administration with a Management Specialization. I am currently engaged to a wonderful woman and look to set a wedding date soon. When I have free time, it is either normally spent with my fiancé, video games, watching football or playing fantasy football.

Email Chad at: Chad.Terry@email.saintleo.edu

Calvin Benson, Member at Large - I was born in Hampton Roads Virginia in the city of Norfolk. My parents moved to Chesapeake where I was educated in the Chesapeake Public School System. After graduation from high school, I enrolled in Norfolk State University. I accepted a position with a local engineering firm where I began to receive various on the job training in the field of Mechanical Engineering. I later accepted a position with the United State Government in Mechanical Engineering and have completed 22 years of service for the Department of the Navy. In my current job I travel all over the world to support the mission of the United States Navy. I have taking college level classes throughout my career and have recently decided to enroll with Saint Leo University April 2009 to pursue a BA Degree in Business Administration with a Management Specialization. I have enjoyed the online class experience and plan to invite others to explore the possibilities of obtaining a degree online with Saint Leo University.

Email Calvin at: Calvin.Benson@email.saintleo.edu

Michael Dragneff, Member at Large - I am a rare and endangered species known as a native Floridian. I am 37 years old and married to my wife Erin, an RN, since March 17th, 2007. Together we have a beautiful 1 yr. old daughter named Alyssa and another baby on the way due in April. I was born and raised in Tampa where I graduated from H.B. Plant High School in 1990. In my professional life I am a deputy with the Sumter County Sheriff's Office and have been serving there since 2002. I have been in law enforcement since 1998 when I graduated from the Pasco-Hernando Police Academy and in 2000 served with the Tampa Police Department. I graduated with honors from PHCC in 2007 attaining my A.A. degree and membership in Phi Theta Kappa. I have been a student at St. Leo since spring 2008 and will be graduating with my BA in Criminal Justice in May of 2010. I will probably be going into post graduate work then in pursuit of a Masters degree in Criminal Justice. I currently have a 3.95 GPA and will be putting in an application to the National Catholic Honor Society and should graduate Summa cum laude. When not busy with school or work, I enjoy time with my family, traveling, movies, music and playing/collecting games.

Email Michael at: Michael.Dragneff@email.saintleo.edu

Sandra Gearheart, Member at Large - Most people call me Sandi. I live in Belle Center, OH near Indian Lake, which is nice to go swimming during the summer months with my children. Right now I am a single Mom, working on my BA in Business Administration in Accounting with a minor in Human Resources. I have three children living in my home 21, 14, 4. My 14 year old is homeschooled, which makes me her Learning coach. I also am a member of the Buster club through OHVA (Ohio Virtual Academy) my 14 year olds high school. I have several more children however, they are out of the home, and 8 grandchildren as well.

Email Sandra at: Sandra Gearheart@email.saintleo.edu

Gladys Riley, Member at Large - I live in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with my husband Wayne and our 2 fur-kids Sasha and Black Jack. My father is a WWII Navy Veteran, who is 82 and has Alzheimer's disease and my Aunt who is 85 both live with us. We also have 2 children, Erika and Joe, both of who are married and starting their own families now. I am employed full time in the health care industry and I presently work for one of the largest health insurers in the United States. I have worked in health care for well over 15 years, including hospitals, provider group practices, clinics and long term care. Most of my experience has been in health care operations, finance and data analysis. I have attended Saint Leo University since 2005 and am working toward a B.S. in Health Care Management with a Minor in Human Resources. My short term goal is to obtain green belt certification in Six Sigma within the next 12 months. After graduation, I would like to obtain a Masters degree in Health Care Management.

Email Gladys at: Gladys.Riley@email.saintleo.edu

Alita Wright, Member at Large - I live in Spring Hill, FL with my husband and three of our five children (ages 23, 21, 14, 10 and 4). I grew up in San Diego, CA, but have lived in this area since 1991. I grew up in the construction industry, so it was natural for me to fall into this line of work. I began my career by remodeling houses and reselling them. Over the years I have become licensed as a General Contractor, Roofing Contractor, Building Inspector and Roofing Inspector. I have owned my own construction companies, worked for the State of Florida and most recently for a Medical Facilities building contractor. For several years I have wanted to complete my Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. After our youngest daughter was born I decided it was time to get serious about where I really wanted to be in life, which my goal is to become a Forensic Accountant. My bachelor's will be completed May of 2011 and will immediately continue towards my Master's degree. I am a very driven, organized person that suffers from hyperactivity disorder and boredom coming along too easily. I try to keep a positive outlook to every aspect of life, even the tragedies. Laughter and happiness is the gift that has an endless outreach and can touch the heart where other things fall short. My hobbies are cooking, baking wonderful delights to share, football, swimming, sailing and enjoying our friends and family.

Email Alita at: Alita.Wright@email.saintleo.edu

Jong Kim, Member at Large - I currently stand as a sophomore for Center for Online Learning program under Business Administration degree plan. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where my family still resides. My hobbies include reading, writing, participating in family and friends' gathering time, ice skating, basketball, golf, tennis, swimming, and among them, some of the things I cannot live without are training for boxing and continual learning, and lastly but not least, my Saint Leo courses. Most of the time, I tend to behave and think logically for situations around me, and thus my liberal approach toward political and administrative interactions takes over. As a consequence, I will do my best as a BOA member to uphold the traditional success our university has obtained so far by implementing wonderful student Web communications, aides, support systems, and programs and student services which will enhance each student's learning experience, among others. I am a diligent worker, extremely goal-oriented, and a firm believer in performance execution and its effectiveness. Every students' concern become my additional agenda to work on and I will strive to bring change after I receive approval from my Chair of BOA, Tina Kiess; Vice Chair, Tina Petriella; and other members. COL program will be the best experience you will not forget. I guarantee it.

Email Jong at: Jong.Kim@email.saintleo.edu

Aleacia Meredith-Lester, Member at Large - Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, I moved to Japan with my aunt after graduating high school. I met my first husband there and we were married here in the states in Chicago, IL. Unfortunately, we divorced several years later and I moved to Newport News, VA. I met my current husband online there and moved with my kids to Greensboro, NC to be with him. We were married in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We then moved for his new job in Charlotte, NC to Rock Hill, SC and had a baby girl. Then, the economy took a big hit and he was laid off. We had to move yet again and have landed here in Smyrna, GA where we plan to stay for a long time. I started college online at the University of Phoenix after my first divorce majoring in Business Management. In 2006 I began taking classes at Saint Leo University switching to get my BS in Criminal Justice. Currently, I'm a temp in pursuit of a career in probation. I am a Volunteer Probation Officer twice a month. In my spare time, with three kids, a husband, a job, classes, volunteer work, and being a member of the BOA, I multi-task checking my emails, playing with my family, date nights with hubby, watching television, and resting.

Email Aleacia at: Aleacia.Lester@email.saintleo.edu

Steven Ausborn, Member at Large - I was born and raised in Bradenton Florida, where I still currently live. I have been married since 2003 and have a daughter that just turned one. I graduated with honors from State College of Florida with my Associates in Arts degree in 2009, where I was a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Now I am working towards my Business Administration with a Management Specialization. I currently work in Sarasota Florida for a local architectural firm where I am coming up on my 5th year. My wife graduated from the main campus with BA in Accounting in 2003 and is currently an accountant at Sarasota County Sheriff's office. She is currently attending the online MBA program. When I am not busy working or with school, I love to travel, go to football and baseball games and enjoy the days with our little girl. After obtaining my BA degree, I plan on staying at Saint Leo and getting my Masters Degree.

Email Steven at: Steven.Ausborn@email.saintleo.edu