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ELPS Adjunct Faculty

Professional Leadership - K-12
Latecha Bogle

Latecha Bogle

For the past 24 years, Bogle has worked in K-12 education as an elementary school teacher, an elementary school assistant principal and principal. In addition, she served as an assessment specialist in the department of accountability located in Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Bogle is passionate about school reform and continuous improvement efforts as they relate to (a) strategic planning efforts; (b) innovative instructional design models; (c) establishing and maintaining high-yield culture and climate initiatives; and (d) ensuring the equitable distribution of human/capital resources.

Education:

B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia State University, 1994
M.S. in Educational Leadership, Regent University, 2000
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Nova South Eastern University, 2005

Carla Brosnahan

Carla Brosnahan

Brosnahan has served as an adjunct professor at UH since 2012 and is the assistant superintendent for elementary school administration in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She supervises 28 elementary school principals, providing leadership development to assistant principals, principals and aspiring leaders. She began her career in Cypress-Fairbanks as a fourth and fifth-grade teacher at Lieder Elementary School. After working for four years as a teacher, she was promoted to assistant principal. Five years later, she opened Sheridan Elementary School as an assistant principal and in 1995 she was promoted to principal. In 2003, she opened Birkes Elementary as a principal. Brosnahan was selected as Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Elementary Principal of the Year for the 2005-06 school year. She continues to strengthen her skills as a leader. In 2012, she participated in Harvard University’s course “Leadership, An Evolving Vision,” and in 2017 she earned a principal mentor certification from the National Association of Elementary School Principals .

Education:

B.A. in Elementary Education and Guidance Counseling, Magna Cum Laude, Houston Baptist University, 1983
M.Ed. in Education Administration and Supervision, Mid-Management Certification, University of Houston, 1989
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, Superintendent Certification, University of Houston, 2011

Ashley Causey

Ashley Causey

Causey has served teachers and students as a math teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal and associate principal, principal and is currently the Director of STEM for Fort Bend ISD. The campus she served as principal was a Verizon Innovative Learning School which was one of 74 schools in the nation that equipped every student and teacher with a tablet and a two-year data plan. Causey has had the opportunity to teach students in China, India and Ethiopia. She is passionate about innovation in education and equipping principals and teachers to meet the diverse needs of all students through quality instruction and the implementation of technology.

Education:

B.S.E. in Mathematics, East Texas Baptist University, 2006
M.S. in Educational Management, University of Houston – Clear Lake, 2010
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Lamar University, 2013

Cecilia Crear

Cecilia Crear

Crear joined the University of Houston’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in 2018 as an adjunct professor. She is currently an executive principal in Fort Bend ISD where she was named 2018 Secondary Principal of the Year. Previously, she served as principal of George Bush High School in Fort Bend ISD. Her educational resume spans over 22 years. In Alief ISD Crear was the associate principal of instruction, an assistant principal at Alief Taylor High School and a math teacher at Alief Elsik High School.

Crear's research interests include: characteristics of low socio-economic high performing secondary schools; and the effects of culture and climate on academic achievement in high minority schools.

Education:

B.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology, Prairie View A&M University, 1995
M.Ed. in Educational Administration, Prairie View A&M University, 2000
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2013

Rick Cruz

Rick Cruz

Cruz currently serves as the Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer for the Houston Independent School District. In that role, he is responsible for overseeing a wide portfolio of programming and initiatives aimed at promoting equity, increasing educational opportunities and driving student achievement. He has held a number of other senior leadership roles within the district focused on preparing all of the district's 215,000 students for postsecondary success. Cruz worked at the law firm of Baker Botts before joining Teach for America, through which he became a fifth grade bilingual teacher in Houston ISD. His experiences in the classroom led him to found EMERGE, a college readiness, access, and persistence program that helps talented low-income students attend and graduate from the nation’s top colleges and universities. Rick successfully entered into a partnership with Houston ISD and led the expansion of the program from one high school to 45 high schools.  His passion is helping students – particularly those from underserved communities – prepare to be successful in college.

Education:

B.S. from Yale University
M.Ed. in Educational Leasership and Policy, University of Texas at Austin
Ed.D. in Educational Leasership and Policy, University of Texas at Austin

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Kenneth D. Davis

Professional Interests:

Davis most recently was the principal at Jack Yates High School and school support officer, and principal at Dowling (now Lawson) Middle School. He has been in education for the past 28 years; the past 8 years in HISD. 

  • Office of Equity & Outreach Division that supervises the below departments:
    • Ascending to Men (ATM) project
    • Resilient Outstanding Sisters Exemplifying Success (R.O.S.E.S.)
    • Wrap Around Service Providers for HISD
    • Miles Ahead Scholars – community partnership grant with T.E.A.
    • Family and Community Engagement (F.A.C.E.)
    • Parent Community Liaisons (PCLs)
    • Community Advisory Committees for HISD (CAC)
  • Adjunct professor at Houston Community College (currently)
  • Adjunct Professor at University of Houston (currently)
  • Jack Yates High School principal (Houston ISD) 2015-2018
  • School support officer (Houston ISD)
  • Dowling (Now Lawson) Middle School principal (Houston ISD) 2010-2013
  • National Distinguished Principal (TEPSA) 2009
  • Elementary Principal of the Year (Region IV) 2008
  • Principal of the Year (twice- Lamar Consolidated ISD) 2008 & 2009
  • Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Teacher of the Year (Houston-Galveston) 1996
  • Building Teacher of the Year (Alief ISD) 1995
  • Teacher of the Week (Alief ISD) 1995

Davis credits his long lasting career in education to building relationships, honoring education for all students, growing and developing teachers and working to build strong instructional and visionary leaders. He works countless hours teaching at the University of Houston to guide instructional leaders and at the Houston Community College to build reading skills for students that struggle. He speaks and presents to future leaders across the city and has worked with organizations to build and support future administrators through Columbia University, Birmingham City Schools and mentors, current principals, deans, assistant principals, instructional specialists and teachers.

Education:

B.S. in Child Development (K-8), Rockford College, Rockford, IL
M.A. in Elementary Education, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
Ed.D. in Educational Leasership, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

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Lisa Davis

Davis has proudly served in public education for the last 21 years in the positions of secondary history teacher, middle school assistant principal, middle school principal, and high school principal. She has served as the director of secondary curriculum and instruction in Angleton ISD for the last 10 years.

Davis’ passion for ensuring that every child has equal access and opportunity to learn from highly effective teachers has focused her research interests around improving the professional capacity of the campus and district leaders that are responsible for the recruitment, coaching, accountability, and retention of teachers. Davis' work at the university level is centered around helping coach and mentor educational leaders who lead their campuses and districts with a sense of urgency and student-centered mindset.

Education:

B.S. in Psychology, University of Houston - Clear Lake, 2000
M.S. Educational Management, University of Houston - Clear Lake, 2004
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Lamar University, 2016

Tabitha Davis

Tabitha Davis

Email:  tsdavis2@uh.edu

Davis has worked in the K-12 context as a high school teacher, a middle and high school dean of students, and a K-8 school principal. In addition, she has served in the instructional capacity with Houston Community College (HCC) and developed dual-credit partnerships with HCC and the University of Houston Downtown for a local high-performing high school.  Davis also worked in the energy sector for several years prior to pursuing her desire to make meaningful contributions for urban youth via the education field.

Davis is passionate about maximizing instructional effectiveness in every classroom and preparing urban youth for varied post-secondary opportunities for all students. Her research interests include: (a) teacher effectiveness; (b) teacher recruitment, development, and retention in urban school districts and; (c) post-secondary preparation programs for youth in urban school districts.

Dissertation

Davis, Tabitha S. (2015). An Examination of High School CTE Teachers’, CTE Program Directors’, and Campus Administrators’ Perceptions of CTE Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention Efforts in a Large Urban School District

Education

B.B.A. in Business Administration and Marketing, Houston Baptist University, 2005
M.B.A. in Business Administration and Marketing, University of St. Thomas, 2007
M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership, Lamar University, 2012
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership K-12, The University of Houston, 2015

Charles E. Dupre

Charles E. Dupre

The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees appointed Dupre as superintendent of schools for the state’s seventh largest school district in April of 2013. With more than twenty years of experience in education, Dupre has a proven track record of increasing graduation rates and improving educational outcomes for students. Dupre is a certified public accountant. His unique background and real-world experience, consisting of educational administration and financial management, have benefited Fort Bend ISD during times of growth, both currently and in his previous role as associate superintendent and chief financial officer, a position he held for five years. Dupre believes in collaborative leadership strategies. Since assuming the role of Fort Bend ISD superintendent, he has worked with staff, parents and the community to give all a voice in the decision-making processes of the district. This collaboration has led to several successful endeavors that have left Fort Bend ISD better positioned to handle growth and meet student needs. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Dupre was raised near Springfield, Missouri.

Education:

B.B.A. with a major in Accounting, Harding University
M.Ed. in Educational Administration, University of Houston
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Lamar University

Megan Evans

Megan Evans

Evans has served over fifteen years in public education as a special education teacher, instructional coach, and central office administrator. She currently serves as the executive director of assessment and evaluation in Clear Creek ISD. As an executive director, she is responsible for building organizational capacity through leadership in the areas of state and federal accountability, data analysis, educational research, and program evaluation.

Evans has over eight years of experience leading accountability and district improvement efforts, including working in the capacity of specialist and coordinator in Katy ISD and director in Fort Bend ISD.

In addition, Evans serves as an accountability and school improvement consultant, providing professional learning and customized supports to administrators in the Region 4 and surrounding area.

Education

B.S. in Psychology, University of Houston, 2002
M.A. in Educational Administration, Lamar University, 2009
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Lamar University, 2016

Lillian Gilman Rich

Lynn Gillman-Rich

My academic research attentions examine dynamic reform in leadership competencies to the extent that accelerates student achievement in low social economic rural and urban school districts. My dissertation topic was “Staff Satisfaction and Leadership Behavior of Theory X and Y Leaders.”

My K-12 career in public education has included teaching gifted students, serving as a school administrator in the roles of principal, executive director of academics, and associate county superintendent and superintendent. I have served as director of professional development in three school districts and as an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate College of Education at Northern Arizona University and the University of South Florida. I was fortunate to serve on the P-20 Collaborative steering team at the University of Arizona to assist in creating a seamless educational experience for all students.

Education:

B.S. in Education, Indiana University, 1979
M.A. in Education, Indiana University, 1985
Ed.D. in Education Administration, Andrews University, 1993

Faculty expertise video

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Tonya Goree

Goree currently serves as a district-level administrator for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, having originated the position of assistant superintendent for school improvement and transformation in 2018. As a nationally certified principal mentor, Goree supports K-12 school principals by providing one-on-one coaching, professional development and leadership-team support. Centered around best practices for school improvement, her guidance enables campus leaders to maximize potential not only for professional learning communities but also for individual classroom teachers.

Throughout her nearly three decades as an educator, Goree’s experiences have encompassed many levels along the way, from teacher, to instructional specialist, to assistant principal, to principal, equipping her with perspectives, insights and empathy that span a wide scope of roles. She is most proud of her work as a school turnaround leader because it presented opportunities to change the trajectory of a school’s culture, generating a direct, positive impact on student achievement.

Education:

B.S. in Elementary Education, Lamar University
M.Ed. in Education Administration and Supervision, Mid-Management Certification, Prairie View A&M University
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, Superintendent Certification, University of Houston

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Cheryl T. Henry

Cheryl T. Henry has been an educator for 30 years. She has served as the principal at Cypress Springs High School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD since 2015. She is a native Californian and attended public schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District where she also served as a teacher and administrator. Prior to becoming principal at Cypress Springs, Henry served as principal at Campbell Middle School, also in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Her other positions include dean of students, assistant principal and director of instruction in Los Angeles and in Houston. Henry has served as the north Houston regional director for Raise Your Hand Texas since 2013. In this role she networks with other Houston area principals regarding legislative issues related to education and also shares best practices related to the improvement of academic achievement for Texas students. Henry studied at and served as a small group facilitator at The Principals’ Center at the Harvard School of Education during the summers of 2012 -2018 and has additionally served as a consultant for Principal Certification Preparation at Prairie View A&M University. She is keenly interested in equipping the next generation of teachers and leaders to educate the growing population of diverse learners in the United States.

Education:

B.A. in Psychology and Afro-American Studies, UCLA, 1988
M.A. in Education, Stanford University, 1989
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. Texas A&M University, 2011

Deena Hill

Deena Hill

Deena Hill has over 25 years of experience working with students with disabilities in both the private and public settings. She is a veteran special education director who has worked in a variety of central office positions in several districts. She is currently the executive director for student support services in Fort Bend ISD. Prior to working in Fort Bend ISD, Hill served as the executive director of special programs in Pasadena ISD and as the director of special education in Brazosport ISD. Hill has served on various regional and state level advisory and associations, to include the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education executive board, serving as President during the 2015-2016 school year.

Education:

B.S. in Kinesiology, University of Houston, Houston 1993
M.A. in Administration and Supervision, University of Houston–Victoria, 2000 
Ed.D. in Educational Administration, Baylor University, 2007

Glenda Horner

Glenda Horner

Horner is the director for professional learning in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, the third largest district in the state of Texas. Some accomplishments in her current position include the implementation of a clear pipeline to the principalship, the development and coordination of expanded online professional development learning opportunities, and the alignment of professional development opportunities to address identified educational needs. Additionally, she coordinated a comprehensive new teacher induction program as well as developed and implemented training protocols for district trainers and facilitators. Her career in education includes 17 years as a teacher and teacher leader, and more than a decade as a campus and district-level administrator. She is the recipient of 2018 Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration. Additionally, she is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers  and was selected as a campus teacher of the year in 2004. Horner is a first generation college graduate who is passionate about coaching, mentoring, and leading the next generation of school leaders.

Education:

B.A. in English with a minor Speech Communication, Sam Houston State University, 1987
M.Ed. in Educational Administration, Stephen F. Austin State University, 2004
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2011

Anthony Indelicato

Anthony Indelicato

Indelicato has worked in the K-12 context as a high school teacher, middle school principal and high school principal. He also served as a region 4 leadership consultant. Currently, Indelicato is an assistant superintendent and the district coordinator for school improvement in Fort Bend ISD.

Education:

B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University, 1995
M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1997
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Sam Houston State University, 2002
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2011

Luis Landa

Luis Landa

Luis Landa has served solely in inner-city, Title I campuses as a middle school teacher, teacher specialist, high school assistant principal and elementary school principal. He believes all students can achieve when guided with proper mentorship, systems for overcoming obstacles and challenged with a culture of high expectations. He considers himself a transformative leader and aims to build a unified environment where individuals are intrinsically motivated to work towards a shared vision. As result, he welcomes dialogue, feedback, risk-taking and all ideas centered on improving student performance. In aspiring to build a more inclusive educational environment, he focused his graduate studies in learning about the impact of family values on student achievement and parent engagement at the secondary level. Some of this work was presented at the 32nd Annual University Council for Education Administration Convention. Prior to entering education, Dr. Landa served as a diabetes researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the University of Chicago, and Baylor College of Medicine. His findings can be found in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

B.S. in Biology, University of Texas San Antonio
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of St. Thomas
Ed.D. in K-12 Professional Leadership, University of Houston

Alice Ledford

Alice T. Ledford

Ledford has more than 20 years of experience in education in both the United States and abroad.  Her K-12 experience includes teaching, counseling, special education administration, human resources and strategic planning.  Her higher education experience includes serving as director of residence life, chair of department of education and dean of education. Her research interests include character education, school counseling, special education, professional development and educational leadership.  She serves full-time as a District level administrator in a large school district near Houston.

Ledford holds professional certifications in PK-12 principal, special education and school counseling.  She is a national board certified counselor, licensed professional counselor, LPC-supervisor and SHRM-senior certified professional.

Peer Reviewed Publications

Ledford, A. T. (Fall, 2011). Professional Development for Character Education: An Evaluation of Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy for Character Education

Robert L. Long, III

Robert L. Long, III

Professional Interests:

Long is a governor-appointed member of the Texas State School Safety Center board of directors and a board member for the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students’ Aggie Educator Network. He also serves as a regional director for Raise Your Hand Texas, a non-profit organization that promotes school and leadership development in Texas public schools. In addition, he serves as an instructional facilitator of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is a trained facilitator from the Center for Educational Leadership. He is the principal at Deloras E. Thompson Elementary School in the Spring Independent School District. Current research interests include urban teacher efficacy, recruitment, induction, and sense-making practices, along with researching and analyzing school and district-based systems and policies that disenfranchise and deny access and opportunities to students of color. Long has an extensive knowledge base in qualitative research methods for educational leaders, cultural systems in urban school settings, and epistemology, ontology, and social reproduction.

Recent Publications:

Long III, R. (2012). "School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Implementation as it Relates to Referral Reduction Among Students of Color in an In-School Suspension Program: Perceptions of Key Stakeholders," Doctor of Education Dissertation, Texas A&M University, May 2014

Education:

B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Elementary Education), Stephen F. Austin State University, 1998
M.Ed. in Education Administration and Instructional Leadership, Sam Houston State University, 2006
Ed.D. in Education Administration and Superintendency, Texas A&M University, 2012

Samuel Maldonado

Samuel Maldonado

Maldonado has been an educator for more than 20 years. He has served in a variety of roles, such as teacher assistant, campus administrator, district leader, adult learning instructor and adjunct professor. A common thread for each role has been the development of strategies that ensure educational success of primarily English Language Learners and promote cultural awareness among students and staff. Maldonado credits his passion for working with ELLs to his experience as a dual language teacher in his early career and serving on campuses with diverse populations and many spoken languages. Additionally, he had an opportunity to establish, support, and grow 100% dual language magnet programs at elementary and middle school levels, followed by his experience as an education specialist for the Region XIII education service center. In his current role as a district intervention specialist, Maldonado continues to help campuses create systems that ensure all students’ academic success.

Education

B.A. with a major in Government, University of Texas at Austin
M.Ed. in Educational Administration, University of St. Thomas
Ed.D. in Educational Administration, University of Texas at Austin

Brian Malechuk

Brian Malechuk

For the past 33 years, Malechuk has worked in K-12 education as an elementary and secondary school teacher, a district special education coordinator, a state director of high school reform and is currently the executive director of special education in Katy ISD. He also teaches graduate courses in educational leadership, special education and research and works with doctoral students as an advisor and doctoral chairperson in educational leadership programs. Malechuk is passionate about K-12 special education, educational research in K-12 environments and educational leadership.

B.S. in Elementary Education and Special Education, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, 1986
M.S. in Educational Psychology, University of Houston, 1994
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Cultural Studies, University of Houston, 1999

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Bobby Martinez

Professional Interests:

Martinez is the Executive Director of School Leadership in the Alvin Independent School District. He has served as an administrator at all levels. He was the principal of Manvel High School (2016-2019) and Fairview Junior High School (2014-2016) in Alvin ISD, and was a K-6 assistant principal, instructional specialist, and teacher in Texas City ISD. He has received multiple honors including Alvin ISD Secondary Principal of the Year (2016) and was named a Raise Your Hand Texas Advocacy Fellow for the 86th legislative session.

Martinez has an interest in all things related to school leadership and building/maintaining positive campus cultures to support student achievement. He has an extensive background in school law, educational policy, school safety and advanced academics.

Recent Publications:

Martinez, B. (2014). "An Evaluation of the New Teacher Perceptions of the New Teacher Induction Program in a Suburban School District in Southwest Texas," Doctor of Education Dissertation, University of Houston, December, 2014. 

Education:

B.A. in Political Science and Spanish, Texas State University – San Marcos, 2004
M.L.A. in International Studies, University of St. Thomas – Houston, 2008
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2014

Jon Maxwell

Jon Maxwell

For the past 17 years, Maxwell has worked in K-12 education as an elementary school teacher, a secondary school teacher, a curriculum coordinator, a school improvement coordinator, an executive director of assessment and evaluation and an executive director of student programs. He is dedicated to continuous improvement efforts for all students, teachers, campuses and school districts. With an emphasis on being student driven and data informed, Maxwell believes that teachers can support all students on their journey to understanding and critical thinking. There are no substitutes to high quality teachers in every classroom, led by high quality leaders on every campus.

Education:

B.S. in Elementary Education, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 2003 
M.A. in Science Education, University of Texas at Austin, 2008 
Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A&M University, 2014

Kwabena Mensah

Kwabena Mensah

Professional Interests:

Mensah serves as an assistant superintendent supporting elementary schools in Fort Bend ISD. He has served as an administrator at all levels in Austin ISD, Aldine ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Spring ISD, and Katy ISD. He has received multiple honors including Katy ISD Principal of the Year, TABSE Principal of the Year, and TEPSA National Distinguished Principal Finalist. 

Mensah has robust experiences turning around schools, maintaining high expectations for student achievement, and cultivating rich campus cultures. He is invested in developing future leaders and serves as the president-elect for the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators (HAABSE). 

Education:

B.S. in Kinesiology, Rice University, 2000
M.Ed.
in Educational Administration, University of Texas at Austin, 2005
Ed.D.
in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2013

Cathy Mincberg

Cathy Mincberg

For her entire career in education, Mincberg has been on the cutting edge of public education reform.  Her work has led to significant increases in student achievement and dramatic cost savings coupled with operational efficiency improvements.  Most recently, Mincberg has joined the Center for the Reform of School Systems as the President and CEO, following the ten years of successful leadership under Dr. Don McAdams, the founder and current Board Chair. The Center for Reform of School Systems was founded on a vision of a better America and built on a tradition of meaningful reforms designed to help school districts reach higher levels of performance.  The mission of the Center for the Reform of School Systems is to teach school board members and superintendents how to transform their districts to deliver high student achievement - because every community deserves a great school district

Education:

B.S. in Education, University of Texas, 1974
M.A. in Educational Administration, University of Texas, 1975
Mid-Mgt. Certificate in Educational Administration, University of Houston, 1979
Ed.D. in Educational Administration and Cultural Leadership, University of Houston, 1985

Laura Perry

Laura Perry

Professional Interests:

Perry has 36 years of experience in the education field. She has served as a middle school principal for the past nine years in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She began her career in Humble ISD in 1985 as a fifth-grade Title I reading teacher and transferred to Aldine ISD in 1987 where she taught seventh and eighth-grade reading and English. She joined the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD team as a middle school reading teacher and was promoted to assistant principal in 1993 where she served the same school for seven more years. Perry has worked as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, middle school assistant principal, middle school director of instruction, high school director of instruction and high school district curriculum coordinator. In addition, Perry has experience as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University.

Education:

B.A. in Teaching, Sam Houston State University, 1984
M.Ed. in Reading Education, Supervision and Mid-Management Certifications, Stephen F. Austin State University, 1986
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, Superintendent Certification, 2013

Amy Poerschke

Amy R. Poerschke

Research Interests

Poerschke has worked in the K-12 context as an elementary school teacher, a literacy specialist, assistant principal and an elementary school principal.  She is passionate about equity and social justice for the most vulnerable populations of children. Her research interests include turnaround schools and school systems, school culture and the use of mindfulness as a tool to prevent turnaround leadership burnout. Additional action research topics include dual language programming and International Baccalaureate continuum studies.  She has published in Educational Leadership Quarterly and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Education

B.S. in Early Childhood Education, Baylor University, 2010
M.S. in Educational Administration, St. Thomas University, 2013
Ed.D. in K-12 Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2017

Rizvan Quadri

Rizvan Quadri

The 2017-18 school year marks Quadri's 17th year in education and his 5th year in Fort Bend ISD. Prior to being appointed as principal of Stephen F. Austin High School, he served the past four years as principal of Macario Garcia Middle School. Quadri also held principal and assistant principal positions at the elementary, middle and high school levels in two other school districts.

Education:

B.S. in Sociology (minor-Psychology), Lamar University
M.Ed. in Secondary Education, Lamar University
Ed.D. in Educational Administration, Lamar University

Jose Rodriguez

Joe Rodriguez

Rodriguez currently serves as the chief of schools for Fort Bend ISD. He has worked in Fort Bend ISD for three years and has 20 years of experience in public education. Before taking on his role as chief of schools, he served as an assistant superintendent for Fort Bend ISD.

Rodriguez began his educational career as a teacher in Texas. Immediately following his service as a classroom teacher, he was hired as an elementary principal and served in that capacity for six years before becoming a high school principal. After ten years of service as a campus principal, he was named administrator for secondary education and assisted with the day-to-day operations of all secondary schools.

As an adjunct professor for the University of Houston system, Rodriguez promotes life-long learning and a true passion for public education.

B.S. in Psychology, University of Texas at Austin
M.Ed. Educational Administration, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Texas A&M University-Kingsville

Xochitl Rodriguez

Xochitl Rodriguez

Professional Interests:

Rodriguez holds a texas superintendent certification and serves as assistant superintendent over student affairs in Fort Bend ISD. Previously, she served as assistant superintendent to the Willowridge HS and Ridgepoint High School feeder patterns for 4 years. Previous to joining Fort Bend ISD, Rodriguez served Houston ISD as a high school support officer and served as a high school, middle school and elementary school principal in Houston ISD.

Education:

B.A. Texas Tech University
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Reading & Language Arts Education, University of Houston
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University of Texas at Austin

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Lance Stallworth

Stallworth has served at Spring Branch ISD in a number of roles including teacher, professional developer, high school principal and director for the past 24 years. Currently he serves as the executive director for student support, providing leadership for a range of teams working to provide wrap-around services for students. Stallworth's professional and research interests are in principal leadership, college access and organizational systems for schools. He has taught instructional leadership classes at Houston Baptist University and is an associate in N2Learning, providing professional facilitation support for school districts around Texas.

B.A. in Government, University of Texas at Austin, 1988
M.A. in Political Science, University of Houston, 1998
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University of Houston, 2014 

Ryan Steele

Ryan Steele

Steele has worked in education for 18 years as a teacher, campus level administrator, central office administrator and superintendent. He currently works as the deputy superintendent for Royal Independent School District where he oversees the maintenance and operations of the district.

B.S. in Secondary Special Education and Business Administration, Abilene Christian University
M.S. from Tarleton State University
Ed.D. from Texas A&M University, 2013

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Adam Stephens

Stephens is the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the Angleton Independent School District.  In this role, he provides direct support to campus and district leadership for curriculum and instructional programming.

Stephens previously served as the director of academic and professional learning services where he was responsible for leading the implementation of the district’s title funded programs and ensuring that all staff members were provided with professional development that would foster their professional growth and improve the outcomes of all students. Stephens has over 16 years of experience in education and has served as aninnovative curriculum officer, principal and as a special education teacher.

Education:

B.A. in Psychology, Michigan State University, 2003
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston, 2006
Ed.D. in Education Administration, Texas A&M University, 2019

Eric Tingle

Tingle is the principal of Tinsley Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District where he has served in various roles from teacher to principal. He began his career in the Alief Independent School District as a 4 th grade teacher and math interventionist at Horn Elementary. Tingle also served as the assistant principal of James H. Law Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District prior to becoming the principal of M. E. Foster Elementary School in 2013. He was a Teach For America Corps Member (Houston) and has worked for the organization as a corps member advisor and the director of operations and special events. Tingle completed his dissertation study in 2016, titled “The Influence of a District Leadership Development Program on 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Year Principals.”

Education:

B.S. in Elementary Education, University of Oklahoma, 2005
M.Ed. in Educational Management, University of Houston-Clear Lake, 2011
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, University of Houston-Clear Lake, 2016

Audra Ude

Audra Ude

Ude has served as an educator in large and small Texas K-12 public schools for nearly 30 years. She has served elementary and secondary students and educators in various campus and district leadership roles, from teacher to principal, associate superintendent and interim superintendent. Ude has depth of experience in supporting teaching and learning, professional development, curriculum, assessment, accountability, personnel, finance, discipline and special programs.  Her great passion is in developing leaders who innovate and implement best practices to benefit students. She brings experience with engaging a variety of community partners in developing and offering innovative programs. This includes two early college high schools, numerous career and technical education certification and work programs, growing advanced placement and dual credit programs, and implementing major literacy and numeracy initiatives. Currently, Ude is engaged with a team of educators across the state and locally to develop a new community-based accountability system.

B.A. in Political Science and Business Administration, Abilene Christian University, 1989
M.S. in Educational Administration, Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, 1993
M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, 1998
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, 2001 

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Javier Villarreal

Professional Interests:

Villarreal was named chief human resource officer for the Aldine ISD in November 2018. In this role, he oversees all aspects of human resources, including talent management, organizational development, and leadership and management coaching. He also serves on the superintendent’s executive leadership team, using over 20 years’ experience in public education to support strategic planning efforts, change management, and organizational design initiatives. 

Previously, Villarreal served as an assistant superintendent for the Fort Bend Independent School District. During his tenure in Fort Bend, he was a strong supporter of his campuses and principals, providing instructional leadership and support with an emphasis on student achievement and school improvement.

Villarreal’s experience prior to joining Fort Bend ISD in 2012 includes fourteen years in the Houston ISD, where he held several positions including elementary teacher, middle school counselor, middle school assistant principal, elementary principal, and middle school principal.

Education:

B.A. in Psychology, University of Houston, 1997
M.Ed. in School Counseling, University of St. Thomas, 2002
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston, 2012

April Williams

April Williams

Professional Interests: 

Williams has worked in public school education for the past 16 years. Currently, she is the principal of Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy in Houston ISD. She has also served as an elementary principal, middle school administrator and classroom teacher.

Williams is passionate about school climate and culture and social and equitable justice for young girls and women. Her research includes the factors that contribute to minorities and their rate for dropping out of high school.

B.A. in Psychology, University of Houston
M.S. in educational leadership, Lamar University
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership, University of Houston

Higher Education
Evelyn Ashley

Evenlyn Ashley

Ashley teaches organization and administration of student support services online. She has worked full time at Southern Methodist University in Dallas since July 2010; first as the assistant dean of student life and director of student conduct & community standards. She is currently the associate dean of students and the director of student support, advocacy, and accountablity. Ashley brings nearly two decades of student affairs experience to her role overseeing the offices of student conduct & community standards, student support, and violence prevention and support services. She has also served as a lecturer in the Simmons school of education teaching: The Contemporary College Student and Student Affairs Administration.

Prior to completing her doctorate Ashley worked as the director of student conduct at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. Her responsibilities there included the oversight and adjudication of both academic and non-academic conduct cases. She also served as the director of commuter student services where she assisted commuters and non-traditional students in engaging with the campus community.

Throughout her career Ashley has supported both undergraduate and graduate students by working to create policies and procedures that ensure the student experience is at the forefront in decision making processes. She has advised various student organizations including student government, the honor council, and multicultural organizations. She has experience in Residence Life having worked as both a hall director and Greek House Director; along with experience as an academic adviser.

Education:

B.A. in Exercise Sports Science, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1999
M.Ed. in Adult Learning and Development, Cleveland State University, 2003
Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, Bowling Green State University, 2010

Eric Bentley

Eric Bentley

Professional Interests: 

Higher Education Law, First Amendment, Title IX, Employment Law, Sports Law

Recent Publications:

Inside Higher Ed
Fair Play? An Analysis of Whether College Athletes Have a First Amendment Right to Strike
February 4, 2016

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/02/04/do-college-athletes-have-first-amendment-right-strike-essay
New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Journal

Boys Will be Boys, but the Law is the Law – The Potential Liability for Professional and College Sports Teams When Handling Allegations of Bullying Among Teammates
Spring 2014, Vol. 25, No. 1
ABA Journal of Labor and Employment Law

The Pitfalls of Using Social Media Screening for Job Applicants
 29 ABA J. Lab. & Empl. L. 1 (2013)
Willamette Sports Law Journal

Athletic Interest Surveys: A Necessary Tool in an Institution’s Title IX Compliance Tool Belt
11 Willamette Sports L.J. 28 (2013)
The Journal of College and University Law

Unnecessary Roughness:  Why Athletic Department’s Need to Rethink Whether to Aggressively Respond to the Use of Social Media by Athletes.
75 Tex.B.J. 834 (2012);
Republished in the Computer & Internet Lawyer
Volume 30, No. 6, June 2013

Education:

B.A. in Justice Administration, Hawaii Pacific University, 2000
M.S.S. in Sports Management, United States Sports Academy, 2003
J.D. University of Houston Law Center, 2004

  Cher Brock

Cher Brock

Professional Interests:

My professional background includes teaching at the secondary and postsecondary levels as well as administrative positions in the Lone Star College System including program coordinator for the English department​, director of instructional programs at a satellite campus, associate dean for instructional management, dean for several different departments at 3 system colleges, and vice president for instruction at the North Harris campus. My interests include several areas related to the history, culture, and structure of higher education. Communication; faculty concerns; learning theory and student success; partnerships among secondary, postsecondary, and community entities; governance, organizational change, and accreditation constitute some of my primary interests.

Education:  

B.A. in English, Wichita State University
M.A. in English, Wichita State University
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Cultural Studies
Andria Burridge

Andrea Burridge

Professional Interests:

Burridge has served as an adjunct professor at UH since 2012 and is the executive director of program strategy and decision support at Houston Community College.  She has previously served in a variety of roles in education and public health, including associate dean of undergraduate studies and director of institutional effectiveness in the College of Education at the University of Houston, and biostatistician for the Centers for Disease Control and the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Atlanta.  She also was a faculty member at Notre Dame University. Her research interests include teacher education and community college student success.

B.S. in Mathematics, Stanford University, 1988
B.A. in Psychology, Stanford University, 1988
B.S. in Applied Statistics, University of Michigan, 1992
Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Michigan, 1993

Joan Collier

Joan Collier

Collier is the associate director for assessment and research in residence life at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Prior to her time at Rutgers, she served as a visiting assistant professor in the Educational Leadership and Policy Department at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Collier has professional experience in student affairs in residence life, civic engagement, first-year experience and student retention. She’s also co-founder of #CiteASista, a Black Feminist project that advocates for the inclusion of Black women’s writings, knowledge, and experiences in citational practice within and beyond the academy.

Research interests

Collier’s research interests are grounded in amplifying the experiences and knowledge of minoritized populations within higher education, particularly Black identified students (i.e., Sista Circle Methodology, Black graduate women, and LGBTQIA). She’s currently working on research centering students who identify with the autism spectrum within undergraduate residence.

B.B.A. in Managerial Sciences, Georgia State University, 2007
M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration, University of Georgia, 2009
Ph.D. in Counseling and College Student Personnel, University of Georgia, 2017

Charles Cook

Charles Cook

Professional Interests:

Cook is the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of Austin Community College (ACC), and proud alum of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (DELPS) program.

After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, Cook continued on to the University of Houston for his Master’s and Doctorate. “My prior experience with the UH College of Education and the many friends and colleagues I had who also attended the COE made it an easy choice for a doctoral program,” Cook says.

After graduation, Cook’s experience has included oversight of academic matters for Houston Community College, and work for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on planning and policy issues for statewide community and technical college instructional programs and initiatives. In 2014, he was offered the position at ACC.

Cook and his team have made it their goal to broaden their offerings in order to close hiring gaps throughout the city. This is no small task, and thus, they are implementing programs to create Early College High Schools and Career Academies for high school youth, provide guided pathways for students to transfer into baccalaureate programs, provide accelerated programs for unemployed or underemployed adults, and help veterans transition skills learned in the military into academic credentials and civilian careers. Says Cook, “Perhaps the greatest lesson learned in COE graduate courses is that it’s a new challenge every day – you have to consistently read, research, and keep abreast of the changes that only accelerate with time.”

And if anyone is capable of completing this task, it’s Cook. “Throughout his career, Cook has been a champion for community colleges and the powerful and positive role they play in student success. In all of his work, he represents what our program values – energy, integrity, and a commitment to meaningful opportunities for all students,” says, Cathy Horn, Professor in the Department of Leadership and Policy Studies and Cook’s former colleague.

Cook credits the DELPS program for readying him to work in the field.  “The College prepared me for multiple roles – first as a teacher, later as an administrator at multiple levels, and then later as a leader and evaluator.”

Dona Cornell

Dona Cornell

Professional Interests:

Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, UH

Cornell became University of Houston System vice chancellor for legal affairs and general counsel and University of Houston vice president for legal affairs and general counsel in June 2002. In her role, she is responsible for all legal matters of the System and each of its campuses which includes transactional matters, all aspects of compliance and ethics, athletics issues, litigation management and advice and counsel regarding academic and student issues as well as many other legal matters affecting the System.     

Prior to her appointment, she served as the deputy chief of the General Litigation Division for the Texas Attorney General's office. As deputy chief for litigation, Cornell supervised thirty attorneys with responsibility for the 700-plus cases handled by the division.  Previously she was a shareholder in the Austin-based law firm Morehead, Jordan & Carmona.

Cornell earned her undergraduate and law degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. She is licensed to practice law throughout Texas and in U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  Prior to receiving her law degree, she served as a committee clerk and legislative aide in the 68th Texas Legislature, and an assistant director of Senate Bill Analysis for the 70th Texas Legislature.

Maureen Croft

Maureen Croft

Professional Interests:

Croft is the Associate Provost for Strategic Enrollment Planning at the University of Houston. Her principal responsibilities involve the development, implementation and management of undergraduate strategic enrollment planning. In this role, Croft leads efforts to develop strategic application, admission, enrollment and financial aid policies for undergraduates that serve to advance university enrollment and retention goals and reach targeted audiences. Prior to accepting this interim role, Croft worked as the director of institutional analysis and performance measurement at UH, where she served as the University’s principal officer with respect to conducting analyses used by senior administration to make decisions about the strategic direction of the university, particularly decisions around achieving university goals of national competitiveness and student success.

Throughout her career, Croft has consulted in several educational and social service settings, particularly in the areas of research design, analysis and outcomes measurement. She serves on the research analytics advisory board for Thomson Reuters.  As an adjunct faculty member she teaches graduate level research design and statistics in the College of Education and serves as a peer reviewer for the Review of Higher Education. Prior to working in higher education, Croft worked as the director of adoption and post adoption services for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. She has remained active in social services holding board and committee memberships, including eleven years of service as a director on the board of the Lighthouse of Houston.

B.S. in Psychology, Texas A&M University
M.S.W. in Social Work, University of Houston
Ph.D. in Social Work, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Jackeline Gascon

Jackeline Gascon

Professional Interests:

A high percentage of community college leaders would have already retired in 2012 (Weisman and Vaughan, 2002). As such, Gascon’s current research and professional interests still focus on community college leaders succession plans, their preparation and effectiveness, and leadership professional development curriculum with an emphasis in higher education.

Gascon has been Houston Community College Southeast College (HCC-SE) Mathematics faculty since 1992. Her teaching philosophy is to effectively impact community college students by making a difference in their academic careers and contribute to their success. “Dr. Gascon has been the best mentor I could ask for. She was so proud to see me walk across stage as I received my bachelor’s in business from Houston Baptist University,” says, Cynthia Ramos, Gascon’s former student.

Gascon is currently serving as Texas-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) Program Director. Gascon is directly responsible for planning and supervising this program. In 2011, the 82 nd Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2910 to address the state’s need to increase the number of students pursuing and graduating from STEM programs. T-STEM is funded from a grant provided to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). HCC has been awarded over $1.5 million in scholarships. The amount of this scholarship is up to $2,500.00 annually for a maximum of two years of support. “Dr. Gascon is one of the reasons that I am able to pursue a Scholars Degree in Neuroscience and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin,” says, David Aghado, T-STEM former recipient.

As the current Federation of Houston Professional Women (FHPW) President, Gascon’s commitment is to motivate and empower women to become effective leaders. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Board of Directors signed, in 2005, a document that included six competencies for Community Colleges leaders: organizational strategy, resource management, communications, collaboration, advocacy, and professionalism; relevant to effective leadership. Gascon’s hope is to make a difference in women’s lives not only professionally but personally.  “It is vital that leaders prepare the pathway to improve or enhance women’s future, their surrounding communities; and ultimately impact the continued success of their generation,” Gascon remarks. 

Education:

Ed. D. Doctor of Education Degree, University of Houston
M.S.  Master of Science Degree, University of Houston – Clear Lake
B.S. Bachelor of Science Degree, University of Panama
B.A. Bachelor of Education Degree, University of Panama

Walter Holcombe

Walter Holcombe

Professional Interests:

Holcombe has managed and conducted quantitative and qualitative research since 1998, working collaboratively with nationally recognized experts to improve education across the K16 continuum. He has extensive experience conducting research and evaluation, most recently involving Race to the Top projects, Invest in Innovation projects, and college prep projects in districts in Colorado and the District of Columbia Public Schools. Prior to this work, he served as Director of the Texas Higher Education Policy Institute, an in-house policy research center at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board that provided critical input to policymakers in their efforts to meet the goals of the state’s higher education plan. Holcombe worked with stakeholders to identify critical research needs, developed action plans to respond to the identified needs, and regularly presented results to stakeholders from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the state legislature, and the Governor’s Office.  Previous to his position at the Texas Higher Education Policy Institute, Holcombe managed and conducted numerous research and evaluation project at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at Austin.  He began his career in education as a secondary math teacher in El Paso, Texas. 

Recent Publications:

Holcombe W. (2016). Itemized Charges and Student Aid: Enhancing the Capacity of States to Understand Affordability for all Students. Educational Policy Institute Policy Perspectives, February.

Holcombe W. (2015).  Building Civic Capital and the Texas Higher Education Plan for 2030 and Beyond.  Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, Summer 2015.

Education:

BSEE Rice University, 1986
MEd. Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1997
Ed.D. Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2002

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David Horton Jr.

Horton holds a bachelors and  masters in history  from Dallas Baptist University. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida. Prior to earning his doctorate, he began working in higher education in 2001 as the coordinator for graduate admissions at Dallas Baptist University. Since 2001, he has continued to work within higher education in various capacities and at diverse institutional types, including the University of Florida, Ohio University and the University of Pittsburgh. Most recently, Dr. Horton served as an associate professor for the higher education and student affairs program at Ohio University. He currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  

Education:  

B.S. in History, Dallas Baptist University, 2001   
M.L.A. in History, Dallas Baptist University, 2003   
Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, University of Florida, 2009  

D’Jalon Jackson Bell

D'Jalon Jackson Bell

Jackson Bell is a professional school counselor, licensed professional counselor and board certified counselor. In addition to 10 years of combined experience in school, career and mental health counseling and educational consulting, She has also served as an instructor for undergraduate and graduate students.

Jackson Bell is a published scholar on academic success and career and college readiness as it relates to African American students in the P-16 pipeline. Her research interests include career/college readiness engagement and access along the P-20 pipeline and beyond, Black students and the doctoral experience, doctoral attrition of traditionally underserved students, and the intersectionality of Women of Color in academia.

Dissertation

Jackson, D. (2016). From the Valley to the Mountaintop: A Case Study of Resilience and Persistence Among First-Generation African American Males Who Have Achieved Doctoral Success.

Education

B.S. in Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, 2009
M.A. in Counselor Education, Louisiana State University, 2012
Ed.S. in School Counseling, Louisiana State University, 2015
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership: Higher Education Administration, Louisiana State University, 2016

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Missy Klimitchek 

Klimitchek  has served educational leaders in both K-12 and higher education.   She has experience as a  public school  teacher, assistant principal, and curriculum director.  She also has 6 years of experience as a school board president. She also has experience as a college registrar, director of student enrollment and college and university instruction. She has experience working with students from all backgrounds and diverse needs and providing challenging supports  in order for  all students to have an opportunity to be successful in the education.  

Education:  

B.A.  in Journalism/Communication, Texas State University, 1987  
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston – Victoria, 2005  
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, 2017  

Dan Maxwell

Dan Maxwell

Professional Interests:

Maxwell is a leader, scholar/practitioner, change agent, educator and advocate. He currently serves in dual roles as Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for the University of Houston System and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Houston. His portfolio includes: Assessment and Strategic Planning, Student Success Initiatives, Academic and Faculty Collaborations, Advancement, University Career Services, Communications and Marketing, Emergency Management, Student Housing Initiatives, Urban Experience Program, and Student Affairs Committees.

Armed with a great sense of humor and an engaging personality, Dan is a results-oriented professional dedicated to developing teams to achieve valuable performance results. He is experienced with leading projects in fast-paced environments, developing effective relationships in diverse environments, and building high-performance teams.

Dan is a member of NASPA – Student Affairs and Administrators in Higher Education. He is the past two-term national president of the Association of College Unions International and served a three-year term as the chairperson of the Association’s Educational Research Fund. Dan serves on the board of trustees for St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Houston, Texas. His research interests include campus ecology, physical space, and community building.

Education:

B.S. in Personnel and Industrial Relations, Syracuse University
M.S. in Education in Higher Educational Leadership, University of Miami
Ed.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs with a minor in Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University
Emily Messa

Emily Messa

Professional Interests:

Messa is associate vice chancellor/associate vice president for administration for the University of Houston System/University of Houston. Messa’s portfolio includes: Auxiliary Services, University Services, Division Assessment and Evaluation, Division Communications, and Public Art of the University of Houston System. Her current research interests include the performance appraisal process in higher education and the use of corporate business tools, such as customer service, in higher education. Messa serves as a Commissioner on the Houston Clean City Commission, representing the University of Houston. Messa has served as a reviewer for Public Personnel Management and the Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education.

Recent Publications:

Messa, E. A., Horn, C.L., Longacre, T.E., Olenchak, F.R., & Penney, L.M. (2016). A case for competencies: Assessing the value of trait-based performance appraisal for non-faculty public university employees. Education Policy Analysis Archives.

Messa, E.A. (2016). Finding meaning in the measure: A case study to understand the value of employee performance and customer service evaluation in higher education. Quality Approaches in Education, 7(2), 5-13.

Education:

B.A. in English, Texas Tech University, 1996
M.Ed. in Administration & Supervision – Higher Education, University of Houston, 2012
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences, University of Houston, 2015
Raphael Moffett

Raphael Moffett

A native of Washington State, Moffett began his career in higher education at Clark Atlanta University in 2002. He was inspired by working with college students and made the decision to pursue a career in student affairs. During the past 17 years, he has gained valuable experience serving in progressive leadership roles at Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, Morehouse College and Trinity University. Moffett has served in senior leadership positions as the vice president for student services at Texas Southern University in Houston and Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma. 

Moffett is a visionary that is committed to enhancing students’ overall collegiate experience by providing them with skills and tools needed to succeed in college and beyond graduation. He is known in the field as being a servant leader who is personable, goal oriented and values driven. He focuses on providing students with effective services and unique developmental opportunities with the intent to help them maximize their potential. His philosophy is that every student has the ability to achieve academic success and personal growth with the proper guidance and support. He is also a staunch advocate for educational access for students from underrepresented populations. 

In his leisure time, he enjoys spending time with wife and son, visiting family, reading, watching and playing basketball, calligraphy, music production, trying new restaurants and traveling. 

B.A. in English Education, Washington State University, 2002
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, Clark Atlanta University, 2004
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Clark Atlanta University, 2008

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Moumita Mukherjee

As the Manager of A&F Assessment and Evaluation at University of Houston since 2016, Mukherjee is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all assessment activities for nine administrative units and departments in the Division of Administration & Finance. In addition to planning and developing division-wide assessment plans, she assists and guides departments with data collection, data management, analytics, data visualization and reporting to enhance continuous service excellence and student success. She oversees data reporting for accreditation and participates in creating dashboards and visual analytics to report assessment results. In 2019, she led the division-wide Key Performance Indicator project. Prior to living in the United States, she worked in India for a premier academic institution, Indian Institute of Management in Calcutta.

Mukherjee is passionate about student learning and success outcomes. Her research and scholarship examined college affordability, financial literacy, and student success outcomes among postsecondary students with focus on community college students and international students. Currently, her research interest include data governance, student employment and student success.

Recent Publications:

Mukherjee, M., McKinney, L., Hagedorn, L. S., Purnamasari, A. V., & Martinez, F. S. (2016). Stretching Every Dollar: The impact of personal financial stress on enrollment behaviors of working and non- working community college students. Community College Journal of Research and Practice.

McKinney, L., Mukherjee, M., Wade, J., Shefman, P. K., & Breed, R. (2015). Community college students’ assessments of the costs and benefits of borrowing to finance higher education. Community College Review, 43 (4), 329-354.

McKinney, L., Backscheider-Burridge, A., & Mukherjee, M. (2017). Occupational certificates: Examining student characteristics and outcomes across the public and for-profit sectors. Teachers College Review.

Mukherjee, M., Torres, M.L., McKinney, L., Wade, J., Shefman, P. K., & Breed, R. (2017). Redesigning financial aid to better support community college borrowers. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 24(1), 27-41.

Education:

Ph.D. in Educational Psychology & Individual Differences, University of Houston, 2016
M.A. in Sociology, University of Houston, 2012
M.A. in Political Science, University of Calcutta, India, 2005
B.A. in Political Science (Honors), University of Calcutta, India, 2003

Willie Munson

Willie Munson

Professional Interests:

Originally from Ames, Iowa, Munson attended Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a Master of Science Degree in Higher Education-Student Personnel Administration. 

While serving as the Advisor to Student Organizations at the University of Nebraska-Omaha from 1975-83, he entered the doctoral program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from which he received the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education-Administration, Curriculum, and Instruction. 

Munson served as the Assistant Director of Student Development and Fraternity Advisor at the University of Oklahoma from 1983-85 before accepting the Director of Campus Activities position at the University of Houston in 1985.  In 1988, Munson was promoted to the Dean of Students position and subsequently promoted to the positions of Assistant Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students in 1992, Associate Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students in 2001, and Associate Vice Chancellor/Associate Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students in 2007.  

Since 2012, Munson has served as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and provides the general leadership, management, and supervision of the programs, activities, and services offered through the Dean of Students Office including student conduct, student advocacy and problem solving, publication of the UH Student Handbook, student affairs policy and Federal and State law compliance, Parent and Family Programs, and the development of new programs for commuter student engagement.  He supervises the programs and services offered through the Veteran Services Office as well as the Women and Gender Resource Center and serves as chair of the UH Conduct Assessment and Response Team (CART), the University’s behavior intervention team charged with assessing, monitoring, and responding to students that exhibit concerning, disruptive, and threatening behaviors.

Education:

B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communication, Iowa State University, 1974
M.S. in Student Personnel Administration, Iowa State University, 1977
Ph.D. in Education – Administration, Curriculum, and Instruction, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1989
Miguel Ramos

Miguel Ramos

Professional Interests:

Ramos is Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment and Accreditation for the University of Houston. Ramos has worked as Assistant Dean for Assessment and Accreditation in the College of Technology at the University of Houston, coordinating assessment and evaluation-focused activities including serving as the internal evaluator for two NSF-CCLI grants. He has also served as an education researcher for the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) in Austin, TX, evaluating the effectiveness of a multi-state K-12 systemic model to improve student achievement in reading and mathematics. Prior to working at SEDL, Miguel was Program Evaluator for Boston Connects examining the impact of a coordinated service model intended to mitigate non-academic barriers to success among elementary students. In addition, Ramos has served as an assessment and evaluation consultant investigating a range of topics including undergraduate college persistence and effectiveness of learning technology. He serves as a member of the Evaluation Commit¬tee for the Children’s Museum of Houston.

Recent Publications:

Kovach, J.V., Carden, L.L., & Ramos, M.A. (2014). ‘Flipping’ the lean six sigma classroom. International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage, 8, 3/4, 227-246.

Klisch, Y., Bowling, K.G., Miller, L.M., & Ramos, M.A. (2013). The impact of science education games on prescription drug abuse attitudes among teens: A case study. Journal of Drug Education, 43, 3, 255-275.

Kovach, J.V., Miley, M., & Ramos, M.A. (2012). Using online studio groups to improve writing competency: A pilot study in a quality improvement methods course. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 10, 363-387.

Education:

B.A. in History and Sociology, Rice University, 1995
M.Ed. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College, 2000
Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation, Boston College, 2004

Pamelyn Klepal Shefman

Pamelyn Klepal Shefman

Professional Interests:

As Director of Assessment and Planning at the University of Houston, Shefman works with divisional and departmental level leadership with responsibility for assessment, strategic planning, and reporting.  Prior to her position at UH, she served as the Coordinator of the BEST START program leading local and system-wide training for QEP assessment and expectations at Lone Star College.  Shefman was also an Adjunct Faculty member for the First Year College Success course at Lone Star College–CyFair.  She also initiated student engagement for UH’s College of Education Undergraduate Affairs. Shefman previously worked at Rice University in the Student Center and in Student Activities at the University of Houston.  Prior to living in Texas, she worked for the United States Postal Service in Pennsylvania and also Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia. 

Shefman currently serves in leadership capacities for National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community, TACUSPA’s Board of Directors, and the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders Board of Directors.  Her research interests include Assessment and Student Affairs Culture, Measuring Student Learning Outcomes, Financial Aid Counselors at Community Colleges, and Community College Student Loan Borrowing.

Recent Publications:

Shefman, P. K. (2016). “Using Direct Measures in the Co-Curriculum.” Assessment Update 28 (6): 4-12. DOI: 10.1002/au

Shefman, P. K. (2016). Assessing by the book: Does what we measure match the outcome? [Research Corner]. The Bulletin, 84(2), 9.

McKinney, L., Mukherjee, M., Wade, J., Shefman, P., & Breed, R. (2015). Community college students’ assessments of the costs and benefits of borrowing to finance higher education. Community College Review 26(1). DOI: 10.1177/0091552115594669.

Shefman, P. K. and Horn, C. L. (2015). Measuring what matters: A case study of measurement development methods for institutionally identified student learning outcomes. Colorado State University Journal of Student Affairs 24, 35-48.

Shefman, P. K. (2014). Toward understanding changes in perceptions of assessment for student affairs professionals: A case-study approach. New York Journal of Student Affairs 14 (1), 3-16.

McKinney, L., Roberts, T. & Shefman, P. (2013). Financial aid counselors’ perspectives and experiences of loan borrowing among community college students. Journal of Student Financial Aid 43(1), 3-17.

Education:

B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Ethics, Carnegie Mellon University, 1995
M.B.A in Business, Duquesne University, 1999
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, Individual Differences with a concentration on Higher Education, University of Houston, 2014

Tony Templeton

Toni Templeton

Templeton is a quantitative analyst at the University of Houston Education Research Center. Selected as a graduate fellow in the Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies program at the University of Houston, Toni completed her PhD in 2018. Her research examines school finance with a social justice lens, and she finds elegant statistical modeling particularly appealing. Prior to completing her PhD, Toni served as the director of data services for the Texas Charter Schools Association where she leveraged her expertise in school finance, accountability, and compliance to advocate for high quality charter schools.

Education:

B.S. in Neurobiology, The University of Texas Austin, 2004
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Phoenix, 2009
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Houston, 2018

Jackie Thomas

Jackie Thomas

Professional Interests:

My research interests include academic motivation, persistence, and retention among college students.  I am also interested in looking at factors that influence the persistence of community college students.  Currently, we are conducting research at Lone Star College-Tomball that is looking at the impact that GRIT has on college student academic performance, persistence, and retention.

Recent Publications:

Thomas, Jr., J. C., Wolters, C. A., Horn, C. L., Kennedy, H. A. (2014).  Examining relevant influences on the persistence of African American college students at a diverse urban university.  The Journal of College Student Retention, 15(4) 551-573.

Education:

B.S. in Consumer Science and Merchandising, University of Houston, 2004
M.S. in Higher Education, Florida State University, 2006
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Individual Differences, University of Houston, 2012

Richard Walker

Richard Walker

Professional Interests:

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, UH

Walker has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, at both public and private institutions.  Prior to becoming the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for the University of Houston System and Vice President for Student Affairs for the University of Houston in September 2011, he was with the University of Miami for 24 years, where he worked in a variety of progressively responsible positions – Assistant/Associate Dean of Students, Director of Student Life, and Assistant/Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Previous universities at which he worked are Central Missouri State University and Middle Tennessee State University.

Walker received his Ed.D. degree in higher education leadership from the University of Miami. He earned a Specialist in Education degree in education administration and supervision from Middle Tennessee State University, a Master of Education degree in education administration and supervision from Memphis State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in history from Middle Tennessee State University. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education Management Development Program.

Walker served as an adjunct faculty member and practicum supervisor for the Higher Education program in the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies in the School of Education at the University of Miami. He currently serves as an instructor for the Higher Education program within the Educational Psychology department in the College of Education at the University of Houston. His research area of interest is the relationships among student leadership experiences and learning outcomes.

Walker is involved in Student Affairs professional associations and has served as the national president, executive vice president, and conference chairperson for the Association of Fraternity Advisors. He is a past treasurer for the Association of Fraternity Advisors Foundation Board of Directors. Currently he is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the American College Personnel Association and Association of College Unions International. He is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and previously served as the Chairman of the National Extension Advisory Committee and the National New Member Education Committee.

Enhancing student success and the student learning experience through the integration of curricular and co-curricular opportunities has been a focus of Walker’s career. This has been achieved by building strong campus and community relationships and collaborations.

Laura Waltrip

Professional Interests:

My professional interests include the readiness and training of student affairs professionals, especially the focus of graduate preparation programs in higher education administration. I am also interested in learning more about what enables effective teaching at the college level, especially with online courses.

Education:

B.S. in Marketing, University of West Florida
M.S. in Higher Education Administration, Florida State University
Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, University of Florida

Special Populations
Janeen Antonelli

Janeen Antonelli

Antonelli is a certified executive coach with the International Coach Federation and an educational consultant with the Catalyst:Ed network specializing in leadership and career development. She currently works with the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in support of doctoral students completing the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate program from which she graduated in 2016.

Antonelli is also a member of the UH College of Education Alumni Board Advisory Work Group dedicated to cultivating active networked communities of and for former Cougars.

Antonelli joined the University of Houston in 2012 as adjunct faculty in the Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) program, serving as the lead instructor for the program’s undergraduate learn-to-learn course and as the coordinator of the capstone internship course until 2018.

Research Interests:

Antonelli is passionate about optimizing the capacity of all learners and leaders to achieve more of what matters to them most. Her research centers on student success in higher education with special emphasis on the effectiveness of self-regulated learning instruction for first-generation college students and their non-first-generation peers. Additional research interests include: (a) collaborative consultation and coaching in educational leadership, (b) strengths-based teaching and parenting, and (c) markers and methods of success in early career and transitioning professionals.

Recent Publications:

Jones, S. J., Burridge, A.B., Antonelli, J., Thorpe, J., & Hawkins, J. (in press). Understanding the self-regulated learning characteristics of first-generation college students. Journal of College Student Development.

Santi, K.L., Hawkins, J.M., Antonelli, J., & Phipps, S. (2018). Valuing the Workforce of Tomorrow. In Young, N.D., & Citro, T.A. (Eds.), Turbulent Times: Confronting the Challenges of Emerging Adulthood". Madison, WI: Atwood Publishing

Hawkins, J. M., Santi, K. L., Thorpe, J., Antonelli, J., & Witney, E. (2017).
Transforming Schools – From the Inside Out! In Storey, V. (Ed.), Exploring the Impact of the Dissertation in Practice. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

Recent Presentations:

Antonelli, J., Jones, S. J., Burridge, A. B., & Bena Kuno, C. (2018, April 15).  Optimizing Possibilities for Diverse College Student Populations: Exploring Differential Impacts of a Self-Regulated Learning Course.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York City, NY.

Antonelli, J., Jones, S. J., Burridge, A. B., & Hawkins, J. (2017, May 1).  Understanding the Self-regulated Learning Characteristics of First Generation College Students.  Paper session presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Antonio, TX.

Hawkins, J., Thorpe, J., Antonelli, J., & Witney, E. (2016).  Transforming Schools – From the Inside Out!  Roundtable presentation at the annual convening of the Carnegie Project on Education Doctorate (CPED), Portland, OR.

Hawkins, J., Santi, K. L., Thorpe, J, Khalaf, S., Fernandez, E., Antonelli, J., Rose, K., Savage, C., Bernard, S., & Stiles, A. (2016). Together We Succeed: Lessons Learned from a Community Collaborative Project.  Presentation at the national meeting of the National College Access Network (NCAN), Detroit, Michigan. 

Education:

B.A. Psychology/Biology, Summa Cum Laude, Pacific Lutheran University, 1990
M.A. Psychology, With Distinction, California State University of Fresno, 1994
Ed.D. in Professional Leadership-Special Populations, University of Houston, 2016

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Caroline Christensen

Christensen has been teaching since the early nineties, when she worked as a middle and high school teacher in a number of schools in the Houston and Austin areas. From 2003 to 2011, she taught as an adjunct professor for the University of Houston’s College of Technology. As an academic coach and tutor, she specializes in working with students to develop effective organizational and study skills. She incorporates learning science into all her efforts to help students.

Christensen is a certified educational diagnostician, a professional freelance writer, copy editor, and published poet. In addition to teaching as an adjunct in the College of Education, she is working on a doctorate in education.

B.A. in Literature, University of Houston
M.S. in Occupational Technology, Unversity of Houston
M.Ed., University of Houston

Jennifer Cobb

Jennifer Cobb

Research Interests:

Cobb currently is the assistant superintendent of research, accountability and testing for Spring ISD.  She has also worked in various positions for 18 years within research and evaluation departments in Spring Branch ISD and Houston ISD. In addition, she is a board member of CollegeCommunityCareer and Spring Branch ISD Education Foundation.

Cobb is passionate about college access and success for first-generation students.  Her research interests include: (a) college readiness, (b) eliminating obstacles for students in the college application process, (c) summer melt, (d) college persistence, and (e) first generation students. 

Education:

B.A. in Sociology, Baylor University, 1998
M.A. in Sociology, University of Houston, 1999
Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston, 2014

Beth (Elizabeth) Goodrich

Beth (Elizabeth) Goodrich

Professional Interests:

My professional interests are in the processes used to implement related services in public school districts and the benefits for students when various related services are provided, applying universal design principles to systems and programs provided in public school districts and using technology to support individuals with disabilities to participate in learning environments with their highest level of independence. My contributions to these areas of interest in the literature are in:

  • establishing effective processes for school personnel to request supports from related service providers and to establish systems for providing efficient and effective responses reserving full evaluation processes for students who truly need this level of service,
  • applying universal design principles in providing occupational therapy services in public schools,
  • applying universal design principles in designing one-to-one technology initiatives in public school districts
  • universally designing classroom environments to provide ready access for students with disabilities before the school even knows they exist
  • establishing district wide systems to provide accessible instructional/educational materials for students with disabilities
  • establishing district wide systems to implement universal design for learning principles as a framework to provide students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum

Recent Publications:

Goodrich, B., Garza, E. (2015). The roll of Occupational Therapy in Providing Assistive Technology Devices and Services. AOTA Fact Sheet. American Occupational Therapy Association. Available for download at http://www.aota.org/About-Occupational-Therapy/Professionals/RDP/assistive-technology.aspx

Goodrich, B. (2013). Best practices in resolving conflict. Chapter in Best Practices in School Occupational Therapy, American Occupational Therapy Association, Edited by Clark, G. and Chandler, B. ISBN: 978-1-56900-344-2

Goodrich, B., Hawkins, J., Burridge, A., & White, C., (2012).  Facilitating Appropriate Referrals for Related Services in Schools. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 5, 221-238. 

Education:

B.S. in Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman’s University, 1982
M.S. in Computer Education and Cognitive Systems, University of North Texas - 2003
M.A. in Educational Administration and Supervision, University of Houston – 2005
Ph.D. in Education Psychology and Individual Differences, University of Houston - 2010

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Marina McCormick

For the past 19 years, McCormick has worked in the field of special education as both a teacher of the deaf and a special education administrator. She currently serves as the Region 4 Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (RDSPD) coordinator at Region 4 Education Service Center. McCormick has received several honors including being named Texas Deafblind Outreach’s Ann Silverain Award recipient for 2019 for her extraordinary commitment to improving the lives of individuals with deafblindness and the Texas Association of Parents and Educators of the Deaf’s Outstanding Program Supervisor for 2018.

In collaboration with others, McCormick enjoys developing entrepreneurial and innovative educational programming to meet the needs of all learners. She seeks to foster a culture of high expectations and to provide equitable, high-quality educational experiences for students with special needs.

Recent Publications:

Gold, M., Darst, S., & McCormick, M. (2019). Sensory impairments. In Gold, M. (2019). Introduction to Special Education: The Spectrum of Exceptionalities. Matthews, NC: Kon Publishing and Media Group.

McCormick, M. (2016). Creating change: Transforming instruction for students with deafblindness. Visual Impairment and Deafblind Education Quarterly, 61(3), pp. 46-58.

McCormick, M. (2015). New to deafblindness? Five tips for administrators. TX SenseAbilities, 8 (2), 10-13.

Education:

B.S. Education of Persons with Hearing Loss, Cum Laude, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2000
M.Ed. Multicultural Urban Special Education, The University of St. Thomas, 2009
Ed.D. Professional Leadership – Special Populations, The University of Houston, 2019

Shannon McKee

Shannon McKee

Professional Experience:

McKee is currently employed by a local area school district as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. In this role she has provided direct and indirect psychological services to students from ages 3-21. Her areas of interest include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early childhood development, family functioning for children with ASD, and parent behavior management training.

Research Interests:

McKee is passionate about her work with families of children with autism spectrum disorder.  Her research interests include positive and protective factors on families of children with ASD, family adjustment after a diagnosis of ASD, regression in ASD and reaching culturally, linguistically, or socioeconomically diverse populations with ASD. 

Recent Publications:

McKee, S. L., Liu, X., Truong, D. M., Meinert, A. C., Daire, A. P., & Mire, S. S. (In preparation). Identifying stress in parents of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder using the Family Adjustment Measure.

Llorens, A., & McKee, S. L. (2019). Social and emotional issues related to chronic health conditions in schools. In A. Dempsey (Ed.), Pediatric Health Conditions in Schools: A Clinician’s Guide for Working with Children, Families, and Educators. Oxford University Press.

Fein, R. F., Goetz, A., & McKee, S. L. (2019). Gastrointestinal disorders. In A. Dempsey (Ed.), Pediatric Health Conditions in Schools: A Clinician’s Guide for Working with Children, Families, and Educators. Oxford University Press.

Mire, S. S., Tolar, T. D., Brewton, C. M., Raff, N. S., & McKee, S. L. (2017). Validating the revised illness perception questionnaire as a measure of parent perceptions of autism spectrum disorder. Journal Of Autism And Developmental Disorders, doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3442-4

Brinthaupt, T. M., McKee, S. L., & Kang, M. (2011). Relationships of body fat, gender, and ethnicity to the body image perceptions of preadolescent children. In J. Bienertová-Vaškù (Ed.), Body fat: Composition, measurements, and reduction procedures (pp. 97-111). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Education

B.A. in Psychology, Harding University, 2005
M.A. in School Psychology, Middle Tennessee State University, 2007
Ed.S. in School Psychology, Middle Tennessee State University, 2008
Ph.D. in School Psychology, University of Houston (in progress)

Kelly Moore

Kelly Moore

Moore is a lecturer in professional writing and literature at the University of Houston. She also serves as a teaching fellow supervisor in the English department, providing guidance and resources to graduate students teaching freshman writing. She has a special interest in helping first-generation college students and first-year graduate students acquire the analytical and communication skills they will need in their coursework and careers.

Having graduated from the UH Creative Writing program, she also teaches and writes poetry and nonfiction.  Her own work revolves around creative contemplation of the body in public space and the issues of dignity raised in the public square. While her poetry veers toward the humorous and grotesque, she has also written essays on subjects such as wheelchair accessibility in Houston. 

Recent Publications and Conference Presentations:

"Teaching the Rhetoric of Asking for Help" (2017), December Teaching Conference, University of Houston English Department.

"Life Writing at the Methodist Hospital" (2014), Global Alliance for the Arts and Health International Conference, Houston, TX

“A Brief Exchange” (2013) in Chattahoochee Review, Atlanta, GA.

“Irma Loves You” (2012) in Sonora Review, Tucson, AZ

“Pulling up Rivers” and “Crossing the Bridge over Highway 59” (2012) in Slice Magazine, New York, NY.

“The End of the Aquatic Apes” (2012) in Columbia Review, New York, NY

“Sidewalks, Steps, and Labyrinths: Navigating Houston in a Wheelchair” (2011) in C ite Magazine, Houston, TX.

Education:

B.A. in English and Art, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, May 2003
M.F.A. in Creative Writing: Poetry, University of Houston, May 2006
Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing, University of Houston, May 2011

Rebecca Sanford

Rebecca Sanford

Experience:

  • University of Houston College of Education Adjunct Professor 6/2018
  • Aldine Independent School District 8/1995- present
  • Hambrick Middle School Principal 6/2010 – present
  • Johnson Elementary School Principal 6/2001 - 6/2010
  • Escamilla Intermediate School 2001Assistant Principal 6/1998 - 6/2001
  • Worsham Elementary School Special Education teacher 8/1995 – 6/1998

Community involvement and Awards:

  • University of Houston Distinguished Alumni Award 2018
  • Aldine ISD Superintendent’s Search Committee 2018
  • Secondary Principal of the Year Aldine ISD 2016
  • Secondary Principal of the Year Nominee Aldine ISD 2015
  • University of Houston Charter School Board of Trustees 2015-present
  • Baker Ripley Community Forum Advisor 2014-present
  • East Aldine District’s Strategic Partner Award in Education 2014
  • East Aldine Improvement District Community Meetings Participant 2013-present
  • University of Houston College of Education Principal Advisory Board 2011-present
  • Bonding Against Adversity Advisory Board 2011-present
  • Aldine Finance Advisory Council 2011-2015
  • Aldine Greenspoint YMCA Board of Directors 2006-2010
  • University of Houston Successful Young Minority Alumni Award 2002

Education:

B.S. in Communication Disorders, University of Houston, 1994
M.Ed. in Educational Psychology/Special Education, University of Houston, 1996
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology/Special Education, University of Houston, 2000

 

Jenny Sanders

Jenny Sanders

Research Interests:

  • Identification and reversal of underachievement in gifted students
  • Social and emotional needs of the gifted
  • Specific and unique needs of parents and families of gifted students
  • Professional development for teachers, specifically addressing the needs of the gifted population

Through my work I seek to provide insight, support, and resources to address the unique academic, social and emotional challenges that gifted individuals, their families and educators face.

Professional Organizations:

  • Texas Association of Gifted & Talented (TAGT)
  • National Association of Gifted & Talented (NAGT)
  • Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

Certifications:

Certified Parent Group Facilitator SENG (2014)

Relevant Teaching Experience:

CUIN 4363: Gifted & Talented Instruction, University of Houston

Education:

B.S., Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri, 2003
M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction (Gifted and Talented Education), University of Houston, 2013

Maurice Wilson

Maurice Wilson

Wilson is an assistant director of pedagogy and training in the writing center at the University of Houston where he develops and implements a comprehensive training program curriculum for the writing consultants. He also oversees the developmental writing program, providing training and support for instructors and writing groups. Wilson also develops pedagogical support for writing center collaborative initiatives and partnerships across UH. As a retired army officer, his research examines military and veteran writing experiences in academia. He also has research interests in the writing experiences for students in Historically Black Colleges and Universities writing programs.

Recent Publications:

Wilson, M., Severe, R. (2019) “Voices from the Hill-HBCUs and the Graduate Student,” Learning from the Lived Experiences of Graduate Student Writers (eds. Madden, Edwards and Eodice) USUP

Wilson, M., Butler P., et al. (2016) "Remixing the House of Lore: Theory, Practice, and the New Graduate Scholar." Open Words: Access and English Studies 10.1.

Wilson, M., Casteel, J., et al. (2016) Rev. of Redesigning Composition for Multilingual Realities, by Jay Jordan. Teaching English in the Two-Year College 43.3.

Professional Organizations:

National Council Teachers of English

Modern Language Association

Conference on College Composition and Communication

International Writing Center Association

Rhetoric Society of America

Education:

B.A. in English, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, May 1999
M.A. in English, University of Illinois at Chicago, May 2009
Ph.D. (Cand.) Rhetoric, Composition & Pedagogy, University of Houston (Def. Spring 2019)