CSUSM Faculty for the JDP in Educational Leadership
Ana Hernández is Professor of Multilingual and Multicultural Education and Coordinator of the Bilingual Authorization Program, Dual Language Certificate, and Multicultural Specialist Certificate in the School of Education. She is Director of Project ACCEPT - a National Professional Development grant from the US Department of Education to improve the education of English Learners in Dual Language settings with preservice and in-service teachers, and parents. She earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the Joint Doctoral Program at the University of California in San Diego and CA State University San Marcos. Her research examines issues of equitable teaching practices and cross-cultural competence in dual language education. Dr. Hernández taught for 32 years in California public schools as a bilingual/dual language teacher in grades K-8th. She is one of the founders of the Association for Two-Way and Dual Language Education (ATDLE) and served as the President of the organization for four years and a board member for over 10. In addition, Dr. Hernández is a national trainer for dual language programs and involved in bilingual teacher preparation and research.
Anthony Matranga is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education and Educational Technologies in the School of Education at CSUSM. He earned a Ph.D in Educational Leadership Development and Learning Technologies with a concentration in Mathematics Education from Drexel University, an M.S in Mathematics Teaching and Learning from Drexel University, and a B.A in Mathematics from Arcadia University. Prior to higher education, Dr. Matranga taught high school mathematics in an urban school district in New Jersey for 5 years. Dr. Matranga’s research focuses on supporting the emergence of online communities of teachers as a source for teachers’ participation in professional development and engagement in research-based pedagogical practices. Included in this focus is an examination of how cutting-edge technologies scaffold teachers’ development of particular pedagogical practices and learning of mathematics content knowledge for teaching.
Audrey D. Paredes, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Administration in the School of Education at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM). Her role as a teacher-scholar is informed by her positionality as the daughter of Guatemalan working-class immigrants, first-generation college student, and a former college student affairs practitioner. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Paredes’ broader research agenda utilizes critical approaches to understand and conceptualize the ways in which institutions of higher education, specifically Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), can be sites of transformation so that systemically marginalized communities can thrive. Currently, her research focuses on responding to the heterogeneity of the Latina/o/x college student population within the context of federally designated Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) by way of examining the lived experiences of Central American undergraduates. Dr. Paredes’ has expertise in anti-racist and decolonial theories such as Critical Race Theory and Chicana/Latina Feminist Theories as well as, Chicana/Latina Feminista qualitative methodologies. Recently, Dr. Paredes’ research has been published in the Journal of Latinos in Education and Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. Prior to joining CSUSM, she was the project manager for the University of California’s Hispanic Serving Institutions (UC-HSI) Initiative, and she has also served as a researcher for the Center for Critical Race Studies in Education at UCLA, a student affairs practitioner working with transfer students at Cal Poly Pomona, and project lead for the Ford Foundation funded UndocuScholars Project. Dr. Paredes earned her Ph.D. in education with a specialization in race and ethnic studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), MA in education at UCLA, and BA in Gender, Ethnicity, and Multicultural Studies (concentration in Chicana/o Studies) from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Brooke Soles is an Associate Professor of Educational Administration and Leadership at the California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), where she teaches courses in the M.A.Ed. and University of California, San Diego/CSUSM Joint Doctoral Program. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Education from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville, a M.Ed. from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to higher education, Dr. Soles served for 15 years as K-12 bilingual teacher and administrator in the San Francisco and Los Angeles Unified School Districts (LAUSD) in both traditional public and charter schools primarily at the secondary level. She also served as a Los Angeles County Office of Education Charter School Office Authorizer. Dr. Soles completed service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras and board member of both the Los Angeles Neighborhood City Council and the Gay and Lesbian Administrators and Allies of the LAUSD. She currently serves on the board for the California Association of Professors of Education Administration. Her current scholarship interest includes culturally proficient educational practices, learning and teaching in educational leadership, and online teaching and learning.
Christiane Wood, is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at CSUSM, and received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Before coming to CSUSM, Dr. Wood taught kindergarten, early elementary grades, and middle school and was a reading specialist (PK-12) in Wisconsin. Dr. Wood received her Elementary Education and French B.A. and M.A. in Educational Policy & Leadership and Literacy Studies from Marquette University. Dr. Wood's scholarly interests include early childhood literacy, new literacies, multiliteracies, play/tinkering, arts integration, makerspace and maker education in TK-8 educational contexts, STEAM + Literacy, educational technology, educational innovations, social justice, and educational leadership for change. Publications include journal articles, a sole-authored book, and book chapters for practicing teachers. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Dr. Wood received grants from the Gates Foundation and Dr. Seuss Foundation. Dr. Wood currently teaches Literacy courses in the Multiple Subject Teacher Preparation and the Master of Arts in Reading, Language, and Literacy Programs. She is also an Art=Opportunity Faculty Fellow.
Erika Daniels is the Coordinator of Middle Level Education and a Professor of Literacy Education at California State University San Marcos. As the only one of its kind in California, CSUSM’s Middle Level Education program focuses on preparing pre-service teachers to meet the unique needs of young adolescents through both interdisciplinary and subject-specific lenses. Dr. Daniels’ research interests explore the ways in which learning environments both foster and hinder the motivation of young adolescents. She reviews for the journal Research in Middle Level Education Online and has written numerous publications for outlets that focus on best practices in middle grades education. Before joining CSUSM as a full-time faculty member, Dr. Daniels taught kindergarten and middle school in East Los Angeles and middle school in Oceanside, CA. She has spent her career advocating for and working with young adolescents and their teachers.
Emiliano Ayala is a Professor of Special Education with over 30 years of experience in the California P-12 school system and in higher education. Within the P-12 school system, he served as a Bilingual School Psychologist, School Counselor, and Social Worker for the San Diego Regional Center. Following the completion of his Ph.D. from the San Diego State/Claremont Graduate University joint doctoral program, he began his career in higher education which included work at Sonoma State University (SSU) as a teacher-educator in the department of Special Education. He also served as Department Chair and Director for Assessment and Accreditation at SSU. At Humboldt State University he was Associate Dean for the College of Professional Studies, and at Cal State San Marcos, served as Dean for the College of Education, Health & Human Services. Dr. Ayala brings expertise to P-12 education topics including early childhood special education, policy and law in special education, examining the intersection of culture and disability, working with diverse families, and applying Universal Design for Learning where he has achieved international recognition for his work. In higher education, Dr. Ayala brings expertise in upper level administrative management, assessment and accreditation, strategic planning, program evaluation, and grant writing. Dr. Ayala has supported doctoral candidates within the CSU (UC Davis CANDEL) and at other institutions of higher education across the nation.
Jodi Robledo is a Professor in Special Education at California State University, San Marcos and serves as the Program Coordinator of the Education Specialist Credential Programs and Master’s Degree option. She is also the Program Director for the Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate of Advanced Study and the Autism Spectrum Disorder Added Authorization. Dr. Robledo also teaches courses in the Speech and Language Pathology Department. Prior to this appointment, she was K-12 Autism Specialist and Education Specialist in an urban multicultural school district. Dr. Robledo currently teaches courses with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder, supporting individuals with moderate/severe disabilities, and inclusive education. She has joint referred journal publications, several book chapters, and numerous national conference presentations. Her research interests focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder, supportive relationships, sensory and movement differences, building self-advocacy skills in youth with ASD, and inclusive education.
Joni Kolman is an Associate Professor in the School of Education and co-coordinator of the MA in Education program. Her research focuses on equity-oriented teaching and learning, particularly for/in low-resource, high-accountability K-12 schools. Dr. Kolman's most recent studies attend to how teachers and school leaders address racism, hate, and white supremacy, how context shapes teacher quality, teacher candidates' mentoring within clinical placements, and the preparation of teachers within Minority Serving Institutions. Her research has been published in book chapters and refereed journals including the Journal of Teacher Education, Teacher Education Quarterly, Action in Teacher Education, and Education Policy Analysis Archives, and has been presented at numerous national conferences. Prior to her appointment at CSUSM, Dr. Kolman was an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at City College of New York, CUNY. Her research and teaching interests are rooted in her experiences as a general and special education teacher in urban schools in Toronto, Denver, and Boston, and through her work as a doctoral research fellow in an urban teacher residency program. She earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Moses K. Ochanji is a Professor of Science Education at California State University San Marcos. He teaches science education and general courses in the teacher credential and the Master of Arts in Education Programs. His research interest focuses on the “multiple phases of inquiry” in science classrooms and issues dealing with science teacher education. He has a wide experience in classroom science teaching having taught high school physics and mathematics in Kenya and in New York State for several years. He was a visiting lecturer on sabbatical leave at the Department of Educational Communication and Technology at Kenyatta University, Kenya, where he taught and collaborated with the department’s faculty on research projects focusing on building through quality teacher preparation and issues relating to teaching in large classes. Dr. Moses Ochanji received his undergraduate degree in Physics and Education, and masters degree in Science Education from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya. He holds a Ph.D. in Science Education from Syracuse University in New York.
Rong-Ji Chen is a Professor of Mathematics Education at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM). He earned his Ph.D. degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a focus on math, science, and technology education. At CSUSM, Dr. Chen teaches math methods, STEM education, middle level education, and educational research courses in the School of Education. He is the director of the CSUSM Noyce Teacher Scholars Program, which aims to recruit and mentor highly qualified science and math teachers. His research interests pertain to the cognitive, affective, aesthetic, and identity-related dimensions of math teaching and learning. In addition, Dr. Chen was formerly a secondary school math teacher in Taiwan. He is committed to research and practice in middle level education and young adolescents’ development.
Sinem Siyahhan is an Associate Professor of Educational Technology and Learning Sciences in the School of Education at CSUSM. She is the Associate Director of the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education at CSUSM. She received her Ph.D. in Learning Sciences with a minor in Inquiry Methodology from Indiana University in 2011. Before joining CSUSM, Dr. Siyahhan worked as an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University for three years. Her scholarship uses design-based research methodology to understand the affordances of digital media technologies, particularly video games, for human interaction, learning, and social change in the context of schools and informal learning environments (e.g. museums, libraries). Dr. Siyahhan received grants from the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Heising Simon Foundation, and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. Her current work involves integrating design thinking and Making into K-12 classrooms. Dr. Siyahhan oversees and teaches the prerequisite technology course (EDUC422) for the teacher credential program, and research methodology courses in the Joint Doctoral program at CSUSM.
Xochitl Archey is an Assistant Professor of Multilingual and Multicultural Education and the coordinator of the the Bilingual Authorization Program. She received her Ph.D. in education from the Joint Doctoral Program at San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate Univesity. Prior to her appointment at CSUSM, Dr. Archey was an education specialist teaching English Learners (ELs) with (dis)abilities in some of the lowest SES communities of Los Angeles, including East Los Angeles and South Central LA. Frameworks of educational equity and social justice are central to her scholarship. Her published work and conference proceedings are in language acquisition for ELs with (dis)abilities and in teacher preparation, specifically in how teachers maximize educational equity through critical examination of social inequities and clear articulation of inclusion.
