Our People

Victoria Groves-Scott
Dean of the School of Education

Dr. Victoria Groves-Scott, Ed.D., holds a doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree in special education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Drury University. With over 30 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Groves-Scott has a proven track record of impactful leadership.

Her achievements include receiving the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award (2006), the SIUE Teaching Excellence Award (2006), the Council for Exceptional Children Federation Teacher of the Year Award (1999), and the Council for Exceptional Children Kansas Federation Outstanding Special Educator of the Year Award (1998).

Dr. Groves-Scott's research interests focus on reading instruction, technology integration, disability studies, and educational equity.

Office: Wham 115
Phone: 618-453-2415
Email: victoria.grovesscott@siu.edu

Brad Colwell
Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Education, Research, and Faculty Development

Dr. Brad Colwell has a long career at SIU that started in 1996, immediately after finishing graduate school. Here he served in multiple faculty/administrative roles until 2010, where he left to be dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Five years later, Dr. Colwell returned to SIU, where he served as Interim Chancellor and then later as Vice President for Student and Academic Affairs. Dr. Colwell returned to the SOE faculty in 2019, where he is a full professor in the Educational Administration and Higher Education program.

Office: Wham 115
Phone: 618-453-2415
Email: bcolwell@siu.edu

Stacy D. Thompson
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Continuous Improvement, and Accreditation

Dr. Stacy D. Thompson has a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Child Development from Oklahoma State University, a M.S in Child Development and Family Relations from Oklahoma State University, and a Ph.D. in Child Development from Iowa State University. Her areas of expertise include developmental assessment of young children, infant development, and sensory integration. Her research interests include adolescent pregnancy especially from the father’s perspective, adolescent risk-taking, and feeding in young children.

Office: Wham 115
Phone: 618-453-4254
Email: stacyt@siu.edu

Brandi Sapp
Interim Director of Teacher Education Programs

Brandi Sapp provides leadership in educator preparation within the School of Education and across the university. With over 25 years of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and clinical supervisor, she is committed to fostering strong partnerships between university faculty, teacher candidates, and P–12 school communities. Her work centers on preparing highly qualified, reflective educators who are ready to meet the needs of today’s diverse learners.

As Interim Director, Brandi collaborates with program coordinators, department chairs, academic advisors, and school administrators to ensure that licensure and clinical preparation programs are rigorous, relevant, and grounded in evidence-based practices. She supports candidates in making meaningful connections between research, theory, and classroom application to positively impact student learning.

Brandi holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Southern Illinois University (1998), as well as a Master of Education from Indiana Wesleyan University (2009).

Office: Wham 110B
Phone: 618-453-2354
Email: brandi.sapp@siu.edu

Program Coordinators for the 2025–2026 academic year

• Stacy Morgan, Undergraduate Teacher Education
• Dr. Heidi Bacon, Graduate Education
• Dr. Gary Kelly, Professional Practice

Dr. Ahmed Al-Asfour
Ed.D.; Educational Leadership
2014, University of Wyoming
Associate Professor/Coordinator of the Workforce Education and Development Program/Director of the Center for Workforce Development

Areas of Specialization: Qualitative research methods, developmental and organizational leadership, human resource development & management, and higher education student affairs and administration.

Academic Program: Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
Email: ahmed.alasfour@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222L

Dr. Alex J. Armonda
Ph.D.; Curriculum & Instruction
2022, University of Texas at Austin
Assistant Professor

Areas of Interest: Critical pedagogy; critical theory; psychoanalysis; curriculum studies; educational philosophy

Academic Program: Curriculum and Instruction
Email: alex.armonda@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323G

Dr. Dimitris Anastasiou
Ph.D.; School Psychology and Special Education
2004, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Professor, On-Campus Coordinator for Special Education

Areas of Interest: Learning disabilities, reading, writing, disability rights, disability philosophy and policy, special education policy, international special and inclusive education.

Academic Program: Special Education
Email: anastasiou@siu.edu
Office: Wham 223G

Dr. Heidi Bacon
Ph.D.; Language, Reading, and Culture
2014, University of Arizona
Associate Professor

Academic Program: Secondary and Adult Education/Reading/Language, Literacies, and Culture
Email: hrbacon@siu.edu
Office: Wham 327K

Dr. Senetta Bancroft
Ph.D.; Curriculum and Instruction
2014, University of Akron
Associate Professor

Dr. Bancroft has expertise in science teacher professional development, qualitative research methods, and the use of critical theories to inform science education research and practice. Her research currently focuses on teacher beliefs about science instruction and the impacts of sociocultural environments on traditionally underserved doctoral student communities’ persistence in STEM. Her teaching includes secondary science methods and introductory chemistry.

Academic Program: STEM Education | Secondary Science Methods and Introductory Chemistry.
Email: senetta.bancroft@siu.edu
Office: Pulliam 301B

Dr. Lingguo Bu
Ph.D.; Mathematics Education
2008, Florida State University
Associate Professor

Dr. Lingguo Bu's instructional interests are K-12 mathematics teaching and learning, and dynamic learning environments in school mathematics. Dr. Bu's research interests are mathematic cognition in dynamic learning environments, model-centered learning and instruction in school mathematics, number theory in school mathematics, and linguistic dimensions of mathematical cognition.

Academic Program: Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
Email: lgbu@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323L

Dr. Lavern Byfield
Ph.D.; Language Arts instruction, English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction
2012, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Coordinator, Language, Literacies, and Culture | Associate Professor

Dr. Lavern Byfield has instructional interests in undergraduate and graduate courses in reading and language studies; and language arts instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Dr. Byfield's research interests are in culturally responsive language arts pedagogy. Byfield's research investigates the impact of race, class, and culture on language instruction. The goal of Byfield's research is to improve language arts instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Academic Programs: Elementary Education | Reading | Reading and Language Studies
Email: byfield2@siu.edu
Office: Wham 322G

Dr. Kristen Cameron
Ph.D.; Educational Policy Studies (Social Foundations of Education)
2023, Georgia State University
Assistant Professor

Areas of Interest: early childhood education and care, critical policy analysis, John Dewey, the Reggio Emilia educational project, neoliberal influences in education, philosophical and historical research methods.

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: kcameron@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222H

Dr. Saran Donahoo
Ph.D.; Educational Organization and Leadership
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Professor

Academic Program: Educational Administration and Higher Education
Email: donahoo@siu.edu
Office: Wham 223S

Dr. Peter Fadde
Ph.D.; Instructional Research and Design
2002, Purdue University
Coordinator, Learning Systems Design and Technology | Professor

Dr. Fadde studies expert learning and performance and has developed patent-pending computer applications for training expert perceptual skills in sports. His expertise-based training (XBT) approach, which adapts the laboratory methods of expertise researchers for training purposes, has been applied in fields ranging from sports to truck driving to classroom teaching. Dr. Fadde also conducts research on video in teacher education and blended online learning.

Academic Program: Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
Email: fadde@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323J

Dr. Harvey Henson
Ph.D.; Science Education
2015, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Associate Professor | Director, STEM Education Research Center

Henson’s research areas of interest include science education, earthquake seismology, and applied geophysics. Henson teaches undergraduate and graduate students in science and science education, mentors undergraduate students in research, advises graduate students, and partners with STEM educators. Harvey Henson has been sharing his expertise in earthquake seismology with local officials, emergency responders, and school and community groups for more than 25 years.

Academic Program: STEM Education | Science Education, Geology, Applied Geophysics
Email: henson@siu.edu
Office: Pulliam 301A

Dr. Hannah Minghui Hou
Ph.D.; Higher Education
2023, Old Dominion University
Assistant Professor

Minghui (Hannah) Hou joined the SOE faculty in 2023. She holds Ph.D. in Higher Education from Old Dominion University, M.Ed. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Innovation from Northwest Nazarene University, and B.A. in English from Xi’an Eurasia University in China. Her research focuses on international and comparative higher education, student mobility, racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and student development. She serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education.

Academic Program: Educational Administration and Higher Education
Email: minghui.hou@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222G

Dr. Yvonne Hunter
Ph.D.; Curriculum and Instruction
2012, University of South Florida
Associate Professor

Area of Specialization: Adult Education and Learning, Human Resource Development, Teacher Education, Research and Evaluation. Research Interest Transfer of training, learning organizations, training and development (law enforcement and military), and motivation of adults to learn.

Academic Program: Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
Email: yvonne.hunter-johnson@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222M

Dr. Jennifer Koran
Ph.D.; Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation
2009, University of Maryland
Professor

Jennifer Koran, PhD, is Professor of Quantitative Methods, specializing in structural equation modeling, factor analysis, multilevel modeling, and psychometrics.

Areas of Interest: issues of model fit, sample size, and estimation in structural equation modeling; advances in student and instructor evaluation.

Academic Program: Quantitative Methods
Email: jkoran@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222F

Dr. Rhonda Kowalchuk
Associate Professor, Coordinator for Quantitative Methods

Academic Program: Quantitative Methods
Email: rkowal@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222K

Dr. Cheng-Yao Lin
Ph.D.; Mathematics Education
2003, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Professor

Dr. Cheng-Yao Lin graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Dr. Lin was awarded a Fulbright Specialist Award in 2017 to Taipei, Taiwan, where he taught at a university and conducted research. He is interested in the integration of technology into mathematics education, the preparation of pre-service teachers and cross-cultural research on pre-service teachers' knowledge of fractions. He has published in many peer-reviewed journals for research in mathematics education.

Academic Program: Elementary Education | Math | Mathematics Education
Email: cylin@siu.edu
Office: Wham 322M

Dr. Christian Sebastian Loh
Ph.D.; Instructional Technology
2004, University of Georgia
Professor

Dr. Loh is Professor of Learning System Design and Technology and the Director of the Virtual Environment Lab – a research lab created through the Defense University Research Instrument Program (DURIP) grant by the Army Research Office (ARO). His research and professional interests include performance analytics for serious games and virtual reality, similarities in decision-making and performance of experts and novices, as well as analytics visualization.

Academic Program: Organizational Learning, Innovation, and Development
Email: csloh@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323F

Dr. Grant Miller
Ph.D.; History Education, Media Literacy, Universal Design for Learning, Place-Based Education, Assessment Literacy.
2007, Boston College
Associate Professor

Grant Miller has academic specialties in social studies education, universal design for learning, and sheltered instruction. Dr. Miller received his Ph.D. from Boston College in 2007. His courses in curriculum and instruction include elementary education curriculum, public school social studies methods and action methods research. His research focuses on historical thinking, developing curricula that help students think like historians and social scientists.

Academic Program: Elementary Education | Curriculum Studies | Elementary Education | Social Science Education
Email: gmiller@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323K

Dr. Ed Pultorak
Ph.D.; Curriculum and Instruction
Indiana State University
Program Coordinator for the Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction | Professor

Ed Pultorak, Ph.D. is currently a Professor in the School of Education (SOE) with a focus on curriculum and instruction. He serves the SOE in a number of ways including as Program Coordinator for the Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. The passion, drive, and dedication for helping individuals become their very best has been his paramount goal and focus since joining SIU over 25 years ago and throughout his professional career.

Academic Program: Teacher Leadership | Curriculum Studies
Email: pultorak@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323M

Dr. Crystal Shelby-Caffey
Ph.D.; Curriculum and Instruction
2008, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Associate Professor

Dr. Crystal Shelby-Caffey is an associate professor of Language, Literacies, and Culture. She teaches literacy courses within the Teacher Education Program as well as courses in the Language, Literacies, and Culture graduate programs. She has taught a range of elementary grade students within the Chicago Public School system and, most recently taught 4th grade in the Carbondale Elementary District No. 95.

Dr. Stanley Blank
Lecturer

Academic Program: Elementary Education | Science Education | Off-Campus Programs
Email: sblank@accessus.net

Ann Garrett
M.Ed.; Linguistics
2008, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Senior Lecturer

Having taught full-time in Illinois public schools for over 35 years, she is certified in Elementary, Special Education (all areas), Secondary English, Library, School Administration, and School Counseling. She is a National Board Certified Teacher (retired) and holds and Illinois Master Teaching Certificate. In 2009, she was a Piasa Bluffs National Writing Project Fellow at SIUE.

Mrs. Garrett has over 40 years experience teaching kindergarten through university graduate courses.

Academic Programs: Elementary and Middle Level Education | Literacy, Inclusion, and Reading and Language Studies
Email: agarrett@siu.edu
Office: Wham 323H

Dr. Dan R. Jones
Ed.D.; Science Education
1978, Indiana University
Rend Lake College Marketplace Site Coordinator | Professor Emeritus

Dan R. Jones, Ed.D. (Indiana University) has been a faculty member at SIUC since 1978 in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. For 30 years he served as the off-campus Belleville Center Coordinator and for the past three years as the Site Coordinator of the SIUC off-campus programs at Rend Lake College Marketplace in Mt. Vernon.

Academic Programs: Elementary Education
Email: drdan@charter.net
Office: Wham 323D

Dr. Gary Kelly
Clinical Assistant Professor

Gary Kelly, a 38-year career educator in K-12 and Higher Education, retired in 2019 as the Superintendent of DuQuoin CUSD #300. Kelly is a student-focused leader who served as President of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) in 2011, was an 8-year member of the IASA Board of Directors, and was named Illinois Superintendent of the Year in 2019. At the national level, he has served on both the AASA Governing Board and AASA Executive Committee, and in 2021, received the AASA Distinguished Service Award. Presently, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice at SIUC and IASA Field Service Director, where he works with both aspiring and experienced school leaders. His teaching interest in higher education includes the areas of leadership, curriculum development, program and personnel evaluation, and school-community relations.

Academic Program: Educational Administration and Higher Education
Email: glkelly@siu.edu
Office: Wham 223L

Stacy Morgan
Assistant Lecturer

Academic Program: Curriculum and Instruction
Email: stacy.morgan@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222J

Dava Roth
Associate Lecturer

Dava Roth has over 25 years combined teaching experience in K-12 and Higher Education. Ms. Roth has continually pursued not only professional education through her continued studies but also personal education through many travel experiences around the world.  Her primary interests are in curriculum, pedagogy, culturally-responsive teaching, and brain-based learning.

Academic Program: Curriculum and Instruction
Email: davajaneil1@siu.edu
Office: Wham 322C

Louise Stearns
Senior Lecturer

Louise Stearns is a senior lecturer in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She teaches literacy and social studies courses within the Teacher Education Program. Her public school experiences include grades Pre-K- 6th grade.

Academic Program: Elementary Education
Email: booklady@siu.edu
Office: Wham 322F

Dr. Carmen Suarez
Assistant Professor of Practice

Academic Program: Higher Education
Email: carmen.suarez@siu.edu
Office: Wham 223K

Amy Tallman
M.S.W.; Social Work
2006, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Instructor

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education | Child and Family Services
Email: amy3tallman@siu.edu

Larry Alvarado
Clinical Supervisor and Instructor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: larry.alvarado@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Debra Blakey
M.S.Ed.; Educational Administration and Leadership
2009, McKendree University
Clinical Supervisor and Instructor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: debra.blakey@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Bridget Granados
M.S.; Mathematics and Science Education
2012, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Supervisor and Instructor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: bridget.herring@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Barbara James
M.S.Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction
1996, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Supervisor and Assistant Lecturer

Academic Program: Curriculum and Instruction
Email: barbara.james@siu.edu
Office: Wham 222C

Dr. Karen McClusky
Ph.D.; Teacher Education and Supervision
1999, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Office: Wham 135

John Mendes
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Office: Wham 135

Ron Nagrodsky
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Office: Wham 135

Jo Vonna Noble
M.S.Ed.
1986, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: jnoble@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Julie Peterson
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: julie.peterson@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Brandi Sapp
M.S.Ed.; Elementary Education
2009, Indiana Wesleyan University
Clinical Supervisor

Academic Program: Teacher Education Program
Email: brandi.sapp@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Dr. Dee Ann Schnautz
Ph.D.; Educational Leadership
2012, Indiana University
Clinical Supervisor; Coordinator, Online Early Childhood Education

Email: dee.schnautz@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Marjorie B. Schwartz
M.S.Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction
2005, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Assistant Lecturer

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: marjorie.schwartz@siu.edu
Office: Wham 327

Academic Program Teacher Education Program
Email: josetta.smithpietri@siu.edu
Office: Wham 135

Julie Solomon
M.S.Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology
2000, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Assistant Lecturer

Academic Program: Curriculm and Instruction
Email: julie.solomon@siu.edu
Office: Wham 223J

Gerald Speith
M.S.; Music Education
1977, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Clinical Supervisor

Emily Bajerski
B.S.; Child & Family Services
2023, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Assistant Prekindergarten Teacher/ CDL, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Assistant Lecturer

Academic Specializations: ECE level 4

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: emily.bajerski@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 116F

Patricia Davis
M.S. Ed; Curriculum and Instruction
2018, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Lead Prekindergarten Teacher/CDL, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Associate Lecturer

Academic Specializations:
Illinois Professional Educator Licensure – Early Childhood Endorsement
Early Childhood Special Education Approval
Illinois Gateway Credential: ECE LEVEL 5, Infant/Toddler Level 4, Family Specialist Level 3

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: squie21@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 116E

Heather Franklin
B.S.; Psychology
1996, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PI Program Coordinator, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Assistant Instructor

Academic Specializations:
Parents as Teachers Certification

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: heather.franklin@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 130

Wendi Funk
M.S.Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction
2019, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
PFA Program Coordinator, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Senior Lecturer

Academic Specializations:
Illinois Professional Educator Licensure - Early Childhood Endorsement
Early Childhood Special Education Approval
Illinois Gateway Credential: ECE Level 5, Infant/Toddler Level 2, Director Level 1

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: funk@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 128C

Beth Garner
M.S. Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction
2023, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Assistant Infant Teacher, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Associate Lecturer

Academic Specializations:
Illinois Professional Educator Licensure - Early Childhood Endorsement
Illinois Gateway Credential: ECE LEVEL 5

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: siu25982@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 116G

Dawn Hayes
M.S. Ed.; Curriculum and Instruction
2016, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Lead Infant Teacher/CDL, Southern Region Early Childhood Programs | Senior Lecturer

Academic Specializations:
Illinois Gateway Credential: ECE LEVEL 5, Infant/Toddler Level 4, Family Specialist Level 5, Director Level 2

Academic Program: Early Childhood Education
Email: jdmjhayes@siu.edu
Office: Quigley 116G

Lyndsey McCann
M.S.Ed.; Educational Administration
2013, McKendree University
PFA Program Coordinator, Southern Region Early Childhood Program | Associate Lecturer

Academic Specializations:
Illinois Professional Educator Licensure - Elementary Education Endorsement
Illinois General Educator Administrative License
Illinois Gateway Credentials: ECE Level 5, Infant/ Toddler Level 5, Director Level 1

Support Staff

Dean's Office

SIU Foundation

Carol Greenlee
Director of Development
618-453-4001
Fax: 618-453-4911

Southern Region Early Childhood Programs

Teacher Education Programs

Undergraduate Advisement