Meet Our Team

Mike McHugh
Chief Executive Officer
Mike is a 20-year veteran of higher education, working with both career oriented and degree-granting intuitions …

Justin Gill
Chief Marketing Officer
Justin is passionate about connecting with people in beneficial ways and has been for the past decade. In his role as …

Matt Killday
Chief Operating Officer
For over 15 years, Matt has dedicated his professional life to career education and advancement. Serving in roles ranging …

Chris Palevich, MBA, MSM
President
Chris has worked in sourcing or empowering students for employment for the last 16 years. He started his career with …

Teresa Draeger
Community Outreach Director
Teresa Draeger joined the Premier Nursing Academy team in 2019. She has over 10 years experience in digital marketing …

Gail King, LPN
Instructor, Pinellas Park
They say when you know, you know. Gail has known her whole life that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field …

Evelyn Haus
Admissions Specialist, Pinellas Park
Though she’s a recent addition to the Premier Nursing Academy team, Evelyn is not new to working with students …

Rose Mercandetti, RN
Instructor, Bradenton
Rose has been with Premier Nursing Academy—Bradenton since November 2020. She’s a registered nurse with over 30 years …

Dahman McKinnon
Admissions Specialist, Bradenton
Dahman has been working for the Bradenton Premier Nursing Academy location since October 2020. A graduate of Virginia …