Dr. Scott Burrus is President at United States University (USU), located in San Diego, CA. Scott brings over 30 years of experience in higher education and social policy research. He has experience in various leadership roles, including as provost at another institution. As provost and chief academic officer at the previous institution, Scott led the process for initial WSCUC accreditation, which moved from HLC to WSCUC in 2015.

Prior to becoming President at USU, Scott served as the university’s Provost for over five years and led the university’s reaffirmation of Accreditation with WSCUC. He has overseen colleges of Business and Technology Management, Education, Marriage and Family Sciences, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Psychology. Dr. Burrus has nearly three decades of experience in for-profit, nonprofit, and governmental organizations, performing student mentoring, faculty training, and facilitatingbest-practice-based outcomes. Dr. Burrus’ research background in educational and social policy research has focused on online education, child abuse prevention, early childhood education, program development in schools, substance use prevention and treatment, child welfare policy, juvenile justice, and cost study applications. He has worked on over 25 publicly and privately funded research studies and managed millions of dollars in grant funding that resulted in over 50 publications and conference presentations. Dr Burrus’ current research focus is on developing best practices for delivering online doctoral education.

Dr. Jennifer K. Billingsley is a transformational leader and healthcare professional with over 20 years of experience in academic leadership, higher education, and clinical practice. As Provost and Chief Academic Officer at United States University (USU), she oversees academic programs, student services, accreditation, and faculty development, driving institutional excellence.

Previously, Dr. Billingsley served as Dean and Professor at USU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, where she launched the university’s first doctoral program, upheld CCNE accreditation, and championed student success and faculty diversity. At Grand Canyon University (GCU), she chaired the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, contributing to curriculum development and doctoral academic quality. Her scholarship includes numerous presentations on healthcare innovation and education, earning her the GCU Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award.

Dr. Billingsley holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Nursing in Family Nurse Practitioner from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University. Her doctoral research on reducing potentially inappropriate medications in geriatrics underscores her commitment to patient safety. She has been a keynote speaker for USU’s Research Colloquium and featured on the Osmosis: Raise the Line podcast, highlighting USU’s affordable, high-quality education. She is an active member of the American Nurses Association and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society, and serves as a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Site Evaluator.

Beyond academia, she owns a mobile healthcare company dedicated to providing primary care to underserved communities and has worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner and expert witness in medical cases. Recognized for her contributions, she was a finalist for the 2021 March of Dimes Arizona Nurse of the Year award in clinical practice.

Dr. Billingsley’s dedication to healthcare innovation, academic excellence, and student success reflects her commitment to shaping the future of higher education.

Michael LaMontagne is the Chief Financial Officer of United States University, bringing over 30 years of experience in higher education, finance and operations. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in financial strategy, operational efficiency, and institutional growth, ensuring fiscal responsibility while supporting the mission of student success.

With a strong foundation in accounting and financial management, Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in Information Technology with a specialization in Business Intelligence. His expertise bridges the gap between finance and technology, allowing him to implement data-driven decision-making processes that enhance financial sustainability and operational effectiveness.

Michael has a proven track record of optimizing financial performance, streamlining operations, and leading cross-functional teams to drive institutional success. His leadership and strategic vision continue to contribute to the long-term financial health and growth of United States University.

Dr. Amanda Jones, DNP, MSN-Ed, NP-C is the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Dr. Jones previously served as Assistant Dean at USU since 2020 and is an accomplished family nurse practitioner with extensive experience in both clinical practice and nursing education. As Assistant Dean, Dr. Jones has spearheaded many significant initiatives, including the development and accreditation of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Doctor of Nursing Practice program. She has also played a key role in shaping the University's Code of Conduct and supporting various CONHS operational processes, further strengthening USU's academic and clinical offerings. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice along with a Master’s in Nursing Education and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner from Grand Canyon University. She also earned a Bachelor of University Studies from Oklahoma State University, with concentrations in Architecture, Leisure Service Management, and Marketing.

Dr. Jones brings diverse clinical experience, having served in the Veterans Healthcare Administration, as well as in the Neonatal ICU at Buffalo, NY Children’s Hospital. She has also worked in Adult Intensive Care, Medical Surgical Nursing, the Emergency Department, Women’s Health Nursing, and hospital leadership. Notably, Dr. Jones served in the Chief Nursing Officer role for multiple hospitals, where she managed operations for all hospital departments, including imaging, various therapy departments, and direct nursing supervision. Over the span of her career, she has had the privilege of teaching at the practical nurse, undergrad, master's, and doctoral levels in various institutions across the country.

Dr. Greg Bradley serves as the Dean of the College of Business and Technology at United States University. He also holds the rank of Professor of Management at the institution. He previously served as a professor of business at multiple institutions and has won numerous teaching awards throughout his career. Of note, his academic leadership experience includes over seven years as the Dean of the Graduate School at Northcentral University where he was responsible for doctoral programs in Business, Education, and Psychology.

He is also the founder and President of The Bradley Research Group, a 28-year old applied research and decision analytics firm. His field of expertise is the application of mathematics and statistics in solving complex business and social problems. He has been the principal investigator/primary researcher on over 1,700 private and public research projects related predominately to either evaluating the relationships between and among employee/customer behavior and firm performance or measuring the economic impact of prescribed events. His research on the economic impact of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill led to a landmark settlement resulting in over $53 million per year in regional investment through 2033.

Since 2013, Dr. Bradley has visited Cuba 20 times and has spent over 150 nights in Havana during that timeframe. He has lectured multiple times on Behavioral Economics to postgraduate psychology students at the University of Havana. In 2015, Dr. Bradley was awarded the prestigious Letter of Acknowledgement from the Cuban Society of Psychology. In 2016, Dr. Bradley was invited to present on Cuba's economy at Hominis, a hemispheric psychology conference held in Havana biannually. He is currently writing a book on Cuba's efforts at economic transformation.

PhD, Management – Northcentral University 2006

MBA – University of Southern Mississippi 1989

BSBA, Management and Marketing – University of Southern Mississippi 1986

Bree Linda Maldonado currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Services & University Registrar at United States University. In this role, she oversees student enrollment, the maintenance of student records, and student services. She specializes in streamlining processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and developing programs that promote student engagement and success. Her extensive career includes positions such as Associate Registrar and Director of Operations & Student Services, showcasing her deep expertise in academic administration.

Bree holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education, a Master's in Counseling Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy, and a Bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in Sociology.

A passionate advocate for student success, Bree is an active member of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). She continues contributing to higher education through her leadership in academic operations and student engagement strategies.

Rebecca Wardlow is currently serving as the dean of the College of Education at United States University. Education has been her life long passion having worked in K-12 public education for 20 years prior to transitioning to higher education. In K-12 she was a bilingual teacher and taught most grades at the elementary level prior to working as a school principal for many years. In higher education she has served as a faculty member as well as in a variety of administrative position over the past 10 years.

Rebecca is a graduate of San Diego State University where she studied Psychology, and then attended the University of Madrid where she completed a second BA in Spanish. She earned her doctorate of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership at the University of California, San Diego. As an educator she is proud to support current and future teachers as they support their students through innovative research based best practices in teaching and learning.

David Noriega is a higher education leader with over 15 years of expertise in academic compliance, institutional reporting, and student services. As the Executive Director of Academic Compliance and Reporting at United States University (USU), David ensures adherence to federal, state, and institutional regulations, safeguarding the university's academic integrity and operational excellence. His responsibilities include managing relationships with regulatory agencies, serving as the institution's FERPA Officer, and overseeing key academic processes such as catalog production and student data management.

David's career spans diverse roles in post-secondary education, including leadership positions at other colleges. He has served as a University Registrar, Articulation Officer, and Institutional Research Specialist, gaining extensive experience in accreditation, policy development, and compliance audits.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Brookline College.

Brigit Fowler serves as the Senior Director of Academic Services at United States University, overseeing faculty development, curriculum development, and faculty onboarding. She holds a Master’s in Multicultural Education from National University and a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies with a minor in Sociology from California State University, San Marcos.

Additionally, she contributes as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Education. Brigit has a strong background in instructional design, faculty development, and accreditation processes, leading faculty training initiatives and quality assurance programs throughout her career. She has also presented at national academic conferences, sharing her expertise in online learning, peer review processes, and faculty engagement strategies.
With a deep commitment to student success and academic innovation, Brigit Fowler continues to shape the future of higher education through strategic leadership, curriculum excellence, and faculty development.

Dr. Heather Frederick currently serves as the IRB Chair and Senior Director of Institutional Research at USU where she enjoys working in collaboration with all departments to promote a culture of continuous improvement. She specializes in facilitating data-driven decisions, assessment, institutional research, accreditation, curriculum development, student success, and faculty development.

A first-generation college graduate, Heather earned her PhD in Psychology from Brandeis University in 1999. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, she has had the privilege of designing and teaching graduate-level statistics and research courses, chairing dissertations and doctoral projects, serving on Institutional Review Boards (IRB), facilitating both in-person and virtual doctoral residencies, and authoring/co-authoring over 60 refereed publications and presentations. Her leadership roles have included serving as Dean of Graduate Studies, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and chairing/co-chairing accreditation reports.

Her passion for improving doctoral retention rates inspired her to launch "The Happy Doc Student" podcast (2020) and author "The Happy Doc Student Handbook: 7 Steps to Graduating with Your Sanity, Health, and Relationships Intact" (2022).

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology summa cum laude - San Diego State University

Master of Arts, Psychology - Brandeis University

Doctor of Philosophy, Social & Development Psychology - Brandeis University

Dr. Amber Swartz serves as our Assistant Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, her history with USU includes serving in the Academic Director role for USU Southeast immersions before the consolidation of those experiences on the West Coast. Throughout her career, she’s had extensive external regional clinical leadership experience in multiple capacities, including previously as Assistant Director for the Dean Ornish Program. Additionally, she has years of experience directly teaching for both USU and the State College of Florida.As Assistant Dean, Dr. Swartz is actively involved with our Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs: Nurse Educator, Health Care Leadership, and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) as well as our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program.She serves on the Curriculum Committee that is dedicated to staying up to date with the latest evidence-based research ensuring our students receive the highest quality of education, support, and resources available. Dr. Swartz believes in our core values wholeheartedly and is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment that empowers students and team members to reach their full potential.

Credentials:

DNP, MSN, FNP-C

Education:

State College of Florida, BSN

Chamberlain College of Nursing, MSN, DNP