Empire College

About Us

Empire College, located in Santa Rosa, California, is just one hour north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the heart of the wine-growing region of Sonoma County. On January 4, 2000, Empire opened the doors of its new 55,000 sq. ft. campus, which also houses two Sonoma County Superior Courts, at 3035 Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa.

At Empire College, we believe that education is one of the most important assets that you will acquire during your lifetime. We also believe that our graduates` success is our legacy. Since it was founded in 1961, the School of Business has dedicated its resources to providing quality career education that gives graduates an advantage in the job market. Over the past five years, Empire graduates have been placed in over 1500 companies, earning a combined income of more than $200,000,000!

Individuals who successfully complete the 100-hour, 11-week program will receive a certificate of completion from Empire College allowing them to sit for the National certification examination. Upon passing the National examination, graduates are eligible to apply to the State for CPT I certification. Jon Drew, CLS, who is Kaiser’s Laboratory Administrative Director, will serve as Empire’s Director of Phlebotomy. “I’m excited about providing technical guidance and oversight, as well as helping students towards their goal of Certified Phlebotomy Technician and starting a career in laboratory sciences,” says Mr. Drew.

After completing 60 hours of didactic coursework over a 10-week period on campus, students will finish the program with a 40-hour (1 week) externship at Kaiser Permanente or other local laboratory site. Instructors for the 60 hours of basic and advanced phlebotomy coursework are Megan Van Rees, CPT I, CCMA-AC and Brian Wood, CPT I. Mr. Wood, who received his B.S. in biochemistry and biology from San Francisco State University, is in the final phases of becoming licensed as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist.

“This is a great opportunity for Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center to partner with a community leader like Empire College and help the next generation of phlebotomy technicians gain the skills and experience they need,” said Judy Coffey, Kaiser Permanente Senior Vice President and Area Manager.

Empire College has already received tremendous interest in the program from graduates and students, as well as others looking to expand their career options and skills. “Due to the required student:teacher ratio, there will be 12 students accepted in each class,” says Vickie Savino, Empire’s Director of Education.

“In addition to the skill of drawing blood, students will examine the basic concepts of quality assurance and patient safety, as well as the legal implications of phlebotomy and legal issues related to blood collection.”