Program Developers
Dr. D. Michael Shafer, Co-Founder Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc.
Michael (B.A. Yale, Ph.D. Harvard), Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Rutgers University, is published widely in foreign policy and international political economy, and has taught at universities around the world. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a 21st Century Fellow. With funding from, inter alia, the Department of State and European Union, he has managed higher education reform initiatives in the Baltic states, Central and Eastern Europe, and Lebanon. He is the founder of Global PACT, an international community development and civic engagement training program. With funding from Ford, Open Society Institute, Prudential and the United States Institute of Peace, he ran Global PACT programs in Brazil, Cambodia, Croatia, South Africa and Thailand. Since 2008 he has devoted himself entirely to Warm Heart.
Michelle Warn, Ph.D., University of Arizona Global Campus
Michelle’s technology vision began with her work at Apple, Inc. both in Cupertino and at Apple Pacific Japan and Hong Kong. There she implemented business and technology solutions that helped lead the world into the digital age. As director of the Center for Distance Learning, San Diego State University for almost 20 years, she developed some of the first online degrees. At SDSU, Michelle had the opportunity to provide sustainable online degrees and training to students around the world, including Micronesia and Afghanistan.
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Michelle is faculty in the Education Doctoral program at the University of Arizona Global Campus. She has published and presented on accessibility for students with disabilities and education opportunities for under-served populations nationally and globally. She continues to research models, ideas and strategies for re-envisioning education in the nation and world.
Eugene Fregetto, Ph.D., Hope Global University Program Developer
Eugene Fregetto, taught entrepreneurship, B2B Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Research, Global Marketing, and Personal Selling courses at the University of Illinois. In addition, he taught entrepreneurship in DePaul’s MBA program for ten years and co-developed DePaul’s MBA Entrepreneurship program in 1985. Professor Fregetto’s current research interests include minority and ethnic entrepreneurship including preferential government contracting programs, assessment of student learning in entrepreneurship, and examining the conceptual development of entrepreneurship. The publication of his research includes a chapter in Entrepreneurship: The Way Ahead, publication in the Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, and numerous conference proceedings for the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Collaboration and Research
Gina Zaffino, Ph.D. Senior Researcher
Gina is a globally focused educator who has dedicated her life to empowering people through education and human development. Whether teaching business skills to college students, English to foreign speakers, or helping teenage girls build their confidence, Gina believes in meeting students where they are and giving them the tools they need to succeed.
Gina’s career in academia has allowed her to work with underprivileged populations such as students with autism, women in Africa, low-income families, and most recently orphans in Thailand. She is dedicated to continuing to help people learn and give them the education, skills, and support needed to grow and develop into independent and self-sufficient individuals.
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Debra Chittur, Ed.D., Hope Global University Founder
Debra is an entrepreneur, university leader, educational technologist, and former K12 and Adult Basic Education teacher and administrator. She has taught and trained faculty in the areas of English as a Second Language, Gifted and Talented Education, American History, and Parenting.
Her research interests include curriculum development, online learning, and technology integration in virtual and onground classrooms. Currently she is Associate Provost at Independence University, an online non profit university in the United States.
Evelind Schecter, Co-Founder Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc.
Evelind left her position as Director of Specialized Business Support Services at Merck and Company, Inc. to become Director of Finance at Warm Heart, Thailand. Born in Japan, and raised in Japan, Hong Kong and the Soviet Union, she has also had a long career in international business and consulting. With over twenty-five years of experience with business management, she brings Warm Heart her extensive knowledge of human resources, operations and technology.
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Chamnian Choti, Manager of Human Resources and Program Development, Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc.
Chamnian finished her Fine Arts degree and was a graphic designer for many years. Her passion for service to the community guided her to find a place at Warm Heart where she plays an integral role in the operations of the organization. She also plays a vital role in the support of the Entrepreneur Program as interpreter and program administrator.
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