The Faculty and Staff at Washington Online are dedicated professionals who are first and foremost concerned about serving you, our students.

Professors and Assistant Professors at The Washington Online Learning Institute are all trained professionals in their respective fields.

The instructors for all of our paralegal courses, including the Paralegal Certificate Programs, are practicing attorneys, paralegals, or experienced paralegal instructors with a wealth of experience in their fields. Instructors who teach legal and paralegal courses are all attorneys. Full professors have at least 10 years experience. Instructors who teach medical courses have all earned professional credentials in the fields they teach.

All of our instructors have a deep-seated love of teaching, and are primarily interested in making sure their students are engaged and active participants in their classes.

Instructors

Professor Annie G. Reed, Attorney at Law

Professor Annie G. Reed has been involved in higher education since 1985, having taught law and career counseling in public and private schools, colleges, universities and online.

In addition to serving as WOLI's Head of Student Placement Services, Attorney Reed works as Associate Dean of Student Services at a California Community College in Los Angeles. Ms. Reed is a recipient of the Woman of the Year 2004 Award chosen by the California State Legislature, and Employee of the Year 2003 Award, also chosen by the Legislature. Ms. Reed holds a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Juris Doctor degree from University of West Los Angeles School of Law.

She is very proud to be affiliated with the Washington Online Learning Institute for many years. She is also very proud that that she is a product of the California Community College system having graduated with an Associate of Arts Degree from West Los Angeles College. Annie currently resides in Glendale, California with her husband Dennis and a 10-pound tabby cat named Chester.

Professor Deborah Halperin, Attorney at Law

Professor Debbie Halperin has been a full-time paralegal educator for over fifteen years. She teaches many different paralegal courses, specializing in legal research and writing. After attending Pace University School of Law, Professor Halperin worked as an Assistant County Attorney, where she prosecuted child abuse, neglect and support cases in Family Court. Her law firm experience has mostly been in the area of matrimonial and general litigation.

Professor Tom Sassone, Attorney at Law

Professor Sassone graduated from Pace University Law School in 1992 with a J.D. degree and was admitted by the bar in both Connecticut and New York shortly thereafter. In 1994, he founded the Committee on Immigration Law for the Rockland County Bar Association and chaired that committee until 2000. Since starting his own practice in 1993, Professor Sassone has handled more than 1,000 immigration matters, as well as handling multiple other legal matters including matrimonial, civil litigation, criminal and real estate cases. He has been an advisor to many other attorneys throughout the U.S. regarding the impact of immigration on other areas of law.

Professor Madelyn Curiel, Medical Billing Contractor

Madelyn Curiel has been working in the medical field for over fourteen years. She teaches many different medical courses, specializing in medical administration and health insurance. After obtaining her Bachelors degree in Business Administration, she has worked as an instructor at a local career college, has taught on-line, and has continued to build up her own medical billing company.

Her experience has centered upon the medical office setting working with a variety of specialists. For the past five years, Madelyn has also branched out as a medical consultant working with different providers, setting up their private practices and billing departments.

In addition, Madelyn Curiel is an active member of the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA).

Professor Pattie Gillespie, RHIA

Professor Patty Gillespie has been an adjunct instructor of online learning for over six years. She teaches for a variety of universities and online programs, focusing on course work that includes pathophysiology, anatomy and physiology, medical record law, medical coding for hospitals and physician offices and medical claim billing. She works as an HIM Director and her background includes Coding Manager of physician office practices. She graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management/Health Administration and holds the AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) credential of RHIA.

If you are interested in becoming an instructor at Washington Online, please send us your resume. Applicants for paralegal instruction positions must have passed the Bar exam in the State of residence and have at least 10 years experience practicing law. Resumes may be emailed or faxed to our office.

Director

Michael Koplen - Co-founder and Director of Washington Online. Professor Koplen is a practicing attorney with nearly 25 years’ experience practicing law. Professor Koplen received his B.A., with Honors and Distinction from the University of Virginia and his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law in 1981. Professor Koplen began his legal career on Wall Street. He later moved to mid-town Manhattan, where he opened his own law firm specializing in complex real estate transactions. Mr. Koplen now heads a firm in Rockland County, New York. His firm represents clients needing counsel in real estate matters, litigation, Title VII discrimination cases, bankruptcy and family law. Professor Koplen was elected to the Rockland County Legislature in 1993, and has served as Assistant County Attorney and Trustee for the Village of New Hempstead.

Mr. Koplen is a member of the following organizations:

• American Bar Association (ABA)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)
• New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA)
• New York State Bar Association
• Rockland County Bar Association

Mr. Koplen's firm can be found here: www.koplenlawfirm.com

Student Affairs Department

Contact us if you have questions. We look forward to hearing from you!