Our Chairperson

Kimberly Vannest, Ph.D.
Professor, Department Chair

Kimberly Vannest

Welcome to UVM's nationally accredited Department of Education, one of the nation’s premier PreK-12 teacher education programs. Our innovative and rigorous curriculum, nationally prominent faculty, and research-based instructional practices distinguish our teacher education programs.

All of our programs are committed to diversity, inclusive education, culturally responsive instruction, extensive and carefully sequenced field-based experiences in public schools, and service learning. We offer eight undergraduate and five graduate programs in teacher education, curriculum and instruction, and special education. In addition, our undergraduate teacher education programs offer a dual-endorsement pathway to licensure in general and special education.

We invite you to explore our program offerings, get to know our faculty and students, and learn more about our high quality coursework and field-based curriculum.

Our Faculty

Ellen Baker - Lecturer (Ellen.Baker@uvm.edu)
Ellen Baker
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Academic achievement; Assessment and evaluation; Curriculum and instruction

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kelly Mancini Becker - Lecturer (Kelly.Becker@uvm.edu)

Kelly Becker

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and Instruction; Fine Arts and Education; Research Methods; School Transformation; Teacher Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Penny Bishop - Professor (Penny.Bishop@uvm.edu)
Penny Bishop, Ed.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Middle Level Education; Early adolescence; Personalized learning

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leslie Colomb - Lecturer (Leslie.Colomb@uvm.edu)

Photo unavailable

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Literacy; Multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS); Personalized learning plans

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Declan A. Connolly - Professor (Declan.Connolly@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Strength & conditioning performance; Coaching education; Exercise science

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katherine Cowles - Lecturer (Katherine.Cowles@uvm.edu)
Katherine Cowles
PRIMARY AFFLIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Teacher education / curriculum and instruction; Critical pedagogy; Children’s participatory rights / civic engagement

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lia Cravedi - Senior Lecturer (Lia.Cravedi@uvm.edu)
Lia Cravedi
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Academic Achievement; Collaboration; Disability and Inclusion; Special Education; Teacher Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessica DeMink-Carthew - Assistant Professor (jdeminkc@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and instruction; Multiculturalism; Reading education and Literacy; Social justice; Teacher education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bernice Garnett - Adam and Abigail Burack Green and Gold Associate Professor (bernice.garnett@uvm.edu)
Bernice Garnett
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Bullying prevention; Community and social systems; Diversity, access, and equity; Public health; Restorative justice

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Justin Garwood - Assistant Professor (Justin.Garwood@uvm.edu)

Justin Garwood
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Classroom management; Emotional and behavioral disorders; Research methods

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael F. Giangreco - Professor (Michael.Giangreco@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Special Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shana Haines - Associate Professor (shana.haines@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Family, school, and community partnership; Teacher preparation; Inclusive practices; Cultural and linguistic minority populations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet L. Halladay - Associate Professor (Juliet.Halladay@uvm.edu)
Juliet Halladay
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: English Language Learners; Learning and cognition; Reading education and literacy; Response to Intervention (RTI); Teacher education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brett Holt - Associate Professor (Brett.Holt@uvm.edu)

Photo unavailable

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Physical Education; Teacher Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Jo Hurley - Associate Professor (Jennifer.Hurley@uvm.edu)
Jennifer Hurley
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Early intervention; Early childhood special education; Cultural and linguistic diversity; Homelessness and poverty

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Simon Jorgenson - Assistant Professor (Simon.Jorgenson@uvm.edu)
Simon Jorgenson, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Policy; History, Philosophy, Sociology of Education; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colby Kervick - Assistant Professor (Colby.Kervick@uvm.edu)
Colby Kervick, Ed.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Family-centered collaborative practice; Dual certification teacher preparation; Restorative practices implementation

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cindy Leonard - Lecturer (Cindy.Leonard@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Reading Education and Literacy; Social Justice

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lauren M. MacKillop - Senior Lecturer (Lauren.MacKillop@uvm.edu)
Lauren MacKillop
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Early Childhood Education, Special Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lori Meyer - Assistant Professor (Lori.Meyer@uvm.edu)
Lori Meyer, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and Instruction; Disability and Inclusion; Early Childhood; Special Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maureen D. Neumann - Professor (Maureen.Neumann@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and Instruction; Gender studies; Leadership; Literacy and Numeracy; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kaitlin Northey - Assistant Professor (Kaitlin.Northey@uvm.edu)

Kaitlin Northey

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Early education policy; Leadership in early childhood; Early childhood workforce

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Glenn Alloway Patterson - Lecturer (Glenn.Patterson@uvm.edu)

Photo unavailable

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Prue - Senior Lecturer (Jennifer.Prue@uvm.edu)
Jennifer Prue, Ed.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Adolescent development; Psychology; Teacher education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kenneth Reissig - Lecturer (Kenneth.Reissig@uvm.edu)
Kenneth Reissig
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Adolescent Development; Curriculum and Instruction; Learning and Cognition; Teacher Education; Technology and Learning

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cynthia Reyes - Associate Professor (Cynthia.Reyes@uvm.edu)
Cynthia Reyes
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Educational Policy; English Language Learners; Immigrant and Refugee Populations; Social Justice; Technology and Learning
 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katharine Shepherd - Levitt Family Green and Gold Professor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research (Katharine.Shepherd@uvm.edu)
Katharine Shepherd
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Special Education; Families of children and adults with disabilities; Collaboration and teaming

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carmen Petrick Smith - Associate Professor (Carmen.Smith@uvm.edu)
Carmen Petrick Smith, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Learning and Cognition; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Teacher Education; Technology and Learning

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tricia Stokes - Lecturer (Tricia.Stokes@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: MIDDLE LEVEL EDUATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and Instruction; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Teacher Education; Technology and Learning; Universal Design

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jennifer Stratton - Lecturer (Jennifer.Stratton@uvm.edu)

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: School age special education; family and child centered program design and implementation; Assessment and planning related to challenging behaviors
 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessica Strolin-Goltzman - Professor (Jessica.Strolin@uvm.edu)

Jessica Strolin-Goltzman
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Child and family welfare; Trauma and resilience; Addictions/substance abuse; Organizational development; Implementation research; Research methods; Social work practice

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesse Suter - Research Associate Professor (Jesse.Suter@uvm.edu)
Jesse Suter, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: CENTER ON DISABILITY AND COMMUNITY INCLUSTION
Areas of Expertise: Assessment and Evaluation; Collaboration; Community and Social Systems; Disability and Inclusion; Mental Health; Psychology; Research Methods; Special Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regina Toolin - Associate Professor (Regina.Toolin@uvm.edu)
Regina Toolin, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SECONDARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Science education; Teacher professional learning; Project-based learning

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Susan Torncello - Lecturer (Susan.Torncello@uvm.edu)
Susan Torncello
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Early Childhood; Teacher Education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leon Walls - Associate Professor (Leon.Walls@uvm.edu)
Leon Walls, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Curriculum and instruction; Multiculturalism; Race and racism; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Teacher education

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Haley Woodside-Jiron - Associate Professor (Haley.Woodside-Jiron@uvm.edu)
Haley Woodside-Jiron, Ph.D.
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: READING AND LANGUAGE
Areas of Expertise: Neuroscience of education; Trauma informed instruction; Resilience

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emeritus Faculty

Charles Rathbone - Associate Professor Emeritus (Charles.Rathbone@uvm.edu)
Charles Rathbone, Ph.D.

PRIMARY AFFILIATION: ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

George Salembier - Associate Professor Emeritus (George.Salembier@uvm.edu)
George Salembier
PRIMARY AFFILIATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Areas of Expertise: Assessment and Evaluation; Collaboration; Disability and inclusion; Diversity, access, and equity; Response to Intervention (RTI); Special education; Teacher education




Our Staff


Kimberly Nicasio
Kimberly.Nicasio@uvm.edu
(802) 656-0960
Program support for Elementary Education and Physical Education

Karen Orr
Karen Orr
Karen.Orr@uvm.edu
(802) 656-1410
Assistant to the Chairperson and the Director of Teacher Education; program support for Curriculum and Instruction; work study supervisor

Cindy Robare
cynthia.robare@uvm.edu
802-656-6888
CSS Main Office Administration and ECE Program Support

Roman Vogel
Roman Vogel
Roman.Vogel@uvm.edu
(802) 656-2936
Oversees and supports the administration of all CESS graduate programs.


Erin Wertlieb
Erin.Wertlieb@uvm.edu
(802) 656-1411
Provides program support for Middle Level and Secondary Education.