About EdMan Services

Letha Barnes

Letha Barnes is a third generation educator and school owner. In her fifty plus years in career education, she has achieved many accomplishments. She served the State of New Mexico for 10 years as the school representative on the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, holding the position of Vice-Chairman or Chairman during the entire tenure. She is a former President of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), during which time she spearheaded the effort, with the inspiration and assistance of a great team of professionals, to re-establish the educational branch of the association, the Cosmetology Educators of America, which is known today as the Career Educators Alliance. She was designated the AACS Director of the Year in 1995. She is the recipient of the AACS Special Recognition Award for her Contribution to Cosmetology Education and the AACS Award of Distinction for Lifetime Contribution to Cosmetology Education. In addition, she was the recipient of the coveted N. F. Cimaglia Award in 2001.

As an approved provider of continuing education and former Director of the Career Institute, Barnes has presented continuing education programs to thousands of educators, professionals and students throughout the United States and Canada. She has been a speaker at many regional, national, and international events, including Hairworld ’96, Great Clips for Hair National Conventions, AACS Mid-Year Conferences, AACS annual conventions, the National Interstate Council of State Boards annual conferences, and numerous Cosmetology Educators of America conventions. She is well known for her highly energetic presentations and her passion for education. She has testified before the New Mexico State Senate and a U. S. Congressional Subcommittee on behalf of career education. She served as a school-owner commissioner, an academic commissioner, and the first Vice Chairman for the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS). She also taught the NACCAS Accreditation Workshops for over 10 years. She was honored to have been asked to compile the 50 year historical documentary of NACCAS, beginning with its humble beginnings in 1969 through its 50 th year of operation in 2019. It seemed fitting to do so since her Great Uncle, Ross Trapp, was present at the planning meeting for what would come to be known as NACCAS.

She has authored numerous educational materials in career education including three editions of The Master Educator, course management guides for cosmetology, basic esthetics, advanced esthetics, nail technology, and instructor training. She also developed and authored four editions of the Essential Companion Study Guide that accompanied the Standard: Cosmetology textbook. During semi-retirement, Barnes continues to serve the industry as Vice President of Academics and Curriculum Development for EdMan Services, LLC which offers consulting services to more than one-hundred cosmetology campuses throughout the United States.

Brittany Burnett

Cincinnati, Ohio native Brittany Burnett (also known to many as Brittany Salazar) moved to northern Virginia over 10 years ago, thus starting her career in educational compliance. Brittany’s career commenced at the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), where she worked for more than a decade. Brittany began as a Regional Accreditation Specialist, leading hundreds of on-site evaluations and virtual visits (both announced and unannounced) throughout the United States and its territories. Within this role, Brittany aided several hundred institutions throughout their accreditation processes. As Brittany’s expertise grew, she found her passion in providing institutions highly detail-oriented document reviews. This led to her management of the review of Institutional Self-Study (ISS) submissions, as well as pre-visit document submissions connected to on-site evaluations, for the last five (5) years. Over her tenure with NACCAS, she has completed thousands of such reviews. Finding love in training and spreading knowledge, Brittany’s role at NACCAS also comprised of developing curriculum and presentation strategies for workshops, webinars, pocket seminars, and internal staff training sessions. Additionally, Brittany served as a lead presenter at Workshops and has voiced multiple Webinars.

Over her career at NACCAS, Brittany supported multiple Committees and Panels, to include the Educational Quality Control Committee (in relation to complaints submitted against NACCAS accredited institutions), the NACCAS Appeal Review Panel (in relation to schools that have been withdrawn and/or denied accreditation), and numerous Commission Workgroups (provided assistance in shaping agency regulations in a collaborative effort with the policy makers). Through her management of the review of document submissions, and aiding committees and panels, Brittany has become an expert of the NACCAS Standards, Policies, and Rules and Regulations.

As we enter 2020, Brittany has decided to embark on several new life adventures, which includes furthering her journey in educational compliance by joining her friends (and former NACCAS colleagues) at EdMan. Brittany is excited to continue to have an opportunity to share her knowledge and passion of this field in a collaborative effort with institutions while working alongside dear friends.

Marissa Mercado

Marissa Mercado began her career in educational compliance in 2009 as a Regional Accreditation Specialist with the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NACCAS). Over her five years with NACCAS she assisted over 150 schools and led numerous on-site evaluations (both announced and unannounced) all over the U.S. She served as one of the lead educators at NACCAS Workshops and managed the preparation and review of monthly Committee and Commission agendas as the Accreditation Coordinator for the File Review Committee.

Upon her departure from NACCAS, Marissa switched roles and entered the private sector of the beauty school world. She spent her next three years navigating her way through the FAFSA and Title IV Disbursements while working as a Financial Aid Officer in South Florida. In 2017, she entered the management field and accepted a position as School Director where she was responsible for staff management, student management, budget management as well as community development. She continued to build her compliance knowledge by working with state and other regulatory agencies such as Vocational Rehabilitation and Veterans Affairs.

Marissa was given the privilege of working in both the accreditation and beauty school industry and has a true understanding of what it takes to make a beauty school successful. With an education compliance career expanding over ten years, she’s looking forward to this next adventure with EDMAN, the new possibilities it has to offer, and all the knowledge she’ll be able to share!

Jason Tiezzi

Jason Tiezzi has worked in educational compliance for nearly a decade since starting his career with the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS) in 2009. Over 10 years, Jason went from an analyst specializing in annual report review to the Director of NACCAS’ Department of Research and Compliance. In the process, he became an expert on NACCAS’ annual report, and also discovered a passion for helping schools make their way through an often complex process. In addition to the annual report, Jason oversaw and streamlined NACCAS’ non-substantive change processes, including non-substantive changes of ownership and state mandated changes.

In 2019, Jason decided to pursue his long-time interest in data analysis by studying for a Master’s degree in Data Science at the University of Virginia. While pursuing this degree, Jason is thrilled to be joining his longtime friends and colleagues Miranda and E.T. at EdMan, with a focus on data reporting and compliance. He is excited about seeing a different side of compliance and using the knowledge he has gained over the past decade to help schools reach their goals. When not working or studying, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, their two mischievous dogs, and their cat.

Miriam C. Percoco

Miriam has been in upper management of proprietary schools, specifically managing Financial Aid for 13 years. Before joining the corporate management team of a chain of beauty schools, she was the Financial Aid Administrator for the Hair Design Institute – Brooklyn Campus for 10 years. In her current role, she oversees the financial aid processing of all Federal Pell, Direct Loan and Campus-based award programs.

Miriam has a thorough understanding of the financial aid processes that comes from more than 20 years of working at different levels in the field, from a Financial Aid Officer, Bursar, Certifying Officer, as well as Assistant Director and Director of Financial Aid. Miriam is also a current and active member of NASFAA.

Miriam resides in Staten Island, New York, with her husband and her 2 children. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and traveling.

Miranda Jenks

Miranda Jenks (formerly Shurtleff), has worked within the educational field for over a decade and has been focused in compliance since 2009 when she started with the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Over her 7-year career with NACCAS, Miranda went from an Accreditation Specialist to an Accreditation Manager and aided hundreds of accredited and unaccredited schools with their overall accreditation process, including but not limited to; Candidate and Initial processes; Renewal of Accreditation; Changes of Ownership and Location; Addition of New Program and much more. Miranda was also able to travel the country and conduct hundreds of on-site evaluation visits for NACCAS.

In addition to working with individual schools, Miranda managed the curriculum and presentations for the quarterly NACCAS Workshops as well as being a lead instructor for nearly all the Workshops during her tenure with NACCAS. Furthermore, as a Manager with NACCAS, Miranda was able to assist the Commission in creating and clarifying the NACCAS Standards & Criteria.

Following her departure from NACCAS in late 2015, Miranda ventured out on her own, forming the consulting business Compliance Cycle to work directly with private career schools seeking accreditation or renewal of accreditation with NACCAS. She has been able to create Institutional Self-Studies (ISS’s), complete applications, conduct mock on-site evaluations, and overall assist schools with their compliance and accreditation goals.

In partnering with her friends and former colleagues, Miranda aims to bring her years of education and compliance experience to EdMan and truly build the premiere comprehensive Educational Consulting Company.

Eugene T. Hague, III

E.T. Hague has been in either direct management, or oversight of Private Career Schools for nearly a decade. A foreign language teacher by education, E.T. has a passion for education and the students served by EdMan Schools. E.T. began his career in for-profit education with the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), as an Accreditation Specialist. Eventually he was promoted into management of the organization. During his time at NACCAS, E.T. led teams of evaluators to several hundred schools across the nation, was a lead teacher at all of the quarterly Accreditation Workshops, and helped advise the Commission in the continuation and development of regulatory language and processes.

In 2011, E.T. moved to New York City to serve as the Vice-President of Operations & Compliance for a chain of seven Cosmetology and Skin Care Schools in New York and Florida. During his tenure in this position, E.T. streamlined processes not only in compliance, but in every facet of school operations. For a period of five years all of these schools underwent NACCAS onsite evaluations for Changes of Ownership and Renewals of Accreditation. No onsite evaluation team ever cited a limitation (finding) during any of these visits.

In the early part of 2016, E.T., along with founding partner Miranda Jenks, the decision was made to open a full-service education consulting company. E.T. believes that there is no better team, covering almost every area of a member’s school operations than the team at EdMan. When not travelling to Edman Member Schools, working remotely with clients, or travelling to his native West Virginia, E.T. can be found experiencing all of the sights and sounds of Manhattan.

Assistance With New Accreditation

If you have secured a State License already, and would like to move forward in securing accreditation for your school, we offer a myriad of services to help you start the process. Getting your school accredited is an excellent way to demonstrate legitimacy and credibility to the public, and most importantly, to prospective students!
- School/Course Catalogs
- Enrollment Agreements
- Withdrawal/Settlement Policies (Refund Policies)
- Satisfactory Academic Progress Policies
- School Operations Manuals
- Employee Training Manuals
- Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) Compliance
- Student Filing System Development and Management
EdMan Services employs several staff members who are considered to be subject-matter experts in the accreditation arena. Our services as they relate to these beginning stages include, but are not limited to:
- Guidance in seeking “Candidate Status”
- Completion and submission of the Candidate Application
- Development of the Preliminary Institutional Self-Study (ISS)
- Onsite or remote preparation prior to the Candidate Consultation Visit
- Completion and submission of the Application for Initial Accreditation
- Development and revision of the final ISS, and its submission
- Onsite or remote preparation for the full team onsite-evaluation for Initial Accreditation
- Preparation and submission of response to the Onsite Evaluation Visit Report, should limitations be cited
- Preparation and submission of deferral response, should the application be deferred by the Commission

We’re Here to Help When You Need Us

Meet the Team

Eugene T. Hague, III

Miranda Jenks

Miriam C. Percoco

Letha barnes

Marissa Mercado

Brittany Burnett