Donna Albrecht is the director of Graduate Studies in Education and coordinator of the Gifted and Talented Program at Indiana University Southeast. Donna is also the director of the New Neighbors Education Center, an outreach and professional development program serving schools and the community that work with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students and families. She has taught and administered in U.S. and international PK-12 and university settings for over 30 years. She designed and administered ESL programs in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and in the United States.
Donna has an M.A. in TEFL from the American University in Cairo, an Ed.S. in School Superintendency, and an Ed.D. from Ball State University in Educational Administration and Supervision. Her research focuses on the attributes, professional development needs, and policy issues of the leadership of PK-12 ESL programs, identifying and teaching English learners with gifts, talents, and high abilities, and effective training of teachers who work with English learners.
Derek Arrowood is the superintendent of Hamilton Heights School Corporation. Hamilton Heights is a 2,300-student public school district in Northern Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis.
Michelle Ashcraft leads the K-12 Outreach and Postsecondary Transitions, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and state financial aid teams to increase college-going, college completion, and in-state retention rate of college graduates. Her key initiatives include dual credit and dual enrollment (including CTE and the Indiana College Core), career coaching, work-based learning, Indiana Pre-Admissions: Your Path to College, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion, and over $400M in state financial aid (including the 21st Century Scholars program and Frank O'Bannon Grant).
Carla Ballenger is the Academic Pathway Specialist at IU East. She holds a bachelors in English Education and masters in Student Personnel Administration. Her career started as a middle school English teacher, but she found her passion for higher education while working as a Ball State orientation leader. She has 20+ years’ experience as a student affairs professional including roles in admissions and academic advising at Ball State, Earlham College, and now IU East.
Mike Beam, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Indiana University
Michael Berta is retired as a public school educator with 45 years of service. He has been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent for PK-12 educational systems. Mike's career included three school corporations in the region: Portage, Valparaiso, and Merrillville. His experiences include positions on the Porter Hospital Board, the NW IN Workforce Youth Council Board, and numerous organizations dedicated to system improvement, mentoring, and social justice. He has been recognized for his work multiple times most recently with the Leaders as Heroes for Outstanding Leadership in Education by the South Shore Leadership Center. Currently, Mike is a member of the Study Circle Facilitator cadre working with Merrillville Schools staff.
Aaron Black is a native of Union City, Indiana, and is the newly appointed superintendent at Liberty Perry School Corporation. He has a strong background in educational leadership, having previously served as superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation, where he led innovative initiatives and championed continuous improvement. He resides in Union City with his wife, Sarah, and three children.
Faye Camahalan is currently dean of the School of Education at Indiana University Southeast. She grew up in the Philippines and worked as a grade school math teacher, school principal, and assistant professor prior to coming to the United States in 2003 to teach at Indiana University Southeast.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Science in Education, and doctorate from the University of the Philippines. Her teaching interests include psychology in teaching, child development, adolescent behavior and development, research in education, assessment in schools, and instruction in the context of curriculum. Her research interests include self-regulation, metacognition, and action research in education.
Sandi Cole is the director of the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University. Prior to joining the university, she spent 22 years as a public-school teacher and administrator at both the elementary and secondary levels. She is project director for the Indiana Center on Teacher Quality, Indiana Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and the Indiana School Mental Health Initiative.
Brent Comer is a lifelong “Hoosier” with a professional career that spans over 26 years working in rural Indiana school districts. His teaching career began at Jennings County High School and has held school administration roles at both the elementary and secondary levels. He served as the assistant superintendent of Mitchell Community Schools, before becoming their current superintendent of the past three years. As Superintendent of Mitchell Community Schools, Dr. Comer's current role allows him to be a part of a team of leaders that is redefining educational opportunities for students.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Ball State University, a master’s degree in educational administration from Indiana University Southeast, and his EdS and PhD from Indiana State University in educational leadership. Dr. Comer currently serves on a variety of Lawrence and Scott County based boards as well as Indiana University’s School of Nursing Advisory Board. He is also the founder of GKG Consulting.
He is the proud husband of Pam and father of 21-year-old twins, Grant a junior at Purdue University majoring in Ag Business, and Kenley a junior at Ball State University majoring in Elementary Education, and 14-year-old Gabby.
Lucy Fischman supports district leadership teams in rural schools around Indiana, aligning universal design for learning implementation and active implementation frameworks to support teachers’ work and sustain the initiative over time and changes. Her additional areas of research include understanding experiences of students who are English language learners and who also have a disability, teacher recruiting and retention, and teacher evaluation.
Esther Goodes has been in education for 27 years. She graduated from Purdue University (WL) in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management (Krannert). She turned down her management position to come home to help take care of her grandmother who passed away quickly. She was left with no job. Her dad, who always wanted her to be a teacher, encouraged her to substitute teach. What do you know? She loved it! She had a principal and mentor who encouraged her to substitute teach, specifically in mathematics classrooms, when teachers were absent.
Soon after, she was offered an opportunity to teach math! So, she began her career as a Secondary Math teacher. She was able to teach every subject from 8th grade math to Pre-Calculus/Trig. She absolutely loves Mathematics! She taught at Tolleston Middle School in Gary and Lew Wallace High School in Gary. While teaching, she went back to school to obtain her 5-12 Mathematics license and her Master's Degree from IUN in Secondary Education. She went on to become an instructional coach, focused on Mathematics.
At the urging of her principal and mentor, she enrolled in a Principals' Licensure Program at Indiana Wesleyan. After that she was chosen as the principal of New Tech Innovative Institute in 2014, where she was tasked with not only being a principal of a new and innovative school, but she also had the awesome task of building the school and its culture from the ground up.
After serving as a principal, Goodes became the executive director of Secondary Education for the School City of Hammond, where she oversaw seven schools, including the Career Center. While she was directing in Hammond, she obtained her superintendent's license and her educational specialist degree from Indiana State University. She completed a year in East Chicago as assistant superintendent, overseeing K-12.
She returned home to Gary in 2021, to serve as the director of Elementary Education for the Gary Community School Corporation. Since she spent the majority of her career in secondary education, she felt it extremely important to gain experience in building students' foundational skills at the elementary level. While serving as director, she completed her doctorate of philosophy degree at Indiana State University in Educational Leadership.
In 2023 she was promoted to the position of chief of schools for the Gary Community School Corporation. Goodes oversaw all of the schools PK-12 and worked to ensure that all school operations and academic programs resulted in high-quality teaching and learning for every student, in every classroom and every building. Gary Schools recently transitioned back to local control with a new school board and leader. Even though she played an integral role in the district transitioning back to local control, Goodes has chosen to allow the leadership to autonomously make their own choices regarding organizational structure and staffing.
She has spent her entire professional career in northwest Indiana in urban school districts. She strongly believes that they must find the right fit for educators and students. When they have properly matched educators with their passion and purpose, they give them the opportunity to inspire the desire and provide infinite educational opportunities for students.
She is the product of a teacher and a physical therapist and she is of the opinion that teaching is a personally owned contact sport. She credits her experiences and successes to the love and support of her family, great mentoring, and meaningful leadership experiences.
Cristina Santamaría Graff (she/her/ella) is an associate professor of Special Education in Urban Teacher Education in the School of Education at Indiana University, Indianapolis. She has been nationally recognized for her expertise implementing family-centered approaches, such as Family as Faculty, that focus on affirming and sustainable community-engaged partnerships with families of disabled youth at multiple intersections of identity in teacher preparation programs.
Ken Iwama was appointed vice president for Regional Campuses and Online Education on July 1, 2024. Prior to this appointment, Ken served as the chancellor of Indiana University Northwest from 2020-2024. During his tenure at IU Northwest, Ken helped the campus navigate the unprecedented impacts of the worldwide pandemic, leading the university into a new community-engaged era. He cultivated an environment supporting academic and programmatic funding, resulting in a surge in regional campus grant activity and awards. He has worked with his team to collaborate on data-based strategies and empowered the campus efforts to gradually stabilize post-pandemic enrollment declines; for fall 2023, the campus achieved an increase in first-year undergraduate students and the highest number of new applications and admitted students in over a decade.
Ken facilitated IU Northwest to become the first campus after IU Bloomington to implement the signature student-success Groups Scholars Program supporting first-generation students and students of color. IU Northwest is also the first comprehensive public institution in the state to receive designation as a Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institution, recently achieving the campus’s all-time-high percentages of Hispanic students, 29.1%, and all students of color, 53.9%.
Before coming to IU, Ken served as founding vice president for the Division of Economic Development, Continuing Studies, and Government Relations for the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York. In addition to providing diverse educational programming for degree-seeking, professional certificate, and pre-college students, his division supported faculty research and innovation, government relations, corporate and foundation engagement, specialized student career services, student residential life, workforce development, auxiliary services, and community-based centers and programming. Ken’s division led the college’s strategic priority in re-engaging with the community of Staten Island, one of the five great boroughs of New York City, which resulted in unprecedented resources flowing to the college to grow the educational and research environments needed to support and enhance academic excellence. Of particular note, Ken helped secure over $22 million for major facilities and infrastructure projects as well as academic initiatives supporting the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, Division of Science and Technology, School of Health Sciences, and the School of Business. Ken also led the creation of CSI Tech Incubator, the first technology incubator on Staten Island, helping to spark innovation-fueled economic development in the borough.
Ken also served as chief of staff and deputy for two College of Staten Island presidents and as the college’s director of Diversity and Compliance. With an extensive background in education law and labor law, prior to working at the college, Ken was general counsel for the State-Operated School District of Jersey City. As the first school district in the nation subject to takeover by a state due to its struggles in meeting state constitutional education standards, Ken was a senior member of the state-appointed intervention team, which ultimately was successful in raising performance indicators and commencing the district’s return to local city control.
Ken has presented on higher education issues at national conferences and seminars and has served with numerous higher education/legal organizations, including as a member of the AASCU Millenium Leadership Institute steering committee, on the Board of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, the Advisory Committee for the Journal of College and University Law and the Committee on Legal Education for the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the New York City Tech Talent Pipeline Academic Council, and as chair of the Administrative Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
Ken has also served with local and regional organizations, including the Boards of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and the Northwest Indiana Forum and One Region economic development organizations, and as co-chair of the Freshkills Park Alliance in New York City. Ken was also appointed by the governor of New York to serve on the Blue-Ribbon Panel to study the integration of the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities with the College of Staten Island.
Ken holds a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire, an MA in Labor and Employment Relations from the Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, and a JD from Seton Hall Law School.
Flora Jones is a proud school administrator and professional school counselor with over twenty years of experience in the field of education. She prides herself in being a servant leader who has devoted her life to helping students find their passion and purpose and develop a plan for their future.
Before joining the IDOE, she served as the director of Post-Secondary Readiness for Indianapolis Public Schools where she oversaw college, career, and life readiness initiatives across the district. Prior to her time in IPS, she spent over twenty years in Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township in various roles including school counselor, district equity team leader, recruitment chairperson, home school advisor, at-risk counselor, and Growing Collaborative Learners new teacher trainer, along with many other roles and responsibilities.
In her role as IDOE director of Student Pathways and Opportunities, she is responsible for setting the direction of pathway opportunities for students as it relates to graduation pathways and locally created pathways, work-based learning opportunities, dual credit, credentials of value, and moving the terminal end point of high school beyond the graduation stage.
Angie is an experienced educator and diversity coordinator with a passion for multicultural and social responsibility issues. With a background as a biracial child who has lived in nine states and two countries, she brings a deep love of people, cultures, and travel to her work. Angie spent thirteen years teaching elementary grades and holds a dual license in English as a New Language.
She is a co-author of a chapter in Real Classrooms, Real Teachers: The C3 Inquiry in Practice and served as the Minority Affairs Chairperson for the Indiana State Teachers Association, where she was recognized for her contributions in 2023. Angie continues to facilitate training for the association and works to promote inclusive practices. She was a Master Teacher for iEngage Civics camp in the summer of 2023 and this past year was one of the co-directors.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from IU Columbus and completed her student teaching with BCSC. In 2024, she was named as a 2024 Woman to Watch and highlighted in the Republic’s "Women to Watch" magazine.
Tiffany Kyser (She/Her) is founder and principal designer of PiktureHead—a consulting firm focused on justice-oriented systems change. Kyser was recently appointed as the executive director of Outreach and Engagement for the Indiana University Alumni Association (IUAA) after serving nearly a decade as an executive leader for the Great Lakes Equity Center and senior executive for its largest project, the Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center located within the Indiana University Indianapolis School of Education.
Prior to joining Indiana University in 2014, she was the chief of staff for Charles A. Tindley Accelerated Schools—a national blue-ribbon award-winning school system, education systems analyst for the city of Indianapolis’ Office of Education Innovation for the mayor of Indianapolis, K-12 language arts classroom teacher, and outreach educator for Girls, Inc.
An experienced K-12 and higher education leader, Kyser has served in numerous executive leadership roles across education policy, educational equity, government relations, consulting, higher education and K-12 teaching and administration. Prior to her career in education, Tiffany was a professional basketball player both domestically and internationally. She is an active and published scholar, possesses rich expertise in change management, design thinking, engagement strategy, and is an involved philanthropist. Her service via boards, committees, and public scholarship to the fields of K-12 education, higher education, health-care, arts, and local government are extensive.
Kyser has received executive training at Harvard, Stanford, and Northwestern Universities. She is a graduate of Culver Girls Academy of the Culver Academies. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, a Master of Arts in English, and a PhD of Philosophy in Urban Education Studies from Indiana University.
Christina has been in the field of education for 23 years with teaching experiences at the elementary level before moving into multiple roles with curriculum including working as a curriculum coach and curriculum director. Christina has also taught 300 and 400 level education classes at Vincennes University.
Christina graduated from University of Southern Indiana with a major in Elementary Education, then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education through Indiana Wesleyan. She received her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction through Oakland City University.
I spent the first 20 years of my professional life managing several different businesses. When I was 42, I stepped into the classroom for the first time. I taught special education in a middle/high school setting for 11 years and then taught Algebra for 3 years. In 2022, I accepted a position with Indiana University Kokomo as the director of Clinical Experiences, licensing agent and director of the Center for Educational Partnerships.
Dee serves as the executive director of the Center for Educational Partnerships. He works with 38 districts to help them provide the best education possible for all of their students. He enjoys working with his student teachers most.
Jessica Marquez is the New Neighbors Education Center coordinator. Jessica plays a pivotal role in community development through higher education initiatives. Holding a Bachelor's and Master's in Business Administration, Jessica's expertise extends to empower individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Specializing in initiatives for immigrants, refugees, and English learners, Jessica has experience designing programs focusing on financial literacy, workforce development, and career readiness.
Recognized by USDA NIFA and the Journal of Extension for pioneering work in teaching first-generation immigrant women personal finance skills, Jessica is dedicated to inclusive community engagement. Fluent in Spanish, Jessica enhances accessibility and support for the Spanish-speaking community, ensuring equitable participation and empowerment.
Outside professional commitments, Jessica enjoys learning new skills, exploring global cultures through travel, and embracing outdoor adventures, embodying a holistic approach to personal and community enrichment.
Jose I Martinez has been an educator for over 15 years. Dr. Martinez has served as a middle school teacher, high school teacher, college professor, education researcher and curriculum scholar. Most recently, he serves as a district administrator for Seymour Community Schools, a rural community with 1,900 English learners, where he oversees the district's English learner program. In this role, he has worked with IU Southeast to advance a partnership to license classroom teachers with their ENL endorsement, giving teachers the skills they need to support the changing demographics of the community. He hopes to continue a partnership with Indiana University that prioritizes addressing the teacher shortage.
Leah Nellis serves as the interim assistant vice president for School Partnerships for Indiana University where she oversees the IU Office of School Partnerships (OSP). Leah previously served as the lead academic strategist in the OSP, leading college to career pathways and integrated advising, college readiness, and career exploration services for high school students. Prior to that Leah served as the dean of the School of Education at IU Kokomo where she is also a professor of Education and the vice chancellor for Innovation and Special Projects. Nellis leads the design and implementation of various programs and initiatives for undergraduate and graduate students as well as high school students enrolled in dual credit early-start degree programs. Working collaboratively with PK-12 schools, community organizations, employers, and colleagues across IU campuses and service regions, she focuses on the integration of experiential learning, career development, and coursework that supports student engagement in degree- and credential-focused programs.
She is currently involved in multiple state-level projects including the CEMETS iLab, ICHE Career Coaching Grant, IDOE 3E Grant, and the federal Mental Health Service Professionals Demonstration Grant, a $4.2 million dollar grant to prepare school psychologists for rural communities across Indiana.
She is a member of the Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, serving as the president, and is a member of the Indiana State Advisory Council for Special Education Programs. Leah has worked as a school psychologist, special education coordinator, and school psychology graduate educator in Indiana, Kentucky, and Arizona. She is active in professional association leadership at the state and national level and maintains an active research and grant agenda.
Kristin Norris is the associate director for Indiana University’s Office of School Partnerships, which bridges the gap between the IU campuses and PK-12 classrooms to advance educational outcomes and foster college and career readiness. Kristin works with internal and external stakeholders to track community-engaged activities, examine the impacts of IU’s engagement, build or expand partnerships, and identify programs that support student learning and success. Kristin is passionate about the public purpose of higher education in addressing community issues and how institutions leverage data about their community engagement to inform decision-making.
Kristin earned her PhD in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University and has been working in both faculty and administrative roles since joining IU in 2007.
Kathy Oren serves as president and CEO of the Community Education Coalition (CEC), a not-for-profit organization working in partnership with business, community, and education to align the region’s education system with economic growth and quality of life, with a foundational focus on equity. Key initiatives of the CEC include The Bridge – a Student Success and Employer Engagement Center on the AirPark Columbus College Campus, Targeted Equity Strategies (TuFuturo Latino Education and Outreach, Black & Biracial Youth Initiatives, Early Learning Coalition) and CivicLab – an Institute for Civic Collaboration. The CEC manages two facilities on the AirPark Columbus College Campus: the Columbus Learning Center and the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AMCE).
Since joining the CEC in 2013, Kathy has been part of a variety of collaborative initiatives focused on improving education outcomes and growing the local talent pipeline with a foundational focus on equity. Kathy and the CEC team work to co-create systems-level strategies alongside employers, education, and community stakeholders to ensure all learners – from early learning, PK-12, postsecondary and adult education – have what they need to be successful academically and to connect to high demand, well-paying jobs with regional employers.
Prior to working at the CEC, Kathy worked for Cummins, Inc. for twenty-two years. Her most recent role with Cummins, Inc. was marketing and sales functional excellence leader for the Engine Business Unit. In that role, Kathy worked with Cummins leaders globally to improve and standardize processes for marketing and sales professionals across the company.
Kathy started with Cummins in 1986 as an industrial engineer in the parts distribution business. After that she held various roles in material planning and inventory control in the aftermarket and manufacturing, aftermarket marketing, product management, e-business, and information products.
George Philhower is the superintendent at CSC of Eastern Hancock County in Charlottesville, Indiana. Before this role, he spent 13 years at Western Wayne Schools, including two years as superintendent.
George grew up in Henry County, Indiana, and graduated from Shenandoah High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a master’s from UINDY, and an EdS and PhD from Indiana State University.
George lives in Greenfield, IN, with his wife, Taylor, and their two kids, Ryleigh and Eli. Their family labradoodle, Rosie, is a therapy dog who rides to school daily with George, Ryleigh, and Eli.
George envisions a world where children wake up excited for school, knowing they will be safe, engage in meaningful learning, experience success, play with friends, and feel the love of caring adults.
J. Adam Scribner bridges theory to practice to develop transformative STEM teaching and learning experiences designed to foster the next generation of scientists, engineers, creators, and innovators. In his current role, over the last seven years, he has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator of 33 grant-funded projects totaling $4.9M to advance STEM education in Indiana and beyond. This includes projects pertaining to cancer research, artificial intelligence, underwater robotics, and climate engineering as well as international collaborative projects in Ankara, Bangkok, Berlin, and the Galapagos Islands.
Stephanie C. Serriere is a professor of social studies education at Indiana University Columbus. Her community-engaged research on youth civic engagement encompasses 70 peer-reviewed publications and presentations.
Currently, her focus is on understanding youth civic efficacy—how young people can be supported in becoming active citizens. This research is part of her work on the iEngage Youth Civic Empowerment Campwhich is supported by numerous community organizations in Columbus, IN.
Terry Spradlin is the executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association. In this position, Mr. Spradlin serves as the spokesman and chief lobbyist for ISBA in guiding the organization’s legislative agenda through the process. He oversees an organization that provides legal, policy, legislative advocacy, and board services training to its nearly 1,700 members. He represents ISBA at state and national-level meetings on PK-12 education policy and engages with the media to champion PK-12 public education.
Prior to his service with the ISBA, Mr. Terry Spradlin was the director of Community and Government Relations for Education Networks of America. ENA provides managed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solutions to schools and libraries in Indiana and other states to help drive student achievement, operational efficiencies, and future capabilities. Mr. Spradlin advocated on behalf of the company with area superintendents, library directors, and policymakers to ensure the highest level of customer communication and satisfaction.
From 2004 to September of 2013, Mr. Spradlin served as the director for Education Policy and the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) with the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) at Indiana University-Bloomington. Mr. Spradlin served CEEP as a manager for the Center’s policy-related projects, with an emphasis on PK-16 projects. He authored or co-authored over 40 reports during his tenure at CEEP. In addition to daily oversight of a range of policy projects, he took the lead in pursuit of external funding to support these activities. Mr. Spradlin regularly interacted with the media, state policymakers, and other educational leaders on behalf of the Center.
Other noteworthy service includes a nine-year tenure at the Indiana Department of Education from 1995-2004. Mr. Spradlin served as the legislative director of the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). He represented IDOE in legislative matters and developed the department’s PK-12 education policy agenda. He coordinated information between state legislators and the department as well as conducted policy research on key issues. Mr. Spradlin regularly communicated with the public and members of the press about PK-12 education issues.
He has participated in multiple national conferences over the years, including NSBA Annual Conferences, National Charter Schools Summits, the Education Commission of the States National Conferences, and a U.S. Reading Summit in Washington, D.C. He has presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference and multiple times at the National Conference on Student Assessment.
Mr. Spradlin holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University. He resides with his family in Greenwood, Indiana.
Tracy Springer received her Master of Public Management and Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Indiana University Kokomo. She also has an Associate of Applied Science in Multimedia Communication from Vincennes University. She currently is serving as the interim assistant vice chancellor for Student Affairs and leads Student Life and Campus Diversity, Career Center, Accessible Educational Services, and CAPS teams.
She has worked at IU Kokomo since 2004 starting in the admissions office recruiting students. After working there for two years she became the freshmen financial aid counselor where her primary role was freshmen scholarships. During this time she recommended changes to the scholarship program to attain a better yield on offers and assisted in the development of new scholarships. In 2009 she accepted the position as director of the Career Center and Accessible Educational Services. She has developed and expanded new opportunities to increase the number of internships available to IU Kokomo students and has increased awareness of services by 49.9%.
Spring developed a career development mentor program to engage students professionally on campus, K-12 career curriculum, and collaborated with departments to integrate career development into the classroom and at co-curricular events. Her goals are to help students identify employability skills learned, discover the skills they need to focus on, and see the relevance between their courses and their future careers.
As director of Accessible Educational Services, she developed awareness workshops for faculty, and student utilization increased by 109%. Under her leadership, the College Pathways Transitional Luncheon was started. It is an event to provide resources, tools, and advice for high school administers on the transition of high school students with disabilities into postsecondary education.
Michele Starkey is lifelong proud Logansport Berry and has worked in the Logansport Community School Corporation for her entire 32-year career. Her teaching career began at Fairview Elementary School as a 2nd grade teacher and she has also served as both an assistant elementary principal and elementary principal. Prior to being named superintendent of Logansport Community School Corporation in January 2011, she served as the curriculum director.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Indiana State University, a master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, principal’s license work was completed at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis and her EdS is from Indiana State University.
Michele serves on a variety of boards in her community, and has received numerous honors, including the 2015 Indiana University of Kokomo Chancellor’s Medallion.
Michele has been married to her husband, Brian, for 35 years. They have two sons, Alex and Eli who are both seniors in college.
She says that it is truly an honor to serve her alma mater and is extremely proud of and thankful for all of the great staff, students and community members that make up Logansport Community School Corporation.
Eric D. Williams is originally from East Chicago, IN. He received both his master’s degree and PhD in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University.
Williams has worked at IU Indianapolis in various capacities since 2007. He currently serves as the senior executive director of the Educational Equity Programs (EEP) in University College. The EEPs include the 21st Century Scholars Program, the Diversity Enrichment and Achievement Program (DEAP), the Groups Scholars Program, Student Support Services, Upward Bound, Indy Achieves, and the scholar support programs Nina, Bowen, and Thrive Scholars.
Throughout his career, Eric has emerged as a passionate advocate for students, particularly those facing systemic barriers. His career has focused on developing and implementing innovative student success initiatives, ensuring that all students have equitable opportunities to excel and thrive.