Erin Gutiérrez is the Executive Director of the Family Development Center (FDC) at Governors State University (GovState). She earned her Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Governors State University and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in Interdisciplinary Leadership at GovState.

Gutiérrez joined GovState in 2006 as a Preschool Teacher in the FDC, following four years as a teacher assistant in Chicago Public Schools. 

Gutiérrez's Research Focus:

• Grant development and reporting
• Sustainable funding for early childhood programs
• Campus childcare and student-parent success

Additional areas of expertise:

• Early childhood and higher education leadership
• Nature-based learning and outdoor education in early childhood
• Environmental education and sustainability in early childhood
• School gardens and food security
• Early childhood STEM education
• Head Start Grant Administration
• State and federal early childhood policy
• Teacher shortages and workforce retention
• University-community partnerships
• Program accreditation and quality improvement
• Reggio-Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education
• Head Start, Illinois Preschool for All, and Prevention Initiative administration

Relevant Work:

• Current Professional Service and Leadership
  • Expanding STEM initiatives
  • Micro Food Pantry
  • Supporting families during the pandemic
• GovState Arboretum Enhancement Project
  • Grant awarded
  • Building upon GovState's Arboretum Accreditation
• Birth to Five Illinois Region 56 Action Council Member
• Illinois Department of Early Childhood Early Learning Council Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Resources and Programs
• Illinois Department of Early Childhood Program Standards Alignment Workgroup Panelist
• South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium Sustainability Initiatives Committee
• Governors State University Sustainability Committee
• Illinois Department of Human Services Child Care Advisory Council Smart Start Ad Hoc Committee
• FDC Schoolyard Habitat

Erin Gutiérrez is available to talk about topics like grant development and reporting, sustainable funding for early childhood programs, and campus childcare and student-parent success.

If you would like to arrange an interview with Erin Gutiérrez, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Frank Czuba is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) at Governors State University (GovState). He earned a Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Governors State University and is a registered and licensed occupational therapist (OTR/L).

Dr. Czuba joined GovState in 2019 after 25-plus years of clinical occupational therapy practice and rehabilitation management. His teaching experience includes: development and delivery of non-academic, professional continuing education courses.

Dr. Czuba's Research Focus:

• Health and Wellness
• Leadership
• Rehabilitation

Relevant Work:

• Czuba, F., Cheng, K.W. (2026). Patterns and Correlates of Cannabis, Electronic Cigarettes, and Tobacco Use Among Illinois Adolescents. Discover Public Health. Submitted for publication.
• Czuba, F., Harshaw, J. (2025). Direct Access and Differential Diagnosis: A New Era for Illinois Occupational Therapy Practitioners. Illinois Occupational Therapy Association Communique.
• Czuba, F., Sain, K., Burke, B., Carr, M., Lending, D. (2024). Exploring the Role of Occupational Therapy in the Delivery of Trauma-Informed Services to Hospital-Based Clients. Journal of Applied Disciplines.
• Czuba, F., Schranz, C., Burley, N., Dermer, S., Mejta, C., Mayer, C. (2023). Development and Implementation of Substance Use Training for Allied and Behavioral Health Professionals. Addressing the Epidemic and Improving the Outcomes. Journal of Allied Health. Vol. 53, No. 3.

Dr. Czuba is available to talk about topics like health and wellness, leadership, and rehabilitation.

If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Czuba, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Candace M. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Education in the College of Education and Human Development at Governors State University (GovState).  She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at GovState, followed by a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Teaching and Learning, both from Lewis University. 

She joined GovState in 2022, following 18 years of experience in education that included teaching preschool and elementary grades and roles in both public and private school settings. 

Experience:

Preschool teacher (KinderCare, 2002–2004); third grade teacher (Chicago Public Schools, 2004–2005); third and fifth grade teacher (Lansing School District 158, 2005–2015); assistant principal (Oak Glen Elementary, Lansing, 2015–2018); principal, kindergarten through eighth grade (Holy Family School, Chicago, 2018–2022).

At GovState, she helps facilitate the Beginning Teacher Mentor Program to provide structured guidance and reduce first-year stress. 

Dr. Smith’s Research Focus: 

• Teacher empowerment, professional trust, and educator autonomy in post-pandemic elementary education
• Culturally responsive, anti-racist, and humanizing pedagogy and teacher preparation
• Trauma-informed practices, belonging, social-emotional learning, and cultures of care in education settings
• Arts integration, creativity, play, and AI in teacher education

Additional Areas of Expertise:

• Early childhood and elementary education and developmentally appropriate practice
• Classroom management and responsive learning environments
• Teacher burnout, educator wellness, and professional identity
• School climate, belonging, and relationship-centered learning
• Family and community engagement in education
• Educational leadership and instructional coaching
• Mentoring first-year teachers 

Expert speaking/podcast experience:

• Podcast guest: Teaching and Leading with Dr. Amy and Dr. Joi “Advocating for Racism-Free Schools with Dr. Candace Smith” (2025) https://youtu.be/dlZeYksxCz8?si=ef--YYEVPZCWyN8e
• Co-host: Second Look Education podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/second-look-education/id1879331024
• Presenter on AI in higher education, educator wellness, and cultures of care
• Faculty speaker and facilitator on belonging, play, and faculty collaboration

Relevant Work:

• Smith, C. (2025). Professional trust and teacher autonomy in post-pandemic elementary education. EduTech Research. https://doi.org/10.69991/0.2025.3
• Conrad, D. L., Smith, C., & Howell, G. L. (2025). Mock job fair: A win-win partnership for districts and pre-service educators. Journal of Education Human Resources. https://utpublishing.com/doi/10.3138/jehr-2023-0055
• Dignam, C., Smith, C. M., & Kelly, A. L. (2025). The heart and art of robotics: From AI to artificial emotional intelligence in STEM education. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health, 11(2), 151–169. https://doi.org/10.55549/jeseh.813
• Smith, C. (in press). Beyond compliance: Reimagining professional development and leadership pathways for elementary teachers. International Journal on Studies in Education.

Dr. Smith is available to talk about current topics like AI in education, teacher burnout and wellness, mentoring first-year teachers, importance of school climate, trauma-informed practices, belonging, social-emotional learning, and cultures of care in education settings.

If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Smith, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Natalie Coleman is a University Lecturer of Education at Governors State University (GovState). She earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She also holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with honors from GovState. 

Before joining GovState in 2022, Dr. Coleman taught at Lewis University, the University of St. Francis and Bloom High School. 

Research topics: 

• Equity in K-12 STEAM

• K-12 Leadership

• Education Policy

• Government & Education Legislation

Relevant work: 

Dr. Coleman has conducted professional presentations in educational settings on the following topics:

• Microaggressions
• Equity and diversity
• STEAM and the State of Black Learning
• Social justice in K-12 settings
• School attendance and reducing anxiety

Additional areas of advocacy and knowledge:

Dr. Coleman has developed policies in the areas of veterans' rights, mental health, and caregiver support; drafted proposals focusing on workforce development and comprehensive protections for interpreters and their families who assisted U.S. troops; advocated for military women’s rights, working to address and provide support for survivors of sexual assault within the armed forces; and supported fair labor practices in local industries.

Dr. Coleman is available to talk about equity in STEAM, K-12 leadership, education policy, and legislation and government policy development on veteran affairs, women’s rights and fair labor practices. 

If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Coleman, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Evelina Mengova is a Full Professor of Economics at Governors State University. She earned a Master of Arts in Economics from Central European University before earning a Ph.D. in Economics from Georgetown University. 

Before working at Governors State University, Dr. Mengova taught economics at California State University. She also has experience working as a consultant on projects at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mengova’s Research Focus:

• International economics
• Renewable energy
• Economic development
• Industrial organization

Relevant Work:

• “What determines investment in renewable energy?” Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 2020, 15(6), 22-38.
• “What determines energy production from renewable sources?” Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability, 2019, 14(4), 83-100.
• “A natural resource ”curse" in Eastern Europe?" Journal of International Business Research and Practice, 2017, 11, 1-14.
•  https://sites.google.com/site/evelinamengova/research

Relevant Links:

•  Subject Matter Expert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZO4wxCmxg4

Dr. Mengova is available to talk about international economics, renewable energy, economic development, and industrial organization. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Mengova, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. David Rhea is the Interim Dean of the GovState Honors College and a Full Professor of Communication at Governors State University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Political Science from Pepperdine University, a Master of Arts in Communication From University of Arizona, and a Ph.D. in Communication from University of Missouri - Columbia.

Outside of his role at Governors State University, Dr. Rhea is the sitting President of the Honors Council of the Illinois Region through February 2025, the sitting 2024 Chair of the Assessment and Evaluation Committee of the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) as well as a program reviewer for NCHC, and one of three facilitators of NCHC's Institute for Strategic Planning, Assessment and Reviewer Knowledge (iSPARK) for 2024.

Before Governors State University, Dr. Rhea taught at University of Maryland - College Park.

Dr. Rhea's Research Focus:

• Election campaign communication - ads, debates, humor
• Personality attitudes and media
• Assessment, admissions research - honors education and communication

Relevant Work:

• Rhea, D. M. (2017). A regression model approach to first-year honors program admissions serving a high minority population. Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, 18, 135-147.
• Rhea, D. M. (2016). Humor use in political campaigns. In W. L. Benoit (Ed.), Praeger handbook of political campaigning in the United States, Vol. 2 (pp. 25-40). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Press.
• Rhea, D. M. & Goodwin, K. (2014). High impact educational recruiting. Honors in Practice, 10, 111-118.
• Aubrey, J. S., Rhea. D., Olson, L., & Fine, M. (2013). Conflict and control: Examining the association between exposure to television portraying interpersonal conflict and the use of controlling behaviors in romantic relationships. Communication Studies, 64, 106-124. doi: 10.1080/10510974.2012.731465
• Rhea, D. M. (2012). There they go again: The use of humor in presidential debates 1960-2008. Argumentation and Advocacy, 49, 115-131.

Dr. Rhea is available to talk about election campaign communication, personality attitudes and media, and assessment and admissions research. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Rhea, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Chevonne Alston is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Governors State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Accountancy from the University of Mississippi's Patterson School of Accountancy, as well as a B.S. in Management and an MBA in Accounting from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University's School of Business & Industry.

Prior to becoming an assistant professor at Governors State University in 2018, Dr. Alston held the role of research associate (2010) followed by the position of adjunct professor (2010-2013), both at Governors State University. Then, she was a research/teaching assistant at the University of Mississippi (2012-2017).

Dr. Alston is a Certified Fraud Examiner and an Illinois Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She is a member of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Illinois CPA Society (ILCPAS), and the National Society of Black CPAs.

Alston’s Research Focus:

• Public education
• Governmental finance
• Financial literacy
• DEI topics

Relevant Work:

• Alston, C., Flint, L., and Manley, S. (2023). A Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Under-Represented Minorities in Introductory Accounting Textbooks. Issues in Accounting Education. (forthcoming, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4665069)
• Alston, C., Rakasuwan, L. & Lewis, A. (2023). What Can the Profession Do? Looking closely at each piece of the puzzle. CPA Journal. https://www.cpajournal.com/2023/12/04/what-can-the-profession-do/
• Alston, C. (2023). Accounting beyond numbers: information systems and technology embedded in the new CPA exam. Issues in Information Systems, 24(3), 15-23. doi: https://doi.org/10.48009/3_iis_2023_102
• Alston, C., & Wu, D. (2023). Future accountants need top-notch ethics education. Strategic Finance. https://sfmagazine.com/articles/2023/september/future-accountants-need-top-notch-ethics-education?psso=true

Dr. Alston is available to talk about public education, governmental finance, financial literacy, and DEI topics. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Alston, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Liam Lanigan is an Associate Professor of British and European Literature at Governors State University. He teaches about European modernism, James Joyce and contemporary writing in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Lanigan earned a Ph.D. from University College Dublin.

Dr. Lanigan's Research Focus:

• Irish literature
• European modernism
• James Joyce
• The city in literature
• Contemporary writing

Relevant Work:

Books

• Cities Under Stress: Urban Discourses of Crisis, Resistance, and Renewal. Co-editor with Anni Lappela and Eric Prieto. London: Palgrave [forthcoming, 2024]
• James Joyce, Irish Modernism and Urban Planning: Dublins of the Future. Author. London: Palgrave, 2014.

Peer-Reviewed Articles/Book Chapter

• “Estranging the New: Irish Writing in the Global City” in Routledge Companion to 21st Century Irish Writing. Eds. Anne Fogarty and Eugene O'Brien. New York: Routledge, [forthcoming, 2024]
• “The Map in City Literature” in Routledge Companion to Literary Urban Studies. Ed. Lieven Ameel. New York: Routledge, 2022.
• “Teaching Literary Urban Studies” in Routledge Companion to Literary Urban Studies. Ed. Lieven Ameel. New York: Routledge, 2022. (co-authored with multiple others)
• “Toward a Realism of the World-System: John Lanchester's Capital and the Global City” in Modern Language Quarterly Vol. 82.4, December 2021.
• “A Severed Space: The Suburbs of South Dublin in Contemporary Irish Fiction” in Imagining Irish Suburbia in Literature and Culture. Eds. Simon Workman and Eoghan Smith. London: Palgrave, 2018.
• “Non-Nationalizing the Story of Ireland: Transnationalism and Narrative in Oona Frawley's Flight" in Irish University Review Vol. 47.2, Autumn/Winter 2017.

Dr. Lanigan is available to talk about Irish literature, European modernism, James Joyce, the city in literature, and contemporary writing. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Lanigan, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Novia Pagone is an Associate Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Governors State University. She teaches in the Spanish program primarily, along with Latin American, Caribbean, and Latina Studies program, as well as the Global Studies minor in the Division of Arts and Letters.

Dr. Pagone holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies with a focus on the journalism, literature, and film of contemporary Spain.

Dr. Pagone's Research Focus:

• Spain
• Latin America
• Cultural studies

Relevant Work:

• “Exporting Spanishness: The Role of Netflix in Shaping How the World Imagines Spain.” Bulletin of Contemporary Hispanic Studies, vol. 2, no. 2, Nov. 2020, pp. 143-59. Liverpool University Press, https://doi.org/10.3828/bchs.2020.9
• “Sarcasm, Satire, and Irony: The Literary Journalism of Three Spanish Women.” Pleasures of the Prose, edited by Richard Lance Keeble and David Swick, Abramis, 2015, pp. 97-109.

Dr. Pagone is available to talk about Spain, Latin America and cultural studies. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Pagone, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Rey Andujar is an Associate Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Governors State University. He teaches in Spanish Language, Literature and Culture in the Division of Arts and Letters.

Dr. Andujar earned a Ph.D. in Caribbean Literatures and Philosophy from the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe.

Dr. Andujar's Research Focus:

• Latin American and Caribbean studies
• Ethnicity and national identity
• Cultural and social studies
• Language and literature

Relevant Work:

• “Los gestos inútiles” (novel)
• “Candela” (novel)

Dr. Andujar is available to talk about Latin American and Caribbean studies, ethnicity and national identity, cultural and social studies and language and literature. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Andujar, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Uday Shinde is a Full Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at Governors State University. He earned a Master of Science in Sociology from Indiana State University before he earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University. 

Prior to Governors State University, Dr. Shinde taught at Colorado Mesa University for a year and St. Mary of the Woods College for four years.

Dr. Shinde’s Research Focus:

• Business ethics
• Social responsibility
• Spirituality in the workplace
• Entrepreneurship

Relevant Work:

• Shinde, J., Shinde, U., Adams, C., & Hill, A. (2021). Effect of mindfulness training on future accounting professionals: A randomized control trial. Accounting Education, pp.1-27.
• Shine, U., Nelson, H.J., & Shinde, J. (2018). To be or not to be: A multidimensional spirtuality in the workplace. Journal of Human Values, Vol. 24, No. 3, 1-23.
• Shinde, U. & Shinde, J. (2018). Social responsibility and the CPA firm: A case for Aristotle. Journal of Ethical & Legal Issues. Vol. 11, June 2018.

Dr. Shinde is available to talk about workplace spirituality, entrepreneurship, ethics and social responsibility. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Shinde, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Anton Lewis is an Associate Professor of Accounting in the College of Business at Governors State University.

Dr. Lewis earned a Bachelors degree in Accounting and Finance and a Ph.D. in Accounting. He previously taught at University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, Saint Xavier University and Valparaiso University.

Dr. Lewis' Research Focus:

• The lack of Black accountants in the U.K. and U.S.
• Race and accounting
• A comparative analysis of Black America vs. Black Britain

Relevant Work:

• Lewis, A.M. (2024). Keeping our Promise. The CPA Journal, https://www.cpajournal.com/2024/02/07/keeping-our-promise/  
• Lewis, A.M. (2022). Smoke and mirrors. Race and the CPA. The CPA Journal, Smoke and Mirrors - The CPA Journal
• Lewis, A.M. (2020). When Will We Be Able to Breathe in Accounting? Provoking an Honest Conversation about Race and Racism in the Profession. The CPA Journal, https://www.cpajournal.com/2020/09/30/when-will-we-be-able-to-breathe-in-accounting/
• Racial inequalities in the accounting profession: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/topics/equality-and-people/blog/racial-inequalities-accounting-profession
• Beacon Blog: https://stories.valpo.edu/beaconblog/coffee-break-with-professor-anton-lewis-valparaiso-university
• Interviews: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/topics/equality-and-people/news/race-accounting-must-make-numbers

Relevant Links:

• blackandwhitebeans's podcast: blackandwhitebeans's podcast (libsyn.com)
• The Positive Power of Difference in Different Places | TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/v_S7IDzFiiA
• Accounting Influencers Podcast: https://accountinginfluencers.captivate.fm/episode/diversity-in-accounting-a-new-big-4-rival
• Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) - Count Me In Podcast Episode 177: Count Me In® | Search Results (imanet.org)

Dr. Lewis is available to talk about the experience of Black accountants in the profession. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Lewis, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Leonis S. Wright is an associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development-Division of Psychology and Counseling. She teaches in the Master of Arts in Counseling program, preparing future school counselors. 

She holds a Ph.D. and M.Ed./Ed.S. in Counselor Education from the University of South Carolina, as well as a B.A. in Journalism, Public Relations, also from the University of South Carolina.  

Dr. Wright’s Research Focus:

• LGBTQ+ youth and adolescents career development
• School counselors' role in supporting students' mental health

Relevant Work (peer-reviewed publications):

• Ockerman, M. & Wright, L.S. (in-progress). Antiracist School Counseling: School Counselor Educators’ Perceptions of Practice
• Guzman, Y.Z., Can, A., Wright, L.S., & Tadros, E.  (in-progress). Wearing many hats: The lived experience of professional school counselors.
• Rock, W.D., Pincus, R., Justice, J.M., Wright, L.S., Hannor-Walker, T., Wilder, C., Money-Brady, J., Ebersole, D.B., Bohecker, L., & Schwyn, A. (in-progress). School counselors’ and administrators’ perceptions of counselors’ roles in supporting students’ mental health.
• Hannor-Walker, T., Pincus, R., Wright, L.S., Rock, W., Money-Brady, J. & Bohecker, L. (2022). School counselors and administrators agree: Time and testing are barriers. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 18(2). 1-18.
• Wright, L.S., Borland, J., & Can, A. (2022). Addressing the career needs of transgender and gender expansive students. Journal of Counseling in Illinois, 7(1). 61-70.
• Pincus, R., Ebersol, D., Justice, J., Hannor-Walker, T., & Wright, L. (2021). School counselor roles for student success during a pandemic. Journal of School Counseling, 19(29). 1-35. http:/www.jsc.montana.edu/articles/v19n29.pdf
• Pincus, R., Hannor-Walker, T., Wright, L.S., & Justice, J. (2020). COVID-19’s Effect on students: How school counselors rise to the rescue. National Association of Secondary  School Principals (NASSP) Bulletin 104(4) 241–256. DOI: 10.1177/0192636520975866
• Wright, L.S. (2020). Understanding the call of social justice advocacy: A phenomenological study of high school counselors. Georgia School Counseling Association Journal. 25. 18-33.

Dr. Wright is available to talk about the issues faced by school counselors, including the career needs of LGBTQ+ students and mental health in students. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Wright, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Erica Ceka is an Assistant Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Governors State University. She earned a Masters in Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Northern Illinois University. 

Before Governors State University, Dr. Ceka was a visiting assistant professor at University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee from 2020 - 2023 and a visiting assistant professor at Northern Illinois University from 2019 - 2020.

Dr. Ceka's Research Focus:

• Collaborative performance management
• Public and nonprofit budgeting
• Nonprofit finance
• Fiscal reforms in Eastern European countries

Relevant Works:

• Can Transparency Foster More Understanding and Compliant Citizens? https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/puar.12790
• Legacy Effect of Soviet Budgeting System on Public Capital Budgeting: Cases of Russia, Moldova, and Uzbekistan. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01900692.2021.1916950?casa_token=JqMTayZZHWwAAAAA%3A0iE-kwPiKV3veJU44JRtxNohCeUKBn7wl69xX0fbVkSbF3AvMu2Ua1ChdT832ryAwgFJSZot_2k6SQ
• Use of employee assistance programs to manage stress in policing: the effects of perceived adequacy of assistance and opportunity for promotion. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PIJPSM-02-2020-0023/full/html
• Public Capital Budgeting and Management Process in Moldova. https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/public-capital-budgeting-and-management-process-in-moldova/222852
• Linking Objective-Oriented Transparency to Political Leadership and Strategic Planning. https://rtsa.ro/tras/index.php/tras/article/view/505
• Understanding Collaborative Performance: The Case of Illinois 9-1-1 Emergency Call Service. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2306288597?fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&parentSessionId=CHVlCYTnPETb03eU%2B1vfefOxeRIepvK0zTu8dB6pxBQ%3D
• Nattering Nabobs of Negativism are no Match for Participatory Budgeting. https://icma.org/sites/default/files/PM%20July%202018%20LGR%20-%20Final.pdf
• Interlocal Relations. http://encyclopedia.federalism.org/index.php/Interlocal_Relations

Dr. Ceka is available to talk about current trends and issues in public and nonprofit budgeting and collaborative performance management. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Ceka, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Sébastien Mary is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Governors State University. He teaches a mix of graduate and undergraduate courses in macroeconomics, managerial economics, and managerial economics and forecasting. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Aberdeen, UK. Before Governors State University, he taught at University of Aberdeen (2007-2010), DePaul University (2014-2018), and University of Kansas (2019-2020).

Dr. Mary's Research Focus:

• Agricultural economics
• Food security
• Conflict studies
• Development

Relevant Work:

• https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wTyFgtUAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr. Mary is available to talk about agricultural economics, food security, conflict studies, and development. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Mary, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Robert Garcia is an Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems at Governors State University. He earned his Master of Science in Computer Science from DePaul University in 2006 before earning his Ph.D. in Computer Science from DePaul University in 2021. 

Dr. Garcia's Research Focus:

• Information systems usage for underserved populations
• Measurement instrument design
• Machine learning for geospatial analytics
• Emerging technologies

Relevant Work:

• https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/0556b2db-ac97-4a65-bdfa-4da11e3fd599
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10916-019-1161-4
• https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/items/d69dc89f-e163-4578-9666-023606caa46b
• https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-98660-9_7

Dr. Garcia is available to talk about information systems usage for underserved populations, measurement instrument design, machine learning for geospatial analytics, and emerging technologies. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Garcia, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Heng Li is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Governors State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied and Industrial Mathematics from University of Louisville, Kentucky. Before Governors State University, he was an assistant professor at Hartwick College (2017-2019). 

Dr. Li's Research Focus:

• Mathematical cancer model
• Differential equations
• Numerical analysis
• Statistical inference

Relevant Work:

• https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JaRb--wAAAAJ&hl=en

Dr. Li is available to talk about the mathematical cancer model, differential equations, numerical analysis, and statistical inference. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Li, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Ujvala Rajadhyaksha is a Full Professor of Management at Governors State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Management from Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India. Before Governors State University in 2015, she taught in various positions over the course of 19 years.

As a member of a team of researchers, Dr. Rajadhyaksha explored what cultural problems can present the greatest obstacles in the home and workplace. During their research, the team of scholars interviewed 2,800 people across 10 countries, including India, the United States, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Israel, and Spain. More on the study can be found in the book titled The Work-Family Interface in Global Context published in 2017.

Dr. Rajadhyaksha's Research Focus:

• Gender and cross-cultural issues in management
• Work and family issues in management

Relevant Work:

• Cha, W. & Rajadhyaksha, U. (2021). What do we know about corporate philanthropy? A review and research directions. Business Ethics: A Eur30, 262-286. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12341
• Rajadhyaksha, U. (2020). Does it matter where you live? Examining the impact of gender, gender egalitarianism and city context on the work-family interface, South Asian Journal of Business Studies, ISSN: 2398-628X, DOI: 10.1108/SAJBS-12-2019-0215
• Rajadhyaksha, U, Koranic, K. Lero, D.S. Hammer, L., Zugec, L. & Beham, B. (2020). The work-family interface around the world: Implications and recommendations for policy and practice, Organizational Dynamics, 49, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2019.01.001 (CoB Preferred Journal List)

Dr. Rajadhyaksha is available to talk about gender and cross-cultural issues in management, as well as work and family issues in management. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Rajadhyaksha, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Hyesoo (Hailey) Park is an Assistant Professor of Management at Governors State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior from the Fox School of Business at Temple University. Before Governors State University, she taught a leadership and organization course during a graduate program.

Dr. Park's Research Focus:

• Leadership
• Personality
• Proactive Behaviors

Relevant Work:

• Chiaburu, D. S., Oh, I.-S., Stoverink, A. C., Park, H. (H.), Bradley, C., & Barros-Rivera, B. A. (2022). Happy to help, happy to change? A meta-analysis of major predictors of affiliative and change-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 132, Article 103664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103664
• Park, H. (H.), Wiernik, B. M., Oh, I.-S., Gonzalez-Mulé, E., Ones, D. S., & Lee, Y. (2020). Meta-analytic five-factor model personality intercorrelations: Eeny, meeny, miney, moe, how, which, why, and where to go. Journal of Applied Psychology, 105(12), 1490-1529. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000476

Dr. Park is available to talk about leadership, personality, and proactive behaviors. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Park, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Praggyan (Pam) Mohanty is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Governors State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Marketing from the Trulaske College of Business, University of Missouri. She has published in reputed, peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of Advertising, the Journal of Memory and Language, Psychology and Aging, and Marketing Letters. 

Before working at Governors State University, she worked in top multinational companies, in the areas of marketing research (Nielsen, India) and advertising (MullenLowe Lintas, India). 

Dr. Mohanty's Research Focus:

• Advertising
• Visual persuasion
• Consumer information processing
• Prosocial behavior

Relevant Work:

• Mohanty, Praggyan (Pam), and Moshe Naveh-Benjamin (2018), "Mitigating the adverse effects of response deadline on recognition memory: Differential effects of semantic memory support on item and associative memory," Journal of Memory and Language, 102, 182-194, doi: 10.1016/j.jml.2018.05.010
  • Journal of Memory and Language® is a premier journal in psychology and a top-ranking journal in the area of language and linguists. It contributes to the formulation of scientific issues and theories in the areas of memory, language comprehension and production, and cognitive processes. Journal Quality Indicators - 2018 Impact Factor: 2.829; 5-Year Impact Factor: 5.148.
• Mohanty, Praggyan and S. Ratneshwar (2016), “Visual Metaphors in Ads: The Inverted-U Effects of Incongruity on Processing Pleasure and Ad Effectiveness,” Journal of Promotion Management, 22 (3), 443-460, doi: 10.1080/10496491.2016.1154924.
• Mohanty, Praggyan, Moshe Naveh-Benjamin, and S. Ratneshwar (2016), “Beneficial Effects of Schematic Support on Older Adults' Memory: Differential Patterns of Support of Item and Associative Information,” Psychology and Aging, 31 (1), 25-36, doi: 10.1037/pag0000059.
  • Psychology and Aging® is published by the American Psychological Association (APA). It publishes original articles on adult development and aging. Journal Quality Indicators - 2015 Impact Factor: 2.725; 5-Year Impact Factor: 3.618; Ranking: 6 of 32 in Gerontology 
• Mohanty, Praggyan and S. Ratneshwar (2015), “Did You Get It? Factors Influencing Subjective Comprehension of Visual Metaphors in Advertising,” Journal of Advertising, 44 (3), 232-242, doi:10.1080/00913367.2014.967424.
  • The Journal of Advertising (JA) is the premier academic publication covering significant intellectual development pertaining to advertising theories and their relationship with practice. Journal of Advertising is the Official Journal of the American Academy of Advertising. Journal Quality Indicators - 2015 Impact Factor: 2.288. Rankings: 6/79 in Communication; 31/120 in Business.
• Chowdhury, Tilottama G., S. Ratneshwar, and Praggyan Mohanty (2009), “The Time-Harried Shopper: Exploring the Differences between Maximizers and Satisficers,” Marketing Letters, 20 (2), 155-167, doi: 10.1007/s11002-008-9063-0.
  • Marketing Letters: A Journal of Research in Marketing publishes high-quality, shorter papers on marketing, the emphasis being on immediacy and current interest. Journal Quality Indicators - 2015 Impact Factor: 1.508

Relevant Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/praggyan-pam-mohanty-3b604165/

Dr. Mohanty is available to talk about advertising, visual persuasion, consumer information processing, and prosocial behavior. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Mohanty, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Katherine Carl is the Program Coordinator for the Master of Science in Business Analytics and an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics and Management Information Systems at Governors State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Illinois Wesleyan University before earning her Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from University of Arizona. 

Before Governors State University, Dr. Carl taught at Brigham Young University, University of the Incarnate World, and West Texas A&M University.

Dr. Carl's Research Focus:

• Online course design
• Video game design
• Tacit and explicit knowledge acquisition
• Graph theory applications

Relevant Work:

• “Examining the learning effects of live streaming video game instruction over Twitch,” Computers in Human Behavior: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563217304971
• “Inside the Antechamber,” Issues in Information Systems: https://www.iacis.org/iis/2021/2_iis_2021_1-20.pdf
• “Teachers' sense of efficacy and technology acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Issues in Information Systems: https://iacis.org/iis/2021/4_iis_2021_63-73.pdf
• “Development and validation of the information systems creative self-efficacy scale,” 51st Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences: https://researchr.org/publication/PayneKBS18
• “Systems and methods for providing topographical graphs and travel routes based on perceived exertion,” US Patent 9217649B1: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9217649B1

Dr. Carl's YouTube Channel:

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK1MnI9yJE0joBjW4PweUkw

Dr. Carl is available to talk about online course design, video game design, tacit and explicit knowledge acquisition, and graph theory applications. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Carl, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. William Kresse is an Associate Professor of Accounting. He has both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting, a law degree, and certifications in public accounting, chartered global management, financial forensics, fraud examination and forensic accounting.

He is well known as “Professor Fraud,” a fraud and identity theft expert who educates the public on ways fraud is perpetuated as well as ways to combat it.

Before joining Governors State, Dr. Kresse was a business professor at Chicago-area universities, practiced law at several Chicago firms, and worked in top management and accounting at two Chicago-based companies. Dr. Kresse still serves on the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and was named to the American Bar Association’s Advisory Commission on Election Law to ensure the security of vote-by-mail during the November 2020 elections. Dr. Kresse runs his own general law, accounting and consulting practice in addition to owning and operating ProfessorFraud.com.

He has appeared widely in the media, including ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN, PBS, FOX, NPR, Washington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Dallas Morning News.

Dr. Kresse's Research Focus:

• Fighting fraud in higher education
• Preventing identity theft
• Teaching fraud in business school courses

Relevant Works:

• CBSLA David Goldstein Investigation: https://youtu.be/hcT3ObcKGOs
• Whistle-blowing causes man to move to the Netherlands: https://wgnradio.com/wgn-nightside/true-crime-with-kelly-pope-and-bill-kresse-whistleblowing-causes-man-to-move-to-the-netherlands-jarrod-shanahan-shares-his-insight-into-the-new-york-prison-system-alongside-attorney-michael-dorf/
• Zoombombing explained — How attacks happen on the videoconferencing site: https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/04/03/zoom-bombers-interrupt-remote-learning-at-niles-north-niles-west/
• When fraud follows natural disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic: https://wgntv.com/midday-news/professor-frauds-tips-to-avoid-covid-19-scams/
• The integrity of computer systems that monitor elections: https://electionlab.mit.edu/election-audit-summit

Professor Fraud’s YouTube Channel:

• https://youtu.be/tutTDL-EgSU
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPFmRbkSG51cfbwDvvHq5Iw

Dr. Kresse is available to talk about fraud, identity theft and any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Kresse, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Amy Vujaklija is an Assistant Professor of English and English Education at Governors State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with a focus on Teacher Leadership in Professional Learning from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Dr. Vujaklija teaches and advises pre-service teacher candidates in middle and secondary English education methods while instructing freshman composition writing studies courses.

Prior to Governors State University, she was a Graduate Assistant at the University of Louisville and a Middle and High School English Language Arts Teacher in Kentucky.

Dr. Vujaklija’s Research Focus:

• School-community engagement
• Narrative inquiry
• Equity in education

Relevant Work:

• Vujaklija, A. (Spring 2021). Learning from Students: Implementing a “Shark Tank” in Educator Preparation. School-University Partnerships, Journal of the National Association for Professional Development Schools.
• Vujaklija, A. (2021). How relationship building affects feedback in virtual teaching and learning. In E. Langran & L. Archambault (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2021 (pp. 1080-1083). Waynesville, NC USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
• Vujaklija, A. & Robey, P. (Fall 2020). Locating the Map of Meaningful Work within Choice Theory. International Journal of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. https://www.wglasserinternational.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2020/10/IJCTRT-Fall2020.pdf
• Vujaklija, A., Hisrich, K. & Cummings, M. (March 2018). Technology, Feedback, and Culturally Responsive Teaching. In E. Langran & J. Borup (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 1764-1769). Washington, D.C., United States: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved July 16, 2018 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/182766/
• Howell, P., Sheffield, C., Shelton, A. & Vujaklija, A. (2017). Backchannel discussions during classroom observations: Connecting theory and practice in real time. Middle School Journal.

Dr. Vujaklija is available to talk about school-community engagement, narrative inquiry, and equity in education. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Vujaklija, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Sasha Cervantes is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Governors State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Cervantes then went on to earn her master’s degree in psychology with a focus on social cognitive neuroscience from New York University, and both her master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology with a focus on cognitive psychology from University of Chicago. She has taught a wide variety of courses including Cognitive Psychology, Biopsychology, Psych Issues and Social Values Capstone, Principles of Psychology, and Research Methods.

Before Governors State University, she was a Frederick Douglas Scholar and Visiting Professor at California University of Pennsylvania.

She currently serves as a Faculty Advisor for the GSU Chapter of Psi Chi Honor Society, a co-Chair for the Office of the Provost’s Faculty Professional Development Committee, a Faculty Senator for the College of Education and GSU’s Representative for the Midwestern Psychological Association. Additionally, she is a member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Diversity Committee.

Dr. Cervantes' Research Focus:

• Memory accuracy and false memory
•  Normal cognitive aging processes
• Memory and creativity
• Scholarship of teaching and learning - particularly online pedagogy
• Co-curricular engagement and first-generation college students

Relevant Work:

• Study Strategies Based on Memory and Learning Theory: http://players.brightcove.net/3764097123001/default_default/index.html?videoId=4859652078001 
• Inclusive Pedagogy during Coronavirus: http://teachpsych.org/DiversityMatters/8953977
• Black Lives Matter: http://teachpsych.org/DiversityMatters/9015745
• Cognitive Psychology Lab: https://sites.google.com/view/gsucognitionlab/home

Dr. Cervantes is available to talk about memory accuracy and false memory, normal cognitive aging processes, as well as memory and creativity. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Cervantes, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Jayne R. Goode is an Associate Professor of Communications at Governors State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Ball State University, before earning her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Missouri. Dr. Goode serves as secretary of the Faculty Senate,  a member of the Honors Program Faculty Advisory Board, Division Assessment Committee, as well as Graduate Director of Communication, Media and Performance MA.

Dr. Goode's Research Focus:

• Emerging majority students in higher education
• Partisanship and political difference 

Relevant Work:

• Goode, J. R., Morris, K. K., Smith, B., & Tweddle, J. C. (Accepted May, 2021). Why aren’t my students reading: Faculty & student research unveiling the hidden curriculum of course material usage. Submitted to the International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning.
• Goode, J. R., Knight, K., Denker, K. J., & Cronin-Fisher, V. (Published Online January, 2021). Political Difference in marriage: Wife’s gender linked fate and relational conflict. Communication Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.1876128
• Goode, J. R., Radovic-Fanta, J., & Cipra, A. (Published Online December, 2020). Dissonance, detachment and college student identity: An exploration of identity gaps in the emerging majority student. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/17459435.2020.1853205
• Goode, J. R., Denker, K. J., Cortese, D., Carlson, L., & Morris, K. K. (2020). Intrusive teaching: The strain of care labor, identity and the emerging majority in higher education. Journal of Communication Pedagogy, 3, 49-64. https://doi.org/10.31446/JCP.2018.02
• Bose, S., Goode, J. R., & Radovic-Fanta, J. (2020). The ambient power of the college campus: Spatiality and the emerging majority experience. In S. Lee (Ed.), Exploring the opportunities and challenges of college students (pp. 37-56). NY: NOVA.
• Goode, J. R. (2019). Family communication and political identities: A negative case analysis of parental partisan socialization. In S. Symonds LeBlanc (Ed.), Casing the family: Theoretical and applied approaches to understanding family communication (pp. 187-195). Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Dr. Goode  is available to talk about communications, emerging majority students in higher education, and partisanship and political difference. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Goode, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Natalia Ermasova is an Associate Professor of Public Finance at Governors State University. She earned a Ph.D. in Public Finance at Indiana University and a Ph.D. in Economics in Russia.

Prior to Governors State, she was a Full Professor of Finance in the Volga Region Academy for Civil Services in Russia for 12 years. She was also a Full Professor of Finance at Saratov State University for two years, a Fulbright Visiting Professor at Indiana University and a Visiting Professor at the Ludwigsburg Academy for Civil Services in Germany.

Dr. Ermasova’s Research Focus:

•  Public Capital Budgeting     
• Public Finance 
• Business Ethics
• Leadership

Relevant Links: 

• Dr. Ermasova's LinkedIn Profile

Relevant Work:

• Dr. Ermasova's Google Scholar Publications
• Dr. Ermasova's ResearchGate Publications

Dr. Ermasova is available to talk about public capital budgeting, public finance, and business ethics. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Ermasova, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Valerie Cronin-Fisher is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Governors State University. She received both her master's and doctoral degrees in communication from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her teaching interests include interpersonal and family communication, research methods, communication theory and conflict management. The goal of her research is to produce practical applications for individuals who are experiencing turmoil or uncertainty in close relationships. 

Dr. Cronin-Fisher’s Research Focus:

• Romantic conflict
• Relational dissolution
• Self-disclosure within friendships
• Jealousy
•  Uncertainty
• Motherhood
• Birth communication

Relevant Work:

• Goode, J., Knight, K., Denker, K & Cronin-Fisher, V. (2021). Political difference in marriage : Wife’s gender linked fate and relational conflict. Communication Studies
• Cronin-Fisher, V., & Sahlstein Parcell, E. (2019). Making sense of dissatisfaction during  the transition to motherhood through relational dialectics theory. Journal of Family Communication, 19, 1-12. https://doi.org10.1080/15267431.2019.1590364
• Cole, A. W., Anderson, C., Bunton, T. E., Cherney, M. R., Cronin Fisher, V., Draeger
• Jr., R., Fetherston, M., Motel, L., Nicolini, K. M., Peck, B., & Allen, M. (2017) Student predisposition to instructor feedback and perceptions of teaching presence predict motivation toward online courses. Online Learning.

Dr. Cronin-Fisher is available to talk about interpersonal and familial communication, conflict management, and research methods. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Cronin-Fisher, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Katy Hisrich is an Associate Professor of Education at Governors State University, where she is the Program Coordinator of Early Childhood Education. She is a Faculty in Residence at the Center for the Junior Year,  Faculty Committee Chair and Advisor for both the Student Education Association as well as Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Dr. Hisrich received her Master of Arts in Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She went on to receive her Ph.D. in Philosophy, Education Psychology at Arizona State University.

Before joining Governor State University, Dr. Hisrich had a host of teaching roles, including as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Lake County, a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University and as a Parent Educator at New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development in Arizona.

Dr. Hisrich also consults with various organizations to provide training, design programs, write curriculum, develop websites, and conduct data analysis and market research.

Dr. Hisrich’s Research Focus:

• Educational psychology – learning and lifespan development
• Teacher preparation
• Literacy
• Technology
• Culturally responsive teaching practices

Relevant Work:

• Hisrich, K. E. & Kelly, A. (2021). Reflections of EC Teacher Candidates in 1st/2nd Grade Classrooms - Spring 2021,
• Governors State University [Blog], https://ecteachercandidates-sp21-govst.blogspot.com/
• Hisrich, K. E. & Thorn, J. (2021). Reflections of EC MA Teacher Candidates: FE1, Infants/Toddlers - Spring 2021,
• Governors State University. [Blog], https://ecmateachercandidates-govstate-sp2021.blogspot.com/
• Hisrich, K. E. (2020). Reflections of Teacher Candidates, 1st & 2nd Grades - Governors State University, Spring 2020 [     Blog], https://teachercandidates-govstate-spring2020.blogspot.com/
• Hisrich, K. E. & McCaffrey, M. (2020). Planning and preparing for read-alouds. Reading
• Improvement, 49(2). https://irc.memberclicks.net/ircj492202112

Dr. Hisrich is available to talk about educational psychology, literacy, technology, teacher preparation and culturally responsive teaching practices. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Hisrich, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Courtney J. Kibble is an Assistant Professor in Governor State University’s Addictions Studies and Behavioral Health Department. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She is also a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LP), a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and an Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor (CADC). When she isn’t teaching, she serves as a Clinical Therapist for Greater Fox River Valley Operation Snowball.

Prior to GSU, she worked for the Hazelden Better Ford Foundation as an Adjunct Assistant Professor. Additionally, she served as a Guest Lecturer at Aurora University

Dr. Kibble’s Research Focus:

• Training of Mental Health Clinicians on Co-Occurring Disorders
• Recovery Coaching Curriculum Development
• Trauma in Relation to Substance Abuse Disorders
• Co-Occurring Disorder Treatment

Dr. Kibble is available to talk about training of mental health clinicians on co-occurring disorders, recovery coaching curriculum development, trauma and substance abuse disorders, and co-occurring disorder treatment. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Kibble, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Phyllis West is the Director of Social Justice Initiative at Governors State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Paine College and two master’s degrees (one in public health, the other in social work) from Tulane University, before earning her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.

Additionally, Dr. West consults in corporate and nonprofit spaces on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), organizational wellness and conflict resolution. In 2022, she was certified as a Restorative Justice practitioner.

Before joining Governors State, Dr. West served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa, a clinical therapist, a social worker, and Assistant Health Officer with the Cook County Department of Public Health. A certified yoga instructor with nearly 30 years of experience in public health and social work, Dr. West  is committed  to self-care, redefining social justice and  reducing gun violence. 

Dr. West’s research focuses on:

• Redefining social justice
• Restorative justice
• Mothers in the criminal justice system
• Reducing gun violence
• International service learning
• Community-based social work

Recent relevant works:

Decoding the language of the unheard

Dr. West is available to talk about addressing the needs of the mind, body, and spirit from a social work and public health lens as well as any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. West, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Khalil Marrar is an Associate Professor at Governors State University where he is part of the nationally-acclaimed freshman cohort experience launched when the university welcomed its first freshman class in 2014.

Dr. Marrar completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at Illinois State University, and he earned his doctorate degree in Political Science at Loyola University. Born in Kuwait, he has lived and traveled extensively in the Middle East and is widely published in the areas of International Studies; Comparative Political Systems; International Political Economy and Institutions; and American, Ancient, and Modern Political Theory. 

A passionate advocate for peace, Dr. Marrar has taught and lectured on some of the most prestigious campuses in the Midwest, including Loyola, DePaul, and University of Chicago and is highly sought by the media as a terror expert by  multiple local and national networks, including NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS television, and Fox News Chicago.

 Dr. Marrar joined Governors State  in 2009. 

Dr. Marrar's Research Focus:

• Foreign Policy and Terrorism Expert 
• Public Policy
• Administration and Middle East Politics

Recent Relevant Work:

        ●      https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jihad-and-the-american-cr_b_580762

        ●       https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.13169/arabstudquar.39.3.0910?Search=yes

• https://khalilmarrar.com/

Lamise Shawahin is  an Assistant Professor at Governors State University where she teaches undergraduate and graduate level psychology and counseling  courses and serves on the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Council, as well as co-coordinates the master's in clinical psychology  program.

Dr. Shawahin received her master's and doctoral degrees in  counseling and psychology from Purdue University and her bachelor's degree from Evergreen State College.

An associate editor for the  "Journal of Muslim Mental Health,"  Dr. Shawahin serves in leadership roles for multiple professional organizations. She's  president-elect of the American Middle Eastern North African (AMENA) Psychological Association, and a board member of Arab American Family Services.

Before joining Governors State in 2017,  Dr. Shawahin worked with the Veteran’s Administration Hospital system where she provided rehabilitative psychology services for veterans of Afghan and Iraq experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder as well as veterans with other chronic mental disorders.

Dr. Shawahin's Research Focus:

• Arab American mental health
• Health disparities 
• Social and racial justice
• Cultural  competence 

Relevant Work:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229921000510

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229919307496

Dr. Grumbach has more than 20 years’ experience in higher education and ten years in school social work. Dr. Grumbach has operated her own private practice and consulting business with social/legal systems, including legal aid and mitigation work for the Murder Task Force of Cook County Department of Corrections. Her therapeutic experience includes work with vulnerable populations with a specialization in family therapy and reunification counseling. She has also worked with the Veteran’s Administration Hospital system where she provided clinical treatment for Vietnam veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder as well as veterans with other chronic mental disorders.

Dr. Grumbach's Research Focus:

• Social work practice
• School social work
• Social and racial justice

Recent Relevant Work:

Podcast: Social Workers as Education Collaborators with Dr. Giesela Grumbach

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-workers-as-education-collaborators-dr-giesela/id1538507161?i=1000513690147

Campos-Moreira, L. D., Cummings, M. I., Grumbach, G., Williams, H. E., & Hooks, K. (2020). Making a case for culturally humble leadership practices through a culturally responsive leadership framework. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 44(5), 407-414. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2020.1822974

Johnson, A., McKay-Jackson, C., & Grumbach, G. (2017). Critical Service Learning Toolkit: Social Work Strategies for Promoting Healthy Youth Development. Oxford University Press. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Critical_Service_Learning_Toolkit/d3I8DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover

Quinn, C. R., & Grumbach, G. (2015). Critical Race Theory and the Limits of Relational Theory in Social Work with Women. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 24(3), 202-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2015.1062673

Dr. Mucahit Kochan is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Governors State University. He earned his Master of Science in Accounting and Information Management from the University of Texas at Dallas and his Ph.D. in Finance at The University of North Texas. 

Before joining Governors State's faculty, Dr. Kochan was an Assistant Professor of Finance at Tiffin University in Ohio.

Dr. Kochan's Research Focus:

• Investments
• Risk management
• Empirical corporate finance

Recent Relevant Works:

• Bank Dividend-Cuts and the Stock Market Reaction Around the Great Recession, with Mujtaba Zia, Journal of Finance Issues, Vol. 16, Issue 1, Spring 2017, PP. 18-30.

Working Papers

• Supply chain resilience and the value of the firm: An event study approach
• Information Content of Iron Butterfly Arbitrage Bounds
• Diminishing Equity Premium of the 21st Century

https://www.govst.edu/Site_Navigation/Contact/Directory/mkochan2/

Dr. Lorri Glass is an Associate Professor in Governors State University’s Social Work Department where she is the Coordinator of the Undergraduate Social Work Program and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and minor in social work from Valparaiso University and her master’s and doctorate in Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at The University of Illinois at Chicago.

Before joining Governor’s State University, Dr. Glass served as a Clinical Manager at Gary Community Mental Health and the Department Chair of Social Work at Valparaiso University, and served as a Clinical Consultant with the Veterans Administration. She has more than 40 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and is a certified trauma practitioner.

In her private practice Dr. Glass provides behavioral health care services, clinical supervision, and professional trainings. Dr. Glass serves on the Advisory Board of the Minority Fellowship Program which is supported by SAMHSA and CSWE and provides financial support for doctoral students of color. Dr. Glass is the founder of Generating Hope, a student organization at GSU that advocates and supports those impacted by mass incarceration.

Dr. Glass’ Research Focus:

• Trauma Informed Practice
• Mentoring
• Emotional Intelligence in practitioners
• Implicit and Explicit Bias in Behavioral Healthcare
• Collateral Consequences of Mass Incarceration

Recent relevant work:

Calling It Out: Identifying and Exploring the Impact of Implicit and Explicit Racial Bias in Mental Health

Dr. Tonya Roberson is the Director of Community Engagement, Program Development and Academic Success / Adjunct Faculty in the College of Health and Human Services. She has an associate degree in dietetic technology/food service systems management, a bachelor’s degree in health administration, a master’s degree in public health from DePaul University and a doctoral degree in Community Psychology from National Louis University.

Before joining Governors State, Dr. Roberson served as a registered dietician and food services manager at several Chicago hospitals, a community health consultant, and a research project administrator at two Chicago-based universities. She also was on the faculty at Chicago State University.

Dr. Roberson’s research sheds light on:

• Barriers faced by racial/ethnic minorities in receiving health care
• The challenges of healthy eating in underserved communities
• Diabetes self-management in the African American community

Recent relevant works:

• Great Minds Think Alike: Embracing collective impact to reduce the prevalence of violence in Chicago’s Woodlawn Community at Project Hood

• The Hairapist Is In: Feasibility of utilizing African American barbershops and beauty salon owners in promoting community health education

• Organizational Alliances: Increasing the capacity of a minority serving institution (MSI) to conduct cancer disparities research through a community-engaged approach

Dr. Roberson is available to talk about health disparities experienced by minorities as well as any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Roberson, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Salm is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice. He has a master’s degree in public administration and a law degree in addition to his Ph.D. in justice studies.

Before joining Governors State, Dr. Salm, a native of Brazil, was an instructor at several universities in Canada, where he taught courses on criminology and restorative justice. His major focus is on the foundation of restorative justice and how it is practiced around the world.

Dr. Salm’s research sheds light on:

• The institutionalization of restorative justice
• Discourse surrounding restorative justice

He worked with noted expert Elizabeth Elliott, Brazilian judges and the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to co-found an international cooperative agreement between Canada and Brazil in restorative justice. He was also a consultant to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and the United Nations Development Program in the area of restorative justice in Guinea Bissau and Fiji.

Dr. Salm is co-editor of the book, “Citizenship, Restorative Justice and the Environment — A dialogue between Brazil, the United States, Canada, Spain and Italy.”

Relevant works:

The governing paradoxes of restorative justice: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20504721.2017.1392775

Presentation at the International Meeting on Restorative Justice in 2018:

https://portal.tjsc.jus.br/web/sala-de-imprensa/-/profissionais-da-justica-restaurativa-reunem-se-no-tj-para-evento-internacional

World Juvenile Justice Congress – video sponsored by the Swiss organizations Terre Des Hommes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dywcg1xFpak

Dr. Salm is available to talk about the intersection between restorative and social justice as well as any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Salm, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Joseph Day is an Associate Professor of Addictions Studies and Behavioral Health and the Director of the Community Health Program. He completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology before earning his Doctorate of Public Health.

Before joining the faculty at Governors State University, Dr. Day held several research positions examining a wide range of topics affecting minority health, including chronic illness among the homeless, HIV rates for incarcerated African Americans and physician bias in diagnosing minority patients. He also serves as a consultant to Chicago Public Schools.

Dr. Day is passionate about effects of adverse experiences on child development and the communities where these children and other vulnerable groups reside. 

Dr. Day's Research Focus:

• Violence
• Chronic disease prevention
• Health disparities
• Health behaviors that place youth at greater risk

Relevant Works:

Environmental Justice: https://gsunews.govst.edu/examining-race-in-america-environment/

Effects of a school-based program on self-esteem: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244017713238

Dr. Day is available to talk about the social determinants of health, the environment and violence and any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Day, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Donald Culverson is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Social Justice Studies. He completed both his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in political science.

Before joining Governors State, Professor Culverson served on the faculty at universities across the U. S. in African American Studies and Political Science Departments. His major focus is on understanding and explaining racial inequality and its impacts on the whole society, rather than viewing them as a problems only affecting people-of-color communities.

Dr. Culverson’s research sheds light on both historical and contemporary influence of globalization on:

•  Domestic politics
• Economics 
• Society

He is the author of a book on grassroots activism against South Africa’s apartheid system, and co-author of a book on women’s agency in Nollywood and African diaspora films.

His current research examines the relationship between retail redlining (the concentration of low-level enterprises like fast food outlets, gas station/convenience stores and dollar stores) and underdevelopment in African American communities (selling substandard goods and services, worsening health resulting from food insecurity, exploiting their social and political deficiencies, and keeping them from attracting better quality providers).  

Relevant Works

Donald R. Culverson, Contesting Apartheid: U. S. Activism, 1960-1987. Rutledge, 2019.

https://www.routledge.com/Contesting-Apartheid-Us-Activism-1960-1987/Culverson/p/book/9780367157388

Dr. Culverson is available to talk about the systemic causes and effects of racial inequality and any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Culverson, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Tax and Legal Policy Expert

Dr. Alice Keane is an Assistant Professor of Accounting and an expert on tax policy and legal policy. She earned a B.A. in Political Science/International Studies and a Juris Doctorate in Law from the University of Illinois College of Law. She holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center and is also a licensed attorney.

In addition to teaching in the College of Business, Dr. Keane has served on multiple committees and community boards and currently serves as GSU’s Faculty Advisor for the Accounting, Finance and Economics Club. She also conducts research and writes on various tax issues. 

Prior to working as a faculty member at GSU, Dr. Keane served as the Deputy General Counsel for Income Tax Litigation at the Illinois Department of Revenue and as an Assistant Attorney General supervising the Civil Prosecutions Unit in General Law at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

Dr. Keane's Research Focus:

• Tax (state, federal, international), including issues related to the taxation of cannabis businesses
• Business law
• Administrative law
• Most legal areas

Dr. Keane is available to talk about tax policy and legal policy or any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Keane, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Ecology and Conservation Biology Expert

Environmental Biology Professor Dr. John Yunger has been sharing his expertise in population ecology, vertebrate zoology and conservation biology with ambitious undergraduate and graduate students since 1996. As a practicing scientist, his knowledge of wildlife biology and environmental science is evident in the numerous publications, grants and committees in which he is involved.

Dr. Yunger’s current research projects focus on the role of small mammals in Cryptosporidium distribution along an urban-rural gradient, heavy metal accumulations by small mammals at abandoned mine sites and conservation of northern hardwood forests following settlement by Europeans. In addition to conducting his own research, Dr. Junger also oversees his graduate students’ research in Barn Owl dispersal, response of soil invertebrates to small mammal burrowing and vertical stratification of small mammal foraging along in response to predation risk.

Prior to joining GSU’s Division of Science, Mathematics and Technology, Dr. Junger received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from Western Michigan University and earned his doctorate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Yunger is available to talk about wildlife biology, ecology, conservation biology and environmental science. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Yunger, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Dr. Jarrod Shanahan is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in Governors State University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He is an expert on the history of the New York City jail system and a critical scholar of policing and incarceration in the United States.

Dr. Shanahan’s areas of research include jails, prisons, policing, Rikers Island, labor organizing, New York City history, pop culture and social movements. He has special interest in prison and police reform, prison and police abolition, and contemporary labor organizing. He also enjoys writing and blogging for multiple news publications and is an active presenter at various conferences.

His writing has appeared in numerous publications including The Nation, Social Justice, Race & Class, Prison Journal, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, Vice, Urban Omnibus, New Inquiry, Inquest, Three-Way Fight, and Gothamist. 

Dr. Shanahan's research has been featured and reviewed by many publications including the New York Times, Times of London, Washington Post, Crime Media Culture, Vital City, The Metropole, Theoretical Criminology, The Journal of Urban History, Publisher's Weekly, Kirk's Reviews, New York Daily News, and the New York Post.

Before moving to Chicago, Dr. Shanahan earned a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and a M.A. in Philosophy from New School for Social Research in New York. While at The Graduate Center, City University of New York, he earned both a master’s and a doctorate degree in Environmental Psychology.

Relevant Work: 

• Author of “Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help: A Decade of Rebellion, Reform, and Morbid Symptoms" (PM Press, 2025)
• Author of “Captives: How Rikers Island Took New York City Hostage” (Verso, 2022)
• Co-Author of “City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island” (NYU Press, 2025)
• Co-Author of “Skyscraper Jails: The Abolitionist Fight Against Jail Expansion in New York City” (Haymarket, 2025)
• Co-Author of “States of Incarceration: Rebellion, Reform, and America's Punishment System” (Reaktion/Field Notes, 2022)
• Editor of “Treason to Whiteness is Loyalty to Humanity: A Noel Ignatiev Reader” (Verso, 2022)

Dr. Shanahan is available to talk about policing and incarceration, or any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Shanahan, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Cultural Anthropology Expert

Dr. Jelena Radovic-Fanta joined GSU’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2015 as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Sociology. Her expertise in cultural anthropology is a product of her diverse studies involving labor, gender, globalization, Latin America, Chile, social inequalities and sustainability.

Specifically, Dr. Radovic-Fanta’s research has focused on precarity, social inequalities and how people develop agency in times of uncertainty. She has carried out extensive research with female grape workers in Chile examining labor, gender and motherhood. She also investigates first-generation college experiences and how students develop a sense of belonging in higher education.

As a native of Chile, Dr. Radovic-Fanta is passionate about Latin America, cultural changes, race, class, and gender. She enjoys talking about how people give meaning to their surroundings, how structures of inequality are reproduced and how people create social change.

Dr. Radovic-Fanta holds a B.S. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies and a Ph.D. in Anthropology.

Dr. Radovic-Fanta is available to talk about cultural anthropology or any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Radovic-Fanta, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Microbiology Expert

Dr. Timothy Gsell is a Professor of Biology and serves as the Coordinator for the Biology and Environmental Biology programs at Governors State University. An expert in molecular microbial ecology, he has been teaching an assortment of undergraduate and graduate courses at GSU since 1999.

Dr. Gsell completed both his B.S. and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Dayton. His research employs a variety of DNA-based tools and techniques that allow for the analysis of the diversity, structure, function and population dynamics of microbial communities from environmental samples. Complimentary physiological-based methods and bacterial culture techniques have also been a focus to enhance our knowledge of the microbial world.

Much of Dr. Gsell’s expertise centers on bacterial communities that participate in the nitrogen cycle in agricultural soils, wetland sediments and large-scale aquaria. He has studied bacterial participation in the degradation of preservatives and plasticizers, and is skilled in the use of metagenomic applications to describe the diversity of bacteria from a variety of environmental sample types.

Relevant Works:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964830519303038
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340919307292

Dr. Gsell is available to talk about environmental microbiology-related topics. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Gsell, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Supply Chain Management Expert

Dr. Tricia Kerns is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Business and Associate Director of GSU’s Supply Chain Innovation Center and Business Incubator, the state’s only supply chain incubator. She is an expert on Supply Chain Management and Supply Chain process improvement and has extensive management experience in various industries in operations, manufacturing, material management, distribution, warehousing and transportation.

When it comes to discussing business operations in greater detail, Dr. Kerns is particularly interested in talking about ways to improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs. She is passionate about ethics in the workplace and the need to be able to make the right decisions in any situation.

Dr. Kerns holds a bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, an M.B.A. in Leadership and a Doctor of Education in Ethical Leadership. Her research exploring the change in business models and strategies of Midwest manufacturing companies that address their competitiveness in the global economy paved the way to her earning a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification. She also holds professional supply chain certifications in Production and Inventory Management (APICS CPIM), Logistics, Transportation and Distribution (CLTD) and SCPro Level 1.

Relevant Works:

• https://gsunews.govst.edu/governors-state-supply-chain-expert-offers-tips-to-business-owners/

Dr. Kerns is available to talk about all aspects of supply chain management and supply chain process improvement, or any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Kerns, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Computer Networking and Cyber Security Expert

Stephen Hyzny is a Senior Lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences, who is an expert on computer networking and security. With more than 25 years of consulting and training experience, Hyzny boasts a comprehensive understanding of Information Technology. In fact, he played an integral role in helping to design the IT program at Governors State University.

Hyzny received a master’s degree in Network Architecture and Design from Capella University in Minneapolis, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. His areas of expertise include:

• Computer Networking
• Cyber Security
• Information Technology

In addition to teaching and consulting, Hyzny holds multiple professional certifications and is a member of several information technology organizations.

Relevant Works:

• CompTIA Subject Matter Expert – https://www.comptia.org/certifications/become-a-subject-matter-expert/current-smes

Stephen Hyzny is available to talk about computer networking and security. If you would like to arrange an interview with Hyzny, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Developmental Psychology Expert

Dr. Cipra is an *Assistant Professor who specializes in developmental psychology through the lifespan. She established and directs the Social Development Lab at GSU, where she works diligently on mentoring students in research and providing them with the opportunity to engage in research within a lab setting, and present research at internal and external conferences.

Much of Dr. Cipra’s work investigates child development within the family context, underrepresented groups in a university setting, transition to college, program evaluation, family inter-relational processes and child temperament, and broader social variables, including resilience in children and anti-bullying.

Prior to joining the faculty at GSU in 2014, Dr. Cipra served as faculty at Siena Heights University in Michigan. She earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Law & Society from Purdue University, and earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Development with a minor in Brain Sciences from Indiana University.

Relevant Works:

• CounterPoint television appearance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmvULFQnK0s
• Social Development Lab: http://smtechsol.com/Drcipra/index6.html

Dr. Cipra is available to talk about student success, mentoring students, family relations, resilience building and anti-bullying. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Cipra, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Pedagogy and Bias Expert

Dr. Timothy Harrington is the Division Chair of Education and an Associate Professor at GSU. He received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Columbus State University in Georgia. While at Cleveland State University in Ohio, he received his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and his doctorate in Urban Education – Learning and Development.

Originally a high school math teacher, Dr. Harrington has worked in higher education as a professor and administrator since 2000. His passion for education and interest in urban and rural education led him to focus his research on matters of pedagogical development as it relates to teachers trained in urban and rural colleges and universities. He has also conducted research with students on bias as it relates to understanding of the teaching environment.

Dr. Harrington is available to talk about education-related topics and mathematics. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Harrington, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu

Equity in Education Expert

Dr. Marlon Cummings is an Assistant Professor of Education and Director of the Interdisciplinary Leadership Doctorate Program. He completed a bachelor’s degree in Biological Engineering and a master’s degree in Public Administration before earning his Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy and Organizational Leadership.

Before joining the faculty at Governors State, Dr. Cummings held a variety of positions ranging from middle school teacher, to director for youth-based programming, to principal consultant. While working on his doctorate degree, he taught at Chicago’s Concordia University and worked to promote equity in public education policy in Illinois. His career success is mirrored in the research he performs on organizational leadership development, culturally responsive pedagogy, urban schools, urban teacher preparation, school reform and educational policy reform.

Dr. Cummings is passionate about equity in education opportunity as evidenced by his most recent publication on the “importance and potential of community partnerships in urban schools in an era of high stakes accountability.” He strives to develop methods of instruction that ensures each student is reached and can be successful.

Relevant Works:

• Graduation address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sZ8q-5Fyf4&t=5427s

Dr. Cummings is available to talk about equity in education opportunity and any of the areas mentioned above. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Cummings, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.

Equity in Higher Education Expert

Dr. Matthew A. Cooney is an Assistant Professor of Education in GSU’s Interdisciplinary Leadership Doctoral Program. His expertise on leadership in colleges and universities, student success initiatives and equity in higher education comes from an active research agenda and spending nearly a decade as an administrator at colleges and universities throughout the country.

Much of Dr. Cooney’s scholarship focuses on college/university presidents and the creation of student success initiatives – particularly around students of color and LGBTQ students – through an anti-deficit framework. In addition to a book chapter on student leadership development, his work has been published in multiple journals and he has presented at a variety of national and international conferences.

Dr. Cooney holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Loyola University, Chicago. He received his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Relevant Works:

• African-American students in higher education

Dr. Cooney is available to talk about equity in higher education. If you would like to arrange an interview with Dr. Cooney, please contact Zion Banks, Director of Communications, 708.235.7685 or zbanks@govst.edu.