President George J. Hagerty
A passionate leader in special education, Dr. George J. Hagerty continues to transform the way higher education institutions around the globe serve the needs of students with learning differences. Appointed as Beacon College president in 2013, he cultivates an environment where neurodivergent students — who are often “put second” — are prioritized first, fully embraced, and set on a course to pursue worthy work and an independent life. His vision and dedication to the institution have resulted in Beacon College’s transformative growth and rise in national recognition.
Transformative Growth
Under his leadership, Beacon College has seen a historic increase in its enrollment and graduation rates. In just under a decade, the institution has grown from 187 undergraduate students to over 500. Compared to the only 27% of collegians with learning differences who graduated in four years and 54% who were unemployed nationally during that time, 63% of Beacon College students graduated with a degree in four years, and 71.4% secured post-degree employment or pursued advanced studies.
Dr. Hagerty also launched our study abroad programs, Beacon in Tuscany and Beacon in Tokyo, guided our athletic program through admission into the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, opened new dormitories and academic spaces, built gardens and green spaces for students to relax and socialize, and currently leads the effort to build an on-campus Intramural & Fitness Center. He also helped establish a more neurodiverse talent pipeline by building corporate partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, including Dell Technologies, The Walt Disney Company, Johnson & Johnson, Wells Fargo, and more.
Prior to his time at Beacon, Hagerty served as president of University Advisors International, Inc. (UAI), a U.S.-based international investment and consulting company that provided counsel to institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, and corporations on four continents. Previous to that appointment, he served as provost and university professor at the newly founded Hellenic American University in Athens, Greece, and as the president of Franklin Pierce University.
As an academic, Hagerty served in faculty and administrative roles at his alma maters — Stonehill College and Harvard University. His teaching, research, and writing are focused on government, special education policy and finance, educational innovation, and non-profit management. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and policy papers in these arenas.
After completing a post-doctoral fellowship in the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Hagerty was appointed to a series of posts in the newly created U.S. Department of Education, culminating in his appointment as the chief of compliance and enforcement in the Office of Special Education Programs. Since leaving federal service, Hagerty has been counsel to both Democratic and Republican administrations on issues related to education, state-federal relations, and public finance.
Prominent among Hagerty’s governing board appointments are his service as chair of the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), as well as chair of the Presidents Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA-Division II). He also served on the board of the American Council on Education (ACE) and was appointed to the council’s Commission on Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness.
Leadership
Dr. Brent Betit
Chief Operating Officer
352-787-0981bbetit@beaconcollege.eduDr. Fred Gore
Chief Financial Officer
352-365-1165fgore@beaconcollege.eduDr. Oksana Hagerty
Dean of the Center for Student Success and Disability Services Coordinator
352-638-9780ohagerty@beaconcollege.eduDale Herold
Senior Vice President of Enrollment Management and Auxiliary Program Initiatives
352-638-9778dherold@beaconcollege.eduDr. Brad Hough
Chief Information Officer
352-365-1357bhough@beaconcollege.eduRichard Killion
Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Strategy
352-638-9801RKillion@beaconcollege.eduDana Manzo
Vice President of Student Affairs
352-638-9751dmanzo@beaconcollege.eduDarryl E. Owens
Associate Vice President of Communication and Engagement
352-638-9789dowens@beaconcollege.eduDr. Kevin Reilly
Vice President of Academic Affairs
352-638-9788kreilly@beaconcollege.eduBoard of Trustees
Beacon’s Board of Trustees, along with the College’s employees, are entrusted with envisioning a present and future that both safeguards the College’s singular undergraduate mission and anticipates evolving student expectations.
Trustees
- Daniel Averbeck, Ph.D. – Chair
- Sarah Flanagan, MAT – Vice Chair
- John R. Rogers – Secretary/Treasurer
- Jennifer L. Braaten, Ed.D.
- Peter Giamalva
- John R. Gill, MBS
- Mark J. Griffin, Ph.D.
- Sheldon H. Horowitz, Ed.D.
- Nancy Judge, MBA
- Jennifer Ford Knopf
- Alfred H. Moffett, M.D.
- Janet Morrow
- Debbie Resnick, MA, SPL, CCC
- Hugh W. Thompson, III
- Charo Uceda, MA
Trustees Emeriti
- Bruce Vincent, MA (2009-2016)
- Richard O. Williams, Ph.D. (2002-2014)