As the Executive Director of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), Dr. Michale McComis serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the accrediting commission, managing the day-to-day operation of ACCSC’s Arlington, Virginia office and staff, and overseeing the ACCSC accreditation process. Michale’s tenure with ACCSC began in 1994 and he has been the Executive Director since 2008. Michale has spent the last 25 years working towards helping to make schools and opportunities for students better through the accreditation process. His efforts are focused on identifying best practices, developing leadership, and driving institutional improvement, student achievement, and student-centered approaches to quality education. Michale coordinates the Commission’s legislative activities and is the Commission’s liaison with state and federal agencies, institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations, and higher education associations. Michale is considered to be amongst the leading voices on accreditation matters and is a frequent speaker and participant for both governmental and non-governmental meetings, convenings, panels, andworking groups engaged in accreditation matters. Michale has testified on multiple occasions before both the House Committee on Education and Laborand the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on issues related to accreditation. Additionally, Michale has served as a non-federal negotiator on five separate U.S. Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking panels for the establishment of federal regulations related to the Higher Education Act of 1965, including most recently in 2019. Michale earned his Baccalaureate of Arts (History), Master of Education, and Doctor of Education degrees from the University of Virginia where he has taught graduate-level courses in education policy as an adjunct faculty member. Prior to joining ACCSC, Michale served in theUnited States Marine Corps and garnered skills in the trades as an electrician’s apprentice and HVAC Technician.

Alicia DeMartini joined the Commission in April 2010 as a Senior Analyst. In her current position as the Director of Accreditation, Alicia is charged with overseeing the operations for the Accreditation Department of ACCSC. This primarily includes the management of the application for accreditation processes, the execution of on‐site evaluations, and all of the reporting and responses the Commission will need as a result. Prior to joining ACCSC, Alicia worked for eight years at a postsecondary higher education provider working at both the corporate and school level holding various positions in academics and compliance and, prior to that, for two years as a Home/Hospital Teacher for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Alicia earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Old Dominion University and a Masters of Art in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Argosy University.

Holly Eichhorst joined the Commission in 2008 and in her current role as Manager of Institutional Review and Development, Holly manages the Commission’s school action agenda and substantive change application review process as well as serves as the staff liaison on a number of the Commission’s review committees. Holly has held various positions throughout the Executive and Commissions Affairs Departments, most recently as the Manager of Commission Actions & Governance. Holly holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Management and Business Administration from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University.

Maurya Scanlon Sorokes joined the Commission in May 2014 as the Volunteer Coordinator and served as the Manager of Accreditation from 2018 through 2023. In her current position as Manager of Institutional Review and Accreditation, Maurya manages the initial and renewal of accreditation processes and the dedicated staff and volunteers. This primarily includes presenting at accreditation workshops; application review and processing; on-site evaluation coordination and execution; volunteer recruitment, training and oversight; editorial quality review for departmental letters and reports; staff on-boarding and continuing development; and commission meeting support. Currently, Maurya is an Education Policy Fellow with the Institute of Educational Leadership, graduating in May 2024. Prior to her time at the Commission, Maurya worked as a lighting technician/ crew chief in New York until 2013, and from 2013 to 2024, taught technical theater skills in a secondary school environment. Maurya earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Theater Performance from New York University- Tisch School of the Arts.

Sean Forman joined ACCSC in 2005 and serves as a Lead Analyst in the Commission Affairs department. In his current role, Sean serves as the primary point of contact for the Annual Report and Graduation & Employment Chart as the lead staff member responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Commission’s Progress Committee. Sean is also a Panel Captain at Commission meetings. Sean earned a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Ithaca College and a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. Go Steelers!