Board of Directors

Frank Longaker is entering his 50^th year in higher education, serving the majority of that time as president of American National University.  A graduate of Eastern Kentucky University and Radford University, where he received his MBA, President Longaker served as a captain in the U.S. Army and is a decorated Vietnam veteran.

As president of ANU, he has led the university through a number of evolutionary stages, adapting to the needs of the modern workforce and global economy.  Under his leadership, ANU pioneered “Computers Across the Curriculum,” bringing computer technology into all disciplines before most people knew what a “personal computer” was.  He developed the concept of the High Tech, High Touch^TM curriculum, and adapted it to the distance learning era (well before COVID) with its constituent parts, Global Meet^TM, Global Teach^TM, and Global Learn^TM.  He also oversaw the growth of ANU’s footprint to 30 community campuses, foresaw the transcendence of the online eUniversity, and expanded the university’s reach globally.

In 1972, President Longaker began his career in higher education as an instructor at American National University’s Lexington Campus and quickly rose to senior leadership positions within the university.  His assignments within the university have included financial aid director, director of student services, federal funds manager, and senior operating officer, becoming president in 1984.

In 2012, Longaker was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Imagine America Foundation, recognizing his 40-plus years of contributions to higher education.

Longaker has long been active in the community, and has served as a chamber of commerce president, a Virginia state senate candidate, and has been a member of numerous community boards and organizations.

Richard (Rick) Beason is a Certified Public Accountant, Personal Financial Specialist, Chartered Global Management Accountant, and Certified Information Technology Professional. Mr. Beason graduate from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1975. He is the Owner of Richard J Beason and has worked as a CPA since 1977. He was previously employed by US Treasurer -Internal Revenue Service from 1972 to 1975 and Ernst and Ernst Certified Public Accountants, now known as Ernst & Young, from 1975 to 1977.

Dr. David Braswell is a retired Arizona state senator, community leader, award-winning educator, education researcher, administrator, and governing board member. In his current role as the CEO and co-founder of Up Slope Solutions LLC over the past 27 years, Dr. Braswell has more than 42 years of experience in educational practice and research. He has spent over two decades designing curriculum management software that has helped educators plan and focus on standards-driven curriculum management and research-based professional development programs. Educated at Western Carolina University, Braswell received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1979, followed by a Master of Education degree in Administration in 1986. In 2015, Braswell received a Doctor of Education degree from Argosy University with a specialization in Advanced Educational Leadership.

Dr. Braswell has held positions as a teacher, principal, and chief school district administrator (superintendent) in Georgia, NorthCarolina, SouthDakota, and new Mexico. Born in Robbinsville North Carolina near the Cherokee Qualla Boundary, Braswell spent more than ten years as a chief school administrator with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. During his tenure, he served as one of six administrative negotiators representing the U.S. Department of Interior in contract negotiations with the National Federation of Education Employees.

Steve Cotton has been executive vice president for legal and regulatory affairs / general counsel for American National University since 1997. A former naval officer and staff judge advocate, Cotton earned his Juris Doctor from the Ohio State University College of Law. His education also includes a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in chemistry from Denison University and a post-graduate fellowship in legal medicine at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

Steve’s more than 25 years of experience in the career college sector has made him widely sought after for his expertise, and he has served as a member of numerous boards and commissions, including the Tennessee Joint Legislative Committee on Proprietary Education. He is currently past president of the Virginia Career College Association and Chairman of the Career College Advisory Board for the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Dr. Tami Erickson has more than 20 years of experience in the regulatory and compliance arena holding top-level positions in the for-profit higher education industry. She has 5 years of online teaching experience and many more in the employee training field. Dr. Erickson is currently the CEO of a consulting company, Bit of Everything, which partners with businesses of all kinds related to their regulatory and compliance needs as well as professional development and training requirements. She is also involved in the preservation of Texas initiatives, operating are sale booth at Peach Creek Antiques, is a board member on the Gonzales City Visitors Board, member of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce, and an auxiliary member of the Gonzales Chapter Daughters of the Republic of Texas

Dr. McGuire has over 32 years of technical and management experience implementing Vulnerability Assessment and Information Assurance (IA) processes. He is a recognized industry expert, speaking on ISS issues at varied forums and federal agency program offices in the areas of cybersecurity, forensic investigation, and process management. His extensive experience ranges from hands-on systems vulnerability analyses, assessments, and mitigation plans to work as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and a Chief Information Officer (CIO). He has developed proven successful methodologies for all forms of authorization & accreditation (A&A) processes and documentation according to NIST RMF, and various other DoD Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process and standards.

Dr. McGuire, as the VP/CIO of SysNet technologies, is currently responsible for all aspects of Cybersecurity for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air traffic critical infrastructure. His responsibilities include leading the teams responsible for 24x7x365 cyber threat monitoring, A&A, aircraft cyber testing, red team/blue team, cyber threat hunting, network penetration testing.

His educational background, including both an M.S. and a Doctorate in Cybersecurity related disciplines, amplifies Dr. McGuire’s value to federal and commercial agencies. His work as a Dale Carnegie CIO enhanced his management and leadership skills.

Prior to joining SysNetTechnologies, Kevin was the CIO of the US Navy/Surface Warfare Centers in Bethesda, MD. Before the NSWC position, Dr. McGuire worked for Computer Sciences Corporation and was a CISO supporting the US Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army through varied programs. He has also been a Senior Director for Research & Development under Telos/XactaCorp., a VP of Technology in New York, and the CIO of Dale Carnegie Training, Inc. in New York, responsible for the development and implementation of a worldwide communications system.

Dr. Joel Musgrove has been the senior executive vice president of operations since 2017 and has provided the key leadership to implement President Longaker’s vision for American National University.

Prior to joining the University, he served as associate vice chancellor of operations, regional vice-chancellor, campus president, senior director of admissions, director of admissions, managing associate director of admissions, and assistant director of admissions for multiple large college systems. Additionally, he was director of operations at Heritage & Liberty Traditional K-8 Charter Schools in Glendale, Arizona, and community relations & grant director at La Paloma Academy in Tucson, Arizona.

Joel earned his Doctorate of Business Administration at the University of Fairfax. He has a Master of Business Administration in Global Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Behavioral Science from the University of Arizona.