Dr. Elizabeth Díaz Rodriguez, BS Biology Education (Cum Laude), Master in Science Teaching (Summa Laude), Doctorate in Instructional Design, research mentor in MSP project to students and teachers, 2017 Award with the article Sublevación, author of several articles, lecturer professor. Teaching and learning servant: Higher education (August 2006), a schoolteacher (August 1974) speaker, research mentor, writer, editor, instructional designer.
Dra. Lizbelle De Jesús-Ojeda Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas
La Dra. Lizbelle De Jesús-Ojeda es profesora adjunto en el Recinto de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Asimismo, funge como Coordinadora de Educación a Distancia en la Maestría Post doctoral en Investigación Clínica y Traslacional y como Co-Coordinadora del Centro para la Investigación, Empresarismo y Colaboraciones Científicas del Proyecto Título V. Además, posee una maestría en computación educativa y un doctorado en educación con especialidad en tecnología educativa y educación a distancia.
La doctora De Jesús-Ojeda se ha destacado en el campo de la educación a distancia lo que le ha permitido colaborar en diferentes iniciativas tanto locales como nacionales. Igualmente, ha sido co-autora en varias presentaciones orales y de carteles científicos en conferencias profesionales a nivel nacional.
Dra. María del R. Medina Díaz Catedrática Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras
Catedrática de la Facultad de Educación del Recinto de Río Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Dicta cursos de Métodos de investigación en la educación, Evaluación de programas, Evaluación en la sala de clases, Construcción de instrumentos y Teoría de la medición en el Departamento de Estudios Graduados. Obtuvo su grado doctoral en Psicología Educativa, en el programa de Métodos Cuantitativos, en la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison. Posee un grado de Juris Doctor y una maestría en Investigaciones Pedagógicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Fue Maestra de Matemáticas en la escuela Rafael M. Labra y Presidenta de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas. Ha escrito críticas de pruebas en el Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook y artículos sobre evaluación del aprendizaje, validez y construcción de instrumentos en Applied Psychological Measurement, El Sol, Pedagogía, Revista de Educación de Puerto Rico, Alteridad, Revista Jurídica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Boletín de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas e INEVA en Acción. También es autora del libro Construcción de cuestionarios para la investigación educativa. Es co-fundadora y Presidenta de la Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Evaluación. Estudiosa e investigadora de la evaluación del aprendizaje y de programas y la integridad académica en las instituciones educativas.
Dra. María del R. Medina Díaz Catedrática Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras
Catedrática de la Facultad de Educación del Recinto de Río Piedras de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Dicta cursos de Métodos de investigación en la educación, Evaluación de programas, Evaluación en la sala de clases, Construcción de instrumentos y Teoría de la medición en el Departamento de Estudios Graduados. Obtuvo su grado doctoral en Psicología Educativa, en el programa de Métodos Cuantitativos, en la Universidad de Wisconsin-Madison. Posee un grado de Juris Doctor y una maestría en Investigaciones Pedagógicas de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Fue Maestra de Matemáticas en la escuela Rafael M. Labra y Presidenta de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas. Ha escrito críticas de pruebas en el Buros Mental Measurement Yearbook y artículos sobre evaluación del aprendizaje, validez y construcción de instrumentos en Applied Psychological Measurement, El Sol, Pedagogía, Revista de Educación de Puerto Rico, Alteridad, Revista Jurídica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Boletín de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Maestros de Matemáticas e INEVA en Acción. También es autora del libro Construcción de cuestionarios para la investigación educativa. Es co-fundadora y Presidenta de la Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Evaluación. Estudiosa e investigadora de la evaluación del aprendizaje y de programas y la integridad académica en las instituciones educativas.
Dr. Marcos Torres, IR Certificate Inter-American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Campus
Dr. Marcos Torres-Nazario teaches online and face-to-face courses of statistics and research, at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) Ponce Campus. He received the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from the Inter American University Metro Campus. Also completed a Post Master Certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University. In 2013 completed a Master Degree in Research and Evaluation at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. During the Summer of 2015 completed the ELearning Expert Certificate from FATLA.
Heather Craig Alonge, Ph.D. is dedicated educator with over 13 years of teaching experience in higher education administration and executive leadership. Dr. Alonge has extensive experience serving as the chair of the public health program and managing a faculty body of 60+ while overseeing a bachelors, masters, and doctoral program. Dr. Alonge currently serves as core faulty for the DHA program at Walden University where she teaches, mentors, and works with curriculum development and improvement.
Beth Counihan, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of English, Queensborough Community College-CUNY
Beth Counihan is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Queensborough Community College of the City University of New York. While in an administrative position at Lehman College, she worked on the HETS Virtual Plaza FIPSE grant and she has been teaching at Queensborough since Fall 2001. Her interests include High Impact Practices, reading theory and pedagogy, and nature across the curriculum. Her work has been published in English Education, Community College Humanities Review, and the edited volume What is College Reading.
Kristen Faye Linton, MSW, Ph.D., Assistant Professor California State University, Channel Islands
Dr. Linton has a PhD in social work and has been teaching and mentoring Latinx students for seven years; she utilized high-impact practices, such as service learning and undergraduate research. As a social worker and disability expert, she is dedicated to assessing and addressing inequities in education.
Jaime Hannans, PhD, RN, CNE Associate Professor, Nursing California State University, Channel Islands
Jaime Hannans PhD, RN, CNE is an Associate Professor of Nursing at California State University Channel Islands. Dr. Hannans obtained her BSN and MSN from CSU, Chico, and PhD from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Hannans has been teaching at CSUCI since 2009, with 20-years of critical care nursing experience. She is also the CSU Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) Campus Co-Coordinator, where the campus effort has saved students over five million dollars in the past five years. Her research interests focused on immersive virtual reality, mixed reality, simulation, technology in teaching and learning, textbook affordability, and the use of open educational resources in higher education.
Lydia Dixon, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Health Science California State University, Channel Islands
Lydia Z. Dixon is an Assistant Professor of Health Science at California State University, Channel Island, and holds a PhD is in Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine. Her research is primarily ethnographic and examines health systems and health disparities in the US and Mexico. Specifically, Dr. Dixon has published on midwifery, reproductive health, community health and obstetric violence. Her teaching focuses on ethics, community health, and research methods. She is passionate about inspiring her students towards careers in research and practice through active learning in the classroom and virtual spaces.
Prof. Megan Everhardt-Alstot Learning Design Lead Lecturer, School of Education California State University, Channel Islands
Megan Eberhardt-Alstot is the Learning Design Lead for California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) Digital Learning Unit. She is also a Lecturer in the School of Education. She earned her BA and Teaching Credential from Pepperdine University and her Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administrative Credential from CSUCI. Prior to joining CI, Megan spent ten years as a K-12 Educator. As part of the Learning Design Team she designs, develops and facilitates faculty learning experiences specific to online and mixed-modality teaching. She also co-created Learning Online 101, an online micro-course to prepare students for success as online learners. Megan is interested in learning innovation, learning science, and the intersection of pedagogy and technology to create empathetic, equitable and responsive learning environments.
Dr. Amanda (Mandy) Giust Director, Graduate Student Research Center Albizu University, Miami Campu
Dr. Amanda Giust holds an Ed.D. in Adult Education and Human Resource Development from Florida International University. She has experience educating young children, adolescents, and adults of all abilities. Dr. Giust has eight years of experience managing a variety of community and federal grants and three years of experience in classroom teaching. Dr. Giust’s research interests include diverse learners, learning across the lifespan, self-directed learning, and career development.
Dr. Diana M. Valle-Riestra Project Director, Title V PPOHA Graduate Grant Albizu University-Miami Campus
Dr. Diana M. Valle-Riestra is the Project Director of the Title V PPOHA Graduate grant and a faculty member in the Speech & Language Pathology graduate program at Albizu University-Miami Campus. She has a Ph.D. in Special Education and Reading and an M.S. in Learning Disabilities and Emotional Disturbance from the University of Miami, School of Education. She has over 16 years of experience in higher education teaching undergraduate and graduate courses and has served as the Project Director or Principal Investigator for several multi-year education grant projects totaling over $9.5 million in competitive funding. In addition to Dr. Valle-Riestra’s project management experience and grant writing activities, she is a researcher with interests in the areas of special education, postsecondary inclusive education, working with diverse families, and leadership and advocacy issues within the context of special education. She has experience managing and coordinating undergraduate and graduate programs in special education, research projects, and local school district program evaluations; has consulted and published research on exceptional populations; and has served on several professional Executive Boards.
Dr. Yubelkys Montalvo Executive Director HETS Consortium
Yubelkys Montalvo has been working for the Hispanic Educational Technology Services Consortium (HETS) since 1999. Since she was appointed Executive Director in 2006, her main focus is the growth of the organization and the diversification of benefits for the Consortium’s member institutions. Among the initiatives developed is the creation of new services such as the peer-review publication: HETS Online Journal, the Ambassador Students program, and the collaboration to propose new technological educational alternatives and share best practices through educational events such as the Best Practices Showcase and the Student Showcase Leadership and recently, webinars for faculty, administrators and students. In addition, she has coordinated and overseen numerous international workshops in universities in Colombia and Mexico and has participated in numerous national and international conferences and forums. Dr. Montalvo holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and a master’s degree in Public Relations from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón. Currently, she completed his doctorate in the program: Education in Leadership and Instruction in Distance Education of the Inter American University of PR, Ponce Campus.
La Dra. Yubelkys Montalvo trabaja para el Hispanic Educational Technology Services Consortium (HETS, por sus siglas en inglés) desde el año 1999. Desde que fue designada Directora Ejecutiva en el 2006, su enfoque principal es el crecimiento de la organización y la diversificación de los beneficios para las instituciones miembros del Consorcio. Entre las iniciativas desarrolladas se destacan: la creación de nuevos servicios como la revista arbitrada HETS Online Journal, el programa de Estudiantes Embajadores y la colaboración para proponer nuevas alternativas educativas tecnológicas y compartir las mejores prácticas a través de eventos educativos como el Best Practices Showcase y el Student Leadership Showcase y recientemente, webinars para facultad, administradores y estudiantes. Además, ha coordinado y dirigido numerosos adiestramientos internacionales en universidades de Colombia y México, y ha participado en numerosas conferencias y foros Nacionales e Internacionales. La Dra. Montalvo posee un Bachillerato en Comunicaciones de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, y una Maestría en Relaciones Públicas de la Universidad de Sagrado Corazón. Actualmente, completó su doctorado en el programa: Educación en Liderazgo e Instrucción en la Educación a Distancia de la Universidad Interamericana de PR, Recinto de Ponce.
Dr. Frances Vázquez Padilla Chancellor NUC University
Dr. Frances M. Vázquez Padilla holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, a few years later completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Practice in Nursing. In 2020, she completed an Ed. D. in Educational Management, and recently she completed a professional certification in Neurolinguistic Programming and Coaching. She is currently doing another certification related to educational neuroscience. She has 14 years of experience working in the field of education in several positions as Faculty, Academic Director, Academic Dean at NUC University. Currently, she serves as Chancellor at NUC University, Ponce Campus in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Brenda Lee Morales holds a Bachelor’s Degree in General Elementary Education from Universidad del Turabo in Puerto Rico. A few years later he completed a Master’s degree in Educational Administration at the same institution. In 2016, she completed a PhD in Educational Leadership at Keiser University where she had already earned a Specialist in Education degree. Finally, in the academic aspect, Dr. Morales holds a Post Doctorate in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Walden University. She is currently doing another Post-Doctorate at Walden University in the Human Resources area. In terms of work and professional career, she has 27 years of experience working in the field of education in several positions as a teacher, Curriculum Specialist, Director of Federal Educational Proposals, Academic Dean, among others. He has worked at all levels of the education system in Puerto Rico, from Head Start to High School and at the university level. Eleven years ago, she began as Director of Federal Proposals and Professor of University Institutions and currently serves as Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at Humacao Community College in Puerto Rico, in addition to offering online courses to Humacao Community College in Puerto Rico, in addition to offering online courses to university level at the Masters and PhD level.
Prof. Silvia Maria Ruiz Santiago Indiantown Adult Learning Center (IALC) Martin County School District
Prof. Silvia Maria Ruiz Santiago is a teacher originally from Spain, with two bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Education. Currently, she’s pursuing a Ph.D. in Education and Leadership. She has been teaching for twelve years in private and public institutions from kindergarten to university levels around the world; in Spain, France, Chile, and now the USA. Her expertise is how to teach a foreign language. In the United States, she worked for three years as a French Immersion School teacher and later on as a Spanish professor in College. Right now, she’s teaching ESOL for the District of Martin County.
Swan Kim, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of English Bronx Community College at City University of New York
Swan Kim is an associate professor of English and Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) coordinator at Bronx Community College (BCC) at City University of New York (CUNY). She received her PhD in English at the University of Virginia specializing in Asian American diaspora. She teaches courses in composition and ethnic American literature. Her research interests include WAC/WID, first-year writing, antiracist pedagogy, diaspora and immigration, race and ethnicity, and Asian American literature and culture. She has been serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee co-chair at the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum (AWAC), the co-leader for the CUNY WAC Professional Development, and a faculty senate and council member at her college.
Donna Kessler-Eng, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of English Bronx Community College at City University of New York
Dr. Donna Kessler-Eng is an associate professor of English at Bronx Community College (BCC). She is currently BCC’s Strong Start to Finish Resident (English), and is designing co-requisite courses for students with developmental needs in both English and reading. She earned a Ph.D. in English from the CUNY Graduate Center where she specialized in antebellum American literature and nineteenth century American medical and cultural discourse. She teaches developmental writing, composition, and literature and medicine courses. Her research interests include literature and medicine, pedagogy, first-year writing, developmental education reforms and strategies for community college students’ success. She has served as the coordinator of BCC’s Developmental Writing Program, and as the coordinator of BCC’s Tutorial Intervention Program. She was also a member of CUNY’s Developmental Writing Advisory Committee and CUNY’s Writing Discipline Council.
Professor, Chair of Education Department, Coordinator of Teacher Education at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY), and founding member of Peer Observations Improvement Network for Teaching.
Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement at Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY); she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.
Felisha A. Herrera, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Postsecondary Education, Director, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute, San Diego State University
Felisha A. Herrera, PhD is the Director of the Research & Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). She is also an associate professor of Postsecondary Education and Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in the Joint PhD Program at San Diego State University (SDSU). Prior to joining SDSU, she served as an assistant professor of Community College Leadership and affiliated faculty in Public Policy at Oregon State University from 2012-2015. Dr. Herrera completed her Ph.D. in Education (emphasis in Higher Education & Organizational Change) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she was a research analyst for the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute (HERI). She also earned a master’s degree from UCLA, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and an associate’s degree from UNM-Taos (branch community college). Her scholarship is enhanced by nearly two decades of experience as a higher education professional at two- and four-year institutions, several Minority-Serving Institutions/Hispanic-Serving Institutions, including faculty and professional positions in student affairs, institutional research, and administration. Her work is also informed by her own educational history as a community college graduate, low-income, first-generation college student, and mother scholar.
Dr. Herrera is a consummate scholar, who has published in top tier, peer-reviewed journals and has procured over $3.9 million in funding to support her research. She serves as the PI for several large-scale research projects, including two current NSF funded projects—ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528)—investigating the role of community colleges and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and as Co-PI for ADAPT: A Pedagogical Decision-Making Study (NSF HRD-1759947). To inform system-wide change, her research employs advanced statistical techniques to examine contextual factors—institutional (structure, process, and policy), geographic, demographic, political and economic contexts—that impact postsecondary outcomes for students of color. Her work encompasses several strands of scholarship including student mobility; community college pathways; underrepresented students in STEM; and a critical examination of policy issues related to diversity & equity in education.
Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Research & Equity Scholarship Institute, San Diego State University; and Lecturer, Human Developmental Sciences, University of California, San Diego
Victoria C. Rodriguez-Operana, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for the Research and Equity Scholarship Institute on Student Trajectories in Education (RES-ISTE). Dr. Rodriguez-Operana co-leads RES-ISTE on two NSF-funded projects examining the role of community colleges and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the STEM pathways of underrepresented students of color: ED-SYSTEMS (NSF DUE-1644990) & HSI-STEM (NSF DUE-1832528). She also teaches courses in Human Developmental Sciences at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
With more than a decade of research experience in education, psychology, and human development, and publications in the Journal of Early Adolescence, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Asian American Journal of Psychology, her research examines how social identities and relationships within proximal contexts (e.g., family, school) influence the developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, psychological) of students of color. Prior to joining RES-ISTE, Dr. Rodriguez-Operana was a member of UCLA’s Children’s Understanding of Economic and Social Inequality Lab and worked on several projects, including studies examining: persistence among community college students in CalWORKs, psychosocial benefits of racial/ethnic diversity in urban schools, children’s social identity development, and an elementary school dual-language immersion program. Her mixed-methods dissertation examined how family, peer, and school-based relationships shape the academic achievement and psychological adjustment of Filipina/x/o American adolescents, an understudied segment of the Asian American/ Pacific Islander population. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana’s research reflects her commitment to understanding how to best support the academic success and well-being of individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Dr. Rodriguez-Operana earned her B.A. in Psychology from UCSD, and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Human Development and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Victoria G. Black, PhD Director of PACE Mentoring, Texas State University
Victoria Black is the Director for PACE Mentoring at Texas State University. In her current position at Texas State, she provides leadership and support to a team of over 100 individuals who work with first-year students, first-year faculty development, and Title V grant management. She has shared her passion on mentoring in a 2018 TedX talk at Texas State University titled No One is Talking to the Mentees on how to prepare ourselves as we enter into developmental relationships. Her experiences with mentoring include several publications on mentorability, various state and national presentations, and providing mentoring consultation and training internationally at Technologico de Monterrey – Queretaro, Queretaro, MX. Her publications also include college access for first-generation students, first-year student success, higher education finance, and working mothers in student affairs. Originally from La Joya, TX, she received a BA in Psychology from the University of Texas San Antonio, a M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance from Texas State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Higher Education Leadership.
Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos, PhD Professor of Sociology, Latina/o Studies Program Director, and Director of The Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, Texas State University
Dr. Gloria P. Martinez-Ramos is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and the inaugural Director of Latina/o Studies minor at Texas State University. Dr. Martinez-Ramos earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a B.A. in Child Development from San Jose State University, and an A.A. from Hartnell College, Salinas, California. Gloria has over 15 years of teaching Sociology, such as, Race and Ethnic Relations, Medical Sociology, Social Stratification, Introduction to Sociology, Latinos and Immigration, Latina/os and Education, and Latina/o Studies courses at Texas State. She has published articles on Latinx college students’ retention and persistence. mentored over 30 undergraduate and graduate students, many who are working in community-based and advocacy research in health and education.
Sylvia T. Gonzales, M.Ed. Director of Developing HSI Programs Texas State University
Sylvia T. Gonzales is the HSI STEM Impact & MAESTROS Director, member of the Hispanic Policy Network, and US1100 faculty. Sylvia is the first in her family to go to college and is working on her Ed.D. in Positive Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University. Sylvia continues to ensure the undergraduate student experience is authentic as she has served as an advocate, mentor, and leader to underrepresented college students for 21 years. She has helped with the grassroots development of 6 federal grant programs in TX/NM, including Title III, V, and TRIO grants. She is also an active member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutional Educators and helped establish the Bobcat Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) certificate program and serves as co-chair on the First Gen Proud Working Group at Texas State University. Sylvia has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions, including Angelika Lester Wahl Diversity Award, HPN’s Latinx Star Award, a “Program to Watch” designation by Excelencia in Education, Bright Spots in Hispanic Education, and NASPA’s & Studer Foundation First-Gen Forward designation.
Dr. Carlos R. Morales Irizarry President, TCC Connect Campus Tarrant County College
Before becoming TCC Connect’ s President in 2013, Dr. Carlos Morales was the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Distance Education Programs at Ana G. Méndez University- Virtual Campus. As such, he provided leadership, vision and planning for the implementation of courses and programs for online delivery. Previously he was the Executive Director of Academic Technology at Lock Haven University responsible for the delivery of online courses, the incorporation of technology for teaching and learning, faculty development, the STEP program (a student laptop initiative) and also facilitated campus conversations on academic technology. Prior to Lock Haven University, Carlos was the Instructional Designer for the Center for Instructional and Technological Innovation (CITI) at New Jersey City University, responsible for instructional technology staff. Carlos has extensive online and classroom teaching experience in the areas of: Biology, Science Teaching and Instructional Technology. Dr. Morales also holds professional certifications as Distance Learning Administration Professional from Texas A&M University and Certified Online Instructor (COI) from Walden University. Morales graduated from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, with bachelors and master’s degrees in Biology and Science Education, and received his doctorate, with a dissertation on Constructivist Learning Environments in Online Course Design, from Capella University. He was a Frye fellow in 2009.
La doctora Alice J. Casanova ha laborado en sector de la educación superior por más de 15 años, en la academia y la administración de esta. Posee un doctorado en Filosofía de la Educación con especialidad en Docencia y un Certificado en Educación Superior de Harvard University. Coordina el nodo de investigación en Puerto Rico de la Red Internacional de Investigadores en Educación a Distancia en Línea y Abierta (REDIC), es investigadora invitada en la Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia en Costa Rica, imparte cursos en línea del nivel graduado y subgraduado. Colabora como especialista Desde 2016 es la Decana Institucional de Educación a Distancia en EDP University.
Dr. Marcos Torres Full professor, Distance Education Department Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus
Dr. Marcos Torres-Nazario teaches online and face-to-face courses of statistics and research, at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) Ponce Campus. He received the degree of Doctor of Education in Educational Administration from the Inter American University Metro Campus. Also completed a Post Master Certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University. In 2013 completed a Master Degree in Research and Evaluation at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. During the Summer of 2015 completed the ELearning Expert Certificate from FATLA.
Prof. Mayra L. Mojica Butler Lecturer, Business Department Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Mayra L. Mojica Butler is a Lecturer in the Business Department at Hostos Community College (CUNY). She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with a minor in finance from The University of Puerto Rico and the Master Degree in accounting from The University of Phoenix.
She has several years of experience in the field of accounting. Her extensive experience includes various accounting positions as Accountant at the Department of Labor (DOL) and Human Resources at Puerto Rico and Intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, as well as Community Education Assistant at Bronx – Lebanon Hospital Center. In 2010 participated in Postgraduate Professional Development Program – PPDP in The Washington Center Education in Washington, DC.
She is the adviser of the Accounting Club at Hostos Community College, and every semester she hosts workshops designed to expand knowledge about the field of accounting and the many career paths and opportunities available in the accounting profession.
Also worked as a volunteer for New York Cares, a nonprofit volunteer organization in New York City in the Tax Preparation Program. The purpose of the program is to help people and communities in need of tax preparation support during the tax season.
Dr. Floralba Arbelo Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus
Dr. Floralba Arbelo currently serves as the Dean of Student Affairs and as Associate Professor at Albizu University in Miami, Florida. Dr. Arbelo has held several positions in higher education including distance learning director, academic program director, research associate, curriculum specialist, and Title V Project Director in the United States, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Guatemala, Cuba, and in the Dominican Republic. Her research centers on Hispanic student success, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Hispanic student retention, and online teaching and learning. Her research has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, HETS Online Journal, International Journal of Doctoral Studies, and Journal of Teacher Action Research, among others. Dr. Arbelo has an earned Doctor of Education degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, a Master of Science from The New School for Public Engagement in NY, and a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Her research has been presented at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators, The College Board, the Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Conference, and the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies. In 2016, Dr. Arbelo was the recipient of the Women that Transcend Award for Global Leadership in Education and Community Service from the New Jersey Hand Foundation and was awarded Senatorial Citation for her volunteerism, activism, and mentoring activities among young adults and youth. She is an alum of the inaugural class of the HACU Instituto de Liderazgo Fellowship.
The authors of this article were members of the Instructional Evaluation Committee at Hostos Community College for the 2017-2020 term. This committee informs the College Senate of best practices in student evaluation of teaching (SET) and presents potential revisions to the SET process and the instrument to governance. It also addresses the faculty peer-observation process and, in 2019, it approved the peer observation form created by the Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching Committee (POINT).
Sherese Mitchell, Ed.D., is Associate Professor in Education Department, served multiple terms as Chair of the Instructional Evaluation Committee, and is a member of the College-Wide Curriculum Committee.
Asrat Amnie, M.D., Ed.D., is Assistant Professor in Education Department; his publications focus on high-risk health behavior, including causes and consequences of stress, and strategies to cope with stress.
Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D., is Professor, Chair of Education Department, Coordinator of Teacher Education, and founding member of Peer Observations Improvement Network for Teaching.
Allison Franzese, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Natural Sciences Department, and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, where she studies paleoclimate using geochemical tools.
Carlos Guevara, M.S., is Director of Office of Educational Technology, Co-Director of Center for Teaching and Learning, book author, altruist, and frequent speaker at national and international conferences, where he provides vision to promote organizational culture change and innovation to teaching and learning through technology.
Juno Morrow, M.F.A., is Assistant Professor of Game Design and Game Design Program Coordinator, serves on Educational Technology Leadership Council, and recently published her first book.
Silvia Reyes, M.S.W., is Director of Special Projects & Student Engagement; she is committed to student success, and her work has focused on designing and implementing a wide array of initiatives to improve students’ college experiences and academic attainment.
Maria Subert, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in Humanities; her research focuses include intercultural communication and institutional assessment including utilizing findings for continuous improvement.
Amber M. González, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Child and Adolescent Development Program, California State University Sacramento
Amber M. Gonzalez (Ph.D. UC Santa Barbara; she/ella) is an Associate Professor in the Child and Adolescent Development program at the California State University, Sacramento. Utilizing a multidisciplinary perspective including human development, educational psychology, as well as critical race theory she centers her research on examining Latinx academic aspirations and motivations through and across the P20 education pipeline. Her research examines the influence of social support networks and institutional structures on college student identity development and educational and career aspirations and motivations. In addition, she explores the ways in which students use these aspirations and motivations to ensure their success, manage failure, and persist. Dr. Gonzalez teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on motivation, quantitative research methods, and cross-cultural human development. Her scholarly work has been published in the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research, and College Student Journal.
Dr. David H. Luciano Associate Professor, University of Puerto Rico, Cayey Campus
Dr. Luciano work as a full-time Assistant Professor at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey campus. Born in New York and then moved to Puerto Rico, and his hometown is Adjuntas. He has worked as a teacher-professor for almost thirty years now. Among his interests have always been to help English majors in their quest to become language experts as well as pedagogy students (elementary and secondary level) who want to become English teachers. Here in Puerto Rico English is taught as a second language (ESL), it is also a compulsory subject in schools from the elementary level. Luciano has worked as a teacher in all levels from the elementary to higher education. In addition, he has conducted research with middle, high school and college level ESL students. He is interested in conducting research with technological tools that can be used to bridge the gap between teaching and learning. Abut himself: I am a lifelong learner, and my biggest goal is to instill in my students the need for learning languages. My motto is: Learning is Fun, and It is A Lifelong Journey!
Dr. Neal Malik Assistant Professor, California State University, San Bernardino
Dr. Neal Malik is an Assistant Professor, researcher, and podcaster. He has taught at Minority-Serving and Hispanic Serving Institutions for 13 years. In addition to receiving numerous pedagogy certifications, he been featured as a nutrition and wellness expert on CBS local radio in Los Angeles, CA, USA as well as a number of online and print publications including eHow.com and Men’s Fitness Magazine. Dr. Malik has also published peer-reviewed scientific literature on diet and its effects on appetitive hormones, type 2 diabetes, blood lipids, and body weight. In December 2020, he will be presenting on how Motivational Syllabi may improve student engagement in an online environment at the ITLC Lilly Conference. http://www.oldpodcast.com
Contact information: Address: 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407, USA Email: neal.malik@csusb.edu Phone: 1 + (909) 537-4588
