Photo caption: Top row (l to r): Aimee Dietz, Natalie Grubbs, Chavez Phelps and Rosalyn Harvey-Torres; middle row (l to r): David R. Johnson, Qiana Lachaud, David C. Hughes and Sarah Martinez; bottom row (l to r): Rubia Anderson, Carina De Fazio and Ashley Stewart.
The College of Education & Human Development welcomes 11 new full-time faculty for the 2021-2022 academic year – faculty whose research, teaching and service make significant contributions to the college and its students.
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Aimee Dietz, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is a speech-language pathologist whose research focuses on how mind-body practices, including adapted yoga, might be harnessed to build resilience and coping for people with post-stroke aphasia and their co-survivors. She is joining the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders as department chair.
Department of Counseling and Psychological Services
Natalie Grubbs earned her Ph.D. from Georgia State University. Prior to joining the faculty, she worked as a professional school counselor in a variety of school settings for 18 years. Her professional interests include elementary school counseling, using creativity in counseling and parent partnership. She is joining the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services as a clinical assistant professor.
Chavez Phelps, who earned his Ph.D. from Indiana State University, examines the impact of school-based trauma interventions and strategies. He has conducted several trauma-informed care workshops for school districts and educators. He joins the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services as an assistant professor.
Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Rosalyn Harvey-Torres earned her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research explores biliteracy, student and teacher agency, and teacher preparation that centers multilingual and multidialectal students’ resources in schools. She joins the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education as an assistant professor.
Department of Educational Policy Studies
David R. Johnson, who earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Georgia, examines how universities are shaped by changes in their institutional environments, especially as it relates to capitalism, religion and politics. He joins the Department of Educational Policy Studies as an associate professor.
Qiana Lachaud, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, focuses her research on epistemological racial justice in educational spaces through critical race consciousness, pedagogy and critical qualitative inquiry. She joins the Department of Educational Policy Studies as a clinical assistant professor.
Department of Kinesiology and Health
David C. Hughes earned his Ph.D. from Prairie View A&M University and his research explores esports and how Division1 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can better monetize their athletic programs to improve their academic profiles. He joins the Department of Kinesiology and Health as a clinical assistant professor.
Sarah Martinez earned her Ph.D. from Middle Tennessee State University. Her research explores muscle activation using surface electromyography during functional movements and resistance training exercises. She joins the Department of Kinesiology and Health as a clinical assistant professor.
Department of Learning Sciences
Rubia Anderson, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, studies effective instruction for students with high incidence disabilities with a specific focus on students with learning disabilities in mathematics at the secondary level. She joins the Department of Learning Sciences as a clinical assistant professor.
Carina De Fazio earned her Ph.D. from Georgia State University and her research interests include behavioral strategies for students with multiple and severe disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, and positive behavior intervention and supports that work in natural settings. She joins the Department of Learning Sciences as a clinical assistant professor.
Ashley Stewart earned her Ph.D. at the University of Southern California. Her research explores the race-related experiences of Black adolescents in both online and academic settings, and implications for learning and development. She joins the Department of Learning Sciences as an assistant professor.