US-Based
Brad Wertheimer
President
Brad Wertheimer is President of Access American Education and founded
AAE in 2008 with his business partners, Jim Barger and Ken Cooper. Brad is a practicing attorney, licensed in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a JD from Rutgers University-Camden. Brad has worked as a trial attorney for the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender since 1984 and resides in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania with his wife and two daughters.
Jim Barger
CEO
Jim Barger is the Chief Executive Officer of Access American Education. Jim holds the position of Vice President of Broadcast Operations & Engineering for the NBC owned television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to his employment with NBC, Jim worked in a variety of journalism and supervisory roles at CBS. Jim holds a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology from the Philadelphia Institute, and holds a Green Belt in Six Sigma Quality Training. Jim has also completed several “Experienced Manager Courses” at General Electric. Jim resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania with his wife and two children.
Ken Cooper
Paralegal
Ken Cooper founded AAE in 2008 with his business partners Brad Wertheimer & Jim Barger. Ken holds an Associates Degree in Paralegal Studies from Pierce College in Philadelphia and previously worked as a paralegal focusing on business development and strategic planning while specializing in finance, real estate and transactional law. Later in his legal career, Ken worked as a pro bono specialist. Ken is also a certified gemologist and ran a family jewelry shop from 1976 to 1996.
Phone: (856) 308-5426
Ekaterina (Kate) Lyapustina
International Portfolio Manager
Kate is an International Portfolio Manager for Access American Education and resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kate is a graduate of Temple University and is currently pursuing her MBA from Drexel University with a concentration in Marketing. Kate has worked in the fields of international marketing and public relations prior to joining AAE, focusing on the education, travel, fashion and media industries. Kate speaks Russian and English fluently and is conversational in Spanish.
Rachel Weisgerber
Program Coordinator
Rachel is the Program Coordinator for Access American Education, coordinating business efforts with AAE partner institutions. Rachel resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the University of Delaware and an alumna of the Peace Corps. Prior to joining AAE, Rachel worked in the legal field before moving into education as an English teacher in Japan and Africa.
Vietnam-Based
Nguyen Thi Nhu
Office Manager, HCMC
Nguyen Thi Nhu (“Ruby”) is the Office Manager for AAE Vietnam and resides in Ho Chi Minh City. Ruby holds a degree from the Pedagogy & Technology University of Vietnam and she has also taken courses at the University of Minnesota in the United States. Prior to joining AAE, Ruby was the Vietnamese representative for Runckel & Associates, a US Consulting firm with diverse projects throughout Asia. She also has served as a part time instructor at the Open University in Ho Chi Minh City and is active in assisting foreign universities and other groups in environmental, educational and other development projects throughout the country. Ruby speaks and writes fluently in English and has vast experience in the Visa Interview process and in assisting students in this regard.
Jack Zissler
Sales Director, HCMC
Jack Zissler manages Sales and Business Development efforts for AAE Vietnam and resides in Ho Chi Minh City. Jack graduated from Boston College with a BS degree in finance and holds an MBA from Georgetown University in the United States. Prior to joining AAE, Jack spent five years at Citigroup, holding positions in San Francisco, Hong Kong and finally, New York City, where he rose to the position of Vice President of Consumer Banking Strategy. He has also spent time teaching, volunteering and assisting small businesses within Vietnam as a consultant.
Le Hong Xuan
Coordinator of Marketing and Public Relations, HCMC
Le Hong Xuan leads AAE Vietnam’s Marketing, Public Relations and Social Media efforts and resides in Ho Chi Minh City. Xuan is a graduate of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology with a major in International Relations. Xuan is fluent in English, Cantonese and is conversational in Mandarin Chinese and has participated in two cultural exchange programs where she lived in the United States. Xuan has also been involved in extensive work with charity projects in her native Vietnam.
