Management and Directors
Faith Ann Takes
President and CEO
Faith A. Takes is a native of Guilderland, New York and has been the President, CEO and owner of Mildred Elley School since 1985, and Austin’s School of Spa Technology since 2005.
A Summa Cum Laude graduate, she has a Master’s of Management Science (ABT) from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA and a Bachelor of Science, Business Education from the University at Albany, State University of New York.
Entrepreneurial and hardworking by nature, Ms. Takes purchased Mildred Elley at a time when the school was defunct in 1985 and has since increased enrollment from 37 students to over 1700 by offering associate degrees and certificates in a wide variety of programs. She enjoys developing and offering new programs that will meet the needs of students and employers in the Capital District, the Berkshires and New York City.
In less than 6 years she has taken Austin’s School of Spa Technology from 50 students to over 300 by offering not only cosmetology, but barbering, nail technology and esthetics. She has relocated both Mildred Elley Albany and Austin’s School of Spa Technology to one building on Central Avenue in Albany.
Ms. Takes was appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo as Council member for the New York State Advisory Council on Proprietary Schools with a subsequent selection as Council chairperson.
As a member and chairperson of the New York State Advisory Council for Proprietary School Supervision, Ms. Takes served as a liaison between New York State career schools and the New York State Education Department and assisted in the crafting and implementation of reform legislation. She has used her diplomatic skills to bring a fragmented association together and increase membership as a member and President of the New York State Registered Business School Association.
Ms. Takes has been honored with several prestigious awards including the Career College Association’s (now APSCU) Distinguished Member of the Year Award for leadership in career education and the Italian American Award of the Year for continued commitment to community service through education.
Ms. Takes is a current board member of the Wildwood Foundation, the Albany Symphony, St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church where she served as President for three terms. She is also a member of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (formerly the Career College Association) and America’s Family Owned Colleges, Universities and Schools (known as America’s FOCUS). She has served on The Alliance for Quality Business School Education and the New York State Adult Learning Council.
Ms. Michelle L. Constantine
Chief Operating Officer
Ms. Constantine serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Empire Education Corporation, where she manages the daily operations of the Accounting, Human Resources, Financial Aid and Information Technology Departments. Ms. Constantine joined Empire Education Corporation in 2003. She brings over 20 years of expertise to her role and was recently made a partner of Empire Education Corporation. Prior to joining Empire Education Corporation, Ms. Constantine was the Financial Controller of Petersen, Geller & Spurge, Inc. She also volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House Medical Center Children’s Hospital in Albany, New York. Ms. Constantine holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Siena College in Loudonville, New York.