Lincoln College Of New England

Board of Trustees

Meet our Distinguished Members of Lincoln College of New England's Board of Trustees: 

Joel E. Rubin, Chairman

Joel E. Rubin spent twenty three years with The Princeton Review, a publicly-traded educational services company.  His most recent position was as Senior Vice President and COO of the Test Preparation Division, where he oversaw all business operations for the network of 54 field offices in the US and Canada.  With the company since 1987, he also worked with the company as a franchise operator and owner, Vice President of Operations, and Vice President of Financial Systems.  Joel received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis.  Joel lives in New Jersey, where he serves as a publicly elected member of the Norwood Board of Education.

Richard H. Gesseck

Richard H. Gesseck, C.P.A., is a partner of UHY LLP and he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of New Haven.  Richard has more than 35 years of public accounting experience including, 20 years as an audit partner with a Big 4 firm, serving middle-market, public and privately-held manufacturing, distribution, and high tech companies.  He was the lead audit partner to two Fortune 500 companies.  Also, he has been a conference leader for more than 200 technical accounting and auditing seminars for both the Connecticut Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs.  Richard has been honored by the CSCPA AND AICPA with multiple outstanding discussion leader awards.  In addition he developed a professional ethics review course for new CPAs in Connecticut, as well as authored courses for the AICPA.  Richard has been an adjunct faculty member at three Connecticut universities: Fairfield, Quinnipiac and New Haven.

Dorothy J. Gilliard

Dorothy Gilliard  currently serves as Vice President of Student Financial Services for Lincoln Educational Services.  In this capacity she oversees the Financial Aid Services for 43 campuses and 17 states as well as the corporations online learning environment.  Dorothy has 38 years of experience in Education Finance and Federal Financial Aid (Title IV) Administration. 

Before coming to Lincoln in 1993 she was a corporate Vice President for two major NJ banks and served as President of the New Jersey Association of Women Bankers. Dorothy is a member of both the National (NASFAA) and New Jersey (NJASFAA) Associations of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

She has frequently been asked to provide training to fellow financial aid administrators through both organizations.   Dorothy is also an active member of the NJ Financial Aid Speaker’s Bureau and provides information seminars to college-bound students at high schools throughout New Jersey.

Dorothy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from  Edison State College.

Victoria Godfrey

Victoria Godfrey brings over 20 years of broad based business experience to the LCNE Board of Trustees.  Most recently she served as Chief Marketing Officer for ZipCar, the global car sharing web based service.  Prior to that Mrs. Godfrey held senior marketing leadership positions with Moster.com Worldwide, Fidelity Investments, Polaroid Corporation and GTE Corporation.  In each capacity she lead efforts surrounding brand architecture, web optimization, public relations, category management as well as cross functional customer service initiatives.  Mrs. Godfrey earned her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude from The University of Vermont and her Master’s degree in International Management from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management.

Dr. Abby Kanarek

Dr. Abby Kanarek received her B.A. in Sociology from Syracuse University and her Ph.D. in Social Ecology/Urban Studies from the University of California, Irvine.  She has written numerous test preparation and review guides in American, European and World History and textbook supplements for state-level test readiness in the social sciences.  Dr. Kanarek works as a private educational consultant in Southern California as well as Vice President, Operations of Living in Digital Times, Inc.  She is also a member of the Parents Advisory Board at Gettysburg College.

Scott Kern

Scott Kern is the founding partner of Kern & Hillman, LLC, Connecticut’s only law firm dedicated to the needs of clients engaged in franchising.  For over 20 years, Scott has represented distribution and franchise businesses in transactions, financing, litigation and regulatory matters.  Kern & Hillman also provides strategic and tactical business advice for distribution and brand management companies.  Previously, Scott managed the franchise business of Carvel Corporation, the largest franchisor of ice cream shops in the East while also serving as its general counsel.  Previously he served for eleven years as Vice President and General Counsel of Condere Corporation, a manufacturer and retailer of truck and commercial tires.  Scott is the past Chairman of the Franchise Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising.  He is a frequent speaker at franchise industry events.  Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Yale University, a Master of Arts in History from the University of Virginia School of Arts and Sciences, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and an MBA from the University of New Haven.

John J. King

Dr. John King is Sr. Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Academic Affairs and Student Services.  Before joining Lincoln John was as a corporate Senior VP of Academic Affairs for Career Education Corporation (CEC) where he represented the University Division and the Art and Design Division, a group consisting of 32 campuses throughout the United States and Europe.  Prior to this position, he assumed roles at CEC such as Provost, Vice President of Education at Brown College in Minnesota, and Divisional Vice President of Academic Affairs for the College Division at their corporate headquarters in Illinois.   John was employed by the Minnesota State College and University System for 13 years as an instructor and administrator.  He was also an adjunct instructor in the Master’s and Doctoral Education programs at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.  Before John entered the education arena, he worked in the Marketing and Communications field.  John has served in a number of oversight capacities including serving as a Trustee on the Lehigh Valley College Board and on the Board of Trustees at McIntosh College in New Hampshire.  John earned a BA in Economics at St. Bernard College, a Masters in Education from the University of Minnesota and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas.

Thomas O’Brien

Thomas O’Brien is affiliated with Carriage Services, a leading provider of funeral and cemetery services and products.  He currently serves as Chairman of the Bristol Burlington Health District, a member of the Bristol Board of Education and as a Director of New England Bank.  Upon graduation from Boston College Mr. O’Brien worked for the Exxon Corporation for 10 years holding various financial positions in the United States and Europe. 

Tobey B. Marzouk

Tobey B. Marzouk, a partner at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Marzouk & Parry, is a leading expert on software and information technology law.  Additionally Mr. Marzouk as an arbitrator on the technology panel of the American Arbitration Association and is currently a Consulting Editor to the Internet Law & Business Reporter and has served as a consultant to the Computer Law Reporter.  He has lectured extensively on technology law and has authored three books on software and e-commerce law, as well as numerous articles in national and international trade and legal journals.  Mr. Marzouk’s leadership and success representing information technology clients was recognized when the firm was listed in the 2010 The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Information Technology Law.  Mr. Marzouk received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Harvard Law School.