Students
The Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis graduate student community is a collaborative network of scholars and practitioners interested in making significant contributions to the field of education through their individual and collective efforts.
Please feel free to contact the individuals listed below for more information on the Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis student experience. Some are current ELPA students, others have completed their programs, but they remain true ELPA cheerleaders!
K-12 Focused Students
Deb Spencer Anderson, Ph.D. alumna 2008
Anderson@madison.k12.wi.us
Work: 608/267-3918
Home: 608/832-6606
Areas of Interest: K-12 in ELPA with a distributed minor in RPSE/social welfare.
Mark Anderson, Master’s alumnus 2007
K-12 Principalship
anderson@ricelake.k12.wi.us
715/790-7947 (cell)
715/234-8156 (work)
Ken Bates, Ph.D. student
kbates@glsd.k12.wi.us
920/294-6411
Areas of interest: International Baccalaureate, leadership, evidence-based practices
Andrew Briddell, Ph.D. Student
abriddell@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: school improvement, writing and learning
Ross Freshwater, Ph.D. student
freshwater@wisc.edu
608/217-4226
Areas of interest: urban k-12 education, charter school policy, minority student achievement, social entrepeneurship
Michael Gonzalez, Ph.D. student
gonzal48@gmail.com
Areas of nterest: School culture, Affirmative Action, Equity issues, Leadership, organizational management and theory, NCLB
Jacqueline A. Iribarren, Ph.D. alumna 2006
jacqueline.iribarren@dpi.wi.gov
608/266-7292
Areas of interest: (K-12 focus) English language learners, standards, alignment & teacher training.
John LaFleur, Ph.D. student
262/679-2300 #4521
jlafleur@mnsd.k12.wi.us
Areas of Interest: Administrative Development/Retention, Leveraging Technology for Improved School Learning
Erica Laughlin, Master’s alumna 2005, Ph.D. student
Laughlin@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: Transitions from high school to college and the perceptions of campus climate for bi-racial/multi-racial undergraduate students.
Tori Maslow, Ph.D. alumna 2008
torimaslow@gmail.com
Areas of interest: High school reform, urban education, social justice, turning around low-performing schools
Lynda Oleinik, Certification student alumna 2005
oleinly@stoughton.k12.wi.us
Mobile: 608/219-1280
Catherine (Cate) Pautsch, Ph.D. alumna 2010
cpautsch@gmail.com
Areas of interest: K-12 Leadership, the Role of the Principal in turning around low-performing schools, Student voice
Yeonjai Rah, Ph.D. alumna 2004
yeonjairah@gmail.com
Home: 512/300-7697
Jason Salisbury, Ph.D. student
jsalisbury@wisc.edu
773/727-8539
Areas of interest: Urban high school reform, data-driven decision making, and distributed instructional leadership
Martin Scanlan, Ph.D. alumnus 2005
Professor Marquette (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
martin.scanlan@marquette.edu
Anupama Shekar, Ph.D. student
shekar@wisc.edu or anupama.shekar@gmail.com
608/770-4104 (cell)
Areas of Interest: Principal Leadership, Parent and Community Involvement, Teacher Collaboration, School Culture, Urban and Rural Education in India
Christopher Thomas, Ph.D. alumnus 2007
Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership Studies
Director of Administrative Service Credential Program
University of San Francisco
cnthomas@usfca.edu
Areas of Interest: Urban Education, Community Involvement, Social
Justice, Special Education
Jill Underly, Master's alumna 2008, Ph.D. student
jkunderly@gmail.com
608/886-2334
Women and Administration/Superintendency, History of Education, Title I and Federal programs
Jess Weiler, Ph.D. student
weiler@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: leadership for social justice, professional development, learning communities, students with learning differences (including students with disabilities)
Degrees and certification: working toward a PhD in educational leadership and policy analysis, licensure for director of student services/special education and principal
Moses Wolfenstein, Ph.D. alumnus 2010
mwolfenstein@academiccolab.org
608/263-9199
Areas of interest: Digital media and online learning, Organizational theory, Distributed leadership
Higher, Postsecondary, and Continuing Education Focused Students
Jon D. Aleckson, Ph.D. alumnus 2010
Jonaleckson@webcourseworks.com
608/577-8909
Areas of interest: Distance Education, Games & Simulations Development, Leadership Factorsthat Enable Collaboration with Instructors and Experts
Darin Allen, Master’s alumnus 1998, PhD student
darintallen@hotmail.com
Home: 612/810-4395
Areas of interest: Legal Aspects of Education and Diversity in Law School Admissions.
Brad Andrews, Ph.D. alumnus 2009
Vice President for Enrollment and Student Life Carthage College
262/551-5800
bandrews@carthage.edu
Areas of interest: postsecondary education in the following areas: student affairs, public policy and finance, college choice, access, persistence, and the role of small private colleges.
Desiree D. Alva, Ph.D. student
ddalva@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: Student services, campus environment for LGBT, students of color, 1st generation/1st year college students.
Todd Berry, Ph.D. alumnus 2008
berrylew@chorus.net
608/831-3736
Areas of Interest: Social capital/ social networks. Higher education and
K-12 finance, policy analysis, methodology, marketing
Nikki Bollig, Master's alumna 2010
nikkibollig@gmail.com
Areas of Interest: Impact of financial aid on low-income student choice, persistence and graduation
Emily Bradley, Master's alumna 2008
Cell: 608/769-2631
Areas of Interest: Career Services in Higher Education
LaVar J. Charleston, Ph.D. alumnus 2010
Senior Research Associate, Wisconsin's Equity and Inclusion Laboratory (Wei
charleston@wisc.edu
608/265-3682 (work)
Research Interest: The trajectory of underrepresented populations into highly technical fields; Broadening participation in STEM
Honorie Coté, Master's alumna 2010
hocote@wisc.edu
Work: 608/263-6678
Areas of interest: teaching and learning focus relating to health professions students and returning adult students, and the recruitment and retention of underrepresented populations.
Marjorie Cook, Ph.D. alumna 2010
marjoriecook@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: At-risk college students (esp. low SES and first generation), psychological factors affecting educational decision making and persistence, and community college students
Rebecca Duffy, Master's alumna 2010
rlduffy@wisc.edu
608/263-8228
Student affairs and leadership
Darin Eich, Ph.D. alumnus 2007
djeich@gmail.com
Areas of Interest: Leadership Development, Teaching & Learning, Experimental Education, Service Learning, University Curriculum, Innovation & Creativity, Strategic Planning
Jessica Getz, Master's student
jgetz@wisc.edu
Area of Interest: Admissions, other student service
Cornelius K. Gilbert, Ph.D. alumnus 2011
CGILBERT@WISC.EDU
310-927-9419
Areas of interest: History, Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, History of Higher Education, Higher Education, Student Affairs, Academic Advising, Higher Education Leadership
Tina Gislason, Ph.D. student
kegislason@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: Higher education law, student affairs, and athletics.
Matt Greenberg, Master’s alumnus 2006
Matt_greenberg@hotmail.com
Nik Hawkins, Master's alumnus 2005, Ph.D student
nihawkin@education.wisc.edu
608/265-6636
Areas of interest: Public and community engagement in higher education, faculty reward structures, research utilization in higher education policy, and the Wisconsin Idea.
Aygul Hoffman, Master's alumnus 2010
anhoffman2@wisc.edu
608/263-5068 (work)
Areas of interest: Student Affairs, Active Learning, Transformational Learning,Learning Modes, Teaching and Learning; Russian Higher Education.
Jason Johnson, Ph.D. alumna 2008
Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership Studies West Virginia University
jason.johnson@mail.wvu.edu
Areas of interest: higher education rhetoric; undergraduate education; institutional leadership
Patti Jorgensen, Ph.D. student
jorgensp@fvtc.edu
work phone 920/735-5649
Areas of interest: Leadership in higher education, teaching and learning, partnerships
Joshua Juedes, Master's student
juedes@gmail.com
Area of interest: Peer Effects on Student Learning in higher education, Transfer Student Experience
April Kigeya, Master's student
akigeya@uwalumni.com
608/848-6190
Student Services in Higher Education
Christina Klawitter, Ph.D. alumna 2007
cpklawitter@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: Student and academic affairs administration, undergraduate career development and leadership education, curriculum design and teaching
Dana Krauss, Master's alumna 2010
dekrauss@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: Student affairs, Women's issues, LGBTQ issues
Ahlam Lee, Ph.D. alumna 2011
alee7@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: The relationship between education and economy, cost-benefit analysis, finance in higher education, education policy analysis, special populations, etc.
Kristina Meissen, Ph.D. student
kmmeissen@wisc.edu
Cell phone: 608/628-9187
Areas of interest: Student affairs leadership (The first year experience, personal, career and leadership development in higher education), collegiate athletic administration, teaching and learning in higher education
Mario Morris, Ph.D. student
mgmorris@wisc.edu
Areas of Interest: Higher Education Law, Athletic Administration and Student Affairs.
Erica Murphy, Master's alumna 2008
murphye@uwosh.edu
Work: 902/424-0755
Areas of interest: Career services and student recruitment in higher education
Elizabeth O’Callaghan, Ph.D. alumna 2010
eocallaghan@wisc.edu
608/335-0535
Areas of interest: Women’s Issues in Higher Education, Gender Equality, Women’s Academic and Administrative Leadership in the Academy.
Pade Thao, Master's student
pthao5@wisc.edu
608/807-6480
Areas of interest: Asian Americans in higher education (model minority),Southeast Asians and higher education (why some are pursuing higher education and why others are not),and higher education and culture (influences of culture in higher education and vice versa)
Matt Page, Master’s alumnus 2006
mpage@mail.utexas.edu
Areas of interest: continuing education, extension/outreach efforts, and access/diversity issues, student philanthropy
Michelle Pliml, Master’s alumna 2008
pliml@uwp.edu
Areas of interest: Academic Advising
Julia Savoy, Master's alumna 2007, Ph.D. student
jnsavoy@wisc.edu
WorkWork: 608/265-4767
Areas of Interest: Continuing professional education, continuing professional development of faculty and doctoral students, evaluation and research, gender issues.
Kayla Schipman, Master’s alumna 2008
Mobile: 307/660-3092
Areas of interest: Athletic Training Education, Assessment of Clinical Education.
Scott Seyforth, Ph.D. student
scott.seyforth@housing.wisc.edu
Phone: 608/262-0914
Areas of interest: Social capital and community building; higher education finance; learning communities and first-year experience; social justice issues; experiential learning, curriculum design and teaching.
Marianna Shershneva, Ph.D. alumna 2005
mbshershneva@housing.wisc.edu
Phone: 608/240-6007
Areas of interest: Continuing Professional Development, Continuing Medical Education, Educational Program Evaluation, Qualitative Research
Alexandra Sielaff, Ph.D. alumna 2010
sielaff@pitnet.net
Home: 262/939-1938
Areas of interest: Transfer Populations and Policy.
Chris Stillwell, Ph.D. Student
cmstillw@wisc.edu
608/262-7543
Areas of interest: Impact of institutional environment & culture on outcomes; Outcomes measurement in medical education
Mónica Urigüen, Ph.D. alumna 2002
moniuriguen@yahoo.com
Areas of interest: Quality issues in higher education.
Home phone in Quito, Ecuador: 5932-2406618
Sue Wenker, Master's, PT CAVE Alumnus 2002, Ph.D. Student
wenker@pt.wisc.edu
Areas of interest: Program development in adult education and health sciences
Meghan Weycker, Master's Student
mcharlier@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: higher education finances, student affiars, student conduct administration, public policy, social norms and perceptions on college campuses
Patricia Yu, Master’s alumna 2008, Ph.D. Student
Pyu1@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: Sociology of Higher Education, Higher Education Finance
Policy Focused Student
Kevin Anderson, Ph.D. student
kanderson8@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: K-16 education policy, STEM education, school reform
Nicole R. Bowman-Farrell, Ph.D. student
www.nbowmanconsulting.com
nbowman@nbowmanconsulting.com
715/526-9240
Areas of interest: social science research and indigenous evaluation methodologies.
Dawn Crowley, Ph.D. alumna 2004
dawnmcrowley@hotmail.com
Areas of interest: Sustaining excellence in higher education.
Michael Garvey, Ph.D. alumnus 2006
garvey@johnsoncreek.k12.wi.us
Area of interest: Wisconsin Youth Options Program as well as K-12 Leadership and Career and Technical Education
Robert Manzke, Ph.D. student
manzke@wisc.edu
Areas of interest: International education, democratic engagement, technology and social media, and leadership theory
So Jung Park, Ph.D. student
Park75@wisc.edu
Area of interest: educational policy analysis and program evaluation in K-12 (social stratification, test-based accountability policy, school effects, summer learning, and the design of quasi-experimental and experimental studies of educational innovations
Yeonjai Rah, Ph.D. alumna 2007
yeonjairah@gmail.com
3501 Shoreline Dr., #924
Austin, TX 78728
Marianna Shershneva, MD, PhD 2005
Associate Scientist
mbshershneva@ocpd.wisc.edu
Ph.D. Dissertations
View information on Ph.D. student dissertations, both in progress and completed.