Graduate Student Profiles

Our graduate programs attract the best and brightest in their fields and many of our students go on to have successful careers in academia, education and health. We encourage you to explore their profiles and learn more about their accomplishments.  

Results for: Educational Leadership & Policy
 
 
Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Cheryl L Alexander
Educational Leadership & PolicyTurnaround schools and sustainability of student achievement

Photo of Mary E Alvirez
Educational Leadership & PolicyInstructional Leadership of the Principal Supervisor

Photo of Megan Arenas-Goossen
Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Elizabeth  Aritonang
Educational Leadership & PolicyProudly from Queens, New York, Elizabeth Aritonang is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning Program at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include the politics of K-12 school finance, particularly with the development of equitable formulas and the role of state legislatures in the implementation of school finance reform. Elizabeth is currently a graduate research assistant with the RP3 Network. Additionally, she works with with Dr. Denisa Gándara researching...

Photo of Roberto M Arredondo
Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Michael C Arreola
Educational Leadership & PolicyA qualitative case study on the impact of a high number of new teachers on the attitudes of experienced teachers.

Photo of Temesghen  Asmerom
Educational Leadership & PolicyEffective Leadership Pipeline for Local School Districts

Photo of Savneet Bains
Educational Leadership & PolicyIdentifying the barriers and facilitators for women of color within academic leadership, with a focus on South Asian women leaders. She aims at highlighting the leadership journey of South Asian women leaders in higher education administration.

Photo of Kimberly  Barnett
Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Bethany D Bell
Educational Leadership & PolicyBethany Bell (she/her) is a doctoral student interested in research that focuses on strategic enrollment management (SEM) practices and organizational structure, examining student barriers to degree pathways, and the registrar’s role across the higher education landscape. She earned her bachelor’s in criminal justice with a minor in psychology from Sam Houston State University and her Master of Public Administration from Texas State University. Bethany has worked in higher education for over fifteen years in...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Rachel W Boggs
Educational Leadership & PolicyRachel Boggs is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning Program at The University of Texas at Austin. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and M.Ed. in Elementary Education from The University of Notre Dame. Experiences as an elementary school teacher informed her perspective on the challenges communities face when addressing educational inequity and increasing opportunities for all children. Rachel is interested in how social contexts influence education and how policy can...

Educational Leadership & Policy| organizational change in higher education | college access, admission, and enrollment management | race, racism, and college-access politics

Photo of Shawntal Z Brown
Educational Leadership & PolicyShawntal aims to advance the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and promote servant leadership through her research, service, and formal academic appointments. In her current appointment as Senior Outreach Program Coordinator for Inclusive Campus Support in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, Shawntal builds connections with students, staff, and faculty so that campus community members can experience a welcoming and inclusive campus climate. She employs a...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Christina Bui
Educational Leadership & Policy
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2025Christina Bui is a second-year Master's student in the Program for Higher Education Leadership at UT Austin. She is also a full-time employee on campus, serving as the Sr. Program Coordinator for PACE, an award-winning co-enrollment and first-year success program. Christina is interested in first-year student engagement, low-income and first-generation student experiences, curriculum development, and adult learning.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Laura J Calderon
Educational Leadership & PolicyTeacher Commitment Preference and the Impact on Schools of Poverty

Photo of Kaila M Campos
Educational Leadership & PolicyKaila M. Campos is a doctoral student, her interest is guided by first-generation college Latinas and their intersectionalities evolvement based on student affairs planning and identity development from tenth grade to freshman year. She comes with experience in working in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion as she has facilitated workshops, certifications, and transformational leadership development. She holds a Graduate Research Assistant to Dr. Stella Flores. Her previous research is on mental health in higher education and intersectionality...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Kate  Carpenter
Educational Leadership & Policy she/her After obtaining a degree in Political Communication from the George Washington University in May 2023, Kate moved to UT to begin the PHELP M.Ed program. She utilizes her extensive experience in policy to develop effective and driven Higher Education strategy. Kate serves in two Assistantship positions: the VPSA Office under Dr. Soncia Reagins-Lilly and the Education, Leadership, and Policy program under Kelsey Samsel. Outside of UT, Kate is a yoga instructor, professional photographer,...

Educational Leadership & PolicyOriginally from the Philadelphia area, I spent some time in the United Arab Emirates before moving to the Austin area in January of 2022. I earned a bachelor's degree in history and sociology from Dartmouth College in 2014. During my career, I spent four years teaching and tutoring in various educational contexts and then became Church Administrator at my church in the UAE. I currently have a job as a Virtual Assistant working for a...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Sherri M Castillo
Educational Leadership & PolicyAreas of interest include developing K-12 policy protections for trans and non-binary students, addressing gendered public spaces, working with school leadership to provide comprehensive professional development around LGBTQ+ issues, advocating for inclusive school policy

Photo of Diana  Cervantes
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Diana Cervantes, Ph.D. is a graduate of the Program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy (PHELP) at The University of Texas at Austin where she was also a graduate research assistant for the Free College Equity Lab. Her dissertation research focused on the racialized experiences of Latina/Latino/Hispanic community college students with free college policy implementation. She is a proud Oregonian and a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient. Diana earned Bachelor's degrees from the University of Oregon, graduating...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Kimberly  Clarida
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Her research interests revolve around educational equity and policy, racial equity with school leadership experiences, and the historical and sociocultural contexts of educational opportunities for Black and Brown students.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Karly  Conroy
Educational Leadership & PolicyKarly Conroy is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program. Her research interests focus on special education policy. More specifically, her interests gear towards the process through which children are identified as having a need for special education services, appropriate placement, and the impact of parent participation for students who are identified as having an emotional disturbance, i.e. anxiety, depression, or withdrawal. Currently, she is working as a Graduate Research Assistant on...

Photo of Kelsey  Conroy
Educational Leadership & PolicyKelsey Conroy graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with her B.A. in Psychology. She then completed two terms of service with AmeriCorps, including serving as an AmeriCorps Leader with Breakthrough Central Texas. She is a student in the M.Ed. program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. She also conducts qualitative analysis in the field of education research. In addition, Kelsey is a graduate assistant for the...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Natosha F Daniels
Educational Leadership & PolicyNatosha's research interests are rooted in collective grassroots organizing and Black parent movements that shift power structures in the education system. Additionally, she is interested in the intersection of capitalism and racial equity in public education.

Photo of William J Davies
Educational Leadership & PolicyWill Davies earned a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University and a M. Ed. in Education Policy and Planning (EPP) from the University of Texas at Austin. Following four years teaching English as a foreign language in South America, Will spent five years working as a (Spanish/English) bilingual elementary classroom teacher and three more as a campus literacy specialist in Central Texas public schools. Since 2018 he has worked with Breakthrough Central...

Photo of Daniel Dawer
Educational Leadership & PolicyResearch interests include neoliberal education reform, K-12 school organizational conditions, accountability, school choice, teacher working conditions, community-driven school improvement

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Emily Donaldson
Educational Leadership & PolicyPublic school funding, assessments and accountability, early education

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Steven  Drake
Educational Leadership & Policy
M.Ed. in Educational Policy and Planning, expected 2024Steven’s area of interests include: LGBTQIA+ youth equity & policy in education; LGBTQIA+ critical policy analysis; queer-inclusive pedagogy & research; addressing gaps in education policy for LGBTQIA+ youth. Through these lenses, Steven seeks to address how policy affirms, makes invisible, or harms queer and trans students via state and local implementation, policy structures, teacher preparation and pedagogy, and school environments.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyAbigail Emerson is a second year master’s student in Education Policy and Planning. Her research interests include holistic accountability measures, protection for the arts in education, and equitable special education practices. Abigail serves as a graduate assistant for two groups on campus: the Sanger Learning Center and the Longhorn Wellness Network. She is passionate about effective, joyful education systems, and uses her skills in teaching, research, and communication to incorporate this passion into her academic...

Photo of Ulili R Emore
Educational Leadership & PolicyRacial disparities in student loan debt at the graduate-school level and its impact on the socioeconomic futures of Black students

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Rachel D Fahrig
Educational Leadership & PolicyCase Study: methods by and reasons for which a group of 6 rural students made post-secondary pathway decisions

Photo of Reyna M Flores
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, expected 2024Her research interests include students from migrant farmworker backgrounds, students from the borderland region of the Rio Grande Valley, and Latina/o/x student success.

Photo of Brooke  Fousek
Educational Leadership & PolicyEducation Policy and Planning Her research explores the socioeconomic factors that contribute to a student’s success, and how communities can engage in collaborative approaches to policy implementation at the local, state and national levels. Before attending UT, Brooke helped pilot a retention project to support graduating seniors in their final semester(s) at San Diego State University. Under the AVP of Academic Affairs, her team was awarded 2 Million dollars from the CSU chancellor's office to target...

Photo of Anthony  Fowlkes
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2025Anthony Fowlkes is a Ph.D. student in the Program in Higher Education Leadership at UT Austin. He also works in a full-time capacity as the Moody College of Communication's first Senior Data Analyst. Anthony's primary research interests are related to students who work while learning. Particularly, Anthony is interested in understanding how working affects students' learning and relates to their post-collegiate outcomes. Prior to his time at UT Austin, Anthony worked as an Assessment Analyst for...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Jennifer T Garcia
Educational Leadership & PolicyImpact of student-teacher relationships on low-socioeconomic Hispanic student achievement

Photo of Charles E Garcia
Educational Leadership & PolicyTransformational Leadership

Educational Leadership & PolicyVanessa Garcia (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Program in Higher Education Leadership and Policy (PHELP) interested in research that focuses on college students from Texas border towns and how/if border culture plays a part in student development when attending predominantly white institutions (PWI’s). Her focus involves investigating the role of family dynamics and how it may impact holistic student growth. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication Science Disorders from Texas A&M International...

Photo of Jose A Garza, Jr
Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Danielle Geraci Thoma
Educational Leadership & PolicyDanielle Geraci Thoma is the director of graduate recruitment and student support initiatives in the Graduate School at the University of Texas at Austin. In her role, she oversees university-wide graduate student recruitment, orientation and convocation. Danielle earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and received her master’s in education in educational leadership and policy in 2020 from UT Austin. Danielle has worked in higher education for over 18 years with expertise in...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Jennifer Gonzalez is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning (EPP) program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include critical approaches to bilingual education, the implementation of special education programs for English learner students, dyslexia instruction, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Eliza J Gordon
Educational Leadership & PolicyEducational Equity, Anti-racist School District Leadership

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Cynthia  Griggs
Educational Leadership & PolicyBlack female executive leadership and workplace safety

Educational Leadership & Policy
M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2019Tiffany’s research interest focuses on the experiences of Afro-Latinxs students in higher education.

Photo of Mike Gutierrez
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy - Program in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2023Mike earned both a B.A. in Psychology in 2013 and an M.Ed. in College and University Student Personnel Administration (CUSPA) in 2015 from the University of Texas at Austin. His professional career started in the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin as an associate academic advisor with the Texas Interdisciplinary Scholars office where he advised students from across Texas many who were first-generation, students of color and part of the...

Photo of August  Hamilton
Educational Leadership & PolicyThe Impact of The Texas School Finance System's Property Tax Dependence on School Facility Equity

Photo of Shannon  Harner
Educational Leadership & PolicyShannon Harner is a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a masters of Educational Leadership and Policy. Her research interests focus on student supports and interventions, data driven policy, and media integration in classrooms. Her background in political science and sociology inform her practice by outlining the societal structures that promote and inhibit policy decisions. Shannon draws on a combination of lived experience and theoretical understandings to advocate for classrooms that...

Photo of Torri D Hart
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Policy & Planning, expected 2026Focuses on rural school and district leadership, teacher recruitment and retention in rural contexts, inclusive practices for students with disabilities, and school improvement with an emphasis on school-community partnerships and place-based learning initiatives.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Crystal D Hermesch
Educational Leadership & PolicyThe relationship between performance pay, student outcomes, and teacher retention

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Lesley Hernandez Silva
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, expected 2025Community Cultural Wealth, Equity & Access for Latino/a/x College Students, Latino/a/x Student Success, Asset Based Approaches to Latino/a/x Experiences in Higher Education

Photo of Shannon L Hickson
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, expected 2025My research interests include but are not limited to factors impacting the African American experience in higher education - specifically related to career outcomes, workforce readiness, alumni engagement, and giving/philanthropy.

Photo of Angela R Hodges
Educational Leadership & PolicyThe impact of Principal Professional Learning and Coaching on School Outcomes.

Photo of Tepera R Holman
Educational Leadership & PolicyUnderstanding the experiences of rural Black college students at a large research intensive PWI in the south.

Photo of Kaire J Hopson Onajobi
Educational Leadership & PolicyEducational equity and career readiness among special populations

Photo of Tiffany N Hughes
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership & Policy, expected 2024Tiffany’s research and professional interests include elevating the narratives of students on the margins and examining individual and institutional practices that cultivate diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments for underrepresented and minoritized populations at institutions of higher education, especially institutions of medical education. She is keenly interested in the qualitative exploration of the experiences of minoritized students and the practices that help them foster academic and career success and those that help to sustain students’ mental...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Lebon D James, III
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2022His research examines the role of principals, K-12 educational leadership preparation, and school improvement.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyI

Educational Leadership & PolicyJustin's research interest is on student staff selection processes and applicant experiences across aspects of identities.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyCecelia Jordan is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning Program at the University of Texas at Austin. With over a decade of experience integrating culturally sustaining pedagogy and restorative justice practices with students of all ages, Jordan merges circle, song, writing, and oral storytelling to create transformative experiences amongst Black and Indigenous organizers and leaders of color who are on the frontlines of today’s fights for justice. Jordan's work as a researcher,...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Karanjot  Kaur
Educational Leadership & PolicyKaranjot Kaur is an international student from India who moved to the US to pursue higher education. After finishing her bachelor's, she was a project manager at the comparative cognition lab at UC San Diego, during which she conducted developmental psychology research with young Indian children. While conducting mixed-methods research studying colorism in Indian children, she became aware of the gap between research and practice. She aims to bridge this gap through her future research...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Noor  Khalayleh
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2026Noor Khalayleh is a doctoral student in the Program of Higher Education and Leadership within the Educational Leadership and Policy department at the University of Texas at Austin. She currently works as a Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Liliana Garces. Noor has a B.A. in Psychology from Youngstown State University and a M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. As a Muslim Arab-American, Noor's research interests largely focus on Muslim...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyRobert Leary currently serves as the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Support and Resources in the Title IX Office at UT Austin, where he manages support and accommodations. Robert’s prior professional experience includes working in student conduct at UT Austin and residence life at The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York University Abu Dhabi. Robert has received extensive training regarding federal and state policies related to higher education, including Title IX...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Mallory  Lineberger
Educational Leadership & PolicyMallory Lineberger is currently a doctoral student in Educational Policy and Planning at The University of Texas at Austin, where she leverages research in creation of policies that center educational equity and justice for systematically marginalized groups. Her research interests focus on the race and gender power dynamics of policy making around school censorship and decolonizing curriculum. Mallory’s interest in K-12 education policy is rooted in her fourteen years of experience as an educator. After spending...

Photo of Jarrett E Lipman
Educational Leadership & PolicyJarrett's research concentrates on fine arts education in urban schools. Jarrett worked at Claudia Taylor Johnson High School in San Antonio for fifteen years, thirteen of which he spent as the head band director. Under Jarrett's leadership, the Johnson Band was named the 2020 UIL 6A State Marching Champion. He also works as a part-time lecturer at Texas State University in the music education program and, during the summer, serves as the Brass Caption Manager...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Lizeth  Lizarraga
Educational Leadership & PolicyLizeth's research interests focus on issues of educational equity and opportunity for culturally and linguistically diverse students in K-12. She is particularly interested in Latinx family access, collaboration, and advocacy within the special education system. In addition, she is interested in developing decolonial curriculum in partnership with local school district teachers.

Photo of Armando  Lizarraga
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2025postsecondary education programs in correctional facilities; carcerality, higher education in carceral facilities; incarcerated students; formerly incarcerated students; financial aid access; community colleges; transfer students; fem/mentoring

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyErin Long is a doctoral student in the Higher Education Leadership program. Her research interests include effective learning strategies in the residential halls, how different types of structures effect the student experience, and residential curricular approach. She has earned multiple degrees including a B.A. from Winthrop University in history and political science, a M.P.A. from the University of Delaware with a concentration in non-profit administration, and a M.A. from the University of North Carolina at...

Photo of Sonia P Loskot
Educational Leadership & PolicyTrauma-informed care and mindfulness culture on improving teacher engagement, teachers’ sense of efficacy, and teachers’ responsiveness to students.

Educational Leadership & Policy
Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2024Jennifer is interested in policy and process design and change management processes within higher education environments. Jennifer's research interests include student financial policies, mentorship, and stranded credits.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyTrae's primary research interests include students’ experiences of schooling and the nature of family decision-making within the school choice process. He is particularly interested in understanding the ways students and families experience and make meaning of marketized and market-influenced educational spaces. Trae is also interested in the history of and alternatives to high-stakes testing, such as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam. His approach to research centers disproportionate negative impacts of...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Alyssa M Mastronardi
Educational Leadership & PolicyPronouns: She/Her/Hers Alyssa began her career as an English language assistant in a high-poverty region of southern Spain, followed by five years as a middle school science teacher at a Title 1 charter school in Dallas. Her time spent in those classroom settings motivates her academic research interests: school choice, school segregation, and urban education. In particular, she is interested in investigating the relationship between charter schools and segregation and the efficacy of various choice schools,...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Lauren  McKenzie
Educational Leadership & PolicyLauren is a doctoral student at the University of Texas in the Educational Leadership and Policy Department. Her research interest exists in the intersection of education and family policy. She seeks to critically examine school choice in early childhood education through an equity lens, cross-racial parent-teacher relationships, and how parents’ experiences shape their perceptions of school. She is currently exploring how families navigate kindergarten school entry and how their experiences are shaped by their sociocultural...

Photo of Julio J Mena Bernal
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2027Urban Education, Race and Ethnicity, Critical frameworks and methodologies, School Finance & Poverty, Critical Educational Policy, Students of Color College Access and Success, Undocumented Students, Community Colleges, School Social Stratification and Segregation,

Photo of Krystle  Meza
Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Adam S Miller
Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, expected 2024Hadiza Mohammed is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning Program at the University of Texas at Austin. She has a B.A. in History from Brown University and a Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences degree, focusing in History from The University of Chicago. During her time at The University of Chicago, she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant in the Chicago Public Schools. Her time as a Teacher's Assistant inspired her...

Photo of Kendra  Montejos Edwards
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2022The various factors in the p-16 system that impact the access to higher education for Latinx students. The educational experiences and policies regarding undocumented students.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Alicia A Moreno
Educational Leadership & PolicyHer research interests seek to understand how undergraduate and graduate Latinx students experience racialization, identity formation, and sense of belonging. She also seeks to understand how Latinx students resist structural oppressions and challenge institutional inequities. Additionally, she is interested in how systemic inequities impact historically underrepresented groups’ access and persistence throughout the educational pipeline.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Shermika L Nelson-Fluker
Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Mollie E Newton
Educational Leadership & PolicyIn what ways do trusting principal-teacher relationships shape school culture?

Educational Leadership & PolicyNicole Ngaosi is a doctoral student in the Program in Higher Education Leadership at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin. She is a Graduate Research Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Liliana Garces and is an inaugural recipient of the College of Education Graduate Student Equity Fellowship. Ngaosi's research interests focus on understanding the role of institutional partnerships to yield long-term social justice priorities at universities. Through case studies, she utilizes a combination of...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Kait  Ogden
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Kait is a Ph.D. candidate in the Education Policy and Planning Program She is interested in examining diversity policies and practices from a systems perspective. Her time at UT has provided her with experiences across multiple research projects, created a network of expert education policy scholars, and prepared her with the content and statistical knowledge necessary to carry out critical scholarly work. Her future endeavors hope to include working in the adjacent spaces of...

Photo of Kendall A Omick
Educational Leadership & Policy
M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Participatory Action Research Project focusing on literacy intervention and extension for special populations.

Educational Leadership & PolicyPrincipal effect on Teacher retention

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Kimberly G Pack Cosme
Educational Leadership & PolicyPolicies and practice that impact student success outcomes and alleviate socioeconomic disparities in postsecondary education; postsecondary stratification; social mobility; educational transitions from high school through graduate education

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of SeongGyeong  Park
Educational Leadership & PolicySeongGyeong is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program. Her research examines school-community partnerships for historically marginalized students and families, especially immigrant families, and school/district leaders' responses to it. She has contributed to the advocacy for marginalized students and families through research regarding state- and local-level educational policies (e.g., classroom censorship, dual credit funding, and early college advising). She has supported K-20 students who are primarily low-income, first-generation, and immigrant students in...

Photo of Alex  Patlan
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2026Alex is a first-generation, gay, Latino doctoral student in the Program in Higher Education Leadership (PHEL). After serving with Advise TX (an AmeriCorps program), Alex knew he needed to be on the higher-education side to retain and graduate students. As a graduate student at Texas State University, Alex received the Graduate Assistant of the Year Award. He currently works as the Senior Program Coordinator for UT for Me – Powered by Dell Scholars, a program...

Photo of Wanda B Paul
Educational Leadership & PolicyLeadership during crisis situations

Photo of Jackie Pedota
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy, expected 2024Racial Equity across the P-20 pipeline, Institutionalization of Diversity Initiatives, Racialized Organizations, Organizational Change, Student Activism, University Counterspaces, Campus Cultural/Identity Centers, Oral History, Participatory Action Research

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Michaela  Pernetti
Educational Leadership & PolicyMichaela is a doctoral student in the Educational Policy and Planning (EPP) program whose research interests are aimed at attaining greater educational equity in PK-20 public education. She plans to examine how education policies and school-based programs can improve the outcomes of historically disadvantaged students or those with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). After completing her undergraduate degree at Santa Clara, Michaela worked in public health policy advocacy in her hometown of Sacramento, CA. While completing...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyCatherine Ramirez is a doctoral student and research assistant in the Program in Higher Education Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include educational access and equity for former foster care youth in higher education, campus support programs for former foster care youth, and issues of graduate student labor. Catherine earned her MA in English from Kansas State University where she specialized in cultural studies. Before coming to UT, Catherine was a...

Photo of Javier Ramirez
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2026Coming from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Javier Ramirez (Javi; he/him) is a second year doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Program in Higher Education Leadership & Policy (PHELP) with two graduate research appointments in the Assessment, Data Analytics and Planning Team (ADAPT) and Dell Medical's PRIDE in Health Collaborative. His personal research agenda broadly examines how state and federal policy impacts the educational experiences for low-wealth and first-generation college students with attention...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Michael Reid Jr
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning, expected 2025Examines federal and state education policy implementation and politics with an emphasis on systems change and equity and K-12 public education as a public good in a post-COVID-19 world.

Photo of Geneva E Reventlow
Educational Leadership & PolicyGeneva’s experience as a graduate of Texas public schools led her to return to Texas in 2018 after working as a middle school, mostly math, teacher in Brooklyn, New York for almost twenty years. She completed a Master’s in STEM education at the College of Ed where she became interested in how public policy decisions impact equity in Texas public schools. Geneva’s research interests include how school practices – restorative discipline, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed school...

Photo of Tye Ripma
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2025Focuses on the role of state educational agencies in implementing special education policy with a particular emphasis on the inner workings of state agencies and how state governance, accountability, and finance policies and practices impact individual’s experiences learning and working in schools.

Photo of Lesley  Rivas
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Policy and Planning, expected 2026Lesley Rivas López is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program in the Department of Education Leadership and Policy. Her research interests include ethnic studies, the educational access and attainment of Latinx students across the K-20 pipeline, and educational equity for underserved students through policy reform and the building of culturally-responsive support models. Lesley currently serves as a Graduate Research Assistant for Project MALES (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success), a research-based...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Gabriel  Rodríguez Lemus, Jr
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2025Gabriel Rodríguez Lemus, Jr. (he/él) research area focuses on four main areas:(1) Men & Masculinities of Color, specifically Queer & Trans* Latinx/o Masculinities & Disabilities, (2) Latinx/a/o People in Education, (3) Critical Disability Studies in Higher Education, and (4) Qualitative Research Methods, specifically Arts-Based & Visual Methodologies.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Katelyn  Rood
Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Gaye L Rosser
Educational Leadership & PolicyA superintendent’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Photo of Hilary N Routon
Educational Leadership & PolicyHilary is a part-time master's student in the Program in Higher Education Leadership. She also works full-time as the custom program manager at University Extension at TEXAS Extended Campus, where she collaborates with over 25 different on-campus units to provide unique programming to diverse populations of students. She has been at the university since August 2014 and TEXAS Extended Campus since December 2015. Before joining UT, Hilary worked at a trilingual language school in Austin,...

Photo of Alexandra  Ryan
Educational Leadership & PolicyEquitable access to music education in K-12 educational spaces; Investigation of the school-to-prison pipeline among K-12 public schools; Issues pertaining to special education

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Alejos  Salazar, Jr
Educational Leadership & Policyschool leadership, campus climate, and teacher morale

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Wajiha  Saqib
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Policy and Planning, expected 2025Wajiha is a doctoral student of Education Policy and Planning. She previously received her masters in Education Policy from The George Washington University as a Fulbright Scholar. She is an international student from Pakistan. Her bachelors degree was in Computer Science from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). Her research interests are Gender and Education, Comparative International Analysis with a specific interest in South Asia, School Choice and Gender, mixed-methods and CritQuant methods, and Data...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Lauren M Shook
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Education Policy and Planning, expected 2024Lauren Shook is a Ph.D. candidate in Education Policy and Planning at the University of Texas Austin. Her research interests focus on how racial inequality is constructed through discourse. She is particularly interested in examining how college access and funding are shaped by racial logics manifested in discourse. She hopes to contribute to scholarship, teaching, and service which makes more just US education systems a reality. Her research interests stem from her professional experience in...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Rebekah Skelton
Educational Leadership & PolicyRebekah's policy interests include the intersection of public education and prison abolition; school climate and disciplinary practices; and redesigning school curriculum as a means to improve student engagement and school culture, and to divest from carceral practices in schools.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Sasha  Smith
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2027Sasha Smith is a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership and Policy program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines the intersectionality of incarcerated college students, and how policymakers and higher education practitioners can better engage with student and programmatic support across the incarceration to higher education pipeline. Additional research interests include community colleges, social-justice oriented and informed student success metrics, and access and equity for historically marginalized, underrepresented, and otherwise "non-traditional"...

Photo of Gerard E Smithwrick
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, expected 2026Gerard E. Smithwrick is a New Jersey native and currently, a doctoral student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy pursuing his Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin. He earned his Bachelor's degree in History from Kean University, followed by earning his Master's degree (M.S.) in Higher Education Administration from Barry University. Scholastically, Gerard is interested in researching the development of leadership and involvement in Black students at...

Photo of Gerard E Smithwrick
Educational Leadership & PolicyGerard E. Smithwrick (he/him/his) is a New Jersey native and a doctoral student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy’s Ph.D. Program in Higher Education Leadership at The University of Texas at Austin. He earned his Bachelor's degree in History from Kean University, and his Master's degree (M.S.) in Higher Education Administration from Barry University. Scholastically, Gerard is interested in researching the development of leadership and involvement in Black students at predominantly white institutions...

Photo of Janet  Solis Rodriguez
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Janet Solis Rodriguez is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy. Her dissertation investigates how educator preparation programs influence short- and long-term student outcomes. Her research utilizes large-scale, longitudinal data from the Texas Education Research Center (ERC at UT Austin) and employs hierarchical linear growth modeling and multilevel logistic regression techniques. Solis Rodriguez is a Quantitative Data Analyst for the Texas ERC (PI: Dr. Pedro Reyes) and a Graduate Research Assistant for the Teacher Turnover...

Photo of Jinane Sounny-Slitine
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2023Arab student experiences, sense of belonging, academic advising, equitable policy making, social justice, and critical theories.

Photo of Jennifer L Spears
Educational Leadership & PolicyHispanic Female Superintendent Succession

Educational Leadership & PolicyNatalie Spitzer is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests center around the intersection of climate change and education, examining the effects of natural disasters on under-resourced school and systems, increasing the knowledge exchange between researchers and school administrators in order to advance and support practice, and school-community resiliency in the face of disaster. Natalie's career in education started as an early childhood...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Tasneem  Sultana
Educational Leadership & PolicyTrade-offs within various policy indicators from an equity standpoint, Community college transfer function, Financial aid, and Pedagogical methods.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of David J Terrazas
Educational Leadership & PolicyDavid J. Terrazas is a Mexican-American doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. Due to the growing Latino population in the US and the wide achievement gap between Latino/a’s and other marginalized populations, David aims to explore programs that may support individual development as well as long-term change with regard to social inequality. His research interests involve examining Sport for Development (SFD) programs and positive experiential learning opportunities for minority youth at the...

Photo of Tyra  Timm
Educational Leadership & PolicyTyra Timm is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning Program (EPP) at the University of Texas at Austin. Tyra's research interests are largely shaped by her experiences growing up in South Africa and then pursuing degrees in higher education in the United States of America. She is interested in understanding how race, gender and socioeconomic disparities affect educational outcomes in K-12 education, and exploring the ways that social identity affects student's perceptions...

Photo of Grayson D Toperzer
Educational Leadership & PolicyTeacher effectiveness

Photo of Edgar Manuel M Torres Ovando
Educational Leadership & PolicyEdgar Torres is a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests lie within the inequities that exist among special populations, more specifically, English learners within the public school finance context. During the 2015 legislative session, Torres worked for Texas State Representative Mary E. Gonzalez as a lead education policy fellow. He focused on school finance policy and assisted the representative in drafting multiple bills relating to ELs, standardized assessments, and...

Photo of Dana Tottenham
Educational Leadership & PolicyDana Tottenham is a doctoral candidate in the Executive Ed.D. Program in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Her professional areas of interest include the intersections of applied anthropology, international education, and alumni engagement. Her treatise focuses on reframing international education as social justice work, leveraging frameworks for critical consciousness, alumni engagement, and anthropological praxis in the case study design. Dana is Senior Associate Director of Alumni Engagement at Emory University in Atlanta. She...

Photo of Katelin Trautmann
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy, expected 2024Katelin Trautmann is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program. Katelin's research interests are around the intersection of whiteness and Christianity and how it is operationalized within public school policy. She is particularly interested in investigating these impacts in early education and elementary schools in predominately white suburban and rural areas. She is currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant with professors Jennifer Holme and Huriya Jabbar in the Department of Educational...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & PolicyTuff is an Education Policy and Planning (EPP) doctoral student who is a Chicago native. She is the proud recipient of the Texas New Scholar scholarship, fueling her passion for a more equitable landscape. Prior to starting her Ph.D., she was a masters student in the EPP program and an Education Policy fellow at the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) focusing on dismantling the school-to- prison pipeline (when school policies or practices stray students on...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Belinda V Vasquez
Educational Leadership & PolicyDistributive Leadership Framework

Photo of Catalina Vasquez
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership and Policy, expected 2027Catalina Vasquez is a Higher Education Leadership and Policy doctoral student at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research is focused on enhancing data-informed decisions regarding labor market returns and degree completion rates in postsecondary education. Catalina is currently working as a Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Schudde using quantitative and qualitative research methods, explicitly leveraging state administrative data for policy analysis on community college transfers for the state of Texas. Before starting at UT...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Kimberly D Waltmon
Educational Leadership & PolicyInclusive practices and co-teaching for special and general educators

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Carly  Williams
Educational Leadership & PolicyCarly Williams is a master's student in the Higher Education Leadership program. Since graduating with her bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Austin, she has worked for her alma mater as a member of the Office of Admissions' Access & Inclusion team. Her interests include enrollment management, student success initiatives, and international education.

Photo of Janeva  Wilson
Educational Leadership & PolicyJaneva is a second-year master's student in the Education Policy and Planning Program. She is an HBCU graduate who is passionate about promoting racial equity and access for Black students. She seeks to understand how policies, practices, and systems maintain racial inequality in education, and how people engage with and shape policy to improve the education system. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in policy advocacy and community engagement. Janeva's career and policy interests...

Photo of James Wiser
Educational Leadership & PolicyJames Wiser is the Dean of Library Services & Educational Technology at Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Abilene, Texas. His research interests are academic libraries, scholarly communication, bibliometrics, qualitative methods, and higher education management. Prior to his current position at ACU, he held librarian or library-related positions at the Community College League of California, SAGE Publishing, SCELC, Pepperdine University, and General Motors.

Educational Leadership & Policy

Photo of Brandon L Wooley
Educational Leadership & PolicyBrandon L. Wooley comes to the University of Texas with a Criminal Justice and Theology background. His research interests seek to understand the intersectionality between faith-based organizations and educational institutions. More specifically, he is interested in researching how the Black church can use its agency and autonomy to fulfill its responsibility to create community partnerships within local schools that are in place to subvert the “school-to-prison pipeline” and close the educational achievement gap for African-American...

Photo of Greg  Worthington
Educational Leadership & Policy
Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning, expected 2021Generally, Greg's research interests include the nexus of education policy, urban policy, and community development, and Xicana/o/x studies. Specifically, his research focuses specifically on the effects of market-based educational reforms on public schools and a developing a narrative of the poverty, struggle, and accomplishment of Xicana/o/x and Latina/o/x peoples in San Antonio, Texas. His research experience also involves the effect of economic revitalization programs on education in impoverished contexts, the sociological and educational effects of...

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy

Educational Leadership & Policy