Meet Our Team

Jim Greer is a multi-licensed professional who has dedicated his professional life to helping people launch new careers and become successful in their business pursuits. Throughout the past 27 years, Jim has personally taught thousands of students, developed numerous programs and curriculum, and worked with dozens of top-notch instructors to create outstanding programs and student experiences.

A lifelong learner, Jim began his college education by earning a degree in Financial Management while serving in the United States Air Force. After being honorably discharged, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in business, followed by a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Miami.  Jim later furthered his formal education by earning a Doctor in Business Administration degree, with a specialization in strategy and innovation, from Capella University.  Jim’s doctoral research focused on corporate social responsibility issues within small businesses.

Jim initially earned his real estate license shortly after his 18^th birthday and is currently licensed in Florida as an attorney, real estate broker, real estate instructor, Mortgage Loan Originator, and Community Association Manager.

Jim has been involved in many community activities including the YMCA Indian Princesses/Guides program, coaching youth hockey, and serving in leadership roles for other local not-for-profit organizations. In his spare time, Jim enjoys camping, fishing, scuba diving, and playing ice hockey.  Jim resides in South Florida with his wife and three teenaged children.

Jose A. Velasquez joined Gold Coast Schools in 2004 and is currently the Spanish Real Estate Program Director.  He also teaches the Sales Associate Pre-license, Post-license, CRAM, and professional development workshop courses.  Prior to working at Gold Coast, Jose lived in Peru and worked as an insurance broker.  He attended the University of Lima and achieved a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.  Jose is passionate about helping students and making sure that Gold Coast’s Spanish real estate program is top notch.  He oversees instructors who share his passion for teaching, and goes above and beyond to help students pass their state licensing exams and start their real estate careers.  When not working, Jose enjoys reading and recently started growing vegetables and fruit trees in his home garden.

Patricia Rogers was appointed the Director of Community Association Management Education for Gold Coast Professional Schools (GCPS) in 2006, after two years as an instructor. Patricia is passionate about developing and enriching our community associations. Her vision is to enhance the standards by which CAMs and CAM firms (CABs) are measured and serve our community associations, expand educational opportunities, and improve ethical standards and behavior.

Patricia served as a Commissioner in the City of Aventura from 1996 through 2003. Patricia received her CAM license in 2002. She was appointed to the Regulatory Council of Community Association Managers (RCCAM) in August 2008, and was elected the Chair of the RCCAM in 2010. She served until Fall 2013.

Patricia graduated Duke University cum laude with a B.S., where she majored in experimental clinical psychology, and minored in English, Mathematics, and Elementary Education. She trained as a Supreme Court certified mediator. She has participated in the National League of Cities Leadership Training Institute, is a graduate of the Florida League of Cities Advanced Institute for Elected Officials and of Leadership Florida. She is also a graduate of The Pacific Institute Investment in Excellence program and the EST and Forum personal development programs. She holds certifications as a Management Productivity Analyst and a Quality Circles Facilitator.

Patricia has been together with husband Paul Libert for 35 years. They have two cats, a tortoiseshell/calico, Dynamuffin, and a blue tuxedo, Blueberry (Muffin) – who sleep with Patricia & Paul nightly. She is an avid reader – enjoying both legislation and suspense fiction – and a committed Miami Heat fan. Go Heat!

Wayne joined Gold Coast Schools in 2006 and is a highly experienced real estate professional with years spent working in the industry.   He holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration in addition to a real estate broker license and an instructor permit.  He spent several years teaching a wide array of real estate licensing and renewal courses at Gold Coast Schools before taking over as the Real Estate Program Director.  As director, his aim is to ensure that our dedicated instructors continue to deliver the top notch education that Gold Coast has provided since 1970.  He holds instructors to high standards because he believes in providing a superior student experience to everyone who chooses Gold Coast Schools for their education.

Adam Narkier is a real estate instructor who joined Gold Coast in 2015 teaching the 63-hour Sales Associate Pre-license and 14-hour Continuing Education courses.  He is a licensed real estate broker, instructor, and previously a mortgage broker.  Adam has spent the better part of his adult life in the real estate industry.  He has been licensed and specializing in residential real estate since 2007 and enjoys working with both buyers and sellers.  In addition, he was in the mortgage and banking industry for nearly 10 years prior to that.

Adam holds a Bachelors Degree in Public Management & Administration from Florida Atlantic University, an Associates of Arts Degree from Palm Beach Community College, is a member of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches (RAPB), as well as a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity International.  He is one of the few true native South Floridians born and raised in Palm Beach County, and has two rescue dogs that he loves dearly.

Carmen is an excellent real estate instructor who is passionate about helping each and every student that attends her Spanish Sales Associate Pre-license and CRAM classes.  She joined Gold Coast in 2015 and has extensive experience in the real estate industry.  When not teaching, Carmen loves to travel where she has the opportunity to explore and discover new things.

Debra joined Gold Coast in 2013 and teaches nearly every real estate course Gold Coast has to offer.  These courses include Sales Associate pre-license and post-license courses, Broker pre-license and post-license courses, continuing education courses as well as the weekend CRAM reviews.  She began her career in real estate in 1998 and has been a managing broker as well as owned and operated her own office for many years.  Debra holds an MBA with and emphasis on information systems, and bachelor’s degrees in business and accounting.

Debra is well liked by all of her students and receives incredible feedback on her course evaluations.  This is a direct result of her passion for teaching and her ability to connect with the class.  When not in the classroom, Debra volunteers at the humane society where she has helped find homes for more than 50 dogs and cats.

Eduardo  joined Gold Coast in 2005 teaching real estate FREC 1, the CRAM review course, and the real estate post-license course.  He has taught more than 5000 students and enjoys participating in their development and career success.  He is a licensed real estate Broker, Instructor, and was previously a Mortgage Broker.  Eduardo also holds a BA in Business Administration and Post Graduate in Marketing and Strategy.  He is a professional businessman and entrepreneur who loves to play Monopoly.

Gabriela joined Gold Coast Schools in 2014 and is a real estate instructor who teaches the 63-hour Sales Associate Pre-license course.  She has been a real estate broker since 2014, worked as a title agent in 2013, and worked as a California Real Estate Agent since 1999.  Prior to working at Gold Coast, Gabriela was an Account Executive for Old Republic Title in California.  When not teaching, she enjoys spending time with family.

Jim has been a real estate instructor since 2011, and teaches all of the real estate courses that Gold Coast offers.  This includes both the Sales Associate and Broker pre and post license courses, as well as continuing education courses.  He truly enjoys the opportunity to give back to the real estate industry and is passionate about mentoring students based on the over 45 years of experience he acquired throughout his real estate career.  Jim joined the RV community  at the beginning of 2015 and he and his wife have taken theirs through 26 states including Washington DC and through parts of Canada.  His wish is for everyone to take the time to travel and view this great land and see the grand diversity that is lovingly called real estate.

John has been an instructor at Gold Coast since 2002 and teaches both sales associate and broker pre-license and renewal courses.  He holds many professional memberships including National Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, Member of Realtor Association of the Palm Beaches, Lifetime Member of the Multi Million Dollar Club, and a Brian Buffini Mentor.  When not teaching and practicing real estate, John is an avid beach enthusiast who loves to travel and experience new things and ideas.

Juan Carlos Velasquez is an excellent real estate instructor  who joined Gold Coast in 2014 and teaches the FREC 1 Sales Associate Pre-license course.  He holds a Real Estate Sales Associate license as well as a 2-20 & 2-15 insurance license.  Prior to joining Gold Coast, Juan Carols worked for an insurance agency.  He holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics from the University of San Luis Gonzaga, Peru.  When not working, he has a passion for art and loves to draw and oil paint.

Melodee has been working at Gold Coast Schools since 1992 and is a real estate instructor at the Boca campus. She teaches the sales associate pre-license and post-license courses.  Melodee has a real estate instructor’s license and a real estate broker’s license. Before teaching at Gold Coast, she spent 2 years at the Philadelphia Drama Workshop and as taken many real estate training courses. She has experience working as a manager at a real estate office, real estate trainer, real estate sales associate, acting and directing teacher for children, director of a youth group at a church, motel manager, motel desk clerk, chamber maid and 2 years working with Atlantic City Modeling Guild.

Melodee is passionate about teaching and helping others obtain their goals in life. She says, “I am also passionate about living, learning and hopefully touching the lives of others.” When she is not at work she enjoys spending time with family and friends, swimming, reading, writing, walking and watching old movies.

Peter has been teaching Gold Coast’s sales associate pre-license, post-license, and continuing education courses since 2005.  He holds both a real estate instructor and a broker license.  Peter has a passion for helping students start and maintain successful careers in real estate.  He finds great satisfaction in hearing from his former students who achieve their license, start selling homes, and come back to tell him about it when they see him in their renewal courses.

Rich teaches nearly every real estate course offered by Gold Coast including Sales Associate pre and post-license, Broker pre and post-license, as well as the CRAM review course.  Joining Gold Coast in 2004, Rich brings extensive experience as a licensed real estate instructor, broker, sales associate, mortgage broker, U.S. Registered Investment Advisor, as well as a Securities Series 7 license for stocks and bonds.  He also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond and a master’s degree from the University of Texas.

Rich has a passion for sailing and previously owned a Catalina 30 which he used to sail the Bahamas and Florida Keys for many years.  Rich’s primary focus is the success of his students, and many attribute their success to his teaching style.

Steve is a licensed real estate broker and instructor who has been in the real estate business since 1981.  He began teaching Gold Coast’s sales associate pre-license, post-license, continuing education, and CRAM courses in 2011, and is well liked for his engaging teaching style.  After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Florida, Steve owned an antique mall, worked as a real estate broker who owned and operated his own office, served as a property manager, and specialized in both commercial and residential real estate.  When not teaching, Steve has a passion for buying, restoring, and selling antique muscle cars.

Tom joined Gold Coast in 2005 and is an excellent teacher for the broker pre-license, broker post-license, sales associate post-license, continuing education, and the CRAM course.  He currently holds a broker and instructor license, and still works as an active broker.  His experience in the industry enables him to combine the textbook material with real world information that helps students acquire the knowledge they need to succeed both in the course, as well as in their careers.  Tom graduated from the Michigan State University and loves the great outdoors.

Walt has been an Instructor at Gold Coast Schools since 1998.  He teaches the real estate sales associate pre-license course and the CRAM review which prepares students to pass the state exam. Over the years, Walt has taught all of the real estate courses that Gold Coast offers.

Walt teaches at the Lantana campus and is passionate about perfecting the materials used to teach so that he can better guide students towards success in their new careers. He has a real estate instructors license, real estate broker’s license, Bachelor’s Degree (BBA U of M), J.D. New York Law School. Before Gold Coast, he was an officer in the US Navy for 5 years and toured in Vietnam and England. He has 30 years of experience in data processing, 20 years in business law and approximately 15 years in real estate. When he is not teaching real estate classes, Walt enjoys spending time with family, playing golf and reading.

Bill Murphy joined Gold Coast Schools in 2002 and currently teaches both the 2-15 Life, Health, and Variable Contracts course as well as the 2-20 General Lines insurance course.  He draws upon more than 30 years of work experience in the insurance industry and is a well liked by all of his students.  Having lived in Latin America for 18 years, he is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Bill is passionate about helping students learn the course material and seeing them use the information he provides to start successful new careers.  He loves the moment when students fully grasp new concepts, and enjoys hearing from previous students after they have passed their state exams.  When not working, Bill enjoys relaxing and spending time with his family.

Bob Lederman joined Gold Coast in 2017 with 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including six years teaching pre-licensing and continuing education courses. He continues in that role at the Lantana facility where he derives his greatest satisfaction when he sees that his students get what insurance is all about.

Bob holds a 220 General Lines and a 215 Life, Health and Variable Annuity license. He has also held series 6 and 63 licenses and is a former CPA. He owned and operated his own Allstate agency in Deerfield Beach.

When he is not teaching, Bob enjoys reading ‘Spy-Fi’ novels, swimming and being with his wife and family.

Debora Willis joined the Gold Coast team in 2015 as a Property and Casualty Insurance Instructor at the Doral Campus. She is a Certified Insurance Counselor and a Certified Risk Manager. She has over 25 years of insurance experience working in small agencies and large top 10 brokers. She has handled everything from homeowner policies to hospitals, and taught P&C licensing for Dade County Schools and the Florida Insurance School.

Debora truly enjoys teaching insurance and is passionate about seeing her students do well in her class and then becoming passionate about insurance just like she is. She says, “Insurance is a diverse, ever changing field with limitless opportunity.” She wants her students to succeed in the course and their new profession. When not reading new policy forms, she likes to travel with her husband, hunt for antiques and spend time with her cats.

Howard Kanter started with Gold Coast Schools in 1991 teaching real estate appraisal and insurance classes. He has over 50 years’ experience in real estate and insurance and has been teaching technical classes since 1974.

Howard is a licensed real estate broker and one of less than 500 nationally certified instructors for the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

He enjoys teaching, fishing, woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren.

Jessy teaches insurance licensing courses and is passionate about helping students obtain the license they need to start new careers.  When not working, Jessy enjoys spending time with grandchildren and family.

Lynn joined Gold Coast Schools in 2014 and brings more than 30 years of insurance and stocks, bonds, and mutual fund experience to the Life and Health courses that she teaches.  When not working, Lynn enjoys spending time at the beach and relaxing.

Mark Shepler began teaching Life & Health Insurance courses at Gold Coast in January 2017. Mark teaches all aspects of pre-licensing and continuing education for the Florida Life, Health and Variable Annuity licenses (215, 218 & 240). Mark also holds Series 6, 7, 24, 63 and 66 SEC/FINRA registrations. Mark began his career in the life, health and financial services industry in South Florida in 1985 as a career life insurance agent. He has since worked in life, health and disability insurance planning as well as fee-based financial planning and asset management, and in agency management. Since 1998, Mark has specialized in working with self-employed individuals and small business owners in life and disability insurance and retirement planning. Mark opened an independent insurance and financial services brokerage in 2003 serving South Florida.

Mark is a commercial actor, model, professional drummer, band leader/manager, writer and fearless public speaker who has given thousands of presentations to groups of self-employed individuals in his insurance practice. Using those skills, Mark strives to and enjoys delivering interesting lessons and course study that incorporate real life experiences and technical information in an understandable way to better help Gold Coast students be successful in acquiring licenses and starting their new insurance careers. In all his teaching endeavors regarding insurance business practices, Mark stresses a sincere and uncompromising emphasis on agents’ ethics, proper and suitable planning, honest dealing and treating prospects and clients as the agents would be treated themselves.

Mike is a highly experienced insurance instructor who teaches the Surplus Lines Pre-licensing course at Gold Coast Schools.  He has more than 40 years of insurance experience holding both a 1-20 and 2-20 license that is valid across 38 US states, and is also a registered professional engineer in California.  Mike has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (BSIE) degree from Western New England University and is a Visiting Lecturer at Providence College School of Engineering.  He also spent 20 years with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Randy Gordon started teaching insurance courses at Gold Coast in 2017 and currently teaches the continuing education and pre-licensing for Property and Casually agents. He holds a 2-20 General Lines license and has an Accredited Advisor of Insurance designation. He enjoys teaching the future agents using real world examples and techniques that make understanding the information exciting.

In addition to teaching at Gold Coast, Randy is an active agent selling policies. When he is not working in the field and teaching in the classroom, Randy enjoys golf and spending time with his family.

John began teaching at Gold Coast in 2014 and brings 24 years of property management experience to the CAM pre-license, continuing education, and CRAM courses that he teaches. He also has 22 years of law enforcement experience and holds several professional licenses and certifications including a CAM, Public Adjuster, Retired Florida Law Enforcement, Corrections Officer, and is a Licensed Construction Supervisor. When not working, he enjoys restoring cars, spending time with family and friends, and is a proficient marksman.

Paul joined Gold Coast Schools in 2015 and is the Assistant to Director of CAM Education.  He teaches and writes CAM continuing education and pre-license courses and brings extensive experience into the classroom.  He has held many licenses including CAM, Life & Health insurance, Series 6, Series 7, and Series 3, was a Certified Financial Planner, and held a Mortgage license.

Prior to joining Gold Coast, Paul was employed as a CAM for approximately 13 years, primarily for troubled high-rises. He wrote courses and trained and supervised instructors to teach community associations directors, officers & residents, through a 501(c)(3). The courses were offered throughout the State of Florida in 2000-2001. He was President of the Northeast Dade Coalition, a community association education & advocacy group representing over 120 associations in Miami-Dade County, for about 10 years.  Paul also served as President of an association board for a short period of time. Through his corporate entity (co-owned with Patricia Rogers), he had contracts with Barry University and Broward Community College, to offer education to community association residents. As a health care professional, he served in high level administrative and/or planning positions in comprehensive health planning councils in LA and Boise and county health departments in Erie County (NY), and Miami-Dade County. Paul successfully wrote grants for these entities. In Miami-Dade County, he successfully negotiated funding from the federal government to help handle the influx of Haitian refugees in the 1980s. Paul’s corporation also wrote and successfully obtained grants for local municipalities in Miami-Dade County.

He holds various degrees and certifications including:

• State University of NY at Buffalo – B.A. Anthropology
• University of California, Berkeley – School of Public Health – Master of Public Health (Administration & Planning)
• College for Financial Planning – Denver, CO – Certified Financial Planner
• Gold Coast Professional Schools – Insurance, Mortgage & CAM licenses
• Miami-Dade County – Management Productivity Analyst

Paul has two cats, Dynamuffin and Blueberry Muffin. He has a great sense of humor which he uses to great effect both in business and in personal relationships. With a cousin in NJ, Paul did extensive research tracing his family tree back to the 1700s. He shared his findings with the Montreal branch at a family reunion, including slides of birth, marriage and death certificates, and photographs of some of his ancestors.

Ashleigh Hernandez is a Certified General Contractor in the State of Florida. She is Founder and Co-Owner of Southern Custom Iron and Art, a Structural Steel, Welding, and Fabrication business in Lantana. She has a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is a Florida Native and enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and three children during off time. She looks forward to assisting aspiring General Contractors in obtaining their licenses by equipping and empowering them with the tools and knowledge needed to be successful. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the quote ” If you give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day, But teach a man to fish, and you will feed him for a lifetime.”

Dawn is an Instructor for Gold Coast and teaches the General Contractor cram classes to aid students in their preparation for their state licensing tests. She teaches out of the Tamarac, Lantana, and Doral campuses.

Dawn has an Associate of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Broward Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Barry University, Graduate Work in Psychology from Nova University, and a General Contractor license from Gold Coast Schools. She has been working in various phases of the construction industry since 1985. She has been teaching both individuals and small groups in private tutoring here at Gold Coast, and also teaches in a classroom setting. Dawn is passionate about seeing students have that “AH-HA moment” when problem solving.

When not working, Dawn enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and active adventure traveling. Dawn has completed several bicycle trips across the United States and Canada.

Dr. Richard H. McMonagle is currently the instructor of the Mold Assessment and Remediation licensing renewal program at Gold Coast Schools. He holds a Ph. D. from the Union Institute Graduate College, and a M.S. and B.S. (Magna Cum Lauda) from Nova Southeastern University. He is a Certified OSHA Outreach Trainer, a Certified Indoor Environmentalist, a State of Florida licensed Mold Assessor and a Certified Infrared Thermographer. He has taught classes in Mold Assessment, Bioaerosol Assessment, Indoor Air Quality, Occupational Safety and Health, IEQ Report Writing, Sampling Methodology, and IEQ Research Methods. He owns his own company, HEI Systems, and serves as an expert witness for both plaintiff and defendant in structural environmental disputes.

Gilberto Fernandez is a Certified Building Contractor since 1976, a Certified Roofing Contractor since 2005, and a Certified Home Inspector since 2010.

He received his Business Administration and Accounting Degree at The Havana & Oriente University – Cuba. Once residing in the US, he attended the following higher learning institutions to improve knowledge in business: Jones College – Orlando, Fla – Administrative Accounting. Rollins College – Winter Park, Fla – Business Administration and Commercial Law Courses.

Gilberto was once the President of the Florida Prestressed Concrete Assn. and held chairmanship of different committees with the association including the FDOT Liaison and Plant Certification, Safety. He conducted presentations and seminars with Trade Associations, Engineers, and Architects about the benefits of utilizing Prestressed Concrete in their design and construction. Gilberto has been married for 46 years with 2 children and 2 grandchildren.

Luis Bentancor joined Gold Coast in 2016 and teaches the General Contractor exam prep courses that help students who are preparing for the state contractor exam. He is an Architect and a General Contractor with years of industry experience that he brings into the classroom to help students succeed. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Architecture from Universidad de la República from Montevideo, Uruguay; he studied Engineering at Universidad Simón Bolívar in Caracas, Venezuela and is a LEED Accredited Professional. He previously worked as a Project Manager for a construction company and as an Associate Architect in an Architectural Studio. He owns and manages his own construction company.

Anny started working at Gold Coast in March of 2012 and is a Career Counselor at the Tamarac location. She has a passion for helping students select and register for classes and is available to answer any questions that students have about their course. Anny studied Business and Management at the Universidad Autonoma Barranquilla Colombia and also has a real estate license.

Prior to working at Gold Coast she served as an administrative assistant for a chemistry distributor company and was also a Macy’s counter manager. She has a lot of experience in customer service and is extremely knowledgeable in real estate. She helps students change their careers and succeed in reaching their goal of passing the final exam and receiving their license. When Anny is not at work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys going to the movies, beach, kayaking, paddle boarding, going to parties, eating Latin food and dancing.

Carolina is a Career Counselor at the Doral Campus. She started working at Gold Coast in January of 2015. Carolina went to law school, is an accounts receivable specialist with 10 years of accounting experience, has a real estate sales associate license that was obtained through Gold Coast Schools, and is a Florida Notary. She also went to USACA-Miami Dade College.

Carolina is passionate about seeing students succeed in their courses, answering questions about the licensing process, and watching individuals carry that success into their careers. She also enjoys spending time with her son and husband, as well as Zumba, yoga, traveling and shopping.

Darryl joined Gold Coast Schools in 2017 and brings more than 10 years of banking and customer service experience as a personal banker/financial service representative.  He holds and associates degree and a 2-15 insurance license.  Darryl values being able to go above and beyond for students by making sure that they are able to get answers to any questions that they have about their courses and careers.  When not working, Darryl enjoys working out, dining out, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Diana started at Gold Coast in 2012 and works at the North Miami Beach location.  She is dedicated to helping students select and register for classes, as well as answering any questions that students have about their course. Diana has a Bachelor Degree in Sports and Recreation Management from Nova Southeastern University.

Before Diana came to Gold Coast, she worked for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society managing cycling, Marathon and triathlon teams. She has a lot of experience in customer service and is passionate about helping our students start new careers. She says, “it is a great feeling to help guide students through the pre licensing process and then see them again when they return for continuing education.” She enjoys hearing their success stories. Outside of work she enjoys traveling with her family, volunteering for events in her city as well as those sponsored by NSU, and attending sports events.

Jenny began working at Gold Coast in 2015 and brings 14 years of customer service and 10 years of account experience.  She is a Career Counselor who is passionate about helping students, but when not working, she is a self proclaimed music geek who played the viola first chair and also loves cooking.

Louis started at Gold Coast Schools in 2011 and is the Campus Director in North Miami. He helps students select and register for classes and answers any questions that students may have about their course. He is also responsible for any issues that may come up at his campus throughout the day. Louis has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication with a minor in Marketing from Palm Beach Atlantic University. He has experience in customer service and management with extensive knowledge in real estate. He is passionate about our students’ success, and loves seeing each student grow personally and professionally. When he is not working, Louis enjoys sports, family time, and listening to music.

Rachel started working at Gold Coast Schools in 2013 and is a Career Counselor at the Doral location. She helps students select and register for classes and answers any questions that they have about their classes. She enjoys providing excellent customer service and a great experience for our students from beginning to end.

Before Gold Coast, Rachel worked as an Admissions Counselor at St. Thomas University School of Law for 6 years, and worked at Florida Career College for 1 year.  Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, outdoor activities such as camping, bike riding trails, roller skating and kayaking.

Stephanie began working at Gold Coast Schools in 2014 and travels between several of our Gold Coast locations.  She is dedicated to helping students from the beginning to end and is passionate about providing excellent customer service. She is very familiar with the Real Estate process as she herself took the one week course from Gold Coast in our North Miami Campus. Before Gold Coast, Stephanie worked as a cake decorator in Publix and then jumped into Sales with a 24-hour gym. Stephanie is proud to share the fun fact that she drives a stick-shift car and when not working, she loves spending her free time with her beautiful daughter.

Ysi started working at Gold Coast Schools in 2013 as a Career Counselor. She helps students select and register for classes and answers any questions that students have about their course. She has a Bachelors in Business and a minor in Pre Law from FIU. Ysi is also a licensed Property and Casualty agent and received her license from Gold Coast.

Before Gold Coast she worked at a university as a military advisor helping soldiers and their families use their earned benefits to advance in their chosen career. She has obtained a few licenses at Gold Coast saying that she, “knows that the Gold Coast method of teaching works.” She loves sharing her great experience here at Gold Coast with other students. When she is not at work she is watching Discovery ID and spending quality time with her family, or reading a motivational book.

Chris started working for Gold Coast Schools in 2015 as an Online Course Developer. As an Online Course Developer his responsibilities primarily revolve around transforming the Gold Coast textbooks to an online environment in an interactive and creative fashion. He says, “Designing content that works with a variety of technology such as laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices is important, and a passion that all the developers at Gold Coast have.”
Chris has a B. A. in Digital Arts from Stetson University and has a M.Ed. in Education from AIU with a specialization in Instructional Technology & Curriculum Design. Before coming to Gold Coast, Chris worked for 14 years in the K-12 private school arena. While starting as a teacher, he was an Administrator for 9 of the 14 years holding positions such as Technology Director, Academic Dean, and Assistant Principal.
For the last several years he focused exclusively on Professional Development, Technology Integration, and Adult Education. Chris says, “My move to Gold Coast was great and I have loved every moment here. It is phenomenal to be working alongside such professionals. Ultimately, if a student succeeds in the courses we develop, we are confident that they will have a long and prosperous career.” When Chris is not at Gold Coast, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, camping, playing tennis and serving at his church.

Debby Hancock started with Gold Coast in 2011 and serves as the Online Course Program Director. Her primary role is to develop and support our online courses for distance learners. She is passionate about providing online courses that provide high quality, engaging education that prepare learners for their licensing exams and provide continuous learning to support their ongoing career needs. To do this, she is constantly working to develop new courses using the latest technology that delivers a consistent desktop and mobile experience for enrolled students.

Debby has a B.S. in Statistics & Computer Science from the University of Delaware, a M.S. in Computer Engineering from FAU, and a Florida Teaching Certification in Computer Science (grades K-9) and in Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9).

Before Gold Coast, Debby worked in Robotics programming (General Electric Corp), Software development and management (Burroughs Corp. and IBM Corp.), was a math and computer teacher, and a robotics coach. Outside of work you can find Debby skiing, mountain biking, kick boxing, and enjoying time with her husband and family.

Guillermo is a valuable asset to Gold Coast assisting in both logistics and account support.  When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family.

Jackie has been working at Gold Coast Schools since 2003 and is a Customer Service Manager. Before starting at Gold Coast Schools, she worked in retail, the food industry and other office administration jobs.  Jackie currently works out of both the Tamarac and Lantana locations and helps students with any concerns that they have before, during and after they complete their course. She has a lot of experience assisting customers in all of our programs, as well as supporting the Career Counselors. She also works in our online support area and manages electronic fingerprinting systems.

She has been with the company for over 10 years and truly enjoys working with our staff and students. She says, “my passion is to do my very best for our students.” When Jackie is not at work she always enjoys time with her family. She says, “my pride and joy is my son who is currently an active duty Airman.”

Jill has worked at Gold Coast Schools since 2014 and is the Controller. She has accounting responsibilities including financial statement presentation, financial analysis, managing audits and researching tax regulation and compliance. Jill has a BBA in Accounting, MBA in Corporate Finance, MSTAX. and Masters of Taxation. She attended Dowling College for her MBA, BBA and FAU for her Masters of Taxation. She has experience in financial performance of real estate and construction entities. She is passionate about presenting useful financial analysis to executive management for use in the business process. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and reading.

Melida plays a crucial role by operating the Gold Coast print shop where textbooks are printed and distributed to the various campus locations.  She is passionate about maintaining high quality materials and ensuring that they are available when and where they are needed.

Michelle joined Gold Coast Schools in 1987 and serves as the Operations Director.  Known for handling many tasks from the scheduling of courses, processing payroll, and maintaining our student database, Michelle is a valuable asset to the school and is extremely busy.  When she is not working, Michelle volunteers at Big Dog Rescue Ranch because she absolutely loves dogs.  With three of her own, and hundreds at the ranch, Michelle spends a large portion of her time caring for our four-legged friends.  In addition to caring for animals, Michelle has developed a passion for woodworking and has been building several custom furniture pieces that are showcased in her home.

Natacha has worked with Gold Coast Schools since 2004 and is highly valued Logistics Manager. She has a variety of responsibilities including book ordering, maintaining accurate inventory, editing our brochure, managing the warehouse, coordinating the weekly deliveries of the textbooks that students need for their courses, creating school forms and documents, and much more. She is skilled with Photoshop, InDesign, and various Adobe products used to create Gold Coast logos, graphics, and other digital and print materials. She makes everything run smoothly behind the scenes so that our staff can continue to provide excellent service to our students.

Tim joined Gold Coast in 2010 and is involved in overall web strategy including email, website, and social media.  He is passionate about improving Gold Coast’s student experience and implementing new programs that streamline the enrollment process and make it easier for students to register for and complete courses.  Tim graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.  Prior to joining Gold Coast, Tim worked as a General Manager in the auto parts industry where he gained experience in process implementation and customer service.  When not working, Tim enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter as well as fishing, scuba diving, and playing hockey.