CTE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Consultant at the Texas a & M University Center for Teaching Excellence
Job Titles:
- Consultant at the Center for Teaching Excellence
- Educational Consultant
As an Educational Consultant at the Center for Teaching Excellence, Carlos Perez designs and implements professional development related to Texas A&M University's digital learning environment. He collaborates on projects focusing on user experience, course design, accessibility, and effective practices for the integration of technology across different modalities. He is highly interested in finding ways to close the gap between technical knowledge about the learning managing system and technological pedagogical content knowledge. Carlos Perez holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston and a Master of Education with a STEM education endorsement from Texas Tech University. Prior to joining Texas A&M, Carlos was a biology teacher for six years. During this time, he designed and implemented a variety of Biology curriculum. Additionally, he led the implementation of a biology program designated specifically for Emergent Bilinguals. Other experiences include presenting at different STEM conferences and facilitating professional development both for schools and for one of the largest school districts in Texas.
Areas of Expertise:
Implementation of the digital learning environment across any modality
As Executive Director for the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at Texas A&M University since August 2022, Dr. Debra Fowler works closely with the Faculty Affairs Office as well as academic administrators and faculty to assess the organizational program needs in teaching. Her role also consists of handling the day-to-day operations of the CTE. Dr. Fowler is a member of the Generative AI Committee for Texas A&M University and is responsible for implementation of adaptive and responsive teaching methods regarding AI.
She has served as Visiting Assistant Professor teaching a graduate course on college teaching in the Department of Education Administration and Human Resource Development at the University and is currently a graduate faculty member in the Department of Educational Psychology. Dr. Fowler has served in leadership roles in the national and state faculty-development organizations and has presented workshops at numerous conferences, as well as authored or co-authored publications in various journals and a book chapter.
Dr. Fowler received her B.S. degree in Chemistry from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Engineering, with specific emphasis on engineering education, from Texas A&M University. After receiving her undergraduate degree, she spent sixteen years with The Dow Chemical Company in a variety of roles from technical service and development to overseeing the technical hiring for North America before returning to graduate school. She has taught undergraduate and graduate students at both Georgia Institute of Technology and Texas A&M University.
Debra has a keen interest in serving society and long-term impact which has led her to academia where long-lasting influence is at our fingertips. In her personal time, she enjoys nurturing new plants in the garden and experimenting with recipes (it is experimenting after all, guess that is why she first became a chemist).
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator II
Diane has dedicated nearly three decades of service to Texas A&M University. Throughout her various roles, she has delivered services to individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, while also demonstrating proficiency in supervisory responsibilities, management, and business administration. Being bilingual and having lived abroad, she values exceptional customer service and effective communication as pivotal elements for her long-standing success in her career.
Diane embarked on her professional path in the Freshman Admissions office, progressing to the Loan Department in Student Business Services. She then transitioned to a role in Instructional Technology Services (ITS), followed by her tenure at The Office for Academic Innovation, and now most recently with The Center for Teaching Excellence. One of the most rewarding aspects of her career has been the opportunity to engage with people from various cultures worldwide, as she effortlessly connects with strangers. In 2008, Diane received the prestigious "President's Meritorious Service Award," one of the highest honors bestowed upon a staff member at Texas A&M University. Additionally, for over 15 years, she served as the Texas State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) unit coordinator for ITS, organizing numerous fundraising events for local charities - a passion that remains close to her heart.
Areas of Expertise:
Higher Education Administration
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Mentoring and Graduate Education at the Center for Teaching Excellence
As Assistant Director of Mentoring and Graduate Education at the Center for Teaching Excellence, Dr. Clint Patterson invests in mentorship development initiatives, interdisciplinary activities, and graduate education curriculum (re)design. These scholarly practitioner efforts contribute to faculty collaborations and provide evidence-based information for the Center and Texas A&M academic leadership.
Clint transitioned to Texas A&M University in August 2018, following a doctorate in educational leadership at Tarleton State University. With over 15 years as a higher education professional, Clint developed skills to advocate, support, and lead areas of student and faculty success. Previously, he worked at Baylor University in various student affairs roles, including oversight of the live bear mascot program. He has published in International Journal for Academic Development, Innovative Higher Education, and The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching. Clint currently serves on the Texas Oral History Association (TOHA) Advisory Board and is an Associate Board Member of the International Mentoring Association (IMA).
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Digital Learning
- Assistant Director of Teaching Excellence at Texas a & M University 's Center for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Jamie L. Thompson currently serves as the Assistant Director of Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University's Center for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Thompson is a seasoned instructional designer with a strong commitment to shaping effective and engaging learning experiences. She brings a wealth of experience in instructional design and curriculum development, coupled with a steadfast dedication to fostering impactful educational experiences. With a comprehensive background in education spanning both K-12 and higher education, she is committed to advancing learning outcomes across diverse educational contexts.
In her role as Assistant Director of Teaching Excellence, Dr. Thompson leverages her expertise in instructional design, pedagogical strategies, and emerging technologies to support faculty members in creating effective and engaging learning environments. She earned her Ed.D. in Education from Sam Houston State University, specializing in Instructional Systems Design and Technology, and holds a Master of Education in Instructional Systems Design and Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Throughout her career, Dr. Thompson has used her ability to identify unique challenges and develop tailored solutions to meet the needs of educators and learners. Her insights into pedagogical strategies, coupled with her adeptness at leveraging innovative technologies, have empowered her clients to achieve their educational goals. Her collaborative and client-centered approach has yielded transformative results, with her guidance leading to enhance curriculum development, more effective training programs, and improved learning resources.
Additionally, Dr. Thompson is an advocate for educational equity and access. She actively engages in initiatives aimed at making education inclusive and accessible to all learners, underscoring her belief in the transformative power of learning.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Digital Learning
Dr. Justin T. Dellinger is the Director of Digital Learning in the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at Texas A&M University. In his role, he provides leadership for the university's digital learning environment including governance, communication, learning tools integrations, and professional development/training. Additionally, Dr. Dellinger helps lead the day-to-day operations of CTE as well as the center's commitment to innovating teaching and learning through emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence and learning analytics.
Prior to joining Texas A&M University in September 2022, Dr. Dellinger co-led the first fully- online, global master's program in Learning Analytics in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). He also served as Associate Director for the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge (LINK) Research Lab in the Center for Research on Teaching and Learning Excellence at UTA. He has experience as an instructional designer/programmer and teaching K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and open online courses. Additionally, Dellinger has also served as co-lead for the Digital Learning Research Network and Learning Analytics Learning Network.
Dr. Dellinger received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies where he investigated the adoption of analytics and large-scale learning data in K-12 school districts. Prior, he earned his Bachelors of Arts in History and Spanish as well as a Master of Arts in History. Dellinger enjoys being outdoors including hiking, camping, sports, and walks with his family and dog.
Job Titles:
- Consultant at Texas a & M University
- Educational Consultant
As an Educational Consultant at Texas A&M University, Dr. Sueli Rocha-Rojas supports faculty and staff in the effective use of the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) to enhance teaching and learning. Dr. Rocha-Rojas's professional experience includes curriculum development, instructional coaching, and higher education teaching in both language studies and cultural studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies with a specialization in visual culture from Texas A&M University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Educational Consultant
As an English Language Proficiency Consultant in the Center for Teaching Excellence, Ginessa Lawson Payne provides linguistic support to international professors, teaching assistants, and graduate students for whom English is a second language (ESL). In diagnostic interviews, group practice sessions, class observations, and private consultations, she identifies areas of strength and weakness and provides or recommends activities to improve fluency and accuracy, with the ultimate goal of comprehensibility.
Ginessa draws upon her education and experience when designing programs or coaching instructors. She holds a BA in Linguistics from Yale University with distinction, and an MA and Certificate in Applied Linguistics and Teaching ESL from UCLA. She has trained international teaching assistants at UCLA and George Mason University and has rated standardized language exams, such as the SPEAK exam, assessing oral communication. She is active in the professional association TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and has served as a site reviewer for the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA). An applied linguist, she enjoys using linguistics to solve real-world problems, for example, anticipating and preventing miscommunication.
Areas of Expertise:
English Language Proficiency
Job Titles:
- Consultant at Center for Teaching Excellence
- Lead Educational Consultant
As Lead Educational Consultant at Center for Teaching Excellence, Jean Layne collaborates with the CTE team to coordinate services for individual faculty and programs for groups of faculty. The goal of these efforts is to provide evidence-based information on best practices for analyzing, enhancing, and achieving impact in teaching.
Her individual consultation work includes review of syllabus and course design, observation feedback on classroom teaching, response plans for student evaluation data, and assistance with teaching impact statements. Workshops she leads of collaborates on like "Getting Started with Active Learning" or "Syllabus and Course Design" address application of practical topics related to teaching and learning in the context of current literature and institutional priorities. Her experience also includes managing Communities of Scholars focused on aspects of teaching such as High-Impact Practices and conducting preparation sessions for departments establishing procedures for Peer Review of Teaching.
Areas of Expertise:
Active Learning and Student Engagement
Job Titles:
- Senior Educational Data Analyst
Jobin Varughese holds an M.S. in Management Information Systems with an emphasis in Data Science from Oklahoma State University and a B.S. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Christ University. Jobin's previous experiences in higher education are in Career Services, Institutional Research, Financial Information Management, Academic Innovation and Online Learning, and now most recently with the Center for Teaching Excellence.
Jobin's work has revolved around supporting Texas A&Ms Digital Learning Environment, including the LMS (Canvas) and third-party tools. He engages instructional design, student success, and academic technology teams in modernizing data collection and visualizations to provide data-informed insights for initiatives related to student success, faculty development, and technology adoption. As Senior Educational Data Analyst, Jobin is enthusiastic about initiating conversations with faculty and instructional teams around learning analytics to advance programs related to supporting/improving instruction through the application of learning sciences.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director for SoTL
Dr. Stoddard has a split appointment between the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, where she is an Associate Instructional Professor, and the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), where she is the Associate Director of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). In the PLPM department, she is an award-winning instructor in the Bioenvironmental Sciences (BESC) undergraduate program. Dr. Stoddard's approach to teaching is evidence-based, student-focused, and inclusive. Dr. Stoddard earned the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) certificate for excellence in college instruction in 2021 through their Scaling Instructional Excellence for Students Success program. Dr. Stoddard was awarded the College-level Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching in 2020. In 2022 she earned the Texas A&M Provost Academic Professional Track Teaching Excellence Award, and in 2023 she was awarded the prestigious A&M Professorship for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence. In her role at CTE, Dr. Stoddard leads a SoTL community of scholars that uses the Innovation and Design for Exploration and Analysis in Teaching Excellence (IDEATE) model (Donaldson & Choi, 2020) to lead in innovative and transformative teaching and learning practices that are grounded in teaching and learning theory and empirical evidence.
Job Titles:
- Consultant at Texas a & M University 's Center for Teaching Excellence
- Educational Consultant
Kelli Adam is an Educational Consultant at Texas A&M University's Center for Teaching Excellence. She brings to the Center an array of entrepreneurship, information technology (IT) consulting, and higher education teaching experience.
As an Educational Consultant, she is passionate about supporting Program (Re)Design, a faculty-led, data-informed process aimed at assisting programs in creating a more learner-centered, relevant, and current curriculum. She also works with the STYLE community in guiding faculty at Texas A&M University in research in their classrooms.
Kelli received a BBA in Finance and an MS in MIS from Texas A&M University before beginning her journey to a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. She loves traveling, SCUBA diving, and spending time with her family.
Mahjabin Chowdhury, PhD, is an accomplished scholar in the field of curriculum and instruction, having graduated from Texas A&M University. As a Educational Researcher at the university's Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), she is at the forefront of cutting-edge educational research and development. She spearheads the Interdisciplinary Design for Empowerment and Agency through the Learning Sciences (IDEALS) lab, driving innovative learning experience design projects. Mahjabin also plays a pivotal role in fostering and nurturing the IDEATE program within the CTE. This program brings together a dedicated community of academics committed to the collaborative exploration and propagation of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
Originally from Bangladesh, Mahjabin honed her educational foundation at the University of Dhaka, earning her Bachelor's in English Literature and Language, and her Master's in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching (ELT). She then further expanded her pedagogical expertise with a Master's in Early Childhood Education from Louisiana Tech University. With over five years of experience across various levels of education, she's proficient in five languages and is passionate about reading, travel, cooking, and Zumba.
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist
- Program Specialist III
Mary Mailler, Program Specialist III, assists with the coordination of CTE's essential communications occurring amongst the Center's team members, academic liaisons, and faculty constituents. With respect to Canvas, she administers and manages user roles and assists as well with the implementation of learning management system features and third-party tools. Drawing on her prior professional background in marketing and communications, Mary also assists in managing the Center's content management system to ensure service excellence for the Center's web-based users and clients.
Mary holds a BS in Legal Studies and an MS in Communications and Information Management, both from Bay Path University, in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. She also attended the University of Maine at Orono, earning an MFA in Intermedial Fine Arts. Additionally, she holds a graduate certificate in E-Learning and Online Teaching and most recently, an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology both from Texas Tech University.
Mary's lifework has centered on visual arts and arts education for the past two decades. She has taught undergraduate level art history courses at Texas Tech University and courses in both graphic design and writing at George Mason University. Other lifelong passions of Mary's include pursuing fitness, veganism, and racing for local causes.
As an Educational Consultant within the English Language Proficiency Program (ELP) at the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Michele Vick brings a wealth of experience and a global perspective to her role. Drawing from 15+ years of living and teaching in North Africa and the Middle East, Michele focuses on providing linguistic support to international professors, teaching assistants, and graduate students for whom English is not their mother tongue. Through diagnostic interviews, private consultations, and class observations, Michele identifies areas of strength and weakness, tailoring her approach to enhance fluency and accuracy with the ultimate goal of ensuring clear and effective communication. Additionally, she designs and leads interactive workshops on grammar and conversation, aiming to boost the spoken English proficiency and confidence of CTE-ELP clients.
Holding a Diploma in English Language Teaching (DELTA) from Cambridge and a Master's in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, with a specialization in Mind, Brain, Education, Michele leverages her academic background to inform her practice. Her extensive experience includes teacher training workshops and conference presentations, reflecting her dedication to empowering educators with effective research-based strategies. In addition to her role in the English Language Proficiency Program, Michele contributes her insights to the CTE's AI Working Group, providing guidance on educator and student use of Generative AI.
Job Titles:
- Consultant at the Center for Teaching Excellence
- Senior Educational Consultant
Additionally, Nate leads the Center's efforts in Service-Learning, focusing on how to equitably balance service, learning, civic duty, and community engagement to best achieve and sustain student success and positive community impact.
Nate earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Educational Technology from the University of Florida and has a wide range of teaching experience in higher education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He has taught online and in-person courses in instructional design, project management, and educational technology.
Job Titles:
- Consultant at the Texas a & M Center for Teaching Excellence
- Educational Consultant
As an Educational Consultant at the Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence, Reem Hussein leads the digital pedagogy efforts focused on Universal Design for Learning, generative AI, and innovative teaching methods. Reem works directly with faculty and departments to understand pedagogical and curricular needs, such as the implementation of learning management systems (LMS) and innovative teaching methods, including generative AI, to enhance and improve teaching and learning. Her focus is to collaborate with faculty and her team in the design and implementation of innovative training opportunities for faculty and staff. Her experience includes creating curriculum and researching best practices that help with student retention, engagement, and ease of content delivery, as well as leading efforts in the world of education to achieve the greater good for all of its constituents.
Reem received her B.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, via the 4+1 program, from Texas A&M University. Prior to becoming an Instructional Consultant at Texas A&M, Reem held teaching positions at both the elementary and middle school levels, as well as being a Grade Level Administrator for four years.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Curriculum Development at Texas a & M University 's Center for Teaching Excellence
Samantha "Sam" Shields is the Associate Director of Curriculum Development at Texas A&M University's Center for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Shields brings to the Center an extensive array of teaching experience, both in the K-12 environment and higher education, where she taught in both STEM fields and teacher preparation.
As an Associate Director, she is passionate about facilitating Program (Re)Designs, a faculty-led, data-informed process aimed to assist programs in creating a more learner-centered, relevant, and current curriculum. Dr. Shields works collaboratively with teams of program stakeholders to transform and enhance their program and pedagogical practices with a vast array of evidence-based instructional strategies designed to engage and motivate students. In addition to transformational teaching and learning, she also brings a passion and background in instruction in 21st Century active learning spaces, the re-design of gateway courses, and both project-based and team-based learning.