Dr. Justin Bathon is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies at the University of Kentucky. He is a co-Director of the Center for Next Generation Leadership and the Director of the Next Generation Scholars Dual Credit program for the University of Kentucky. Justin works directly with schools and school leaders to reform the systems that support the learner experience in school.

Directors’ note: Justin also is a CASTLE Advisory Board member.

Dr. Vincent (Vinny) Cho, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in educational leadership at Boston College. A former teacher and school administrator, his research is aimed at supporting school leaders in the digital age. In particular, Dr. Cho explores the social and organizational factors affecting schools’ uses of new technologies. For example, his most recent work examines how various beliefs and practices relating to school discipline intersect with schools’ uses of classroom behavior management apps. Other projects have examined 1:1 computing initiatives, administrators’ social media practices, and districts’ uses of technology for data-informed decision making. Dr. Cho’s research has received several awards from the American Educational Research Association (AERA), including the Carol Weinstein Outstanding Research Award, the Organizational Theory SIG Best Paper Award, and the Division H Outstanding Publication Award. He serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Professional Capital and Community, Assistant Editor for Educational Policy, and on the editorial board of Teachers College Record. In addition to academic journal articles, Dr. Cho also is the co-author of Supervision: A Redefinition (9th ed.) with Thomas J. Sergiovanni and Robert J. Starratt.

Dr. Miguel M. Gonzales is an Assistant Professor and Coordinator in the Educational Policy and Leadership Program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV). His research focuses on school leadership in the digital age. Using qualitative methods, he explores three related research strands: (1) the role of technology in shaping educational leadership; (2) leadership development; and (3) school innovation leadership. Prior to his appointment at UNLV, he was a K-12 public school administrator.

Directors’ note: Rich was doing this work long before the rest of us. He is an ongoing inspiration and an absolute legend!

Dr. Cailen O’Shea is an Assistant Professor of educational and organizational leadership at North Dakota State University. His research interests focus on school transformation, and equitable instructional leadership. Specifically, he looks at ways educational leaders can enhance instruction for all students. He utilizes both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Previously, Dr. O’Shea served as a behavior interventionist, 5th-grade teacher, and instructional technology coach in Title I schools in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Directors’ note: Cailen also is a CASTLE Advisory Board member.

Dr. Devery J. Rodgers is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at California State University, Long Beach. Having spent about 25 years as a PK-12 teacher and administrator, Dr. Rodgers found her occupassion in education technology. Her research focuses on Education Technology Leadership, particularly as it relates to creating and sustaining equity pathways.

Dr. Yinying Wang is an Associate Professor of educational leadership in Educational Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Her research interests intersect technology, decision-making, neuroscience, and social network analysis in educational leadership and policy. She is also an Associate Faculty member in the Neuroscience Institute at Georgia State University, where she explores artificial intelligence in leaders’ decision-making. She and her research team developed a website related to text mining for education policy.

Kafarra Q. L. Burden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Education, a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership, and went on to earn a second Master of Education degree in Higher Education Student Affairs, each from the University of North Texas. Kafarra is an educator and has served as a Special Programs Coordinator in several school districts. She currently is a doctoral student working toward her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, and is passionate about equity, technology integration, online learning, and providing a quality educational learning experience for all students. She also is a graduate research assistant, collaborating with a team of researchers on the topic of Investigating North Texas Teacher Pipelines: Analysis of New Teacher Careers and Student Outcomes. Alongside this project, her research focuses on nontraditional educational pathways such as online learning to understand how educational leaders adopt technology programs and systems to support active learning for students and teachers within learning organizations.

Sofia Dueñas is a doctoral student in Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research interests center around the use of data, technology, and intervention resources in K-12 schools. Her current work examines a third-grade reading and retention policy in Indiana and its heterogeneous impacts across racial-ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Prior to her doctoral studies, Sofia was a K-2 teacher in Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education Policy from Whittier College and a Master of Arts in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University. 

Raisa Gray is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Educational Leadership Program at Penn State University. She is broadly interested in student-centered pedagogies that value students’ autonomy, inquiry, authenticity, collaboration, and reflection. Her most recent research focuses on technology-supported and project-based learning environments and their impact on the academic performance of learners from racially, ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Prior to pursuing a doctoral degree full-time, Raisa served as an educator for ten years at a project-based, technology-enhanced school and received her B.S. in Exercise Science from Montclair State University. 

Directors’ note: Julie also is a CASTLE Advisory Board member.

Alexandra (Alex) Lamb is a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut in the department of Educational Leadership. She is a former educator, leader, and technology integrator in K-12 schools. Her research uses organizational and institutional lenses to understand how schools and districts change with the introduction of educational technology programs. Specifically, she examines how educational leaders create conditions for positive change in the presence of technology that supports deeper learning, more equitable schooling, and better student outcomes. Her most recent work in the Journal of Educational Administration examines 1:1 technology as a feature of the educational infrastructure of school districts.

Soon-young Oh is a doctoral student in K-12 Educational Administration at Michigan State University. Her research interests align with culture and technology leadership in schools and principals’ responsiveness to the needs of minority children across international contexts. She is a graduate assistant for the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) and also assists on the internal editorial team of Educational Administration Quarterly. Before joining Michigan State University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education at Gongju National University of Education and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration at Seoul National University in South Korea. She also worked as an elementary school teacher in Korea for six years.

Dr. Dana Specker Watts, Ph.D., International Schools Services (ISS). Dana is a self-professed professional development addict. Dana has a broad school background in curriculum, technology, innovation, educational leadership, and professional learning. In addition to working in Hong Kong (HKIS), India (AES), and Thailand (ISB), Dana has also served as Executive Director of WLead, and as the Director of Innovation at 21st Century Learning International. Prior to working overseas, Dana spent her career as an educator in higher ed, and K-12 public, private, and parochial schools within the United States. Additionally, Dana is an Apple Distinguished Educator, a Google Certified Teacher, and ISTE Certified Trainer. She recently completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Sciences from the University of Kentucky.

Directors’ note: Dana also is a CASTLE Advisory Board member.