Throughout the academic year, the Neag School is proud to share the latest achievements of its faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

Explore their most recent promotions, awards, retirements, publications, and more:

• Dean’s Office
• Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Office of Teacher Education
• Department of Educational Leadership
• Department of Educational Psychology
• Faculty/Staff
• Students
• Alumni
• In Memoriam

Dean’s Office

The Neag School of Education welcomed six new faculty members, congratulated two existing faculty members on their new appointments, and celebrated the promotion of seven faculty members.

New Appointments:

Laura Burton — Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Jennie Weiner — Department Head, Educational Leadership

New Faculty:
Nicholas S. Bell — Assistant Professor of Special Education
Wendy Glenn — Professor of English Education
Austina Lee — Assistant Clinical Professor
Matthew Lemberger-Truelove — Professor of Counselor Education and Letitia Neag Morgan Endowed Chair
Lauren Midgette — Assistant Clinical Professor
Laura Steacy — Associate Professor of Special Education

Promotions:

Effective this August, seven Neag School faculty members were promoted – two to the rank of professor: Liz Howard in curriculum and instruction and Jennifer Freeman in educational psychology; one to the rank of associate professor and tenure: Alexandra Freidus in educational leadership; one to the rank of professor in-residence: Richard Gonzales in educational leadership; two to the rank of associate professor-in-residence: Susannah Everett in educational psychology and Adam McCready in educational leadership; and one to the rank of associate clinical professor: Tracy Sinclair in educational psychology. Read more on UConn Today.

The Neag School is saddened by the passing of our beloved colleague Lisa Sanetti. In her nearly 20 years with the Neag School, she had become a nationally renowned expert in implementation science, educator well-being, and school-based mental health. Sanetti had countless accolades, which were a testament to her dedication to the teaching profession. She is greatly missed. Read Dean Irizarry’s full message to the community on UConn Today.

The Neag School announced the current members of its Alumni Board on UConn Today. Members of the board volunteer to engage and connect with Neag School alumni throughout the year.

Three Neag School graduate students were awarded Neag School Alumni Board Scholarships. The awardees include Emmanuel Dwamena, a doctoral student in curriculum and instruction; Caroline Shadman ’25 (ED), a master’s student in curriculum and instruction; and Claudia Ventura, a doctoral student in research methods, measurement, and evaluation.

The Neag School hosted an orientation in August for new doctoral students across all three departments. The event was organized by Taylor Strickland, a doctoral student in Leadership and Educational Policy, and provided an opportunity for new students to network with their peers. It featured welcome remarks from Associate Deans Laura Burton and Morgaen Donaldson,  as well as presentations from the department heads: Michael Coyne (Educational Psychology), Jennie Weiner (Educational Leadership), and Todd Campbell (Curriculum and Instruction). View pictures from the orientation.

The Neag School’s academic journal has published its third issue, thanks to the hard work and dedication of graduate students. Read more on UConn Today.

The Neag School celebrated the winners of its inaugural “Why Teach, Why Now” contest, which encouraged high school students enrolled in education Early College Experience courses to share why they wish to become educators in urban settings. The three winners of the contest were Aiden Tetreault from Enfield, who came in first place; Madelyn Heitmann of Milford, who came in second; and Keira Beck of Milford, who came in third. Read more about the contest on UConn Today.

Department of Curriculum Instruction (EDCI) and Office of Teacher Education

Teachers from across Connecticut participated in a survey about what is going well and what challenges exist for them and their students in 2025. The survey was conducted as part of an exclusive partnership between WFSB and the Connecticut Education Association. Alyssa Dunn, director of teacher education, and Jacob Gilson, a junior Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s teacher education program student, shared insights with WFSB. View the video here.

The Neag School welcomed 60 fifth graders from Kennelly School in Hartford, Connecticut, for a field trip in May. They learned about UConn opportunities from Neag School faculty and explored iconic landmarks such as the Spirit Rock, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, Gampel Pavilion, Homer Babbidge Library, and more. The students lunched on the Student Union lawn, asked questions in classrooms, and received an authentic taste of college life. The students ended the day by gathering for a group photo at the legendary Jonathan the Husky Statue and a visit to the UConn Dairy Bar.

Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) program juniors and seniors were welcomed back to campus with orientations in August. Teacher Education faculty and staff shared information about the upcoming year, setting the stage for collaborative learning and professional growth. View photos from the seniors’ orientation.

The Office of Teacher Education hosted a virtual book talk in June featuring Carla Shalaby, author of “Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School.”

The Office of Teacher Education hosted two events at UConn Hartford in May to strengthen partnerships with Connecticut school districts. The Partnership Summit welcomed 30 district representatives, including IB/M and TCPCG partners, for dialogues on neurodiverse educators, teacher residencies, induction support, and student teaching expectations. That same day, a Partner/Cooperating Teachers Appreciation event celebrated mentors’ contributions. Two program graduates — Emilie Caron ’24 (ED), ’25 MA (TCPCG) and Natalia Murphy ’24 (ED) (IB/M) — shared how clinical placements prepared them for teaching. Both events reinforced the Neag School’s commitment to collaboration, gratitude, and preparing future educators with skills, experiences, and support networks to thrive in their careers. View photos from the events.

Students enrolled in a Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) multicultural education class visited the Stamford Public Schools’ district office in July.

Department of Educational Leadership (EDLR)

Kristin Simmers, a doctoral student in educational psychology, prepared a research brief with the Center for Education Policy Analysis, Research, and Evaluation (CEPARE). The full brief examines year-round education in districts exploring its adoption.

The Neag School’s Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) master’s program hosted an orientation for incoming first-year students and welcomed back second-year students. View photos from the event.

Five UConn representatives, including three from the Neag School, participated in Common Ground, a three-day national event with the NCAA, where attendees created a collegiate athletics model that is safe and inclusive for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and faith perspectives.

UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport’s (UConn HNS) partnership with Hartford Public Schools was featured on UConn Today. Although the campus-community partnership has connections throughout the state, it has partnered with one Hartford elementary school since 2005. For the past nine years, that school has been Fred D. Wish Museum School, where UConn HNS works alongside students, staff, families, and community partners to offer more than 600 educational program sessions a year. UConn HNS’ Husky Reads initiative, which connects UConn students with hundreds of young children across the state each year, was also recently featured on UConn Today.

Saran Stewart, Frank Tuitt, and colleagues organized ICARE4Justice’s 2025 summer summit with the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) and other partners, focusing on healing communities, climate justice, and building intersectional movements. Participants toured CNPEM and explored STEM-based climate approaches. Delegations from UConn, the Neag School, University of Nottingham, and ECHO Center shared expertise and exchanged knowledge with CNPEM representatives.

Department of Educational Psychology (EPSY)

The Neag School’s annual Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference at UConn Storrs in May offered insights into AI’s promise and challenges in the classroom, including how AI can enhance creativity, personalize learning, and support teachers, while preserving the deeply human heart of education. Read more on UConn Today.

The Neag School hosted the 35th Annual Postsecondary Disability Training Institute (PTI) in Portland, Maine, in June. Sponsored by the Neag School’s Collaborative on Postsecondary Education and Disability (CPED), PTI is an intensive training opportunity for professionals working with students with disabilities in higher education. View photos from the event.

The latest television spots, billboards, and digital ads in UConn’s multi-year national brand campaign, called Out of the Blue, feature the Feel Your Best Self initiative (FYBS), co-founded by the Neag School’s Sandra Chafouleas and Emily Wicks of the School of Fine Arts. The campaign touts the University as a place where big ideas are pursued to create real change, highlighting stories of unexpected interdisciplinary research, community impact, student opportunities, and alumni success. Viewers of the digital ads or TV spot that airs during UConn football and basketball games can also learn about the FYBS project via a feature story package on UConn Today that also includes a longer-form video.

UConn faculty and graduate students from the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) and the Mechanisms Underlying Mind-Body Interventions & Measurement of Emotional Well-being (M3EWB) network have developed a free, publicly available UConn mini-course called Emotional Well-Being. The new mini-course contains learning modules and research briefs based on content from a popular, one-credit UConn pop-up course titled “Feeling Well: The Science and Practice of Emotional Well-Being.” Learn more on UConn Today.

The Connecticut Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Partnership hosted its third WSCC Academy at UConn Hartford in May. Held at the UConn Hartford Times Building, the Partnership welcomed educators from 20 school districts across the state for a day of free professional learning. The Academy featured two tracks to support district wellness teams in completing their Local School Wellness Policy triennial assessment and developing high-quality action plans to strengthen the school health environment. The Connecticut WSCC Partnership is a collaboration between UConn’s Collaboratory on School and Child Health and the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health. Check out photos from the event.

The Neag School’s 47th Annual Confratute conference was held in July, welcoming 226 educators from 28 states and eight countries to Storrs. There were 46 strand coordinators, special topic presenters, and keynotes. View photos from the event.

Over 440 educators attended the 14th annual Northeast PBIS Network (NEPBIS) Network Leadership Forum in Mystic, Connecticut, in May. The conference was a regional opportunity for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) leaders and implementers in the Northeast to learn, share, refine, and discuss their implementation experiences to improve schools’ effectiveness, efficiency, and equity.

Brandi Simonsen led a two-day session in August with Mansfield Public Schools on building Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) skills, along with Eben McKnight, educational consultant with the State Education Resource Center of Connecticut (SERC). Check out photos from the event.

Faculty/Staff

Dorothea Anagnostopoulos and Tutita Casa, along with others, co-published a book titled “Teaching Ambitiously in Elementary School” (Harvard Education Press, 2025). Anagnostopoulos also co-authored a chapter titled “Case Study Research and Educational Policy: Contemporary Insights and Future Directions” in the “Handbook on Education Policy Research.”

Michele Back published “From Problem to Right: Imaginative Speculation on Translanguaging in the World Language Classroom” for the September issue of The Modern Language Journal.

Sandra Chafouleas published two articles for Psychology Today, the first one being “When Difficult Adults Derail Young People’s Emotional Well-Being,” and the second one being, “When School Transitions Bring Big Feelings: Caregiver Tips.”

Casey Cobb reviewed a book, “The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers,” for the June issue of Education Review (Harvard Education Press, 2024).

Sakeena Everett co-authored “Covid as Crucible: Humanizing Professional Learning Within Neoliberal Urban School Contexts” for the May issue of The Urban Review.

Alexandra Freidus published a new book through NYU Press, “Unequal Lessons: School Diversity and Educational Inequality in New York City,” which highlights the experiences of young people as learners and policy actors to reveal the potential and limits of school diversity as a path to educational justice. The book was featured on  UConn Today.

Wendy Glenn co-authored “(Re)inscribing Ideologies: Examining Positionings of Black Women Athletes in Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults” for the winter issue of Children’s Literature Association Quarterly.

Preston Green co-authored “Preserving Rural School Districts from the Threat of Vouchers and Charters” for the fall issue of the Idaho Law Review.

James Kaufman co-authored “Social Change Creativity: Proposing a New Domain for Equity, Social Justice, and Human Rights” for the June issue of The Journal of Creative Behavior, and co-authored “Creativity Supports Learning Through Associative Thinking” for the July issue of Science of Learning.

Kathleen Lynch, John Settlage, and others co-authored a working paper, “The Effects of Early Childhood Science Educational Interventions on Children’s Science Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Classroom-Based Studies,” for the Annenberg Institute at Brown University. This work was featured in Education Week.

Adam McCready and Kathy Chau Rohn co-authored “‘It’s a Fine Line’: Parent and Educator Perceptions on the Effects of Adolescent Digital Media Use on Mental Health” for the May issue of Journal of School Health. This was also featured on UConn Today.  McCready also co-authored “Effects of On-Campus and Online Racism on Perceptions of Residence Hall Climate” for the May issue of Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

Joseph Renzulli has been awarded an honorary degree, Doctor Honoris Causa 2025, from the University of Brasília.

John Settlage organized and led a Crossroads Conference in Denver, Colorado, in the spring for junior equity and social justice-focused scholars in STEM education.

Del Siegle authored “Using AI to Foster Creativity: Removing the Fear of the Black Canvas” for the June issue of Gifted Child Today.

Celeste Sodergren co-authored “Executive Function and the Gifted Child: A Guide for Parents” for the June issue of Parenting for High Potential (National Association for Gifted Children).

Jennie Weiner, Shannon Holder, and Taylor Strickland co-authored “How Whiteness Shapes Leaders’ Understanding and Actions Regarding Racially Diversifying the Teacher Pipeline” for the May issue of Equity & Excellence in Education. Weiner was also a keynote speaker for the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) Women’s Leadership Symposium conference in April in Manchester, Vermont.

Students

The UConn Future Educators Club, led by Neag School students, was honored with a Local Excellence Award at the National Education Association’s (NEA) Aspiring Educators Conference in June, recognizing the outstanding contributions of the pre-service educators. Read more about the award and the students involved on UConn Today.

John Burrell, a doctoral student in educational psychology, published an essay, “Learning to Connect with Students by Connecting with Self,” for The University of Chicago Press Journals.

Hiis LaRose ’26 (ED), ’26 (CLAS), ’27 MA was one of UConn’s 46 Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Award recipients for 2025. Read more about their summer project on UConn Today.

Emily Lisy and Todd Campbell co-authored “Developing, Implementing, and Refining Approaches for Teaching Science for Social Justice: The Collaborative Work of a Secondary Science Department as Part of Their Professional Learning” for the 2025 issue of Journal of Science Teacher Education.

Katherine Mack, a doctoral student in curriculum and instruction, was selected as one of four recipients of the 2026 Susan Gay Conference Travel Scholarship from the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). This scholarship is named after Dr. Susan Gay in honor of her extraordinary service to AMTE over many years as conference director, president, secretary, and board member-at-large. Mack will be recognized at the annual conference in February.

Chloe Melton, a doctoral student in educational psychology, received notice that a paper co-written with Mara Power, Tobey Duble Moore, Ashley Plumb, Jessica Bourget, Michael Coyne, and Brandi Simonsen, “A Four-Step Plan to Integrate Behavioral Practices Into Tier 1 Foundational Reading Instruction With an Integrated Lesson Plan Template” for the journal Intervention in School and Clinic from 2024, was recognized as the “Must-Read Article of the Year.” This article supports the team’s work as part of the National I-MTSS Research Network, which Coyne and Simonsen lead. Melton will be traveling to the Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) 47th Annual International Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, in October to receive the award.

Alumni

The Neag School was a co-host of a UConn Foundation #ThisisAmerica event, “Neurodiversity: Navigating Campus Life and Career Building,” this month in New Haven, Connecticut. The event featured three Neag School alums, Benjamin L. Briskin ’17, ’22 (ED), Morgan B. Conway ’18 (ED), and Avery T. Chobotor-Caya ’24 (ED).

Erin Nock ’18 6th Year, an elementary literacy interventionist and long-time Farmington educator, was awarded Farmington’s 2025-2025 Teacher of the Year.

Symone James Abiola was promoted to director of lower and middle school at Sacred Heart Academy, Bryn Mawr, in Pennsylvania. She previously held the position of director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Chad Austin ’06 MA was appointed head coach for men’s golf at Yeshiva University. He also serves as the director of enrollment management systems at the University.

Claudia Bachmann-Bouchard ’19 MA received a scholarship from United Illuminated and EESmart to attend the NEED Conference (New England Energy Development) in Louisville, Kentucky, in July. The NEED National Energy Conference for Educators is a five-day interactive event connecting educators and energy professionals. Attendees gain hands-on training, an adaptable STEM curriculum, resources, and credit toward a NEED Kit to support engaging lessons aligned with standards.

Dan Burkey ’23 MA, associate dean for undergraduate education, outreach, and diversity at UConn’s College of Engineering, was awarded a $750,000 NSF grant through the IUSE (Improving Undergraduate STEM Education) program. He will be joined by other UConn collaborators, including Neag School faculty emeritus Mike Young. Learn more on UConn Today.

Mariah Klair Castillo ’24 MA, a special education teacher at Bristol Central High School in Connecticut, was profiled on UConn Today.

Catherine Burland Cellini ’09 (ED) ’10 MA was named dean of students for Middlebrook School in Wilton, Connecticut. She previously served as coordinator of public services for Naugatuck Public Schools.

Aaron Clark ’07 (ED), ’08 MA has joined the Insurance Office of America in Charleston, South Carolina, as their risk management officer.

Mark Daigneault ’07 (ED), head coach of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, led the team to its first championship title in June. Daigneault was recognized this year as the Neag School’s Distinguished Alumnus. 

Amber Dickey ’16 (CLAS), ’16 (ED), ’17 MA, and Michele Back collaborated on a research project in Dickey’s Spanish heritage language classroom, which was published in Foreign Language Annals. Read about their collaboration on UConn Today.

Jayna Ewald ’18 MA, ’19 6th Year, ’22 Ph.D., Jacqueline Caemmerer, Jessica Koslouski, and Sandra Chafouleas co-authored “Should We Ask the Kids? Teachers’ Perceptions of Sociometric Procedures to Understand Students’ Peer Relationships” in the July issue of the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.

Fany DeJesús Hannon ’08 MA, UConn’s dean of students, was recognized by UConn’s First Year Experience program with a FYE Teaching Innovation Award in April. Sponsored by the Provost’s Office, the awards span programs across the University, including the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Office of Undergraduate Advising, First Year Programs, Honors & Enrichment, the Office of Undergraduate Research, and The Graduate School.

Jack Hayes ’92 (ED) was named associate athletic director for principal gifts for UConn Athletics. He most recently served as vice president and director of athletics at Nichols College from 2022 to 2025. He previously served as an associate athletic director at UConn from 2001 to 2004.

Talbot Hook ’25 Ph.D. published “5 Tech Competences for 21st-Century Students” for the May issue of Teaching for High Potential. Hook and Gregory T. Boldt ’21 Ph.D. co-authored “Aligning Education with Student Needs: Lessons from Gifted and Talented Education” for the May issue of Current Issues in Education.

Philip Hunt ’01 (ED), ’02 MA was promoted in UConn’s Office of the President to chief of staff and formerly served as deputy chief of staff. He previously worked for North Dakota State University and the NCAA. While a UConn student, Hunt was captain of the UConn Football team.

Leslie Imse ’87 MM, ’87 MA earned a Lifetime Achievement Award for her exceptional dedication and impact on choral music in Connecticut and beyond from the American Choral Directors Association.

Emily Lattanzi ’19 (ED), ’19 (FA), ’20 MA received the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) Emerging Educator Award. Lattanzi is the orchestra director at East Lyme High School in East Lyme, Connecticut.

Lori Leibowitz ’19 Cert. was appointed assistant principal at Fox Meadow Elementary at Scarsdale Public Schools in Scarsdale, New York. She previously served as the assistant education administrator of gifted and talented and the arts for Norwalk Public Schools.

Sarah R. Luria ’24 Ph.D. and James Kaufman co-authored “Social Change Creativity: Proposing a New Domain for Equity, Social Justice, and Human Rights” for the June issue of the Journal of Creative Behavior.

Ty McNamee ’15 MA authored “The Cultural Journeys of Rural, Poor, and Working-Class College Students” (Routledge, 2025). McNamee was previously on the faculty at the University of Mississippi and began at the University of Louisville this academic year.

Candace Morell ’96 (ED), ’97 MA, ’05 6th Year was selected as superintendent for Mansfield Public Schools. She previously served as the school district’s director of teaching and learning, having worked for the district for the past 27 years and in education for 29 years.

Janet Nobles ’90 (ED) was named Middlebrook School’s dean of students in Wilton, Connecticut. She previously served as a choral and general music teacher at the school for the past 30 years.

Diana Payne ’07 Ph.D. was appointed to the advisory board of the Asia Marine Educators Association (AMEA). She currently serves as the educator coordinator for the Connecticut Sea Grant.

Helen “Nellie” Schafer ’16 MS is the youth national teams’ administrator for the U.S. Soccer Federation. Prior to that, she served as the director of volleyball and beach volleyball operations at the University of Oregon.

Kiara Ruesta Schliphack ’21 MA was named UConn Connects Program’s Spring 2025 David T. Ouimette Outstanding Mentor Award in recognition of her service to student success as a RISE college success coach.

Amanda Sutter ’23 MA, a current doctoral student in educational psychology, joined the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Applied Research and Methods (ARM) team and relocated to the D.C.–Maryland–Virginia area. She will be collaborating with a group of methodologists to support GAO’s mission teams as they tackle nonpartisan studies for the U.S. Congress.

Kurt Telford ’79 (ED) was promoted to president of Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Telford, who has 45 years of experience in education, will lead Charlotte Catholic as its inaugural president.

Kevin Vance ’12 (ED), fresh off an NCAA Men’s College World Series berth as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, was named head coach of the San Diego State University (SDSU) baseball program.

Lynna Vo ’24 (ED), ’25 MA is one of six recent UConn graduates who earned spots in the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Vo will be an education teaching assistant in Vietnam for the academic year.

Mary Yakimowski ’82 MA, ’84 6th Year, ’86 Ph.D. co-authored “Leading Schools with Embedded Assessment Practices (Student Assessment for Educators)” (Routledge, 2025).

In Memoriam

Francis N. Bacon ’63 
Frederick L. Baldwin ’65 
Rose Bisson ’77 
Muriel B. Bondenweber ’53 
Judith C. Burleigh ’66 
Corinne Coutts ’84 
Anthony J. Cravinho ’63 
Joseph D. Ferrick Jr. ’70 
Penelope C. Hinckley ’72 
John T. Hogan ’81 
Stephanie M. Kruy ’66
Peter R. Labas ’77 
Irene D. Leonard ’94  
Betsy J. Male ’57 
David M. McCrory ’85 
Dennis M. Moynihan Sr. ’60
Joseph Phelan ’82 
William A. Prescott Jr. ’69 
Charles H. Reardon Jr. ’57 
Louise T. Ryan-Perrine ’77 
Deborah J. Ryder ’77 
Helene B. Rymash ’81 
Ronald Rymash ’56 
Lisa Sanetti (professor)
Ina L. Smernoff ’72 
David A. Sorensen ’73 
Catherine W. Smith (former administrative staff member)
Lorraine M. Valente ’73 
James H. Weiss ’75  
Gardner E. “Doc” White ’57 
Willard L. White ’84
Suleiman Dawud “Zal” Zalatimo (professor emeritus)

Congratulations to our Neag School alumni, faculty, staff, and students on their continued accomplishments. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please email neag-communications@uconn.edu with any news items.