Western Governors University
Donations deductibleWestern Governors University's network
17 people5 organisationsi17 people and 5 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (17). Violet dotted lines (12) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
17 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 16 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Sorenson Chair | Chair (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| David E Simmons Chair (also filed as David Simmons) | Director (Chair Thru 12/22) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| April Chou | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Cole Clark | Director | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| David R Grow (also filed as David Grow) | COO (As of 01/23) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| GOV Eric Holcomb | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| GOV Jared Polis | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Jessie Woolley-Wilson | Director | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Jim Geringer | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Joe Fuller | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| John Bluford | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Kerry Healy | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Lenny Mendonca | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Sam Smith | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Scott Pulsipher | Director, President | 2019 | 7 yrs |
| Talia Milgrom-Elcott | Director (As of 01/23) | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Tammy Johns | Director | 2020 | 6 yrs |
Officers and senior leadership
21 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Andre Bennin | SVP, Managing Partner (Juvo) | since 2021 |
| Andre Bueno | University Development Direct | since 2020 |
| Annalisa Holcombe | President, Wgu Advancement | 2023 |
| Bonnie Pattee | SVP,People/Talent(From 8/5/21) | since 2022 |
| Charlie Nguyen | University Development Direct | 2021 |
| Curt L Defriez | VP of Accounting (From 8/5/21) | since 2019 |
| Jacob Hancock | Business Ops & Production MGR | 2020 |
| Jason Thompson | VP, Diversity & Inclusion | 2023 |
| Jeremy Robinson | VP, People Development | 2023 |
| Maia Sharpley | SVP, Managing Partner (Juvo) | 2022 |
| Marni Baker-Stein | Chief Academic Off(Thru 12/22) | 2023 |
| Matthew Sanders | SVP, University Development | since 2019 |
| Michael Morris | Senior MGR / Head of Strategy | since 2020 |
| Nadeem Syed | CFO, Treasurer (From 8/5/21) | since 2022 |
| Paul Droubay | VP, Total Rewards | since 2022 |
| Rebecca Marquette | University Development Direct | since 2020 |
| Robert Hunt | SVP, General Council/Secretary | since 2018 |
| Sara Reed | VP, People & Talent | 2023 |
| Scott Tanner | VP of Finance (From 8/5/21) | 2022 |
| Sean Brown | Sr Associate, General Counsel | since 2020 |
| Wesley Smith | SVP, Policy & Public Affairs | 2022 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Smith | Sr VP, Leavitt School of Health (Thru 8/2024) | 40 | $585k | $54k | |
| Mitsu Frazier | Sr VP, Business College | 40 | $534k | $71k | |
| Deborah Fowler | Sr VP, Academic Delivery | 40 | $527k | $67k | |
| David Perkinson | Sr VP, Program Development | 40 | $481k | $54k | |
| Gene Hayes | Sr VP, Regional Operations | 40 | $444k | $52k | |
| Paul Bingham | Sr VP, School of Technology | 40 | $441k | $31k | |
| Stacey Ludwig Johnson | Executive Director, Work-Based Pathways | 40 | $427k | $61k | |
| Scott Neuner | Sr VP, Marketing | 40 | $397k | $42k | |
| Sarah Demark | Vice Provost | 40 | $360k | $59k | |
| Richard Benbow | Regional Vice President | 40 | $358k | $27k | |
| Joseph Dery | VP, Dean - School of Tech (Thru 2/2025) | 40 | $340k | $18k | |
| Tonya Drake | Regional Vice President | 40 | $326k | $28k | |
| Kimberly Estep | Regional Vice President | 40 | $326k | $70k | |
| Joe Fuller | Chair | 1 | $0 | ||
| Lenny Mendonca | Vice-Chair | 1 | $0 | ||
| Scott Pulsipher | Trustee/President | 2 | $0 | $2.1m | $66k |
| April Chou | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| Cole Clark | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| David Simmons | Trustee (Emeritus As of 11/2024) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Dr Harold Lee Martin Sr | Trustee (As of 4/2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Dr Ruth Watkins | Trustee (As of 11/2024) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Dwana Franklin-Davis | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| Eloy Ortiz Oakley | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| Gov Eric Holcomb | Trustee (Thru 11/2024) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Gov Jared Polis | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| Jessie Wooley-Wilson | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| John W Bluford III | Trustee (Thru 11/2024) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Kerry Healy | Trustee (Thru 01/2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Talia Milgrom-Elcott | Trustee | 1 | $0 | ||
| Courtney Hills McBeth | Chief Academic Officer & Provost | 2 | $0 | $640k | $52k |
| David Grow | Chief Operating Officer | 2 | $0 | $955k | $75k |
| Nadeem Syed | CFO & Treasurer | 2 | $0 | $796k | $55k |
| Robert Hunt | Sr VP, General Counsel/Secretary | 2 | $0 | $464k | $90k |
About
- Legal name
- Western Governors University
- EIN
- 474365018
- Address
- 4001 South 700 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84107-2177
- State
- Utah
- Mission
- Wgu's mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. Wgu does this by operating and administering an institution of higher education and learning. (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- B03 Education
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Education
- Size band
- 9 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 2015
- IRS ruling date
- 1 March 2016
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 6, latest 2023
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Related organisations (Schedule R)
RelatedSUPPORT SERVICESWgu CorporationRelatedSUPPORTMiller Bullen Hansen Scholarship Foundation IncRelatedSUPPORTHansen Scholars Wgu Foundation Inc
Longest observed on the filings
≥8years on the filingsDavid E Simmons
≥8years on the filingsDavid R Grow
≥7years on the filingsScott Pulsipher
≥6years on the filingsCole Clark
Latest return
year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $852.3m
- Total liabilities
- $471.8m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $380.5m
- Contributions and grants received
- $8m
- Program service revenue
- $1.68bn
- Grants and similar paid out
- $57.2m
- Employees
- 8,454
- Volunteers
- 14
Grants paid
1 listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Social Finance Inc | Establishment of renew fund | $2.5m |
State registration
2 entitiesiBusiness-entity registers published by US states. These records are matched to this organisation by name and state, not by EIN, and are labelled as likely matches. Street addresses are not shown.Western Governors University likely matchiMatched by exact name and state (and ZIP where shown). State registers do not publish EINs, so this is not a confirmed match. Source: Colorado Secretary of State (CDOS), business entities (data.colorado.gov 4ykn-tg5h). Licence: public domain. Data last fetched 18 October 2026.
- State
- Colorado
- Entity type
- nonprofit corporation
- Status
- Good Standing
- Formed
- 10 October 2023
- Registered agent
- Cogency Global Inc. (city and state not held)
This register does not publish officers or directors.
Western Governors University likely matchiMatched by exact name and state (and ZIP where shown). State registers do not publish EINs, so this is not a confirmed match. Source: Oregon Secretary of State, active business entities (data.oregon.gov tckn-sxa6). Licence not stated. Data last fetched 18 October 2026.
- State
- Oregon
- Entity type
- nonprofit corporation
- Status
- Active
- Formed
- 23 October 2023
- Registered agent
- Cogency Global Inc. (city and state not held)