Meet our Executive Adivising Team
Our executive advisory team includes seasoned professionals with extensive experience, each bringing a unique blend of academic and real-world expertise.
Dr. Joel M. DiCicco, CPA
Dr. Joel M. DiCicco, CPA, is a finance, taxation, and accounting expert with 40+ years of experience across government, academia, and professional service. At the IRS, he advanced to Territory Manager for Financial Products, and later Global High Wealth and Large Business Employment Taxes, leading examinations of sophisticated taxpayers and overseeing complex structuring, valuation, and employment-tax matters. For 15+ years he has taught in Florida Atlantic University’s Graduate Executive Programs as a full-time Senior Instructor in accounting, finance, and taxation. He contributes to the profession through the Florida Institute of CPAs (Editorial Committee and Accounting Principles/Auditing Standards Committee) and serves on the LIRN Board, advising on investments, financial reporting, and Form 990 compliance. He holds a PhD (Public Administration—budgeting/finance), MS-Tax, MBA-Finance, plus credentials in valuation, forensics, and management accounting.
Heidi DiCicco, JD, PMP, President
Heidi DiCicco, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Florida University Southeast (FUSE), brings a diverse background to her roles, with over a decade of experience as an educator, an eclectic educational background, and extensive administrative practice. She holds a master’s degree in business, a Juris Doctorate with multiple academic recognitions, and is a JSD Candidate. Ms. DiCicco has taught various subjects at the college level, served as a court administrator and attorney for a child advocacy program, worked briefly as a Senior Attorney for Florida’s Office of the Attorney General, Children’s Legal Services, and previously held a position as a Department Director for a nonprofit.
Luís Carvalho
Luís Carvalho is a communications and education specialist, writer, and script adviser with 17 years’ experience turning research and public-health evidence into engaging campaigns and e-learning. He co-created and co-wrote the award-winning 2’ Life-Changing Minutes, Portugal’s first health-education series, and led scripts for national campaigns, including a tuberculosis-prevention series commissioned by the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health. Education Coordinator at the UK-based International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), he designs and coordinates e-learning and capacity-building for primary-care professionals worldwide. Luís has managed strategic communications, led education and health-promotion initiatives, and worked in quality assurance for higher education. He serves as an Erasmus+ external evaluator, also writes for stage and screen, teaches scriptwriting, and holds a Master in Research and Innovation in Higher Education (MARIHE, Erasmus Mundus).
Edward W. Choi
Dr. Edward W. Choi is an assistant professor at Yonsei University’s Underwood International College, where he serves as Writing Center Director and sits on the board of Dongyang University. A scholar of international and comparative higher education, his work examines governance, internationalization, and family-owned universities in Korea and globally. He has edited and authored books with Routledge, Brill|Sense, and Springer; published in Policy Reviews in Higher Education and International Higher Education; and contributes to debates on medical-education internationalization. Choi reviews for Higher Education Research & Development and the International Journal of African Higher Education and serves on the editorial board of Educazione. He earned a PhD in Higher Education from Boston College, an MA in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, an MSW in Not-for-profit Management from Rutgers, and a BA in Economics from Boston College. His teaching spans research methods, sociology of education, and Korean higher-education internationalization
Dr. İsa Saraç
Dr. İsa Saraç is a scholar and higher-education entrepreneur dedicated to global academic collaboration and innovative learning. Educated in Turkey (BSc Mathematics, Ege University; MSc Applied Statistics and Computing, Ege; PhD Econometrics, Dokuz Eylül University), he combines quantitative rigor with institution building. An academic visitor at the University of Warwick, he later founded London Meridian College in London, serving as president. Relocating to the U.S., he established Virginia International University in Fairfax, Virginia, leading it for 24 years until 2023 and building a multicultural institution recognized for international orientation and student success. He currently serves as president of the Society for the Advancement of Global Academics (SAGA), advancing cross-border partnerships, technology-enabled pedagogy, and access to higher education. His career reflects leadership with global, lasting impact.
Dereje Tessema, PhD, PMP, PMI-ACP, CEA, SAF-SPC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (CEO)
Dr. Dereje Tessema, the Vice President of Florida University Southeast, brings over 25 years of experience in managing government and private sector projects and programs. With a Ph.D. in Management, two master’s degrees, and several industry certifications, he specializes in enterprise architecture and provides consulting services in EdTech, FinTech, and infrastructure projects. As an accomplished author of three books and numerous research papers on leadership and management, Dr. Tessema’s expertise contributes significantly to driving innovation and excellence in education at Florida University. Southeast.
Ayenachew Aseffa (PhD, MPM, SAFe-SM), Chief Academic and Research Officer
Ayenachew Aseffa holds a PhD in higher education from the Center for International Higher Education, Boston College. He has over a decade of international experience working in the higher education sector in both academic and non-academic roles. In the past two years Ayenachew has been leading the academic and research wing of FUSE. In this role, he drives the institution’s academic and research initiatives by providing strategic leadership to enhance teaching, learning, and scholarship programs Ayenachew works closely with faculty on strategic planning, faculty development, research oversight, and fostering partnerships for innovation and impact. He ensures alignment with institutional goals, advocates for academic quality, and represents the organization externally.
