The College of Education & Human Development welcomes several new faculty members for the 2024-2025 academic year – faculty whose research, teaching and service make significant contributions to the college and its students.
“We are fortunate again this year to welcome 13 new faculty scholars from some of the most well-respected universities and programs in the country,” said Paul Alberto, dean of the college. “We’re excited to see them share their ideas and talents in service of our students.”
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Angelica Gunn is a clinical supervisor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She earned her SLPD at Northwestern University and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She has experience assessing and treating adolescents, adults and geriatrics with a variety of communication disorders in a number of settings, including private practice, hospitals, home environments and post-acute care.
Department of Counseling and Psychological Services
Gemarco Peterson is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services. He earned his Ph.D. in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation counselor education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. His research focuses on the career development of Black/African American people with and without disabilities, recruitment and rendition of Black/African American counselor educators and disability advocacy.
Kimberly Robinson is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services. She received her Ph.D. in school psychology from Georgia State University. She is a licensed psychologist and a certified school psychologist in the state of Georgia and her research interests include autism spectrum disorder, educational advocacy, emotional and behavioral interventions, positive psychology and well-being, and assessment.
Tamara D’Anjou Turner is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Miami. Her clinical interests include depression, anxiety, social phobia, trauma, women’s issues, motivation, stress management, assertiveness skills and goal setting.
Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Caitlin Dooley is the chair of the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Before rejoining the faculty, she was the deputy superintendent of teaching and learning at the Georgia Department of Education. She has published more than 50 articles and chapters and led research projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and private foundations.
JeanMarie Farrow is an assistant professor of reading instruction in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She received her Ph.D. from Temple University. Her research investigates mechanisms to support language and literacy growth in children, strategies for educators to foster language and literacy development across developmental stages, and methods to empower teachers in facilitating this growth.
Ju Lim is an assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She examines informed, creative and equitable technology practices in early childhood and elementary education, encompassing both formal and informal settings. Her current research focuses on the intersection of developmentally appropriate practice and technology integration, leveraging the assets of young children and educators.
Isabel Vargas-Bell is an assistant professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She earned her Ph.D. in education with a concentration in special education from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on scientifically based reading instruction and assessment for multilingual students and translating empirical research to improve literacy practices in school settings.
Department of Kinesiology and Health
David Ferrer is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. He earned his Ph.D. in kinesiology at Georgia State University. He has interned and worked in cardiac rehabilitation and strength and conditioning, and he was a head coach at a fitness facility. He has a passion for human performance, developing coaches for strength and conditioning and sports nutrition.
Chun-Hao (Philip) Huang an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. He earned his Ph.D. in kinesiology at University of Illinois at Chicago. His research focuses on unraveling the mechanisms of disability in aging adults with musculoskeletal injuries, particularly osteoarthritis (OA). His primary objective is to develop effective intervention strategies aimed at improving physical function and increasing physical activity among OA patients with a goal of decreasing disease burden and enhancing their quality of life through interdisciplinary research approaches.
Konadu Gyamfi is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. She earned her Ph.D. in education, focusing on college student affairs, from the University of Georgia, where her research centered on racial justice motivated college choice among student-athletes. She has a keen interest in collegiate athletics and social justice issues through sport. Her career encompasses providing academic, wellness and life skills support for both student-athletes and non-athletes.
Allison Smith is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. She received her Ph.D. in kinesiology and sport studies from the University of Tennessee. Her primary research interests include the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles and holistic development of intercollegiate athletes. She will be starting new research at Georgia State looking at the branding, marketing and sponsorship potential in women’s sports.
Department of Learning Sciences
Brennan Chandler is an assistant professor of special education and dyslexia in the Department of Learning Sciences. He received his Ph.D. in special education with a focus on learning disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin. Before completing his Ph.D., he worked as a special and general education teacher in public and private settings. His research focuses on improving academic outcomes for students with dyslexia and other significant reading and writing difficulties through the development of scientifically valid interventions.