Marni Montgomery-Blake came to Arizona College of Nursing, Las Vegas in April 2017. Her experience as an administrative assistant and her background in education lend themselves well to the college environment. Her prior experience includes teaching kindergarten and music, working as the testing/assessment specialist for a K-12 school district, and serving as the Program Officer for another nursing program at a state university.
As Academic Records Manager at Arizona College of Nursing, Marni hires, trains, and leads the Academic Records Coordinators on the Las Vegas campus. The Academic Records team registers students for classes, monitors final grades, and maintains student records. They assist students who want to transfer campuses or leave or return to school. They help with New Student Orientation and Core progression. They also track and monitor a variety of school and student data for reporting purposes.
Education: BA in Elementary Education, Idaho State University
Michelle Palaroan came to Arizona College of Nursing, Las Vegas in April 2022 after two decades at the University of Phoenix. As an academic affairs leader, her background possesses a breadth of expertise in overseeing all aspects of academic direction and instructional leadership via strategic planning, faculty development, and overall compliance to ensure academic delivery excellence.
Education: BS, Pre-Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno | MA, Minnesota State University, Mankato | Doctor of Education, University of Phoenix
Shawn Higgins came to Arizona College of Nursing in 2021 with 14 years of experience in nursing education and 23 years of leadership experience. Shawn Higgins earned her Master’s of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix and her PhD from Capella University where she was drawn to understanding the “why” and the “how” behind education. Her degree specialty is specific to Leadership in Higher Education.
Shawn Higgins’ nursing background prior to education includes long-term care, rehabilitation services (stroke and TBI), home health, hospice, and basic med-surg. Her nursing education experience spans the country, having worked in the private sector for schools in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. She and her husband have eight children between them and will be welcoming their fifth grandchild in the spring of 2022. She is looking forward to a long and happy relationship with her new Arizona College of Nursing family.
Education: PhD in Education – Capella University | BSN, MSN, Nursing – University of Phoenix
BBA in Business Administration, Brandman University
Kiersten Garcia came to Arizona College of Nursing, Las Vegas in June 2017 with over 15 years of higher education experience. Kiersten most recently served as Director of Financial Aid, focusing her efforts on college affordability. In her current role as Executive Director of Enrollment Services, Kiersten manages a team of admissions and financial aid advisors focusing on quality student experiences and maintaining a positive campus culture.
Education: BBA in Business Administration, Brandman University
Catherine Chege came to Arizona College of Nursing with 17 years of higher education experience. Her specialties include: admissions, student services, student life, veteran benefits, registrar services, financial aid, and leadership development. Cat was drawn to Arizona College because of the opportunity to contribute to campus operations for a fairly new campus.
Education: Ph.D. (c ), Leadership and Change, Antioch University | M.B.A. Keller Graduate School of Management | M.H.R. M. Keller Graduate School of Management | B.S. Communications. Pensacola Christian College
Education: DNP, Post University | MSN, Athabasca University | MBA Louisiana State University | BSN, Memorial University
Education: MBA, University of Southern California | BS, University of Southern California
Education: MBA, Stanford University | BS, University of Notre Dame
Maria has more than two decades of executive-level experience in education leadership, academic operations, and higher education instruction. Before joining Arizona College of Nursing, she served as Vice President of Operations for National Technical Institute. Previously, she held roles as Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Provost, Campus President, and Campus Dean. She embraces a people-centric style that encourages a school environment that is dedicated to student success.
Maria is a published author and thought leader on inclusive leadership and has presented at international conferences. She enjoys lending her talents to local community organizations in her free time. Outside of education and leadership, Maria’s passion is learning about different cultures and international travel.
Education: PhD in Leadership and Change, Antioch University | MA in Leadership and Change, Antioch University | EdS in Education Leadership and Administration, University of Alabama at Birmingham | MA in International Relations, University of San Diego | BA in International Relations, Eastern Washington University