A national appointment that recognizes a career devoted to advancing quality in health sciences education.
We are proud to announce that Pavel S. Pugh Alvarez, DNP, MBA, APRN, PMHNP-C, FNP-C, CNE, FEP — Director of Nursing and Health Sciences at SABER College — has been appointed by the Accrediting Bureau for Health Education Schools (ABHES) to serve as an Evaluator, coded as Nursing, Distance Education and Baccalaureate Specialist. It is a distinction that places Dr. Pugh among a select group of educators and practitioners entrusted with safeguarding the quality of health education across the country.
What This Appointment Means
ABHES is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and is unique in serving as both an institutional and a programmatic accreditor of allied health and nursing education programs. Its evaluators are the people who travel to campuses, review programs against rigorous national standards, and help institutions demonstrate — and improve — the quality of what they deliver to students.
As a Site Visit Evaluator, Dr. Pugh will join teams that assess whether programs meet the standards students and employers depend on. As a Nursing, Distance Education and Baccalaureate Specialist, he will focus on one of the most important and fast-evolving areas in health education today: evaluating the effectiveness, integrity, and student-support structures of programs delivered online. With more learners than ever choosing flexible pathways into healthcare careers, this expertise has never mattered more.
About Dr. Pavel Pugh
Dr. Pugh brings a rare combination of clinical depth and educational leadership to the role. His credentials reflect a career that spans direct patient care, advanced practice, and the preparation of the next generation of nurses and health professionals:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) — the highest clinical degree in nursing.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) — licensed to provide advanced, nursing care.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Certified (PMHNP-C) — specialized expertise in mental health care across the lifespan
Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified (FNP-C) — primary care across the lifespan.
Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) — a national mark of excellence in the academic teaching role.
As Director of Nursing and Health Sciences at SABER College, Dr. Pugh has built and led programs with a clear conviction: that strong standards and student success are not competing goals, but the same goal. That philosophy is exactly what makes him a natural fit for the work of accreditation.
Why It Matters for the SABER College Community
When a faculty leader is invited to serve at the national level, the benefits flow in both directions. Dr. Pugh will carry SABER College’s commitment to quality into rooms where standards are applied across the country — and he will bring back a first-hand understanding of best practices, emerging expectations, and what truly distinguishes an outstanding program.
For our students in Miami and beyond, it is a reassurance: the person guiding their education also helps define what good looks like nationwide. For our faculty, it is a model of professional service and lifelong learning. And for SABER College as an institution, it reflects the caliber of leadership our community is proud to call its own.
Join Us in Celebrating
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Pavel Pugh on this well-earned appointment. It is recognition of his expertise, his integrity, and his enduring dedication to the people and programs of health sciences education.
Congratulations, Dr. Pugh — the field is stronger for your service.
