ABOUT US

The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) conducts both institutional and specialized, programmatic accreditation. Formed in 1964 as the Accrediting Bureau of Medical Laboratory Schools, its present name was assumed in 1974 to identify more properly its activities and expanded scope. ABHES is recognized by the Secretary of Education as a specialized, national accrediting body determined to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered by the educational institutions and programs it accredits. Its approved and recognized scope includes degree and non-degree granting private, postsecondary institutions offering educational programs predominantly in allied health; and the programmatic accreditation of public and private medical assistant, medical laboratory technology, and surgical technology programs.

The mission of the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) is to serve as a nationally recognized accrediting agency of institutions predominantly providing health education and programmatic accreditation in specific health education disciplines.

ABHES Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) is recognized by the United States Secretary of Education for the accreditation of private, postsecondary institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health education programs leading to a certificate, diploma, and degrees at the level of the Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate, Baccalaureate and Master’s; and the programmatic accreditation of medical assisting, medical laboratory technology, and surgical technology programs, through the Associate degree, including those offered via distance education. The scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive change.

ABHES is an independent non-profit agency unrelated to any trade or membership organization.

Among ABHES Recognitions:
U.S. Department of Education, American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) American Medical Technologists (AMT), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

ABHES enhances the quality of education and training and promotes institutional and programmatic accountability through systematic and consistent program evaluation. Its key is to assure the quality of the programs it accredits and assist in the improvement of the programs. This quality-determination is accomplished by rigorous and systematic evaluation based on valid standards.

Accreditation by ABHES allows graduates of certain programs to meet eligibility requirements for credentialing examinations administered by various recognized certifying agencies.

OUR STAFF

Interim Executive Director India Y. Tips

India Tips currently serves as the Interim Executive Director of the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). She is responsible for overseeing the daily operations and all accreditation activities, including the review and implementation of Commission-directed actions. She serves as the liaison to state and federal regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Department of Education, national and other accrediting agencies, and credentialing bodies in the health field.

Ms. Tips joined ABHES in November 1995. In her 23-year tenure, her experience spans the full spectrum of accreditation, membership services, and operations. She developed the educational content and curricula for the required trainings for initial and renewal applicants where she has been the lead presenter for nearly 15 years. She has participated in and supported efforts for more than five petitions for re-recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. Ms. Tips also serves as the staff liaison to the Commission’s Standards Review Committee (SRC) charged to review all components of the Accreditation Manual to ensure its content is relevant, adequate, and predictive of successful qualitative outcomes. She has been instrumental in the management and successful execution of 16 conferences serving more than 400 attendees and exhibitors annually, and has performed hundreds of accreditation visits to institutions seeking initial and renewal ABHES accreditation.

Education

Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of Pittsburg, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Director of Accreditation Eileen M. Brennan

Ms. Brennan joined the ABHES staff in 2007. As Director of Accreditation, Ms. Brennan oversees the visit process for accreditation, training of accreditation coordinators, and manages the agendas for Commissioner considerations.  She also oversees the approval process of change in legal status, ownership, or form of control and addition of non-main or satellite campus applications.  Ms. Brennan serves as liaison to Preliminary Review Committee and a member of the ABHES Leadership Team.

Previously, Ms. Brennan was employed at the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) where she served as Associate Director of Quality Assurance and, in earlier years, as an Accreditation Coordinator. She also served for four years as an Education Analyst for the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Education

Master of Science in Human Resource Development, Trinity University, Washington, DC
Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, Stonehill College, North Easton, MA

Office Manager Brandy Clinkscale

Brandy Clinkscale joined ABHES in October 2016 as the Office Manager. Ms. Clinkscale’s primary responsibilities include general office oversight, processing of change in director notifications, annual conference and workshop preparation, and administrative assistance to the leadership team. Prior to joining ABHES, Brandy worked for 10 plus years in the banking industry.

Education

Associate of Science in Business Management, Keystone Technical Institute, Harrisburg, PA

Accreditation Coordinator Kyle Boyles

Mr. Boyles joined ABHES in June 2015 and serves as an Accreditation Coordinator. His primary responsibility includes planning on-site evaluation visits and coordinating these visits through travel with the teams. He also serves as a staff liaison to the Financial Review Committee. Prior to joining ABHES, he worked as an ESL instructor in South Korea and as a business English trainer in Germany.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Studies, Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA

Manager of Accreditation Kelly Costello

Ms. Costello joined ABHES in June 2013 and currently serves as the Manager of Accreditation. Her primary responsibility includes planning on-site evaluation visits and coordinating these visits through travel with the teams. Prior to joining ABHES, she was a curatorial intern at the Smithsonian and the U.S. Supreme Court. In February 2012, she continued her penchant for sharing history and was engaged as a visitor service representative at the Newseum.

Ms. Costello also serves as a staff liaison to the Standards Review Committee (SRC).

Education

Bachelor of Arts in History and Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Manager of Programs Mary Margaret Coughlin

Ms. Coughlin joined ABHES in June 2013 as an Accreditation Coordinator and serves as the Manager of Programs. Her primary responsibility is processing program related applications. She also plans on-site evaluation visits and coordinates these visits through travel with the teams and is a staff liaison to the Programmatic Accreditation Committee’s for Medical Assisting, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Surgical Technology.

Prior to joining ABHES, she served as a manager’s assistant in the financial services firm Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and for the past year has been employed at Coughlin Transportation Inc., a company that provides private bus services. She managed human resources, processed accounts payable, and planed and organized events, including site research and budget and expense management.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, MD

Manager of Compliance, Development and Quality Assurance Holly Doering

Ms. Doering has been with ABHES since May 2010 and now serves as the Manager of Compliance, Development and Quality Assurance. Her primary responsibilities include developing and maintaining the information systems including the accreditation management and annual report management systems. Additionally, she assists with all activities related to institutional and programmatic annual reporting. Ms. Doering also serves as a staff liaison to the Annual Review Committee (ARC).

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, Strayer University, Woodbridge, VA
Master of Business Administration, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Administrative Assistant Laurie Hart

Laurie Hart joined ABHES in 2007 as an Administrative Assistant. Ms. Hart is primarily responsible for assisting with workshop and conference preparations and registration; provides technology assistance to include IT helpdesk support; and provides general administrative support to staff.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA

Accreditation Coordinator Wazhma Ibrahim

Ms. Wazhma Ibrahim joined ABHES in September 2015 and currently serves as an Accreditation Coordinator. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating and conducting on-site evaluation visits. Prior to joining ABHES, she worked as an Office Manager for a consulting group in Vienna, Virginia.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Communications, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Bookkeeper Enoch Kasambara

Enoch Kasambara joined ABHES in February 2016 as our Bookkeeper. Mr. Kasambara is primarily responsible in supporting the Manager of Operations in the recording of cash receipts; bank deposit preparation; accounts payable and receivable; month and year-end reconciliation of accounts in accounting; and provides administrative support for Operations. Prior to joining ABHES, Mr. Kasambara has 6 years of accounting experience in corporate accounting and payroll processing.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Accounting, University of Maryland University College, College Park, MD

Director of Programs, Curricula and Financial Assessment Joyce E. Laing

Ms. Laing joined ABHES in April 2015 and serves as the Director of Programs, Curricula and Financial Assessment. Her primary responsibilities include management of the program and curricula review process, including the approval of program related applications, reviewing updates on trends in the industry, and scheduling program-related advisory committees to update program standards. In addition, she is a staff liaison to the Financial Review Committee and a member of the ABHES leadership team.

Over the past 20 years, she has worked in post-secondary education at public and private schools including Fortis Institute-Towson, Kaplan, Potomac College and Montgomery College. She has held various leadership positions including the Director of Education and interim Executive Director. She possesses a strong background in program compliance and led the application and review processes on campuses for several accreditation visits including ABHES, ACCSC, and CODA. In addition, she was a program evaluator for many years at both the US Government Accountability Office and in the Inspector General’s Office at the US Federal Trade Commission.

Education

Master’s in Public Administration, American University, Washington, DC
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Queens College, NYC, NY

Accreditation Development Specialist Liz Lee

Ms. Lee joined ABHES in April 2017 and serves as the Accreditation Development Specialist. Her responsibilities include planning on-site evaluation visits and coordinating these visits through travel with the teams, as well as, assisting with the development and management of information systems and the ABHES website. Prior to joining ABHES, she worked in accreditation and compliance as a Project Manager for a private post-secondary institution for 4 years.

She also serves a a staff liasion to teh Annual Review Committee (ARC).

Education

Master of Science, Computer Information Systems – Database Management and Business Intelligence, Boston University, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Arts in Art, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

Manager of Operations Tammy Llewellyn

Ms. Tamara (Tammy) Llewellyn joined ABHES in November 2013. As the Manager of Operations, Ms. Llewellyn is responsible for ABHES office administration activities; Human Resources and Benefits Administration; General Accounting; Accounts Payable and Receivable; Budget; and Payroll Administration. She assists the Finance Committee and coordinates external service contracts and facilities management activities. Prior to joining ABHES, Ms. Llewellyn holds 30 plus years in administrative activities.

Accreditation Coordinator Joe Miller

Mr. Miller joined the ABHES team in April 2017. His primary responsibility includes planning on-site evaluation visits and coordinating these visits through travel with the teams. Prior to joining ABHES, he worked in risk management and IT fields serving primarily in QA and Data Analyst roles.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management and BA minor in Business Administration, University of Maryland University College, College Park, MD

Manager of Training and Membership Services Kimberly Neuenschwander - Hurley

Ms. Neuenschwander – Hurley joined ABHES in July 2015 as an Accreditation Coordinator and currently serves as the Manager of Training and Membership Services. Her responsibilites include co-presenting the Accreditation Workshop for initial and renewal applicants and conducting preliminary visits to confirm applicant eligibility and readiness to undergo the evaluation process. Additionally, she serves as the staff liaison to the Distance Education Committee.

Education

Master of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

Director of Institutional Review and Development Amy Rowe

Ms. Rowe has worked with ABHES since 2003. As Director of Institutional Review and Development, Ms. Rowe is responsible for maintenance of the ABHES website, development of the Accreditation Manual, coordination and analysis of the survey on standards, and oversees activities related to institutional and programmatic annual reporting. She is also responsible for conducting preliminary consultation visits to confirm applicant eligibility and readiness to undergo the evaluation process.

Ms. Rowe serves as the lead staff liaison to the Annual Review Committee (ARC) and the Standards Review Committee (SRC) and is also a member of the ABHES Leadership Team.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Accreditation Coordinator Julia Scanlon

Ms. Scanlon joined the ABHES team in October 2016. Her primary responsibility includes planning on-site evaluation visits and coordinating these visits through travel with the teams. Prior to working with ABHES Julia interned at the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, as well as worked as an editor for an online publication.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre, Saint Michael’s College, Colchester VT

RECOGNITION

ABHES is recognized by the United States Secretary of Education for the accreditation of private, postsecondary institutions in the United States offering predominantly allied health education programs leading to a certificate, diploma, and degrees at the level of the Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Occupational Science, Academic Associate, Baccalaureate and Master’s; and the programmatic accreditation of medical assisting, medical laboratory technology, and surgical technology programs, through the Associate degree, including those offered via distance education. The scope extends to the Substantive Change Committee, jointly with the Commission, for decisions on substantive change.

ABHES accredits programmatically for the three programs identified above being taught in both public and private institutions. It also accredits institutionally outside of the allied health area, providing the institutions retain predominance in allied health (see II.A.1.a. for ABHES’ definition of predominance).

ABHES is an independent non-profit agency unrelated to any trade or membership organization.

Among ABHES Recognitions:

  • U.S. Department of Education, American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA)
  • American Medical Technologists (AMT)
  • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
  • The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA)
  • The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
  • Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)