Our Team

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.

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.

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.

David Baksh is a Ph.D. student in English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to this, he earned an M.A. in Teaching of English also at Teachers College, and a B.A. in Secondary English Education at The City College of New York. David has served in various educational roles, including teaching high school English and supervising student teachers of English in New York City. He has shared his work at venues including the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, Teachers College, and Michigan State University. David’s interests and experiences include student publication, student responses to pedagogical approaches, and teacher (co)education.

Jorge Beltran is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in Applied Linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University, in the second language assessment track. He was granted a 2018 APTIS Assessment Research Award for his pilot study proposal. In 2016, he received a Master of Education degree in the same major at TC. He has experience working in EFL and ESL settings, from the elementary to the college level. Regarding his work with CPET, Jorge has collaborated in various projects for the Student Press Initiative and has also facilitated PD workshops. His interests include language assessment, second language acquisition, communicative approaches to language teaching, learning-oriented assessment, process writing, and developing voice in personal narratives.

Dr. Gregory Benoit recently graduated from Teachers College, Columbia University with his doctorate in Math Education. He uses his experience as a Boston Public School student and as a Boston Public School teacher as an anchor to his research and his educational philosophy. He believes witnessing multiple perspectives have helped him greatly understand the importance of equity and inquiry, and is pleased to bring those perspectives to CPET, as well as Columbia. He uses practice as the ultimate method to examine theory, as he constantly and continuously evolves his pedagogy further. His interests include gamification in mathematics, creation of mathematics identities, diversity in mathematics classrooms, the use of new theoretical frameworks to transform mathematics education and so on. His overall goal is to increase the magnitude of “ah-ha” moments in mathematics classrooms.

Yianella is currently a doctoral student in the Social Studies Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition to being a student, she is a recipient of the Arthur Zankel Urban Fellowship, and co-leads the Youth Historians Project in Harlem. She is also a field supervisor for pre-service teachers and is the edTPA coordinator for the Social Studies Ed program. Prior to coming to Teachers College, she worked as a social studies and special ed teacher in NYC, as well as a development coach and later site director for the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

Courtney Brown is a Senior Professional Development Coach and consultant 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, Student Press Initiative, AERA, ATE, the Global learning Alliance and at the National Council of Teachers of English Convention. She feels privileged to work with educators in NYC and collaborate with her colleagues at CPET.

Brad is a second year masters student in the Higher and Postsecondary Education Program at Teachers College. Originally from Albany, NY, Brad graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a B.A. in History and Adolescence Education. He taught a variety of subjects in public schools, a career and technical school, and a charter school in upstate New York. At Teachers College, Brad served in the Admissions Office and in Development and External Affairs. He also has over seven years of experience in coaching soccer. Brad is the current head coach for a 13-year old girls team at Manhattan Soccer Club and the assistant soccer coach at SUNY Purchase. Brad is eager to use his blended secondary and postsecondary experience in empowering the brilliant students in New York City.

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 Director of Program Development for CPET. In this role, she designs and executes promotional campaigns aimed at recruiting, sustaining and growing CPET partnerships, coordinates and manages a wide range of projects, as well as hires and trains new coaches. She performs extensive needs based assessments of schools to help determine areas of strength and opportunities for growth in efforts of developing highly customized and targeted professional development plans. Additionally, she provides on-site coaching to schools in areas such as curriculum design and unit planning, establishing cycles of inquiry, aligning instruction to the Danielson framework and the CCLS, project-based learning and developing literacy strategies that can bolster student achievement across the disciplines. Cristina also leads the Student Press Initiative (SPI), an initiative that supports teachers and students in developing projects that culminate in professionally designed, print-based publications.

Caroline is a former New York City public school teacher who is currently an adjunct faculty member in the English Department of the City College of New York. She is passionate about teaching and working with a diverse range of students, having personally witnessed the transformative role that a strong and inclusive education can play at all grade levels. Prior to becoming a teacher, Caroline was a UN worker and journalist based in Asia. A 2014 graduate of Teachers College with an M.A. in English Education, Caroline also holds degrees from Harvard University and Vassar College. She looks forward to supporting fellow teachers to develop engaging, Common Core-aligned curriculum, help navigate evaluations and the Danielson Framework, share ideas on differentiation, and celebrate the extraordinary work of New York City’s educators.

As a leadership educator, researcher, and practitioner, Chloe is passionate about creating agile lifelong learning opportunities in a variety of formal and informal spaces. Chloe's dedication to exploring human capacity by leveraging adult learning expertise strengthen her drive for educational excellence in practice.

Jennifer DeCerff was raised on Long Island, NY and studied English Literature at the University of Richmond. After finishing her degree, she lived in South Africa and worked in the non-profit sector mentoring high school and university students. She has over 10 years experience facilitating relationship skills workshops with adults and has spent the last three years teaching ESL to high school students and new immigrants in Durban, South Africa. Jennifer recently moved back to the New York area and completed her M.A. at Teacher’s College. While she is here, she wants to learn as much as possible about New York City schools and to support those who teach in them. She is a current doctoral student in the English Education Program.

G. Faith Little's role as Senior Program Manager, focused on special projects, has been shaped by her wide range of experiences with students, their families, and the community of educators who invest in them. Because Faith sees each as a valuable stakeholder in the education process, her work is focused on identifying barriers and building bridges; supporting individual and team growth with creative, compassionate leadership. Faith joined the CPET team in 2014, after 10+ years of experience in youth development, teaching in Denver Public Schools, and serving in Colorado State Government as a technical writer. Specific focus areas include: CPET processes and structures, social/emotional student support, educator wellness, advisory, parent engagement, curriculum development, building cohesive teams, and on site coaching for educators in settings outside of the classroom.

Dr. Marcelle Mentor, South African native, is an education specialist. Her academic interest focuses on Critical Race Theory, with an emphasis on Black Masculinity. 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.

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.

Sarah is a PhD student in the Anthropology and Education program at Teachers College, where she is studying assessment and discipline in New York City’s high schools. Before coming to Teachers College, Sarah taught for eight years as a special education and humanities teacher. She is inspired by the work and care teachers put forth to nurture and support their students, and finds that her work with CPET allows her to support teachers as they develop strategies and tools for a wide range of needs in the classroom.

Katie is a doctoral student in the English Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests are grounded in her various teaching experiences and a desire to center students in the classroom. She taught English at the secondary level for nine years and first year composition before coming to Teachers College. Her classroom served as a lab site, and she has a background in project-based learning and designing inquiry-based curricula for multilingual learners. Katie is honored to support teachers in and around New York City.

Dr. Laura Rigolosi is both practical and creative in her classroom approaches, and finds a way to teach every student! Laura began her teaching career as an English teacher over fifteen years ago, and has since worked with teachers in all disciplines on developing their curriculum. She has lead numerous literacy workshops in NY, NJ, CT, CA and OH. Laura earned her M.A. and Ed.D. From Teachers College, where she also taught in the English Education department.

Leslie Shellito is a current Master’s student in Education Policy and Social Analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to moving to New York City, Leslie taught 4th and 5th grade in a district outside of Seattle, WA. She loved going to work every day, and particularly enjoyed designing curriculum, learning from her peers, and deeply engaging her students in rigorous work. In her free time, Leslie loves to read, hike, and eat!

Jay Shuttleworth is an assistant professor and chair of adolescent education at Long Island University, Brooklyn. Previously, he held full-time teaching assignments at Columbia University's Department of History and Teachers College. He taught high school history in California for nine years, where he was a finalist for the California Department of Education's Teacher of the Year distinction. He has also studied education in Japan on a Fulbright Memorial Fellowship.

Ah-Young Song is a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the English Education program. She has taught high school English for seven years in Taiwan, New Hampshire, South Korea, and Massachusetts. Her dissertation is focused on the cultivation of critical multimodal literacies in a community-based summer program for youth. Other interests include exploring how students build identities as writers, how classrooms honor learners' lived experiences, and how schools can center the well-being of youth. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to develop partnerships with dedicated and generous educators in New York City.

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 the hardworking and passionate teachers of New York City!

Taeko Suga received M.A. and Ed.M in Politics & Education in the Education Policy and Social Analysis program at Teachers College. She is especially interested in educational equity and urban education. Prior to coming to TC, she earned a B.A. in Urban Studies/Policies at CUNY Hunter College, and a M.Sc. in Social Psychology from London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nick Tanchuk is a PhD student in the Philosophy and Education program at Teachers College, where his research focuses on what counts as social justice and how we measure it in education. Prior to coming to TC, Nick earned an MA in Philosophy at the University of Manitoba and has taught a variety of subjects in public schools in Winnipeg, Canada. Nick is the co-founder of a Summer Indigenous Math Leadership program at the University of Winnipeg and has over a decade of experience working on grassroots social justice projects in a variety of roles. He is excited to connect his research interests with the practice of schools through his role as data specialist at CPET.

Van Anh is currently a second year doctoral student in the Social Studies Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests include refugee and second generation narratives, spaces of learning, notions of citizenship, and belonging. She was previously a high school history teacher in California. After working with youth, educators, and community organizations, she decided to pursue a PhD to contribute to education research and advocacy.

Brian Veprek is a PhD student in the Philosophy and Education program at Teachers College and has focused his research on an attempt to make teacher education more humanistic. Prior to coming to TC, Brian earned an EdM in Learning and Teaching from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and taught Theatre Arts, English, and Latin in public and independent schools in the United States and overseas. He is thrilled to join CPET and contribute to its essential work of supporting teachers as they face the myriad challenges of their demanding and fulfilling profession.

Dr. Wasserman is a faculty member in the program of Mathematics and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He taught high school mathematics for six years in both Austin and NYC prior to his current position, where he specializes in secondary mathematics teacher preparation. Among other things, his scholarly interests include investigating how university mathematics courses prepare secondary teachers for the classroom. He is passionate about his work in secondary schools: mathematics teachers matter because "teaching" matters, and they matter because "mathematics" matters.

Cris Wellington is a Mathematics Education doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University. He has a passion for mathematics and for helping people, and is currently an adjunct lecturer in the Mathematics departments of Hunter College and Pace University. He has years of experience teaching elementary math & algebra courses, and has been active in the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics since 2013, as a contributor of student work and a professional reviewer. Cris believes all students can learn mathematics and holds himself accountable for students' learning.