ACE Faculty

Dr. Jodi Feikema joined American College of Education in January of 2023 as Chief Academic Officer and Provost, responsible for creating and executing ACE’s academic strategies and operations, including faculty operations, curriculum, and the student learning experience.  

Prior to her appointment at ACE, Dr. Feikema served as Senior Vice President, Learning Products and Services, where she was responsible for providing academic services to several universities, as well as creating and delivering innovative learning products aimed at improving student success metrics. With over 15 years of higher education experience, she has served in a multitude of roles, as both faculty and administration, having extensive experience in prior learning assessment, program review and learning outcomes assessment, curriculum development, higher education accreditation and regulations, academic operations, learning products, faculty operations and training, and innovation in higher education.  

Dr. Feikema earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Development and Leadership from the University of the Rockies, where her research focused on the quality and effectiveness of degree programs at four-year universities. She has a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from St. Ambrose University and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Iowa State University. 

Dr. Scott Bailey joined American College of Education in January of 2018, where he currently serves as Assistant Provost, Education Professions, responsible for the administration of all education-related programs in the college. Prior to his appointment to this position, he served as a department chair, coordinator, and faculty member for ACE. 

Before joining ACE, Dr. Bailey served as a tenured associate professor at Stephen F. Austin State University, during which time he also worked extensively as a school improvement consultant and principal trainer in Texas. He also has experience as a district administrator, a principal, and an assistant principal at the middle and high school levels, as well as eight years of high school teaching experience. As a first-generation college student himself, his public-school work focused on helping students who were disadvantaged, primarily due to poverty.  

Dr. Bailey earned his M.Ed. and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University, where his research focused on equity and leadership in public schools. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and History from Baylor University. 

Dr. Luster Fowler joined American College of Education in July of 2021 and currently serves as the Assistant Provost of Healthcare Professions. In this role, he provides leadership, advocacy, coordination, and strategy for all healthcare and nursing programs at the college.  

Prior to joining ACE, Dr. Fowler served as an Associate Professor and Dean for a School of Health Sciences as well as a School of Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, where he provided oversight to multiple academic programs in the healthcare, nursing, public service, and STEM-related professions. Prior to transitioning to higher education, Dr. Fowler served as a hospital administrator, where he provided oversight to multiple departments providing direct care to patients. 

Dr. Fowler earned his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Foundations from Indiana State University, where his research focused on the interprofessional education of healthcare practitioners in higher education as well as acute care hospital settings. He also earned an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University with a concentration in Healthcare Administration. 

Dr. Eric Klein joined American College of Education in March of 2023 and is currently the Assistant Provost of Doctoral Research and Student Success. As Assistant Provost, Dr. Klein provides leadership, advocacy, coordination, and recommendations for academic and non-academic initiatives supporting student success and retention. In this role, he is also responsible for the strategic and visionary leadership of the operations, programs, policies, initiatives, and activities of the Doctoral Research Department. 

Dr. Klein has over 15 years of experience in higher education and has held several increasingly responsible leadership positions throughout his career. Prior to joining ACE, he served as Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Support Services for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD) in California. In this role, he was responsible for providing districtwide leadership and support for academics, student services, research, strategic planning, accreditation, and enrollment management. Dr. Klein began his career at Lehigh University, where he was the recipient of the Alfred Noble Robinson Award in 2010, which is awarded annually to one member of the University in recognition of outstanding performance in service and unusual achievement. 

Dr. Klein earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), where his doctoral research focused on sport psychology and peak performance. Dr. Klein also holds a master’s degree in General-Theoretical Psychology from FDU, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The College of New Jersey. 

Dr. Crystal Neumann joined American College of Education in September of 2014 and currently serves as the Assistant Provost for Business Professions, responsible for the administration of all business-related programs in the college. Prior to her appointment to this position, she served as the Doctoral Program Coordinator, Chair for Specialist and Doctoral Programs, and Chair for the Department of Leadership & Administration.  

Dr. Neumann has over 15 years of experience in higher education. Prior to joining ACE, Dr. Neumann served as a Campus College Chair at University of Phoenix’s Indianapolis Campus. She also has professional experience in marketing, market research, and within the public and nonprofit sectors. In addition to working in a consulting role, she taught marketing and public relations in Germany.  

Dr. Neumann received her Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, her master’s in Adult Education & Training from the University of Phoenix, and her MBA from American InterContinental University. Her accolades include being selected as an honoree of Reverend Jesse L. Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Excel 2017, induction into the Indiana Latino Leadership Circle in 2020, and recipient of the Global Impression Award in 2023. 

Dr. Byron Barton joined ACE in May of 2017 as the Healthcare Department Chair, where he is responsible for the administrative, curricular, and operational aspects of ACE’s healthcare programs, including the Master of Public Health, Master of Healthcare Administration, Bachelor of Healthcare Administration, and Master of Education in Health and Wellness Education.  

Before joining ACE, Dr. Barton was the Dean of Premedical Education and Associate Professor of Histology at Xavier University School of Medicine, Aruba. As Dean, Dr. Barton facilitated the transition from a subject-based to an integrated pre-medical curriculum and helped coordinate the pre-med programs at Xavier’s international partner schools. As a professor, he taught subjects such as histology, cell biology, and medical genetics to premed and medical students.  

Dr. Barton earned a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Vermont, where he studied insect flight muscle using a classical and molecular genetics approach. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Butler University.

Dr. Jason Cohen joined American College of Education in July of 2021 and currently serves as the Department Chair for Leadership and Curriculum Studies. In this role, he oversees faculty recruitment, selection, mentoring, and evaluation; leads program development and growth initiatives; and plays a key role in student enrollment, retention, and satisfaction. Dr. Cohen holds full administrative responsibility for departmental programs, including accreditation and reporting, while also contributing to institutional committees and cross-departmental collaboration to enhance program effectiveness and student support. 

Before his current role, Dr. Cohen served as a program coordinator and faculty member at ACE. He brings over 23 years of experience in higher education, having held positions such as Program Manager, Assistant Faculty, Project Director, and Program Coordinator at institutions including Nova Southeastern University, Broward College, and Palm Beach State College. 

Dr. Cohen earned his Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership & Innovation from Wilmington University. He also holds a master’s degree in Leadership and a bachelor’s degree in Business and Professional Management from Nova Southeastern University. 

Dr. Amber P. Daub currently serves as Chair of Instruction at the American College of Education. With over two decades of experience in K–12 and higher education, she has built a career focused on educational and instructional leadership, curriculum development, and educator preparation. 

Prior to her current role, Dr. Daub served as Dean of the School of Education at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) in Marshall, TX, where she led initiatives to enhance teacher preparation and academic excellence.  

Before her time in higher education leadership, Dr. Daub held several key roles in Hallsville Independent School District, including Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Secondary Curriculum Director, and Principal of Hallsville Junior High. Her earlier career includes experience as an assistant principal and classroom teacher across elementary and middle school levels.  

She has also served as an adjunct professor at Stephen F. Austin State University and ETBU. Dr. Daub is a recognized thought leader in education, having presented at state and national conferences such as the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals and the Texas Association of Curriculum Directors. Her accolades include being named Texas Middle School Principal of the Year and TASSP Region 7 Principal of the Year in 2011. 

Dr. Daub earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with a cognate in the Superintendency from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in 2007. She also holds a Master of Science in Educational Administration from the same institution and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with specializations in Elementary Education, English, and Reading from Stephen F. Austin State University. 

Dr. Lisa Hawthorne joined American College of Education in April of 2019 and currently serves as the Department Chair for Nursing. As an accomplished leader in nursing education and accreditation compliance, she provides leadership to faculty and students at all levels of nursing education programs. Prior to her appointment to this position, she served as core faculty and instructional faculty for the nursing department at ACE. 

Prior to her current appointment at ACE, Dr. Hawthorne served as chief nurse administrator / regional dean of nursing within one of the largest, national academic-practice partnership institutions, and as director of nursing with Louisiana State University. Additionally, she has served in multiple nursing leadership roles with other public and private colleges and universities. She has over 25 years’ experience in nursing education and community health nursing practice. Dr. Hawthorne is appointed as the Louisiana Action Coalition State Co-Lead to advance health equity in the state, as well as serves on multiple national and state nursing organization boards, task forces, and committees. 

Dr. Hawthorne earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of San Diego, Master’s in the Science of Nursing and Baccalaureate in the Science of Nursing from the University of Phoenix – San Diego, CA and Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Arizona Western College – Yuma, AZ. Additionally, Dr. Hawthorne holds certifications as a Public Health Nurse, through the California Board of Registered Nurses, is a Certified Nurse Educator, through the National League for Nursing, and holds Registered Nursing licenses in the states of Texas (multi-state), California, and Massachusetts. She is a fellow of the Academy of Associate Degree Nursing. 

Dr. Elisha M. Lewis is an accomplished educator and academic leader with over two decades of experience in education. She currently serves as Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at ACE, where she provides visionary leadership in curriculum development, faculty engagement, and program assessment.  

Dr. Lewis holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. Prior to joining ACE, she served as Chair of the Department of Education at West Virginia State University, where she was instrumental in advancing teacher preparation programs, expanding university-school partnerships, and maintaining the department’s accreditation.  

A passionate advocate for student success, Dr. Lewis specializes in online learning, instructional design, and educational leadership. She is a published author and active contributor to national conversations on teacher development, innovative instructional practices, and educational access for all. Dr. Lewis also is a proud member of Kappa Delta Pi National Honor Society and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Dr. Cathy McKay joined the American College of Education in July of 2016 and currently serves as the Department Chair for Professional Educational Studies. In this role, she oversees all programs within this department as well as faculty recruitment, selection, mentoring, and evaluation. Program development, revisions, and continuous improvement for faculty and student success are also part of the functioning of the department. 

Prior to coming to ACE, Dr. McKay has over 20 years of experience in the K-12 environment teaching math and science to middle and high school students, as well as being a co-principal. At the local community college, Dr. McKay supported the tutoring center and then began teaching. She was at the community college for approximately 10 years, developing, implementing, and supporting programs that focused on student success, retention, and graduation.  

Dr. McKay earned her Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership and M.S. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Walden University. She also earned her M.Ed. Educational Technology and Certificate of Cognitive Science at ACE. She earned her education credentials from the University of Indianapolis, and her Bachelor of Arts degree is in Psychology and Biology from Indiana University, Bloomington.   

Dr. Sara Reichard serves as the Director of Doctoral Research at the American College of Education with over two decades of experience in nursing, K-12 education, and higher education academic leadership. Dr. Reichard is a certified nurse educator with extensive clinical experience across critical care, school nursing, and international community health. In K-12 education, she founded a specialized school for gifted learners and oversaw academic and enrichment programming across multiple campuses. 

In higher education, Dr. Reichard has developed courses, coordinated programs, and led faculty professional development. She has taught undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses in nursing, health and wellness, and education. At ACE, she led departmental initiatives and coordinated the launch of the DAISY Award Program and the Alpha Beta Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Reichard is an ACE SPARKS award and ACE Celebrity award recipient. She has presented nationally on nursing education, online teaching strategies, and faculty development. 

Dr. Reichard earned an Ed.D. in Leadership, an Ed.S. in Teaching and Learning, an MLitt in Family Life Education, and an MSN in Nursing Education. With a passion for mentoring doctoral candidates and building a healthy organizational culture, Dr. Reichard supports interprofessional collaboration and innovation in graduate-level research.