Christina Kay Russell, MBA, CFE
Member Board of Directors at International Franchise Association- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Joseph McCormick
I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work at Camp Bow Wow while Christina was the President. She is easily one of the most intelligent, fair and compassionate leaders a company could hope to have at the helm. Under her leadership, company and franchise owner morale in the brand was salvaged and raised to an all time high, and the growth of the brand surged while she was the President. Under her guidance and pressure to thoughtfully research our options for replacing the aging operations platform, she helped us to come the conclusion to replace the software with an in-house development team that has improved efficiency in franchise operations, allowed Camp Bow Wow to innovate in the technology field organically, and reduced long-term costs by retaining in house knowledge and maintenance in house. She is the leader that I will compare against in the future, and hope to work with again in the future.
Randy DeFazio
As a franchise owner in the Camp Bow Wow organization, I can say unequivocally that we were very fortunate to have had Christina as the president of our company over the past several years. Christina joined the organization at a time of challenges regarding relationships with the franchise owners. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job in dealing with the issues, in developing relationships, and repairing the "bridges" that had been damaged. What was particularly impressive was Christina's willingness to get into the trenches with the franchise community with a great deal of patience, determination, and strength. It requires an exceptional skill set to be able to maintain strong convictions while at the same time balancing the many personalities and perspectives of franchise owners. Yet, Christina accomplished this and is, as a result, extremely well respected throughout the organization.
Joseph McCormick
I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work at Camp Bow Wow while Christina was the President. She is easily one of the most intelligent, fair and compassionate leaders a company could hope to have at the helm. Under her leadership, company and franchise owner morale in the brand was salvaged and raised to an all time high, and the growth of the brand surged while she was the President. Under her guidance and pressure to thoughtfully research our options for replacing the aging operations platform, she helped us to come the conclusion to replace the software with an in-house development team that has improved efficiency in franchise operations, allowed Camp Bow Wow to innovate in the technology field organically, and reduced long-term costs by retaining in house knowledge and maintenance in house. She is the leader that I will compare against in the future, and hope to work with again in the future.
Randy DeFazio
As a franchise owner in the Camp Bow Wow organization, I can say unequivocally that we were very fortunate to have had Christina as the president of our company over the past several years. Christina joined the organization at a time of challenges regarding relationships with the franchise owners. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job in dealing with the issues, in developing relationships, and repairing the "bridges" that had been damaged. What was particularly impressive was Christina's willingness to get into the trenches with the franchise community with a great deal of patience, determination, and strength. It requires an exceptional skill set to be able to maintain strong convictions while at the same time balancing the many personalities and perspectives of franchise owners. Yet, Christina accomplished this and is, as a result, extremely well respected throughout the organization.
Joseph McCormick
I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work at Camp Bow Wow while Christina was the President. She is easily one of the most intelligent, fair and compassionate leaders a company could hope to have at the helm. Under her leadership, company and franchise owner morale in the brand was salvaged and raised to an all time high, and the growth of the brand surged while she was the President. Under her guidance and pressure to thoughtfully research our options for replacing the aging operations platform, she helped us to come the conclusion to replace the software with an in-house development team that has improved efficiency in franchise operations, allowed Camp Bow Wow to innovate in the technology field organically, and reduced long-term costs by retaining in house knowledge and maintenance in house. She is the leader that I will compare against in the future, and hope to work with again in the future.
Randy DeFazio
As a franchise owner in the Camp Bow Wow organization, I can say unequivocally that we were very fortunate to have had Christina as the president of our company over the past several years. Christina joined the organization at a time of challenges regarding relationships with the franchise owners. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job in dealing with the issues, in developing relationships, and repairing the "bridges" that had been damaged. What was particularly impressive was Christina's willingness to get into the trenches with the franchise community with a great deal of patience, determination, and strength. It requires an exceptional skill set to be able to maintain strong convictions while at the same time balancing the many personalities and perspectives of franchise owners. Yet, Christina accomplished this and is, as a result, extremely well respected throughout the organization.
Joseph McCormick
I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work at Camp Bow Wow while Christina was the President. She is easily one of the most intelligent, fair and compassionate leaders a company could hope to have at the helm. Under her leadership, company and franchise owner morale in the brand was salvaged and raised to an all time high, and the growth of the brand surged while she was the President. Under her guidance and pressure to thoughtfully research our options for replacing the aging operations platform, she helped us to come the conclusion to replace the software with an in-house development team that has improved efficiency in franchise operations, allowed Camp Bow Wow to innovate in the technology field organically, and reduced long-term costs by retaining in house knowledge and maintenance in house. She is the leader that I will compare against in the future, and hope to work with again in the future.
Randy DeFazio
As a franchise owner in the Camp Bow Wow organization, I can say unequivocally that we were very fortunate to have had Christina as the president of our company over the past several years. Christina joined the organization at a time of challenges regarding relationships with the franchise owners. I can't imagine that anyone could have done a better job in dealing with the issues, in developing relationships, and repairing the "bridges" that had been damaged. What was particularly impressive was Christina's willingness to get into the trenches with the franchise community with a great deal of patience, determination, and strength. It requires an exceptional skill set to be able to maintain strong convictions while at the same time balancing the many personalities and perspectives of franchise owners. Yet, Christina accomplished this and is, as a result, extremely well respected throughout the organization.
Credentials
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Certified Franchise Executive (CFE)
ICFEFeb, 2015- Nov, 2024
Experience
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International Franchise Association
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United States
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Non-profit Organizations
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100 - 200 Employee
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Member Board of Directors
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Nov 2022 - Present
I joined the IFA Board in November 2022, and it’s been my honor to serve an industry that is the embodiment of the American Dream. I’ve been active in IFA for over a decade, and I served on the Women in Franchising Committee from 2018 to 2020. I realized the true benefit of the IFA during the pandemic, when IFA helped me lobby on behalf of our Sola Salons franchisees, a brand that otherwise have been excluded from the government relief due to some arcane rules that affected a handful of… Show more I joined the IFA Board in November 2022, and it’s been my honor to serve an industry that is the embodiment of the American Dream. I’ve been active in IFA for over a decade, and I served on the Women in Franchising Committee from 2018 to 2020. I realized the true benefit of the IFA during the pandemic, when IFA helped me lobby on behalf of our Sola Salons franchisees, a brand that otherwise have been excluded from the government relief due to some arcane rules that affected a handful of franchise categories. The IFA's work was nothing short of miraculous. As a member of the Board, I support IFA’s mission of protecting, promoting, and enhancing the franchise business model through lobbying efforts, public speaking opportunities, and outreach to franchisees and other stakeholders in our sector. Show less I joined the IFA Board in November 2022, and it’s been my honor to serve an industry that is the embodiment of the American Dream. I’ve been active in IFA for over a decade, and I served on the Women in Franchising Committee from 2018 to 2020. I realized the true benefit of the IFA during the pandemic, when IFA helped me lobby on behalf of our Sola Salons franchisees, a brand that otherwise have been excluded from the government relief due to some arcane rules that affected a handful of… Show more I joined the IFA Board in November 2022, and it’s been my honor to serve an industry that is the embodiment of the American Dream. I’ve been active in IFA for over a decade, and I served on the Women in Franchising Committee from 2018 to 2020. I realized the true benefit of the IFA during the pandemic, when IFA helped me lobby on behalf of our Sola Salons franchisees, a brand that otherwise have been excluded from the government relief due to some arcane rules that affected a handful of franchise categories. The IFA's work was nothing short of miraculous. As a member of the Board, I support IFA’s mission of protecting, promoting, and enhancing the franchise business model through lobbying efforts, public speaking opportunities, and outreach to franchisees and other stakeholders in our sector. Show less
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Radiance Holdings, LLC
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United States
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Health, Wellness & Fitness
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1 - 100 Employee
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CEO/Founder
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Jun 2020 - Nov 2023
Radiance Holdings is a collection of premier brands focused on beauty, wellness, and well-being. Working closely with our private equity sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we founded the Radiance Holdings platform in 2020 with a focus on building a world-class team to promote our mission of Joy Through Beauty. Radiance's brands include Sola Salon Studios, the premier salon studios concept with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada; Woodhouse Spas, a unique luxury spa franchise with nearly 80… Show more Radiance Holdings is a collection of premier brands focused on beauty, wellness, and well-being. Working closely with our private equity sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we founded the Radiance Holdings platform in 2020 with a focus on building a world-class team to promote our mission of Joy Through Beauty. Radiance's brands include Sola Salon Studios, the premier salon studios concept with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada; Woodhouse Spas, a unique luxury spa franchise with nearly 80 locations in 22 states; and BeautyHive, the first distributor built to serve independent beauty professionals with all of the premier product lines. Working closely with PNC Riverarch and my amazing executive team, I led the sale of Radiance Holdings to TSG Consumer in December 2022. Show less Radiance Holdings is a collection of premier brands focused on beauty, wellness, and well-being. Working closely with our private equity sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we founded the Radiance Holdings platform in 2020 with a focus on building a world-class team to promote our mission of Joy Through Beauty. Radiance's brands include Sola Salon Studios, the premier salon studios concept with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada; Woodhouse Spas, a unique luxury spa franchise with nearly 80… Show more Radiance Holdings is a collection of premier brands focused on beauty, wellness, and well-being. Working closely with our private equity sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we founded the Radiance Holdings platform in 2020 with a focus on building a world-class team to promote our mission of Joy Through Beauty. Radiance's brands include Sola Salon Studios, the premier salon studios concept with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada; Woodhouse Spas, a unique luxury spa franchise with nearly 80 locations in 22 states; and BeautyHive, the first distributor built to serve independent beauty professionals with all of the premier product lines. Working closely with PNC Riverarch and my amazing executive team, I led the sale of Radiance Holdings to TSG Consumer in December 2022. Show less
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Sola Salons
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United States
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Consumer Services
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300 - 400 Employee
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CEO
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Jun 2019 - Nov 2023
I was recruited by PNC Riverarch to lead Sola Salons in early 2019, with the idea that Sola could be the flagship of a larger beauty and self-care platform. Sola is the innovator in the salon studios sector, setting the stage for an entire industry that caters to independent beauty professionals. The brand has some of the most sophisticated franchisees I’ve ever encountered. We prided ourselves on creating opportunities for hair stylists and other beauty professionals to experience the freedom… Show more I was recruited by PNC Riverarch to lead Sola Salons in early 2019, with the idea that Sola could be the flagship of a larger beauty and self-care platform. Sola is the innovator in the salon studios sector, setting the stage for an entire industry that caters to independent beauty professionals. The brand has some of the most sophisticated franchisees I’ve ever encountered. We prided ourselves on creating opportunities for hair stylists and other beauty professionals to experience the freedom of salon ownership. Sola’s stylist support, facility design, operational processes, and landlord and financing relationships make it unique among its competitors. During my tenure, we focused on building and enhancing those differentiators. From 2019 through 2023, the brand grew from just over 400 locations to nearly 700, despite the pandemic. We also established a portfolio of over 63 corporately owned locations in markets across the US. Sola continues to grow at an award-winning rate, and continues to be the flagship of the Radiance platform. We sold Sola to TSG Consumer in December 2022 as part of the Radiance Holdings acquisition. Show less I was recruited by PNC Riverarch to lead Sola Salons in early 2019, with the idea that Sola could be the flagship of a larger beauty and self-care platform. Sola is the innovator in the salon studios sector, setting the stage for an entire industry that caters to independent beauty professionals. The brand has some of the most sophisticated franchisees I’ve ever encountered. We prided ourselves on creating opportunities for hair stylists and other beauty professionals to experience the freedom… Show more I was recruited by PNC Riverarch to lead Sola Salons in early 2019, with the idea that Sola could be the flagship of a larger beauty and self-care platform. Sola is the innovator in the salon studios sector, setting the stage for an entire industry that caters to independent beauty professionals. The brand has some of the most sophisticated franchisees I’ve ever encountered. We prided ourselves on creating opportunities for hair stylists and other beauty professionals to experience the freedom of salon ownership. Sola’s stylist support, facility design, operational processes, and landlord and financing relationships make it unique among its competitors. During my tenure, we focused on building and enhancing those differentiators. From 2019 through 2023, the brand grew from just over 400 locations to nearly 700, despite the pandemic. We also established a portfolio of over 63 corporately owned locations in markets across the US. Sola continues to grow at an award-winning rate, and continues to be the flagship of the Radiance platform. We sold Sola to TSG Consumer in December 2022 as part of the Radiance Holdings acquisition. Show less
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Woodhouse
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United States
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Wellness and Fitness Services
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300 - 400 Employee
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CEO
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Jul 2020 - Oct 2023
With our sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we acquired Woodhouse Spas from the founder in June 2020 as the first acquisition in the Radiance Holdings platform. Woodhouse was the leading luxury day spa chain, with 65 open locations, and a spa experience on par with that of luxury brands like the Four Seasons. The franchisees pride themselves on bringing a true luxury experience to their markets, and we prided ourselves on delivering innovation, operations support, and fantastic unit economics. In the… Show more With our sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we acquired Woodhouse Spas from the founder in June 2020 as the first acquisition in the Radiance Holdings platform. Woodhouse was the leading luxury day spa chain, with 65 open locations, and a spa experience on par with that of luxury brands like the Four Seasons. The franchisees pride themselves on bringing a true luxury experience to their markets, and we prided ourselves on delivering innovation, operations support, and fantastic unit economics. In the years following the pandemic, we professionalized the operations and development teams, built a portfolio of four corporately-owned spas, and worked closely with franchisees to modernize the marketing, facility design, spa menu, and retail approach. We also drove double-digit SSS growth, and grew the brand to nearly 80 locations. We sold Woodhouse to TSG Consumer in December 2022 as part of the Radiance Holdings acquisition. Show less With our sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we acquired Woodhouse Spas from the founder in June 2020 as the first acquisition in the Radiance Holdings platform. Woodhouse was the leading luxury day spa chain, with 65 open locations, and a spa experience on par with that of luxury brands like the Four Seasons. The franchisees pride themselves on bringing a true luxury experience to their markets, and we prided ourselves on delivering innovation, operations support, and fantastic unit economics. In the… Show more With our sponsor, PNC Riverarch, we acquired Woodhouse Spas from the founder in June 2020 as the first acquisition in the Radiance Holdings platform. Woodhouse was the leading luxury day spa chain, with 65 open locations, and a spa experience on par with that of luxury brands like the Four Seasons. The franchisees pride themselves on bringing a true luxury experience to their markets, and we prided ourselves on delivering innovation, operations support, and fantastic unit economics. In the years following the pandemic, we professionalized the operations and development teams, built a portfolio of four corporately-owned spas, and worked closely with franchisees to modernize the marketing, facility design, spa menu, and retail approach. We also drove double-digit SSS growth, and grew the brand to nearly 80 locations. We sold Woodhouse to TSG Consumer in December 2022 as part of the Radiance Holdings acquisition. Show less
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Pure Barre
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United States
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Wellness and Fitness Services
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700 & Above Employee
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CEO
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Mar 2018 - Dec 2018
Pure Barre is the leading barre workout, with over 500 studios across the US and Canada. As CEO, I lead Pure Barre to a successful early exit with LCatterton, carrying the brand through the sale to Xponential Fitness in late 2018. Our focus was on re-engaging the franchise owners to drive seven straight months of positive same-store-sales, the first the brand had seen since 2016. We launched smart local marketing tactics, implemented a brand overhaul to leverage the Pure Barre “cool factor,"… Show more Pure Barre is the leading barre workout, with over 500 studios across the US and Canada. As CEO, I lead Pure Barre to a successful early exit with LCatterton, carrying the brand through the sale to Xponential Fitness in late 2018. Our focus was on re-engaging the franchise owners to drive seven straight months of positive same-store-sales, the first the brand had seen since 2016. We launched smart local marketing tactics, implemented a brand overhaul to leverage the Pure Barre “cool factor," introduced a new workout platform that leveraged the Pilates and resistance-band trends, and revamped our product offerings to drive the highest conference sell-in the brand had ever seen. The early exit is a testimony both to the revitalized strength of the brand and the continued growth opportunity. Show less Pure Barre is the leading barre workout, with over 500 studios across the US and Canada. As CEO, I lead Pure Barre to a successful early exit with LCatterton, carrying the brand through the sale to Xponential Fitness in late 2018. Our focus was on re-engaging the franchise owners to drive seven straight months of positive same-store-sales, the first the brand had seen since 2016. We launched smart local marketing tactics, implemented a brand overhaul to leverage the Pure Barre “cool factor,"… Show more Pure Barre is the leading barre workout, with over 500 studios across the US and Canada. As CEO, I lead Pure Barre to a successful early exit with LCatterton, carrying the brand through the sale to Xponential Fitness in late 2018. Our focus was on re-engaging the franchise owners to drive seven straight months of positive same-store-sales, the first the brand had seen since 2016. We launched smart local marketing tactics, implemented a brand overhaul to leverage the Pure Barre “cool factor," introduced a new workout platform that leveraged the Pilates and resistance-band trends, and revamped our product offerings to drive the highest conference sell-in the brand had ever seen. The early exit is a testimony both to the revitalized strength of the brand and the continued growth opportunity. Show less
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Camp Bow Wow
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United States
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Consumer Services
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500 - 600 Employee
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President
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Aug 2014 - Mar 2018
Served as the Leader of the Pack for Camp Bow Wow, the world’s largest dog boarding and day care franchise with over 150 locations across the US and Canada. Drove the brand to record unit-level revenues, system growth, and franchisee satisfaction, earning Entrepreneur's Best of the Best Franchises in 2017 and 2018. I'm a raving fan of this amazing brand... Here's to Happy Healthy Pets, Happy Healthy People! Served as the Leader of the Pack for Camp Bow Wow, the world’s largest dog boarding and day care franchise with over 150 locations across the US and Canada. Drove the brand to record unit-level revenues, system growth, and franchisee satisfaction, earning Entrepreneur's Best of the Best Franchises in 2017 and 2018. I'm a raving fan of this amazing brand... Here's to Happy Healthy Pets, Happy Healthy People!
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Curves
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United States
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Health, Wellness & Fitness
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700 & Above Employee
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Vice President of Operations
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Dec 2009 - Apr 2014
Lead operations for the 6,000 US and Canadian franchisees of the world's largest fitness franchisor, with a team of nearly 50 corporate staff, area directors, and contract mentors. Drove unit-level profitability and system stability through our genuine commitment to Strengthening Women. Designed and implemented policies, processes, training, communication, and engagement programs, and served as a key presenter at franchisee events and conventions.
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President, Franchise Owner
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Aug 2000 - Dec 2011
As an entrepreneur, I opened four successful Curves franchises, leading all aspects of the business, including developing business plans, cash flow analysis, licensing and incorporation, negotiating leases, hiring and training, marketing and public relations, customer service, accounting and financial management, community and business partnership, and basic business taxes. Earned the Multiple Franchisee of the Year award in 2001.
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Area Director for Florida & the Caribbean
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Aug 2006 - Oct 2009
Strategic consulting for 250 franchisees, including assessment of operations performance and financials, development of sales and marketing strategies, leadership and management training, motivational speaking, and accoutability for overall area profits and performance metrics. Earned the Area Director of the Year Award in 2008.
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Los Alamos National Laboratory
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United States
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Research Services
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700 & Above Employee
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Senior Editor for the Physics Division
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Jan 1994 - Aug 2000
Scientific writing and editing, coordinating large teams of scientists and document specialists, meeting standards and deadlines, and working with classified information. I'm still a big lover of science and technology. Scientific writing and editing, coordinating large teams of scientists and document specialists, meeting standards and deadlines, and working with classified information. I'm still a big lover of science and technology.
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Education
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2008 - 2010
University of South Florida - College of Business Administration
MBA, Business Administration -
2011 - 2016
International Franchise Association
Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) -
1996 - 1997
The University of New Mexico
Graduate Coursework, Communication -
1992 - 1992
Penn State University
Graduate Coursework, Literature -
1988 - 1992
University of Central Florida
BA, English
Community
