Norman Wright, PhD, President and CEO
Ex Officio Board Member, President & Chief Executive OfficerDr. Norman Wright was appointed as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine effective February 1, 2022 following a national search. Prior to his position at the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, he served as the Dean of the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University for eleven years, leading that institution through the introduction of several new undergraduate and graduate programs, two accreditation renewals, significant fundraising, a doubling of the student body and faculty team, creation of a world-class advisory board, and building a new 200,000 square foot business building.
Dr. Wright holds a Ph.D. in Management from Wharton as well as an M.A. degree in Management from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Public Administration degree and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brigham Young University. Prior to joining the Woodbury School of Business, Dr. Wright served in academic administration for nine years in the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, and Hawaii.
In addition to his academic work, Dr. Wright maintains close connection with industry through consulting and board service including with organizations such as Kahuku Community Hospital, the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Academy for Creating Enterprise, and Provo City Power.
John Dougherty, DO, FACOFP, FAOASM, FAODME
Founding Dean & Chief Academic OfficerAfter an undergraduate degree in education Dr. Dougherty graduated from medical school from Kansas City University. He is board certified in Family Medicine and holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Sports Medicine. He is recognized as a fellow in both Family and Sports Medicine as well as two Academic Leadership colleges. Dr. Dougherty is past President American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine (AOASM), an Organizational Physician for the Kansas City Royals serving in the Dominican Republic in collaboration with the Kansas City Royals and Dominican Republic Ministry of Health since 2008.
Immediately before coming to Provo, Dr. Dougherty had been serving as Dean of the medical school for Touro University in Henderson, Nevada. Prior to that he served in a variety of senior leadership roles at his alma matter in Kansas City for 20 years.
Dr. Dougherty is a Certified Physician Leader in Administration. He was selected for and completed a Senior Leadership Development Program, a National Health Policy Fellowship and holds a Certificate in Finance from the University of California, San Diego – Rady School of Management. He was voted Family Physician of the Year for Missouri in 2014, named Education Health Care Headliner by VegasInc Magazine in 2018 and was recently selected to serve as a Governor for the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Doug Evans, AD
Director of Facility & OperationsDoug Evans comes to Noorda-COM with 25 years’ experience in the facilities and operational management of large commercial buildings and construction management. Mr. Evans began his journey as a Chief Engineer while working for the Financial District in Salt Lake City, Utah before moving into higher education where he has worked as a Director of Facilities for the past 10 years. His previous institutions have included the Montana Technological University of the University of Montana and the University of Utah. Mr. Evans will be overseeing construction of the new Noorda-COM campus and will be responsible for the daily operations once it is completed.
Ralph House, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Esther Nuebel, PhD, MS
Faculty of BiochemistryDr. Nuebel graduated from the University of Hohenheim, Germany with her bachelors and master’s degree in clinical nutrition. After a couple of years advising patients on their diet for life in the rare disease community she received a PhD in Biochemistry from the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Dr. Nuebel was at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), CA for her postdoctoral training investigating hESC and their metabolism and complemented her training with positions at the University of Crete, Greece, the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK and the University of Utah, UT, USA. Before joining Noorda-COM Dr. Nuebel discovered putative therapeutic targets in the treatment of peroxisomal biogenesis disorders when she was a HHMI fellow at the University of Utah, UT. Dr. Nuebel currently serves as faculty teaching biochemistry in the Biomedical Sciences Department where she can use her passion about supporting the rare disease community to bring biochemistry to life for the new generation of osteopathic physicians. Dr. Nuebel is also staying active in her research projects. Her lab focuses on exploring basic biochemical mechanisms affected by rare diseases, with the intend to support therapeutic interventions.
Rebecca Ortinez, MBA
Project Manager of Technology OperationsA self-declared Connecticut Yankee, Rebecca Ortinez comes to Noorda-COM with over 15 years experience in higher education and 20 years as a project manager. Ms. Ortinez honed her project management skills while working for Swire Coca-Cola in Draper. Rebecca worked at the University of Connecticut in Storrs in multiple departments, including the Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP). She also held various roles at UMass Memorial Medical Center and Utah Valley Hospital. She is currently overseeing all implementation of operational technology for the College. Ms. Ortinez is passionate about efficient processes, clear communication and technology that makes life easier. Rebecca received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Brigham Young University. She received her Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut with concentrations in Information Technology and Marketing. Rebecca is passionate about technology and how students utilize and interact with it.
Analane Powell
Senior Administrative AssistantAnalane Powell is a graduate of Utah Valley University and is the Noorda-COM Senior Administrative Assistant to Academic Affairs and the Department of Research. Ms. Powell has over 25 years of experience as an administrative assistant and has spent most of her career in higher education. Ms. Powell was recognized nationally when she received the 2022 All-Star Hall of Fame Award from Office Ninjas’ for being one of the five highest performing administrative assistants in the United States.
Schyler Richards
Vice President of Institutional AdvancementWith nearly 30 years of Advancement experience in higher education, Schyler Richards has served as Noorda-COM’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement since July 2020. Prior to joining Noorda-COM, Ms. Richards served in the same capacity at Touro University Nevada from 2010 to June 2020. As a member of the senior leadership team at the Noorda-COM, she provides advice and counsel on matters related to the College’s outreach to various external audiences and has overall responsibility for Development, Alumni Relations, Marketing and Public Relations, Advertising, Media Relations, Government Relations, and Community/External Relations. Ms. Richards previously worked at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas holding numerous positions, including Associate Vice President for Alumni & External Relations, Associate Vice President for Community Relations, Chief of Staff to the University President, and Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship.
Dave Sorensen, M.HRD, CPRP
Director of Human ResourcesA native of Northern Utah, Dave Sorensen joined the Noorda team in December 2019 as the Director of Human Resources with over 20 years’ experience in Human Resources and Mental Health. Prior to moving back to Utah, Dave owned and operated the largest private outpatient mental health clinic in southern Idaho. He has a degree in Psychology from Utah State University and a master’s degree in Human Resource Training & Development from Idaho State University. Dave has a passion for working with recruitment, HR policy and employee relations. He has been a recognized crisis intervention instructor and parent educator for many years throughout Southeastern Idaho.
Christina Twelves, MPA
Director of Financial AidChristina Twelves serves as Noorda-COM’s Director of Financial Aid. Ms. Twelves arrives at Noorda-COM with over 25 years working within higher education at major universities including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada State College, Westminster College, and Touro University Nevada, as well as the U.S. Department of Education. Ms. Twelves is passionate and committed to assisting students with attaining their dreams. Her philosophy is that quality student service provides students with the opportunity to focus on their education, not worrying about the financial aid process.
