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RUTH VINZ
Founding Director Endowed Chair, Morse Professor of Teaching Education Dr. Ruth Vinz taught middle and high school students for twenty-three years before coming to Teachers College. She is a Professor in the English Education Program and the Enid and Lester Morse Endowed Chair in Teacher Education. She directs the Center for the Professional Education of Teachers. Ruth is the co-author of several books, Inside Out, Recasting the Text, Learning the Landscapes and Writing Qualitative Research. Her book, Composing A Teaching Life, received the Richard Meade award for outstanding research published in English education in 1997. She is co-author of the Houghton Mifflin Daybooks, a new 6-12 grade series of reading and writing literature books used in thousands of secondary classrooms, both nationally and internationally. In the most recent book, Becoming (Other)Wise, Dr. Vinz collaborated with other Program faculty in an examination of multicultural literature education and cultural criticism as literacy events. Her research interests include cultural literacies, particularly focused on adolescent readers’ practices, constructed and constructing identities of teachers, and traditions and representations of research-in-practice. At CPET, Dr. Vinz serves as Director and Senior Advisor to all initiatives. RUTH VINZ
Founding Director |
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ROBERTA LENGER KANG
Center Director Dr. Roberta Lenger Kang was a high school English teacher for eight years in Denver, Colorado and New York City. She wrote several district wide curricula for Denver Public Schools and the NYC Department of Education before transitioning from classroom teacher to professional development coach in 2006. As a coach, Roberta has supported schools on instruction, assessment, systems and structures, literacy and accountability mandates. In 2015, Roberta completed her doctorate in English Education from Columbia's University, Teachers College with a focus on the impact of mandated assessments on students, teachers and school leaders. In her role as the Initiative Director, Roberta supervises the professional development programs and initiatives projects across the Center. Roberta cultivates partnerships with schools, districts, and organizations, in critical areas such as developing academic rigor, refining literacy in high school, creating meaningful instruction for high stakes assessments, and leveraging city and state mandates for authentic school change. You can reach her at kang@tc.edu. |
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FERNANDA ALBUQUERQUE DE ARAUJO Professional Development Coach Fernanda holds a bachelor's degree in Physics and a degree in Teaching Physics from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). She is currently enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Science Education Ph.D. program, building on her master's degree in the same program. Fernanda has extensive experience as a physics and mathematics tutor, as well as experience teaching high school physics in public schools in her hometown of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Her love for education was sparked at a young age, with respect and admiration from her teachers inspiring her to pursue this career. Today, her focus is on working with in-service teachers to increase their knowledge and confidence, aiming to help STEM teachers find joy and stay in the profession. FERNANDA ALBUQUERQUE DE ARAUJO
Professional Development Coach |
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ADELE BRUNI ASHLEY Faculty Contributor Dr. Adele Bruni Ashley is a lecturer in the English Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught 8th through 12th grade English at the New York City Lab School, founding the Lab Theatre Company (LTC) in 2007. Prior to public school teaching, she received her M.F.A. in acting from the University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) where she taught undergraduate theatre. As an educator, she is interested in structuring classroom spaces as laboratories for imaginative exploration and creation. ADELE BRUNI ASHLEY
Faculty Contributor |
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JONATHAN BELTRAN Professional Development Coach Jonathan is a second-year student in the M.A. program in Economics and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He holds a B.A. in Literature, a B.A. in Philosophy, and an M.A. in History from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. He also obtained a graduate degree in Economic Evaluation of Projects at Universidad de Los Andes. His scholarly work addresses teachers' formation, quality, and leadership and the impacts of violence on educational inequalities. An experienced educator and school leader, Jonathan worked at a high school setting for six years as a Literature and Research teacher and the Head of the Literature Department. He believes that teachers' pedagogical knowledge and practice can be enriched and empowered in contexts that encourage building trust and sharing common ideals. For him, being a coach means engaging with colleagues in an honest discussion and constantly reflecting on what we consider valuable for our students' futures. JONATHAN BELTRAN
Professional Development Coach |
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COURTNEY BROWN Senior Professional Development Advisor Courtney Brown is a Senior Professional Development Advisor whose work is informed by her range of experiences as a high school and middle school teacher of English and the humanities. Grounded in the philosophies of project-based learning and literacy across the disciplines, Courtney supports school leaders and teachers to develop culturally relevant curriculum and practices in order to enable students and schools to thrive and achieve their potential. Currently, her work includes a focus on developing PLC's and school-wide practices to support struggling schools to leverage mandates and build on their strengths. Courtney has presented workshops for school districts, the Student Press Initiative, AERA, ATE, the Global learning Alliance, and the National Council of Teachers of English Convention. She feels privileged to work with educators in NYC and collaborate with her colleagues at CPET. COURTNEY BROWN
Senior Professional Development Advisor ARTICLES |
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GRANT BROWN Professional Development Coach Before joining Teachers College to pursue a Master's degree in Philosophy & Education, Grant received a B.A. in Philosophy from Swarthmore College. He grew up attending public schools in Nebraska and has worked for five years as a debate coach and educator, both as a curriculum director, and teacher mentor at a non-profit summer camp for high need students. He is passionate about project-based learning, teaching students about social, political, and ethical issues, and bringing philosophical ideas into school discussions. GRANT BROWN
Professional Development Coach |
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CRISTINA COMPTON Director of Program Development Dr. Cristina Romeo Compton received her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2016, with a concentration in the teaching of English. She began her career in education as a NYC Teaching Fellow, teaching in a Title 1 school, while completing her Masters in Childhood Education. Cristina serves as the Director of Program Development at CPET, overseeing a wide range of school-based projects and the Student Press Initiative, an initiative that supports teachers and students in developing projects that culminate in professionally designed, print-based publications. When working with schools, she focuses on areas of strength and opportunities for growth, in an effort to develop highly customized and targeted professional development plans. In her on-site work, she supports schools with curriculum design, unit planning, project-based learning, and developing literacy strategies that can bolster student achievement across the disciplines. CRISTINA COMPTON
Director of Program Development ARTICLES |
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MEG DAVIS Professional Development Coach Meg is a National Board Certified Teacher and a current student at Teachers College, Columbia University, pursuing her Ph.D in English Education. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Secondary Education and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Over the past six years, Meg taught high school English in the western suburbs of Chicago and in East Jerusalem where she sponsored Key Club, yearbook, and ornithology club; organized student publications and poetry events; and led student travel abroad. She is interested in poetry pedagogy, creative writing, and practices that invite imagination more wholeheartedly into the English classroom. Meg is energized by working with the teachers and students of NYC schools. MEG DAVIS
Professional Development Coach |
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VICTORIA FERNANDEZ Professional Development Coach Victoria Fernandez joined Teachers College, Columbia University as a student pursuing a Masters of Education in Sociology and Education. Prior to arriving at Teachers College, Victoria taught middle school students in Special Education and Math in Raleigh, NC. She was a co-chair of the Special Education department and the Community and Family Engagement Task Force at her previous school. Victoria's favorite part of teaching is building relationships with students and their families, and she values connection and curiosity as a means to helping others become their best selves. VICTORIA FERNANDEZ
Professional Development Coach |
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KELSEY HAMMOND Professional Development Coach Kelsey is currently a Ph.D. student in the English Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a master's degree in English from the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences at Boston College and a bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Saint Anselm College. Kelsey has served as a middle school classroom teacher, curriculum reviewer, and education panel member. In addition, she has conducted archival research at the National Library of Ireland and at Trinity College, Dublin. Kelsey’s areas of interest include the writing process and poetry pedagogy, especially in middle and high school English classrooms. |
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RICHAA HOYSALA Professional Development Coach Richaa is currently a master's student in the International Education Development program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Mathematics from the University of York. She was a Teach For India fellow, and has worked as a teacher, instructional coach and trainer at public and low-fee private schools. Richaa has worked in education sector NGOs and social enterprises in India, in program and people development. Her interests include teacher identity, education and professional development, program design and evaluation, and equity in education. RICHAA HOYSALA
Professional Development Coach |
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G. FAITH LITTLE Initiative Director, 21st Century Learning Faith enjoys innovating processes and structures that connect to mission, vision, and services both for the Center and for educators in their own unique contexts. Her dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion for all students is the cornerstone of her commitment to education. She spent a decade working with MS and HS students in a supportive, social emotional learning setting, teaching in alternative school settings, and facilitating intensive retreats with parents. These experiences, alongside her English Ed background create a strong foundation to support coaching for educators outside of the traditional classroom setting. Faith continues to pursue professional growth in the Adult Learning & Leadership program at TC. Her most recent research interests include the role gender plays in pursuing higher education and high leverage literacy practices. Her work at the Center grows out of her focus on identifying barriers and building bridges as she supports individual and team growth with creative, compassionate leadership. She spends her time on contract and project management, workshop and course planning, conference design, special projects, social/emotional support, curriculum development, as well as on-site and remote coaching with teachers and leaders. |
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MARCELLE MENTOR Faculty Contributor Dr. Marcelle Mentor is a lecturer in the English Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a South African native, and an education specialist. Her academic interest focuses on Critical Race Theory, with an emphasis on Black Masculinity and teachers of color in the K-12 classroom. Her teaching philosophy is based on the concept of Ubuntu, which is a Southern African ethic or humanistic approach that focuses on the fact that we are people through the existence and interaction with and from other people. She is an activist, a mother of two sons, a wife, a researcher, a scholar, and teller of stories. She believes in equality in access of education for all. MARCELLE MENTOR
Faculty Contributor |
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LAUREN MIDGETTE Professional Development Coach Lauren is a Ph.D. student in English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, with research interests involving racial and ethnic literacy in the secondary English classroom. She previously earned her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction at UCONN's Neag School of Education, where she had the opportunity to teach in London, United Kingdom. After returning from her experience abroad, Lauren taught high school English in Hartford, Connecticut for six years. During her tenure, Lauren was the English Department Lead, led curriculum teams, provided professional development both at the school and district level, and earned her TESOL certification to better serve her EL students. She draws on a set of diverse experiences to inform her practice. Lauren also coaches pre-service teachers during their student teaching experience and in-service teachers during their first few years in the classroom. She has had experience in public, magnet, and charter schools, along with adult education, and utilizes these experiences in her work. |
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KAYDIE MILKS Director of Operations Kaydie arrived at CPET after earning an M.A. in Psychological Counseling and an Ed.M. in School Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. Her time as a crisis management counselor and her lifetime of experience as a planning and organization-obsessed problem-solver have helped shape her current role at the Center. As the Director of Operations, Kaydie plays many parts - she created this website, is responsible for creating promotional materials and strategies for the Center, and as the person who oversees the Center’s finances, you can usually find her dealing with anything and everything that involves a dollar sign. KAYDIE MILKS
Director of Operations |
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MARIAM NARAINE-ZEBROWSKI Content Specialist Mariam is a proud product of the NYC public school system, having attended both middle and high school in the city. After earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biology and Science Education from CUNY at Queens College, she also began her career in New York City, teaching and supporting educators in a variety of science settings over the course of 10 years as an educator and 12 years as an instructional coach. Mariam’s areas of expertise includes integrating literacy into the science curriculum with a focus of inquiry and project-based learning. During individual or group coaching sessions, her goal is to help teachers move their practices from teacher-centered classrooms to student-centered experiences where students are encouraged to ask authentic questions,and advocate for social changes. She has spent several years in the non-profit world, exploring and developing programs to help underserved NYC students in middle and high school move successfully on to college. MARIAM NARAINE-ZEBROWSKI
Content Specialist |
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LAURA RIGOLOSI Curriculum & Literacy Specialist Dr. Laura Rigolosi earned her M.A. and Ed.D. From Teachers College, Columbia University, where she also taught in the English Education department. Her doctoral research focused on the ways we teach reading in Title 1 high school classrooms, and she continues to research the best literacy practices at the secondary level. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Laura taught English in a District 2 high school; this sparked her interest in the most effective ways to teach reading and writing to diverse learners. For the past 15 years, Laura has worked with teachers in all disciplines and continues to help teachers increase their literacy practices in classrooms, thus increasing engagement and understanding within content area classes. She has led literacy-based workshops for teachers in NY, NJ, PA, CT, CA, and OH. LAURA RIGOLOSI
Curriculum & Literacy Specialist ARTICLES |
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JACQUI STOLZER Senior Professional Development Coach Jacqui is currently pursuing a P.h.D. in the English Education department at Teachers College. As a former New York City public school teacher, Jacqui has taught in a wide range of English classrooms, from specialized classes for students with disabilities, to inclusion classrooms, to AP Language and Composition. At CPET, Jacqui has partnered with middle and high school teachers to develop engaging Common Core-aligned ELA curriculum, differentiate for students with disabilities, and cultivate productive co-teaching relationships. She looks forwards to another year of supporting hardworking and passionate teachers! |
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MARIA GARCIA UNDERWOOD Instructional Specialist Maria has served as a teacher, instructional coach/staff developer, and program/district administrator. She was the Director of the Multicultural Education Center (diversity training), Bilingual Education Technical Assistance Center (bilingual program development), and worked at Central Offices for the New York City Department of Education. She works with teachers in the areas of literacy, second language acquisition, student engagement, rigorous instruction/assessment, technology-embedded instruction, and standards alignment. Maria loves having the opportunity to support the development of teachers’ literacy competencies through coaching. Maria has created culturally responsive UbD curricula, participated as a reviewer for Head Start programs nationally, and served as a Quality Review Team Member for New York State. She has made presentations at the national level at ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum), NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) as well as at NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education). Maria received her B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Fairleigh Dickinson University; an M.A. in Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities and an Ed.M. in Reading and Bilingual Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education with a focus on learning design. Maria resides with her husband and twin adult daughters in the Bronx and enjoys dancing, traveling, and activities such as hot air ballooning. MARIA GARCIA UNDERWOOD
Instructional Specialist |
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ASHLYNN WITTCHOW Professional Development Coach Ashlynn is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to joining the Teachers College community, Ashlynn taught middle school and high school English in Columbia, South Carolina for six years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Ashlynn served her school as both the yearbook sponsor and as the lead mock trial coach for her competitive middle school team. Ashlynn is excited to join the CPET community and to work with teachers and students in NYC and beyond. ASHLYNN WITTCHOW
Professional Development Coach |
