Chairperson

Immediate Past Chairperson

Dr. Alison Wilson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston. As a former secondary language arts teacher and department head in a large public school district, she is interested in how educators can more equitably support student belonging, wellbeing, and success in PK-12 schools. Her research critically examines the school structures, norms, policies, and practices that contribute to disparate student experiences and outcomes. She enjoys hiking, biking, running, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Program Chairperson

Elizabeth Zumpe is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on understanding how to develop collective agency and problem-solving mindsets for continuous improvement in schools and districts facing adversity. Through qualitative, action, and design-based research, she explores how educators and researchers develop capabilities to collaboratively address urgent educational problems. Her work centers on research-practice partnerships (RPPs) with high-poverty school districts and leadership development programs that equip educators to tackle complex, equity-focused problems of practice.

Secretary/Treasurer 

 Kristy Cooper Stein is Associate Professor of K-12 Educational Administration at Michigan State University, where she teaches courses on instructional leadership and instructional improvement. She completed her doctorate in Education Policy, Leadership, and Instructional Practice at Harvard University in 2011. Kristy’s research examines systematic and culturally responsive approaches to increasing student engagement and learning in K-12 classrooms and schools – with the ultimate goals of enriching student learning, improving students’ affective experiences in schools, and increasing high school graduation rates. A Nationally Board Certified teacher, Cooper Stein was also a classroom teacher for six years in Los Angeles, California. In her free time, Kristy likes to travel and explore Northern Michigan with her husband and daughter. 

Dissertation Award Chairperson

Book Series Editor

Khalid Arar Khalid Arar, PhD is Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy in the College of Education at Texas State University and Editor-in-Chief of Leadership and Policy in Schools (Routledge). He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the School Improvement SIG book series and Lead Editor of the Routledge book series Education for an Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Future. He is Honorary Professor of International Studies at Texas State University, Honorary Professor at West Attica University, and an International Fellow of the Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change (APCLC). His research examines educational leadership, policy, and governance through lenses of equity, diversity, migration, and social justice, grounded in extensive empirical work across the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

Media Director

Meagan S. Richard is an assistant professor in the Urban Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program at University of Massachusetts Boston. Dr. Richard's research centers justice-centered educational leadership, including dimensions of how leaders practice social justice, how to prepare such leaders, and how hostile policies intersect with these leaders’ work. Her research has been recognized by AERA’s Division A, the AERA Leadership for School Improvement SIG, and the Leadership for Social Justice SIG. Dr. Richard also has a strong track record of teaching and mentoring aspiring leaders and academics within university settings.

Researcher Development Program Faculty Advisors  

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 Dr. Jennifer Watters is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Curriculum & Instruction at The University of Texas at Tyler. Prior to transitioning to higher education in 2020, Dr. Watters served in Texas public schools for 16 years as a teacher, instructional coach, principal, and central office administrator. Her work focuses on school leadership development and school improvement with research centered on strengthening leadership learning and reducing leader attrition.

Graduate Student Representatives 

Rana Bassaj is pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership for Educational Equity at the University of Colorado Denver, specializing in Executive Leadership. She holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics Education, a Bachelor of Science in Pure Mathematics, and a Teaching Diploma, all earned with distinction from the American University of Beirut (AUB). With over five years of experience in education and corporate sectors, Mrs. Bassaj has held leadership roles in research and organizational management. Her research focuses on crisis management, organizational change, systems thinking, and leadership development, to foster meaningful and sustainable change through innovative practices.

Karina Guerrero a doctoral student in the PhD in Education program with a concentration in K–12 Education & Equity at Claremont Graduate University and a high school Spanish teacher with over 17 years of experience serving diverse student populations. As a first-generation Latina educator and scholar, her work is grounded in advancing educational equity, advocacy, and student success. Her research and professional interests center on supporting historically marginalized communities, including undocumented students, first-generation college students, and students of color. She is particularly interested in examining how educational institutions can foster belonging, reduce barriers to opportunity, and create more equitable outcomes for learners and educators alike. In addition to her doctoral studies, she earned Claremont Graduate University's Allies of Dreamers Certificate, which prepared her to advocate for and support undocumented students and their families across K–12 and higher education settings. Through her teaching, leadership, and scholarship, she seeks to bridge research and practice to promote educational systems that are more inclusive, responsive, and just.

Maria Castillo is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University. Maria's research examines how policies, practices, and interventions can improve the mathematical learning outcomes and experiences for Black and Latin* students. Maria earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College and her Ed.M. in Teacher Education from The Harvard Graduate School of Education.