Board of Directors

Mr. Villanueva has over thirty years of experience in post-secondary higher education management at various operational levels and capacities including founding new institutions and leading management in state approval, national accreditation process as well as Federal Title IV program participation approval. In 1984, he founded Career College Center in Whittier, California. In 1987-1990, he served as School Director and Chief Administrative Officer of Whittier Institute of Technology. In 1995, he founded Newbridge College in Tustin, California.

He served as a board member and trustee of Northcentral University, an online institution for higher education accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Mr. Villanueva holds an MBA from Northcentral University and is a Certified Higher Educational Professional by the National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools.

He is currently President and CEO of Capstone College and California Nurses Educational Institute. Mr. Villanueva is an active accreditation team member with the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) and the Council on Occupational Education (CEO). ​

Adam’s passion for mission driven organizations led him to rapidly become an authority on fundraising, marketing, business development, NGO optimization, and taking nonprofit organizations “to the next level” through mission driven initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Regional Development and Business Administration from University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!) and an MBA in Nonprofit Management from American Jewish University.

Adam has been a principal executive at Boys & Girls Clubs, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and other nonprofit organizations. Adam enjoys community building and has presented and led workshops on recruitment and retention at local and national conferences for numerous membership organizations.

In 2014 Adam was able to fulfill a life-long dream of volunteering his services to the Naankuse Foundation, a charity dedicated to conserving the landscapes, cultures and wildlife of Namibia, Africa. Recently, Adam was the inaugural Executive Director of SLAM! Program Los Angeles an organization that provides students from underserved schools with accessible, contemporary, and tuition-free music instruction. And since he couldn’t carry a tune, he was responsible for overseeing the strategic and operational growth of the organization, fundraising, as well as supervising and supporting the regional program staff for each SLAM! university chapter.

Currently, Adam is the Chief Fundraising Officer for a local chapter of a large international nonprofit organization that offers educational, cultural, recreational, and social service programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide.

Anila Ali is a visionary, community builder and Inter-faith leader. Her father, a premier journalist, politician, diplomat, humanitarian, human rights activist, and inter-faith leader, has greatly influenced Anila. His legacy of dedication to public service, and that of her entire family, has set Anila Ali on the path she follows today.

Ali’s work with the Inter-faith community has made her a leading voice for Muslims in America. She speaks regularly on Women Rights and Islam, Counter Terrorism, Radical Islam, and shares her extensive knowledge with audiences large and small. Her next book “Being a Muslim Woman in Trump’s America” is expected to be published in Summer 2017. In the book, she recounts her journey to America and discusses the political and social experiences that motivated her to leadership of Muslims in America. The book also takes aims at misconceptions and stereotypes about Muslim women in America and abroad. Moreover, it sheds light on the oppression of women in Muslim countries and the denial of their God-given equal rights in Islam.

Anila Ali is an advocate for communities building trusting relationships with law enforcement. As a Muslim leader, she knows that the community is the first line of defense against radicalization. She builds on countering hate with positive narratives and works with non-profits, community organizations, and Inter faith organizations, to build coalitions of support. Ali regularly conducts talks at temples, churches and other political and non-profit, organizations that invite her to speak.

“Community Building” is paramount to Ali’s vision. Ali brings global perspective to community boards and mentors women and youth through their conflicts. She has founded non-profit organizations to develop bonds between diverse cultures in her community while her charismatic nature immediately brings followers with each new idea.

• She founded AMWEC (American Muslim Women’s Empowerment Council) to bring women into the community conversation, encouraging volunteerism, public service and leadership amongst Muslim women.
• She founded the Irvine Pakistani Parents Association to raise money for public schools within the city of Irvine.
• Ali is the Orange Chair of the International Leadership Foundation, (ILF is a non-partisan, non-profit, base D.C.) annually providing Asian American youth internships to 19 federal government agencies and The White House. ILF promotes civic awareness and engagement of Asian Americans in all fields of government and the economy.

CalPak Educational Services was founded by Ali to create an online college degree program between Coastline Community College and Cal State Fullerton, California. This program makes American education available in Pakistan at a fraction of the cost and provides young people, especially girls, an opportunity to pursue higher education where social values and cost may have made it prohibitive.

As a certified family nurse practitioner, Dr. Bastas-Bratkic’s official entry into healthcare began 20 years ago. She began her training with a Master’s in Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles, then attended John’s Hopkins School of Nursing, and ended with a Doctor of Nursing Practice from California State University, Fullerton. Today, as a practicing nurse practitioner and educator in health care, she is increasingly aware of the complex and delicate network that exists between the delivery of health care as it intertwines with technology, communication, and humanity.

Her professional training has laid the foundation for strong skills in servant leadership, team-based approaches, and organizational building. Dr. Bastas-Bratkic has extensive experience guiding and inspiring others in collaborative efforts to identify problems and develop creative solutions that are sound in judgment and generate transformation. Her commitment to being a change agent within healthcare is part of her DNA, including chartering into entrepreneurial waters.

Dr. Bastas-Bratkic’s doctoral work focused on developing a tailored primary care clinician training, centering on patient activation and clinician adoption of key strategies to support engaging patients to be partners in the management of their chronic diseases. Dr. Bastas-Bratkic is committed to health justice and believes in securing health equity, as is demonstrated by her long history of involvement beyond membership dues within her professional organizations.

Her commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion within nursing specifically, and opening the educational opportunities to all, speaks to her passion as an advocate. Dr. Bastas-Bratkic prides herself on maintaining the delicate balance between providing high value-based cost-effective care that improves the full spectrum of an individual’s health trajectory, while safeguarding the human touch. It is rare that you won’t see her with a smile.

Gora Datta is a US-based serial entrepreneur and an internationally acknowledged subject matter expert on ICT (Information & Communication Technology), Health Information Technology Standards & CyberHealth initiatives. He is an accomplished, visionary executive with 35 years of international professional expertise in the field of Computer & Software Engineering and its application to Healthcare, Mobile Health, CyberSecurity, IoT, Blockchain, eLearning and Social Protection.

As a US “Electronic Health Record (EHR)” subject matter and ICT expert, Gora provides consultancy to and collaborates with large governmental organizations (e.g., US Dept of Health and Human Services [ONC, CMS, CDC], State of California [Public Health], County of Los Angeles [Dept of Health, Public Health], NIST: National Institute of Standards & Technology-USA; Governments of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Niger, Philippines, USA) and multi-lateral agencies like The World Bank, ADB, WHO, UNICEF.

Gora Datta is the founding Chairman and CEO of CAL2CAL group of companies, a multi-national innovative ICT products and solutions organization. He also serves on the Board of multiple organizations both for profit and non-profit entities.

He is a Science (MS Honors Chemistry) and Engineering (BE Honors Chemical) alumnus of B.I.T.S., Pilani, India

Dr. Greiner is a long-time educator in higher education and the community colleges as a teacher, dean, and vice president, with expertise and responsibility in leadership, online learning, equity and inclusion, and networking with employers and community/educational partners to respond to a disruptive economy and changing learning needs while building enduring bridges between business and education. As a small business owner, she also bridges real work application and educational responsiveness.

In leading the California Community Colleges’ Business & Entrepreneurship Sector in Orange County—which is the largest employment sector in the county—she is focused on student equity, diversity and inclusion, career and workforce preparation, college transfer, and internships and work-based learning. She networks and creates linkages with employers across the region to gain and/or upskill a diverse workforce and collaborates with public and private partners to support workforce readiness and college opportunities. Most recently, she is joining forces with OC industry to emphasize economic reactivation, entrepreneurship, and transitioning and standing up a “new” marketplace and business ecosystem in the region.

As a strategic, long-range planner with an entrepreneurial spirit, she is a sought-after expert on organizational growth, the gig economy, the new world of work, the impact of AI, automation and technology, and on the need to prepare students and individuals for academic and workplace success. She is a faculty member for the Western Association of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO) and the Online Teaching Conference and DET/CHE and serves on the CSUF Center for Entrepreneurship Advisory Board.

Throughout his career, Arie Shen has led and managed profitable technical and sales departments for software vendors and high-tech companies. He has managed P&L departments, headed technical teams and provided customers with services including technical support, architecture, implementation solutions, project vision planning and project implementation. His customers have ranged from mid to large size companies, and the engagement projects have varied from 1 to 24 months.

More recently, Arie Shen has consulted directly with businesses, providing business and strategic plans, conducting market validation of clients’ services and product lines, identifying funding sources for equity investment and executing business development, channel sales creation development and management, strategic alliances as well as direct sales.

Shen attributes his success to his dedication to clients, close attention to detail, hands-on involvement with client relations management, negotiations, sales, personnel management and his constant 360-degree communications with colleagues and clients.

Dr. Karen Sturtevant is an executive leader, consultant, author, speaker, and inspirational leader. Transcending socioeconomic and denominational barriers, her powerful message of healing, love, and restoration of leadership resonates hope among individuals from every walk of life.

A gifted exhorter and motivator, the core of Dr. Sturtevant’s message are “delivering leadership truths that transform the world.” Dr. Karen Sturtevant is currently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Dean of Business Administration at Stratford University. Dr. Sturtevant also is an avid author, dissertation chair, and lecturer. Dr. Sturtevant travels with numerous American and International organizations and has had the opportunity to serve individuals worldwide. Dr. Sturtevant founded The Bolser Group, LLC. in 2011, now known as Sturtevant & Associates, to provide organizations and companies with excellent leadership/management skills and training.

Dr. Sturtevant holds a Doctor of Strategic Leadership Degree (DSL), an applied, multidisciplinary terminal degree designed to provide practical solutions rooted in ethics and values for today’s organizational and business challenges. Dr. Sturtevant ‘s academia of Strategic and Entrepreneurial Leadership combines an extensive survey of theory drawn from sociology, psychology, theology, organizational theory, and other allied disciplines that will further any companies understanding of transformational principles. She is also exceptional at balancing the analysis of human dynamics and corporate systems. Dr. Sturtevant aids in the facilitation and the development of leaders who understand the intricacies of organizational change.

Professional Affiliations and Awards:

• International Leadership Association Member (Present)
• Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Honor Society (Feb 2011)
• Mayor’s Youth Commission Community Award (June 2001)
• Lexis Nexis Certification (May 2008)
• Teacher of the Year, Virginia Career College Association (2015)
• SHRM Association (Present)
• Board Member for the Metropolitan YMCA (Present)
• ELG (Envision, Lead, Grow) Mentor for the City of Newport News (Present)
• City of Newport News Planning Commission (2019-Present)