Mary Christensen
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Mary’s dissertation examines international student enrollment programs in public and private high schools across the United States. She serves as a high school Spanish teacher and aspires to use her research to consult with schools and districts seeking to establish international programs.
Allison Claudill
Occupational Therapy Doctorate
Kinesiology
Allison’s dissertation combines qualitative, lived-experience research with policy analysis to examine how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience food and nutrition security. Her work identifies opportunities to strengthen inclusion in food policy and community programs. She will continue advancing inclusive health research and evaluation through her work with Special Olympics International.
Angelica Euseary
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Angelica’s dissertation examines a school-community partnership between a Black women nonprofit organization and a K-12 school district. Angelica hopes to serve vulnerable communities with a career in education or the nonprofit sector, while pursuing opportunities to teach yoga and share the practice with individuals from all walks of life.
D. Nigel Green
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
D. Nigel’s dissertation is about the intersection of Chicago’s historical treatment of Black educators and its latent impact on the occupational choices made by their children. He is serving as a senior equity strategist for a large charter district and considering pursuing adjunct professorships in education studies.
Mingya Huang
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Psychology
Mingya’s dissertation developed Bayesian nonparametric machine learning methods for personalized predictive modeling in large-scale assessments. She is now a postdoc at the University of Chicago, where she continues this methodological research with a focus on Bayesian causal inference. She aspires to become a respected researcher whose work advances both statistical methodology and social good.
Cecilia Kyalo
Doctor of Philosophy
Curriculum and Instruction
Mingya’s dissertation developed Bayesian nonparametric machine learning methods for personalized predictive modeling in large-scale assessments. She is now a postdoc at the University of Chicago, where she continues this methodological research with a focus on Bayesian causal inference. She aspires to become a respected researcher whose work advances both.
Rodney Lynk Jr.
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Rodney’s dissertation is a phenomenological study exploring the lived experiences of eight Black male principals who sustained leadership for more than three years in urban Midwestern schools serving predominantly students of color. Rodney is a CEO of a 4K-12 public charter school and will continue to serve in that role.
Alisha Raabe
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
Alisha’s dissertation is about the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness system and how educators can leverage the policy to decrease racial disparities. She is a high school assistant principal in Madison and hopes to someday become a superintendent.
John Timothy Stellmacher
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
John’s dissertation examines the fiscal impact of school choice programs in Wisconsin and anticipated public policy implications for public education in the years ahead. He serves the School District of Kettle Moraine (KM) and is excited to continue his leadership in the KM Community.
Priscilla Tovar-Perez
Doctor of Philosophy
Educational Psychology
Priscilla’s dissertation explores how close friendships influence body-image concerns among adolescent girls. Her short term-goal is to pursue a career as a research analyst, and she ultimately hopes to return to academia later in her career.