College of Education

Ms. Allen received a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology with a minor in Rehabilitation Studies from the University of North Texas and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in special education, Behavioral Analysis specialization, from George Mason University.  During her free time, Trenecia enjoys learning new music on the piano and flute, as well as spoiling her puppy, Nala.   

Dr. Anderson’s research program aims to promote positive youth development and social change in schools and mentoring programs. She studies the role of nonparental adult relationships in youth’s lives as an important interpersonal context during adolescence and emerging adulthood.  Her current work focuses on cultural humility and social justice supports for adults who work with youth in mentoring programs. She is also interested in advancing understanding of how adult mentors benefit and are changed by the experience of mentoring youth. Her work has been published in the American Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Development Psychology, among others.  

Prior to joining UNT, Dr. Anderson earned her Ph.D. in Community Psychology from DePaul University and was a postdoctoral fellow in the Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health at the University of Illinois Chicago. She earned an M.S. in Education from the Johns Hopkins University and B.A. in Psychology with concentrations in Child Development, and Gender & Women’s Studies from Oklahoma State University. She is currently a research board member of the National Mentoring Resource Center, a program of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Chris Bailey PhD, CSCS*D, RSCC came to UNT in 2018 after spending 4 years at LaGrange College in GA where he served as an Assistant Professor, Strength and Conditioning Graduate Program Coordinator, and Sport Performance Lab Coordinator. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

He completed his PhD in Sport Physiology and Performance at East Tennessee State University in 2014, where he served as the baseball strength and conditioning coach and sport scientist. Prior to his time at ETSU he worked as a minor league strength and conditioning coach in the San Diego Padres baseball organization for two years. He has also worked in private sports performance training with clients ranging from college prep athletes to professional football players.

He is an active member in the NSCA, currently serving as the NSCA Texas State Director and is also on the NSCA Membership Committee. He previously served as State Director for Georgia and Tennessee when living in those states.

His research focuses on athlete monitoring, quantitative analysis in sports, applied strength and conditioning, and bilateral strength asymmetry. He has published and has presented on the previously mentioned topics at the national and international level. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Athlete Monitoring, Biomechanics, Quantitative Analysis, Quantitative Procedures in Exercise and Sport Sciences, and Strength and Conditioning.

Elba Barahona, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. She joined the faculty at the University of North Texas in the Fall of 2016. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in bilingual and English as a second language. 

Barahona earned her B.A. in Economics from the Central University of Ecuador, an M.A. in Teaching and an M.B.A. from Louisiana Tech University. Her prior experience includes work as a bilingual teacher at the Dallas Independent School District.

Barahona’s research interest includes bilingual education, curriculum and assessment for English learners, and instructional strategies in classrooms and schools that serve culturally linguistically diverse students. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with specialization in Bilingual/ESL Education, from Texas A&M University at College Station.

A native of Louisiana, John Bellon moved to Texas to pursue his bachelor’s degree. In 2009, he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology from Dallas Baptist University. Then, Bellon became a member of the UNT community in 2011.

Bellon earned a Master's of Education in Higher Education degree in May 2013, at which time, he joined the College of Education Student Advising Office team.

Samantha Bergmann is an Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. She provides behavioral intervention services for children with autism at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center and specializes in the treatment of early language acquisition, pre-academic skills, social skills, and activities of daily living.

Katherine Bomer is Professor of Practice in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. Honored as the National Council of Teachers of English “Outstanding Elementary Educator” in 2017, she is the author of multiple books and articles about the teaching of writing and literacy for social justice. Her book, Hidden Gems: Naming and Teaching from the Brilliance in Every Student's Writing and accompanying DVD, “Starting with what Students Do Best” offer a transformative new approach to assessing and responding to student writing, even the most spare or difficult to understand. For a Better World: Reading and Writing for Social Action, co-authored with Randy Bomer, was built on research in her classrooms in New York City and Indiana of how young people take on projects to question equity in texts and use writing to advocate for fairness in their world.

Katherine taught graduate courses at Teachers College, Columbia University and at the University of Texas at Austin. Katherine began her career at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project with Lucy Calkins. For 10 years, she taught primary and intermediate grades, and her classrooms were featured in Annenberg video productions, and as demonstrations sites for many university programs. She consults nationally and internationally, presenting workshops in school districts as well as demonstrating and coaching inside K-12 classrooms about approaches to teaching reading and writing. As a frequent and popular keynote speaker, she combines a teacher's practical advice, a writer's love of language, and a powerful plea for social justice.

Lydia Caldwell is an Assistant Professor in Kinesiology and Health Promotion. She joined the faculty at the University of North Texas in the Fall of 2020. She earned her B.S. in Biology and M.S.E in Exercise Science from the University of Dayton prior to completing her Ph.D. in Kinesiology at The Ohio State University. During her doctorate studies, Caldwell was funded by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, where she supported research with the 711^th Human Performance Wing (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Dr. Caldwell’s primary research interests are centered around the physiology of exercise performance and recovery optimization. Her most current work has focused on the use of a novel recovery modality, flotation-restricted environmental stimulation therapy, to reduce biomarkers of stress and improve resiliency in military and athletic populations.

Dr. Mila Rosa Librea-Carden is originally from the Philippines and first came to the U.S. in 2013 as a fellow of Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching for International Teachers. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis in Science Education, from Kent State University. She also holds a master’s degree in biology from Ateneo De Manila University, Philippines. She taught high school biology at the Ateneo de Manila High School and served as director of graduate studies at the Far Eastern University in the Philippines. Before coming to UNT, she was a faculty associate and a science academic professional at Arizona State University. Her teaching and research agendas are interconnected, being grounded in strength-based teaching and focused on the learning and teaching of the nature of science. She is committed to pursuing scholarship that supports accessible and equitable science learning for diverse populations including students with special educational needs. 

Cynthia K. Chandler, EdD, is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist in Texas and has been a professor in the counseling program, of the College of Education, at the University of North Texas since 1989. She has an international reputation for her work in animal-assisted interventions, which she began in 1999. For her work in the field of animal assisted therapy, Dr. Chandler received the 2016 Professional Development Award from the American Counseling Association, and received the 2009 Thelma Duffey Vision and Innovation Award from the Association for Creativity in Counseling. She is author of the award-winning book Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling, the 3^rd edition was published in 2017. She is also editor of the book published in 2018, Animal-Assisted Interventions for Emotional and Mental Health: Conversations with Pioneers of the Field. Dr. Chandler founded the ground-breaking model, human-animal relational theory, which serves as a guide for the practice of animal-assisted counseling. 

Andrew Colombo-Dougovito is an Assistant Professor of Sport Pedagogy and Motor Behavior in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation at University of North Texas. He serves as the Director of the UNT Physical Activity and Motor Skill program and Faculty Liaison to the Kristin Farmer Autism Center at UNT. Colombo-Dougovito's research focuses on understanding the motor abilities and development characteristics of individuals on the autism spectrum and how the development motor skills impact social and adaptive skill development, as well as physical activity participation across the lifespan. Through this research, he strives to develop intervention, assessment and teaching strategies to better improve the quality of physical activity participation of autistic individuals.

Eric Dafoe, Ph.D., Certified School Counselor, NCC, is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas. His counseling experience includes serving as a family therapist at a Medicaid-funded community counseling clinic and as a school counselor at a K-8  school. His publications, presentations, and research agenda focus on expressive arts, school counseling, school-based mental health services, play therapy, and counselor supervision.

As administrative specialist, Marilyn works with faculty and students in the graduate programs for the Educational Leadership Master's degree and Principal as Instructional Leader Certificate.

Colleen McLean Eddy, Ed.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration for mathematics education and curriculum & instruction. Her degrees include Ed.D. from Baylor University, M.Ed. from Tarleton State University and B.S. from University of Texas at Austin. Her scholarship focuses on herself as a mathematics teacher educator, mathematics teacher educators, preservice teachers, and practicing teachers that incorporates the rehumanizing of mathematics (Gutiérrez, 2013,2018) and equitable pathways in STEM education. Lesson study is one of the professional development tools that has transcended her research and grants. Her research has been supported by grants totaling over $5 million, including the NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship Grant for which she was the Principal Investigator.

Alex Fernandez MS, MPH, CSCS, CPH joined the University of North Texas as a lecturer in the fall of 2022. He earned his BS and MS in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas and his MPH from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. He is board-certified in Public Health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Alex has work experience in clinical exercise physiology and research, public health programming, personal training, and fitness center management. He strives to bridge the gap between the classroom and practical application to best prepare students for their next steps professionally and academically. He has a passion for health and an innate drive to serve others in any way he can. He hopes to add value and serve as a resource to students and the UNT community. His interests are health and fitness, lifting weights, and learning new things.

Natalee Foster joined the KFAC team in January 2020. She has had over 3 years of experience working with children in educational and clinical settings. Natalee received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of North Texas in August 2021 and will begin her Master’s in Behavior Analysis in the fall of 2022.

After graduating from the University of North Texas, Dr. R. Jefferson George began his career in education as a media specialist for Vernon Community College.  His main focus was to support instruction in a college classroom through a growing use of the available technology.  As interest in video learning technologies increased, he moved to Austin and created his own video production company.  His company created documentary and historical videos for classroom instruction.  After moving to Houston, he began writing children’s books with Texas author Johara Harper and began his career in public education as an eighth-grade science teacher.  He completed his master’s degree in Counseling at the University of Houston and worked as school counselor, a college counselor and a hospital therapist in Houston ISD, Houston Community College and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. Dr. George eventually returned to public education as a school administrator, serving as a principal, interim-principal, assistant principal and director of an alternative program.  He then returned to the University of North Texas to complete his doctorate in Educational Leadership.  During this time, he became a mentor in the Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Program through the Center for Learning Enhancement and Redesign and worked with university teachers and leaders to create a classroom with high levels of student engagement and instructional rigor. Dr. George has returned to his interest in learning technologies and creating an engaging classroom with high levels of instructional rigor.  He is developing a series of online doctoral courses for the doctorate in Educational Leadership.  Dr. George is continuing his research into the development of an engaging instructional platform in a virtual environment and understanding the online experience of the native digital learner. Dr. George is a member of the Texas Counseling Association, the Texas Association of School Administrators and Kappa Delta Pi.

Mark Glicer earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Geology from Texas A&M University in 1989.  Following graduation, he began a 30-year career in the environmental field where he was able to gain extensive experience in management, human resource coordination, personnel development, as well as dynamic team scheduling.  Mark and his wife have 3 adult sons, the youngest of whom is on the autism spectrum which has provided first-hand experience of the challenges individuals with autism and their families face as they navigate available services and the unique challenges associated with an autism diagnosis. This personal connection to ASD led Mark to embark on a shift in his career path, using his skills to benefit other caregivers of individuals on the spectrum.  Mark joined the KFAC administrative team in October of 2021 where he will oversee all human resource functions as well as management of staff and client scheduling.   

Amanda Gordon received her bachelor's degree in December 2015 from Flagler College with a major in Psychology. Upon entry into the University of North Texas Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program, in August of 2019, she joined the Kristin Farmer Autism Center (KFAC) as a Graduate Research Assistant. While attending the University of North Texas she completed a master's degree in Clinical Psychology in December 2021. Amanda's master's thesis focused on the use of standardized assessment measures for outcome tracking at the KFAC. Current research focus at the KFAC are disparities in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis, barriers to treatment access, and clinical profiles of individuals with ASD. You may interact with Amanda if you request assessment services at the KFAC as she is the Woodcock Autism Assessment Clinic Coordinator, providing screening and scheduling for autism assessment services. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys camping with her partner and German Shepard Kida as well as watching live music. 

Literacy education is Dr. Hancock’s passion and purpose. She has proudly served as a classroom teacher, language acquisition specialist, instructional coach, professional development coordinator, member of a campus administrative team, as well as a university instructor and researcher. As a teacher educator, she engages students with literacy methods instruction that sparks delight with the written word, magnifies historically excluded voices, provides form for vicarious experience, as well as inspires advocacy and activism. When she’s not teaching, Dr. Hancock enjoys spending time with her family as well as competing in marathons and ultramarathons.

Donna Hickman is thrilled to be joining the UNT faculty as a Clinical Assistant Professor this fall. She was previously an Assistant Professor and coordinator of the school counseling program at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Donna is a Licensed Professional Counselor and certified school counselor in the state of Texas. She has 22 years of experience in Texas public schools as an elementary school teacher and counselor. She has also worked with children, adolescents, and adults in private practice. Donna is an active member of several professional counseling associations with presentations on topics such as research mentorship, sandtray therapy, and school counselor supervision. Her research interest areas include professional school counselor advocacy, graduate student mental health, and counselor self-care and wellness.

Jaret Hodges earned a master's degree at the University of Houston, doctorate at Purdue University, and was a postdoctoral researcher at Duke University. His research interests include underrepresented populations in gifted education, rural gifted education, and gifted education policy. He also has an interest in promoting open science practices and the use of computer programming in education research. 

Johnetta Hudson, Ph.D., is a visiting professor of education administration within the Department of Teacher Education and Administration at the University of North Texas. Her scholarship focuses on race, class, and gender issues in education. Within this broad area Hudson has published on women's leadership in a male-dominated culture and leadership for educating a diverse student population. A secondary area of interest is leadership development utilizing technology. Her degrees are from Kentucky State University (BA), University of Nebraska (MA) and Indiana State University (EdS and PhD).

As Vice Provost for Faculty Success, Holly M. Hutchins is responsible for providing strategic leadership to ensure transparent and equitable faulty-related academic policies, effective communication processes, diverse and inclusive learning opportunities, and prestigious faculty awards and recognition processes and events. Vice Provost Hutchins supports UNT’s diverse faculty resource groups, oversees faculty mentoring and developmental grants and initiatives, and leadership fellow programs within academic affairs. She coordinates with other academic affairs units to address faculty human resource issues and provides counsel on developing healthy, just, and sustainable workplace climates. Vice Provost Hutchins’ academic background is in human resource development where her focus has been on training transfer and faculty talent development. She is a proud UNT alumna and completed her Ph.D. in 2004.

Before returning to UNT as Vice Provost, she was professor and department chair at the University of Houston. Spanning her 17 years at UH, Vice Provost Hutchins garnered $4M in funded grants, published over 40 peer-reviewed articles in national and international journals, and has been featured in global media outlets such as NPR, the BBC, Psychology Today, and The Guardian for her work on imposter phenomenon among higher education faculty. Vice Provost Hutchins supports UNT’s HSI and MSI mission by leading and supporting efforts to attract, retain, and advance a thriving and diverse faculty community.

Dr. Jerraco Leontae Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation. An overarching theme of his research is health disparities among young, underserved children. Johnson's primary research aims are to develop and improve childhood health behaviors (i.e., fundamental motor skill competence, physical activity promotion) in young children from under-represented backgrounds. These children are highly at-risk for poor health trajectories (e.g., obesity, cardiovascular disease) and motor developmental delays. He specializes in implementing mastery motivational climate movement and health interventions in Preschool and Head Start settings, primarily for low-income children of color. A major emphasis of his research is on addressing and combating ethnic/racial, gender, and socioeconomic related disparities for this population. Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) is an integral component of his research.During his graduate studies he was the recipient of several awards from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) including the Graduate Student Dissertation Research Grant, Outstanding Student Paper Award, and Graduate Student Award for International Conference Travel.

Leslie Jones is a Clinical Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and a Registered Play Therapist. Leslie teaches courses in play therapy, child appraisal, and clinical courses. Leslie has over 25 years of play therapy experience including teaching masters level courses, supervising counselors in training, and working with families and children in both community agency and school settings.

Dr. M. Jean Keller is a professor in the University of North Texas Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion and chair of the North Texas Regional P-16 Council. She recently served as the UNT interim vice president for community engagement and equity and diversity. She supported UNT Dallas as provost and vice chancellor as the institution transitioned to an independently accredited university in the UNT System. She served as dean of the College of Education at UNT for 15 years. Prior to her career at UNT, she was a department chair at the University of Georgia and a member of the faculty at Indiana University.

She has written or edited 11 books and 18 refereed chapters, and authored more than 100 articles. Dr. Keller has given more than 300 presentations in the United States and several countries. She was awarded more than $6 million of funding by external agencies for research and innovative projects. Dr. Keller is a fellow in the Academy of Leisure Sciences and the Academy of Park and Recreation Administration. She has received recognition for extensive work related to health disparities, persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the North Texas Region P-16 Council, a regional, data-driven collaborative focused on education access and success for all students leading to meaningful employment and quality of life.

Nazia Khan is a senior lecturer in the department of Teacher Education and Administration. She earned her doctorate in science education and concentration in multicultural education from Hofstra University in New York in 2018. Her teaching experience includes Science education, STEM education, and best practices for underrepresented communities. She serves to coordinate optimal student experiences embedded in transformative education in social actions related to science and partnerships with community leaders. 

Khan's research focus is on understanding how to engage and support students and teachers of all communities in science and STEM education with an emphasis on growth mindset. Much of her interests in education are rooted in her experience teaching in New York City for 10 years in a NYC public schools and the City University of New York. Having taught students of all ages in ESL, Black and Latinx communities, Khan promotes and understands the importance of representation in STEM fields, which is a motivating factor of her teaching, research and scholarship.

Kyoung Jin Kim, Ph. D., is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. She received a Ph. D. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining UNT, she was an assistant professor at Arkansas State University, Ball State University, and Wheelock College. In addition, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor at Boston University. Her teaching in higher education has a wide range of both undergraduate and graduate courses including child development, principles of early childhood education, foundations in communication and collaboration with families, professionals, and communities, teaching, and curriculum in diverse early childhood settings, practicum courses, action research, nurturing children’s social competence, environmental processes, and assessment, learning with/from children, advanced studies in early childhood education, and documenting young children’s learning and development.  

All of her teaching experiences inspired her research. Providing a high-quality program for young children is her central interest. She researched program quality in education, teacher evaluation, teacher efficacy in working with diverse families, and professional development to assess teacher quality. Curriculum-wise, she examined many effective programs on different instructional approaches on diverse subject matters such as math, science, art, and critical literacy. Lastly, as diversity is another streamline of her research, she examined racial diversity through role-playing as well as reflected on her own experience as an immigrant mother and teacher educator focusing on diversity and working with immigrant children and families. Her scholarly works have been published in journals such as the International Journal of Early Childhood, Journal of Research in Early Childhood, Journal of Research in Early Childhood, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Early Childhood Development and Care, and Early Childhood Education.

Daniel G. Krutka, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Social Studies Education in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. A former high school social studies teacher in Oklahoma City, his research interests concerns intersections of technology, education, and democracy. Dr. Krutka has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He was awarded the 2016 Early Career Award by the Technology as an Agent of Change in Teaching and Learning special interest group (SIG) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the 2017 Outstanding Research Paper Award from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). He is past chair of the Social Studies Research SIG of AERA and a past board member for the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA) of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). He also hosts the Visions of Education podcast (VisionsOfEd.com) and founded the Civics of Technology project (CivicsOfTechnology.org). He earned his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma.

Queshonda Kudaisi joined the University of North Texas in the Fall of 2022 as an assistant professor of mathematics education in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. Her degrees include a Ph.D. from the University of South Florida, an M.A.T from the University of South Florida and a B.S. from Southeastern University. Her research is composed of two strands of inquiry. The first strand focuses on social justice in mathematics education with particular attention is given to mathematics teacher educators', mathematics teachers', and mathematics teacher candidates’ development of the knowledge needed to teach mathematics for social justice. Her research interest in social justice mathematics stem from her experiences in title one schools as a mathematics teacher and an instructional mathematics coach. Dr. Kudaisi’s second strand of inquiry focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning experiences that take place in informal learning environments such as after school and summer programs. Her research interest in informal STEM learning environments originated from her experience participating in after school STEM programs as a student and as an educational non-profit founder and director. Her research methods include the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Dr. Kudaisi’s 8 years’ experience within K-12 contexts include work in both private and public schools, work as a mathematics teacher, work as an instructional mathematics coach, and work as an education consultant. Dr. Kudaisi has presented at both state and national mathematics conferences and has served on the board of directors for several professional mathematics organizations.

Jihyun Lee is an assistant professor in the Research, Measurement and Statistics program in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of North Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in 2022 in the Quantitative Methods program in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Texas at Austin.

Her research has been anchored in the overarching question, "How can we conduct valid quantitative research to investigate psychological and behavioral phenomena?" To address this question, she studies quantitative methods and statistical modeling used for research within the behavioral and social sciences, including education and psychology. Her specialized work in quantitative methods includes meta-analysis, missing data analysis, and latent variable modeling. 

In addition, she has actively collaborated with applied researchers in various research fields. Her work is intended to further enhance the quantitative research that investigates educational, psychological, clinical, and social issues.
 

Matthew Lemberger-Truelove is a Professor of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas. Dr. Lemberger-Truelove is the Editor of the Journal of Counseling and Development and the past Editor of the Journal of Humanistic Counseling. Also, he served as President of the Association for Humanistic Counseling and as the Senior Associate Editor for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling. Dr. Lemberger-Truelove’s scholarship includes empirical and theoretical writing. His empirical work pertains to counseling practice with children and adolescents, especially in economically challenged K12 schools. His theoretical writings cover a number of areas such as the development of a unique school counseling theory, social justice philosophy, research design, and humanistic counseling. His empirical and theoretical work adhere to the basic supposition that counseling is optimal when counselors help cultivate various internal capacities of clients while simultaneously improving the social opportunities that affect their lives. 

Natalya A. Lindo, PhD, LPC is a Professor and Department Chair at the University of North Texas with 15 years of experience as a researcher and clinician with specialized training in working with children and families, diverse and at-risk populations. Dr. Lindo’s primary research areas are School-based Play Therapy, Child Parent Relationship Therapy, Teacher Child Relationship Building and Career Development across the lifespan. Consistent with this research agenda, Dr. Lindo regularly conducts action-research projects in the public schools related to Child Parent Relationship Therapy and Teacher Child Relationship Building. Most recently Dr. Lindo developed the Child and Adolescent Career Construction Interview aimed at improving self-concept, occupational identity and career adaptability. With a focus on capacity building, Dr. Lindo collaborates with administrators and school counselors to develop school-wide mental health initiatives targeting children who are at risk for school failure.

Ruth McKoy Lowery, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Faculty Affairs in the College of Education. She is also  a professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration. Dr. Lowery’s research focuses on children’s literature, immigrant and multicultural literature, and the adaptation of immigrant and minority students at-risk of school failure, West Indian immigrants’ adjustment in American, Canadian, and British schools; and preparing teachers to teach diverse student populations. The definitive outcome of her research is to prepare preservice and in-service teachers to create a culturally responsive learning space for all children they will ultimately teach through diverse literature integration in their curriculum. Children’s literature is an important mode of communication and when utilized, stories have the power to break down walls as readers make cross-cultural connections. Her motto “Just read” encapsulates her love of books and belief in sharing great literature with readers of all ages. Dr. Lowery has more than 100 publications including seven books. She is vice-president of the Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English. Prior to coming to UNT, Dr. Lowery served as Interim Chair and Associate Chair for the Department of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University.

As a literacy educator at UNT since 1997, Janelle Mathis focuses her teaching and research on children’s and adolescent literature, especially works that are multicultural and international. She teaches both undergraduate and courses in children’s and adolescent literature, qualitative research, and literacy topics including multimodality and sociocultural issues. Her research interests, often focused on response to literature and critical content analysis of words and images, are also found in the areas of the transactional theory of reader response, socio-cultural contexts for literacy teaching and learning, critical literacy, and literacy through the arts. She received her doctorate at the University of Arizona in the Department of Language, Reading, and Culture in 1994. She was a teaching assistant and adjunct at the University of Arizona, and she also taught at Northern Illinois University prior to coming to UNT. Published in national and international journals, she is most recently a co-editor and author of "Critical Content Analysis of children’s and Young Adult Literature: Reframing Perspective" (Routledge, 2016) and "Critical Content Analysis of Visual Images in Books for Young People: Reading Images" (Routledge, 2019). Currently serving as co-editor of "Bookbird, An International Journal of Children’s Literature," her professional life outside UNT revolves around and within LRA, NCTE, IBBY/USBBY, and ALA. Her personal life involves traveling, hiking, and learning about “the Blues.”

Brian McFarlin earned his BS and MS degrees at Texas Christian University and his PhD at Purdue University. After graduation, he completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Nutrition at Purdue University before becoming an Assistant Professor at The University of Houston. Dr. McFarlin joined the UNT faculty in the Fall of 2012. He is a Professor with tenure at the University of North Texas.

Dr. McFarlin’s research focuses on the use of natural products and exercise to reduce disease risk and improve muscle recovery following injury and strenuous training sessions. Since 2004, he has published more than 115 peer-reviewed articles and obtained more than $3.5 million in externally funded research grants. His research methodology expertise includes flow cytometry and multiplex analysis among other common biological techniques.

Dr. McFarlin is co-director of the University of North Texas’s Applied Physiology Laboratory. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and an editor for the journal METHODS. Dr. McFarlin was recognized as the 2019 UNT Teacher-Scholar and regularly teaches courses in Healthy Lifestyles, Sport Nutrition, and Exercise Physiology. He is considered an expert in the design and implementation of high-quality online and blended courses.

Dr. Karisma Morton is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education. Her research explores racial inequity in STEM education with a focus on mathematics education and has two strands of inquiry. In the first, she explores factors influencing racially minoritized students’ opportunities to learn rigorous mathematics through quantitative analyses of large-scale district and national datasets. In the second, she explores elementary preservice teachers’ ability to teach mathematics in equitable ways, particularly through the development of their critical racial consciousness. Findings from her research have been published in the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education and Educational Researcher.

Rachel U. Mun is an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas in Educational Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in Education, Learning Sciences and Human Development from the University of Washington. She was also a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Connecticut with the National Center for Research on Gifted Education conducting research on identifying and serving underrepresented gifted learners. Her research interests are two tiered and best described as an intersection between culture, gifted education, and socioemotional well-being. At the micro-level, she explores socioemotional development and decision-making for high-ability students (emphasis on immigrants) within family, peer and academic contexts with the goal to promote well-being. At the macro-level, she examines ways to improve equitable identification and services for K-12 high-ability learners from diverse populations. She has published in Gifted Child Quarterly, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, Journal of Advanced Academics, Roeper Review and Parenting for High Potential.

Haven is a board-certified behavior analyst at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center and doctoral candidate in the UNT Department of Behavior Analysis. She provides behavioral intervention for children with autism and specializes in early intervention. 

Mayra Olivares-Urueta, Ph.D. works to remove institutional barriers and ensure the success of all students, especially historically marginalized and excluded populations. She comes to UNT after serving as associate professor of professional practice in the graduate Higher Education Leadership Program at Texas Christian University. Prior to that, Mayra worked as vice president for student development services at Tarrant County College-Northeast Campus. Dr. OU’s research and writing focus on removing barriers to executive leadership for Latina mothers in higher education, making college a family affair, and increasing access and success of Latinx students in higher education. In 2018 she was named an American Association of Women in Community Colleges 40 under 40 and in 2020 she became a fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Presidential Fellows program. She is immediate past-president of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education, member of the NASPA Latinx Task Force within the Community Colleges Division and a member of the Board of Directors for Camp Fire Texas. Dr. OU enjoys spending time with her family, running, and reading. 

Barbara L. Pazey is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of North Texas, where she joined the faculty in 2017. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Administration with a specialization in Special Education Administration from The University of Texas at Austin, her Master of Arts in Music and Piano from The Ohio State University, her special education certification through the University of South Carolina and Francis Marion University, and a Bachelor of Music degree with a major in piano from Muskingum University. She has experience as a K-12 music teacher and special education teacher, musician and music director for several professional organizations, high school inclusion coordinator, high school principal, and higher education administrator.  

Pazey’s research centers on student voice as well as facilitating the empowerment of voice among individuals with multiple identities and generations,  inclusive education, equity-oriented leadership, and educational policy and reform. She interrogates the effects of educational policies and laws on the school experiences of marginalized student populations and examines how educational policies and reforms inform and impact the development of equity-oriented leaders and leadership preparation programs.

She actively participates in several professional organizations, serving as the representative for the UNT Teacher Education and Administration Department in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, Research Committee member for the Council for Administrators of Special Education, and a member of the Action Committee for the Leadership for Social Justice Special Interest Group (SIG) for the American Educational Research Association (AERA). 

Kelly Perez earned her M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University and worked as a teacher in a K-12 setting in her early career. Her passion for health and fitness led her to obtain her personal training, health coaching, and group exercise instructor certifications. She has taught various formats of fitness such as Pilates, HIIT, step, and indoor cycling for over two decades and worked with a variety of clients. Kelly earned her Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Arizona and worked in the Department of Health Sciences at Northern Arizona University for twelve years as a teacher and program coordinator. She developed course such as Healthy Lifestyles and Worksite Wellness and coordinated the FIT program which served over 6000 students annually.

Dr. Rachel Ranschaert centers both her teaching and research around justice-oriented teacher education. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and began her career as a middle school teacher in Arizona and Texas. She then went on to the University of Georgia, where she earned her Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Practice and her certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Research. At the University of Georgia, she worked as a teacher educator in the Middle Grades Program.

Her research focuses on the intersection of justice-oriented teacher education and sociopolitical discourses surrounding schools as they manifest in policy, news media, and curriculum. She has also done work related to both middle grades education, school-university partnerships, and qualitative methodologies. Her work has been presented at numerous national and international conferences and  published in Educational Studies, School-University Partnerships, Middle School Journal, The Middle Grades Review, Journal of Media Literacy Education, and several books, most recently Progressive Neoliberalism in Education. Outside of teaching and research, she enjoys cooking, yoga, and reading fiction and poetry.

Texas is that state I call home. I’ve spent most of my life in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with brief stints in Nashville, TN & San Diego, CA. I was fortunate to gain my master’s degree in counseling at the very young age of 21 from Vanderbilt University. But it took many more years to actually figure out what counseling is really about. Although I originally specialized in adolescents in the school setting, I was introduced to play therapy as a doctoral student at the University of North Texas. My training and experience in play therapy has been the guiding force for my professional growth and focus. I believe that the Child-Centered approach to working with children is aligned with my humanistic beliefs that all people are working toward self-actualization. My research agenda focuses on the quantitative effectiveness of play therapy, with a specific interest in school settings. I am an active member of the Association for Play Therapy and focus my work on demonstrating efficacy and disseminating information on play therapy. As part of my role in the UNT Counseling Program, I am honored to direct the Center for Play Therapy on campus. On a personal note, I have been married for 18 years to my college sweetheart. We are busy raising two boys, Elijah & Noah, who take up any free time that we might spend developing hobbies. I actively volunteer in both of our elementary and middle schools.

Dr. Hyun Kyoung (Hyunny) Ro is Associate Professor of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas.  She earned a Ph.D. In Higher Education from The Pennsylvania State University with a minor in Educational Psychology—Applied Measurement.  Prior to that, she earned a master’s and baccalaureate degree at Korea University.  Prior to UNT, Dr. Ro and worked as a faculty member in the Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs at Bowling Green State University and worked as a Research Designer and Analyst in the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis at Carnegie Mellon University.  Her research expertise includes Gender and Racial Equity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education; Learning Experiences and Outcomes among Marginalized Students; and Critical Quantitative Research and Assessment.  She received multiple external grants with a total amount of $1.1 million from the National Science Foundation (ADVANCE Adaptation Track grant for gender equity on campus) and AccessLex Institute/Association for Institutional Research (law school access and enrollment among women of color).  She has been the leading author on articles that were published peer-reviewed journals, such as Journal of Engineering Education, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, Educational Policy, The Review of Higher Education, and Research in Higher Education.

Dr. Brenda Rubio’s research and policy agenda focuses on the development of critically conscious educational leadership and community-district-university partnerships. Among her current research, she examines learning spaces that promote the curricular recognition of alternative epistemologies and the development of pedagogies that foster students’ culture, language, and funds of knowledge. Her research explores the impact of community-anchored, ethnic studies curriculum on the educators themselves, their classroom practices, and their leadership development.

Her experience in educational research and program evaluation is primarily focused on K-12 but extends into higher education. She has conducted research with schools and providers that serve diverse student populations, including schools located in rural border towns and Indigenous pueblos as well as urban, Title 1 schools that primarily serve immigrant and refugee student populations. An essential part of her work as a participatory action researcher focuses on establishing collaborative partnerships across institutions and disciplines to leverage the existing knowledge and expertise found within these communities. Dr. Rubio is a first-generation immigrant and college graduate who proudly continues to serve diverse communities.

Cristina Shelton joined the KFAC team in January of 2021. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology from the University of North Texas in the fall of 2021. Cristina hopes to further her education by pursuing a Master’s degree in the future.  

Stephanie Silveira joined the University of North Texas as an Assistant Professor in Spring 2021. She received her B.S. in Psychology at Northeastern University prior to completing her Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Obesity Studies at the University of Houston. Dr. Silveira subsequently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Exercise Neuroscience Research Lab at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests center on the fields of Sport and Exercise Psychology, with an emphasis on health behavior change among persons with chronic disabling conditions. Dr. Silveira’s research includes mixed-methods approaches in order to engage communities in her research creating tailored health promotion programs and examining outcomes such as psychosocial factors, body composition, fitness, diet, and physical activity.

Valerie Stevenson began her education at the University of Memphis, where she started to develop a passion for sports science, Kinesiology and sports medicine. She continued her Master’s education at the University of Arkansas and received a terminal clinical doctorate from the University of Idaho.

As a practicing athletic trainer for more than 10 years, she developed a clinical practice philosophy that involves collecting patient specific outcomes of each patient interaction and basing my clinical decision making on evidence and individual patient needs. As a result of her personal clinical philosophy, she utilized the same approach in teaching both athletic training and pre-occupational therapy students.

Scholarly dissemination of her patient care outcomes has been a priority in her career, as her evidenced-based action research peer-reviewed published manuscripts will show. Using that knowledge and proficiency in research and manuscript composition has also allowed for mentorship opportunities with athletic training doctoral candidates as well as serving as an expert committee member for masters level student research. Her experience using several advanced practice manual therapy techniques in her patient care and her strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) certification both contribute to her clinical expertise in therapeutic intervention, rehabilitation and differential diagnosis.

Linda Stromberg, Ph.D., is the Program Chair of the Educational Administration Program, and she serves as Lead Advisor for the Master's In Educational Administration and the Principal Certification Programs. She teaches Introduction to Educational Administration, Instructional Leadership, and Professional Development and Supervision. Her interests include developing and implementing online and hybrid/blended courses. She is a certified trainer for Instructional Leadership Development (ILD) and Professional Development and Appraisal System of Texas (PDAS) appraiser training. She works with area Regional Service Centers and School Districts to coordinate off-campus courses for the doctoral and master's program. She serves on the advisory council for the Region 11 Ne Principals' Academy. Her prior experience includes work as a teacher, reading specialist, and instructional facilitator in the Dallas Independent School District and as a curriculum coordinator, and principal in the Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District. Her bachelor's degree is from West Texas State University (now Texas A & M University at Canyon), and her master's and doctoral degrees are from the University of North Texas.

Karthigeyan Subramaniam, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Science Education in the Department of Teacher Education and Administration at the University of North Texas where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses focused on science teacher education. His scholarship focuses on preparation of elementary and secondary science teachers. Before coming to UNT in 2009, he was on the faculty of Penn State University-Harrisburg, where his position was in Elementary Teacher Education and Teaching and in the Curriculum Master’s Graduate Program. He has also been on the faculty of Adelphi University. His bachelor's degree is from the National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore, his master's degree is from University of Florida, at Gainesville, and his doctoral degree is from the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Barrett Taylor earned his PhD from the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. He teaches a number of courses at UNT, including "General Administration of Higher Education" (EDHI 6710) and "Higher Education Finance" (EDHI 6760). His research emphasizes the ways in which colleges and universities interact with their environments.

Karen Toussaint is an Assistant Professor of Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. Toussaint received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Louisiana State University and completed a postdoctoral research appointment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Munroe-Meyer Institute. She provides behavioral intervention services for children with autism at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center and specializes in the treatment of severe behavior disorders and early language acquisition.

While at the Kristin Farmer Autism Center, she also conducts research evaluations related to improving clinical outcomes. Her research can be found in journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and Behavior Analysis in Practice. 

Laura Valerius has taught at the University of Illinois and the University of North Texas in Recreation and Sport Management programs. Having worked in parks and recreation departments in Louisiana, Florida and North Carolina in the areas of program, special event, and sport management, Dr. Valerius blends academic and real-world experience in her teaching and research. Additionally, she owned and operated two special event franchise locations for more than a decade before returning to academia.

Dr. Jakob Vingren received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas before pursuing a Ph.D. in Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut (currently ranked the #1 doctoral program in the country). During his undergraduate education he was a walk-on on the UNT football team as a tight end and took part in the Developing Scholars Mentor Program within the College of Education. Dr. Vingren’s research interests include resistance exercise and the effect of alcohol on hormones, muscle and athletic performance. One of the more out of the ordinary research projects he has worked on included resistance training of chronically intoxicated rats.

Dr. Stephen Waddell, a former superintendent at Lewisville ISD, is a visiting professor in the Teacher Education and Administration Department.

Andrea Weertman joined the Kristin Farmer Autism Center in June 2019, where she serves as the Insurance and Billing Specialist for the Center. She brings a wealth of talent and experience to our KFAC family, including certification as a Nationally Registered Certified Coding Specialist from the College for Health Care Professions in Fort Worth. Andrea works with our families, insurance companies and other entities involved in the billing and payment of therapeutic services at the KFAC. She and her husband, Allen, have three sons.

Dr. Lok-Sze Wong studies system reform policies as attempts to address systemic inequities. Drawing on education, sociocultural, and organization theories and mixed methods, her research unpacks how systems (re)produce inequities and how to humanely reform schools and districts as complex social systems. She focuses on professional learning opportunities that support teachers and administrators as they shift their practices while redesigning the very organizations in which they work. Dr. Wong began her career in education as an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles. Wong has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Michigan.

Sue Young finished a bachelor’s degree at TCU while working full-time for the Neeley School of Business, and after graduating as a TCU Development Officer. She started working at UNT in 1998, and has worked for the North Texas Community College Consortium, the Faculty Senate, the Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education, and currently for the KHPR Dept.

Sue endowed the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Ally Scholarship here at UNT, and was among the core group that started the UNT Ally Program, which later paved the way for the UNT Pride Alliance, a gender & sexuality resource center and a safe space for all. Sue has served as a UNT Staff Senate Executive Officer, has won multiple university diversity & volunteer awards, the UNT Staff Excellence Award, and is a member of the UNT President’s Council.