Josh Swayne

Board of Directors Chair

Josh Swayne is the President and CEO of Prospect Education which owns and operates 11 Charter College campuses in Washington, California, Alaska, Montana, Utah and New Mexico. Josh has 20 plus years of experience in the career college educational sector, ranging from instructor to CEO.  He earned his Master’s degree in Instructional Technology and his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Utah State University.

Aaron Edwards

Board of Directors Vice-Chair

Aaron Edwards is the Founder of EdwardsSchoen, a higher education company focused on enrollment solutions. Aaron has over 15 years of experience developing high-impact enrollment strategies in marketing, admissions and research. 

Aaron has managed multiple aspects of education marketing and student life cycle innovation. His drive and focus for developing and implementing solutions has positioned his clients for long-term, sustainable success. 

During his career he has served on boards, committees and counsels dedicated to enhancing the value and direction of higher education.

Jeremiah Scarbrough

Board Member

Jeremiah is a Sr. Campus President for Arizona College of Nursing. He brings over twenty years of experience in proprietary higher education, with fifteen years spent in senior-level leadership roles. Before joining Arizona College of Nursing, he served as Regional Director of Operations for the Aviation Institute of Maintenance, where he oversaw multiple campuses, accreditation readiness, and alignment of academic and operational functions. His prior leadership roles at Strayer University, Kaplan University, and Everest Institute spanned global operations, campus management, admissions strategy, and online education development.

Michele Ernst

Board Member

An education professional with over 20 years of experience in higher education serving adult students in an online, residential and blended environment.

Dr. Ernst has a successful history of managing all functional areas of a college, with specific emphasis in academic affairs, including curriculum development, regulatory affairs and accreditation, student retention, training, and faculty/staff development. Dr. Ernst has devoted her career to helping students reach their educational goals.

Dr. Ernst is currently the Chief Academic and Compliance Officer at SAE USA.

Mike Wherry

Treasurer

Michael is a Shareholder and Director in the Audit Department at McClintock & Associates and has over three decades of experience in the sector. With a dedicated focus on post-secondary educational institutions, encompassing both for-profit and non-profit entities, Michael ensures adherence to audit and compliance regulations. His leadership role involves comprehensive oversight of the firm’s audit department, covering financial statement and compliance audits.

As a Certified Public Accountant, Michael spearheads the completion of annual audits, including financial statements and student financial aid assessments. Clients benefit from his expertise in internal controls, financial reporting under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), proactive solutions for regulatory compliance, interpretation of standards and regulations, and strategic advice to minimize findings in student financial aid audits. His consultancy extends to high-level transactions for buyers and sellers, providing valuable insights on critical metrics such as the composite score ratio, the 90/10 calculation, and opening balance sheet ratios related to changes
of ownership.

Beyond his role at McClintock & Associates, Michael actively contributes to the industry as a respected presenter at national conferences and conventions. He holds certifications from both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Michael’s commitment to professional development extends to his board memberships, where he currently serves on the boards of both CSPEN and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Career Schools (MAACS).