2024-25: Meet Our New CEHD Faculty
As the new academic year begins, we are excited to welcome 22 exceptional faculty members to the College of Education and Human Development. Learn about the expertise, innovation, and passion they bring to enrich our academic community and inspire the next generation of leaders.
Educational Administration and Human Resource Development
JoHyun Kim
Associate Professor
Dr. JoHyun Kim comes from Texas A&M-Commerce, where she served as a faculty member for over a decade. She has developed and taught courses in higher education and community college leadership. Her research focuses on students’ access to and success in higher education, particularly for underserved youth and adult students. Kim has presented her work at numerous national conferences and her work has appeared in publications such as Bilingual Research Journal and Education Leadership Review. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has extensive experience as a higher education administrator.
Douglas Rice ‘20
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Douglas Rice is no stranger to our College, having served as Program Coordinator and Field Supervisor while completing his Ed.D. in Educational Administration. Before that, he was a voice for Texas public school children as a teacher and administrator until retiring in 2019. Rice’s research focuses on teacher and administrator perceptions of improving high-poverty urban schools. He has presented his work before state and national education organizations, including the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Rice also serves the community through the Kairos Prison Ministry and the Friends Gathering Alzheimer’s Respite group at Christ Church.
John Turner
Associate Professor
Dr. John R. Turner began his career as an engineer at Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), where he worked for 15 years in the power generation services division. He is now a prominent academic and researcher, known for co-creating The Flow System and authoring several books on agile and lean thinking. As Editor-in-Chief of Performance Improvement Quarterly, Turner has published over 80 articles and presented at numerous conferences. He also co-founded The Flow Consortium, LLC, and Performance Development Network, LLC. His research focuses on complexity thinking, decision-making, distributed leadership, and team science.
Mohan Yang
Assistant Professor
Dr. Mohan Yang joins our Human Resource Development faculty after serving as an Assistant Professor in the Workforce and Organizational Development program at Old Dominion University. His research is dedicated to advancing training, development and performance improvement through cutting-edge technologies and innovative instructional design methods. Yang currently co-leads T3-CIDERS, a cyber training program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and serves as the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Instructional Design (JAID). Yang earned his Ph.D. in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University.
Educational Psychology
Dina Malala
Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Dina Malala has nearly a decade of K-12 experience as a special education teacher, instructional coach and district-level administrator serving teachers, school-based administrators and a range of students with disabilities such as autism, emotional disturbance and visual/hearing impairment. She has provided numerous trainings and workshops to school-based staff and families that foster inclusive classroom instruction and family-school collaboration. Malala’s research interests are centered around racial equity in special education. She will teach courses in Collaboration and Behavior Support.
Anita Sohn McCormick ‘00
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Anita Sohn McCormick joins our faculty as a Clinical Associate Professor after teaching courses in school psychology, school counseling and counseling psychology for nearly two decades. She has supervised therapy training at Texas A&M’s Counseling and Assessment Clinic and Telebehavioral Care. Sohn McCormick also has extensive experience evaluating and treating children and adolescents with different psychological, behavioral, and academic problems in both the United States and Mexico. She also continues to consult with schools in both countries on classroom behavioral difficulties, special education, and accommodations for bilingual children. Sohn McCormick has shared her research on bilingualism, pre-reading skills and developing social-emotional skills in schools at various conferences and publications such as the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment and Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
Sarah Nagro
Associate Professor
Dr. Sarah A. Nagro’s experience in special education spans nearly two decades in K-12 and higher learning roles. She earned her Ed.D. in special education with a specialization in teacher education from Johns Hopkins University and regularly teaches special education research and policy courses. Nagro’s research focuses on determining best practices in special education teacher education. She explores how to lead change in education through policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels, and has published a book on the importance of special education professionals engaging in policy and advocacy-related issues. Nagro’s most recent project titled, “The Special Education Teacher Education Policy, Practice, and Research Doctoral Training Consortium (SPARC)” was funded in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and brings together leaders in a range of special education topics from six universities.
Nguyen Nguyen
Assistant Professor
Dr. Nguyen Nguyen’s research centers on the intersection of multicultural and health psychology, and his special interest lies in psychosocial factors that contribute to chronic pain outcomes among underserved communities. Nguyen played a key role in an NSF-funded project exploring the impact of linguistic and cultural barriers on chronic pain assessment and intervention in minoritized communities. He has presented his research at various national conferences, including the American Psychological Association. Nguyen has also received multiple accolades from APA for his work. He earned his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed his doctoral internship at the University of California, Berkeley’s Counseling and Psychological Services.
Kinesiology and Sport Management
Claudia Benavides-Espinoza
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Claudia Benavides-Espinoza brings 15 years of faculty experience from universities across the United States and Mexico. Her passion for sports and the intricacies of the industry is exemplified in her expertise and innovative approaches to education and training. At the core of her practice, Benavides-Espinoza believes in the power of technology to revolutionize the classroom and enhance workforce training. Her commitment to experiential learning is evident in her extensive involvement in major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, Final Four, and various international tournaments. By providing her students with firsthand exposure to these high-profile events, Benavides-Espinoza fosters practical learning or transferable skills.
James Carson
Professor and Director, Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine & Human Performance
Dr. Carson is a renowned physiologist with 30+ years of research and leadership experience. He previously worked at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, where he served as the College of Health Professions Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. Much of Carson’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the use of molecular biology to study how muscles work and how they’re affected by cancer, injury recovery and chronic inflammation conditions. He now looks to use his leadership experience across higher education to mentor students and faculty while growing the Huffines Institute as a resource for faculty-driven research, scholarship and opportunities to collaborate across colleges.
Jonathan Jensen
Associate Professor
Dr. Jonathan A. Jensen has decades of research and industry experience in sport marketing, including his previous role as Associate Professor of Sport Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jensen’s research focuses on the intersection of data science and sport marketing, with 50+ peer-reviewed papers published in leading academic and business/marketing journals, including the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Marketing Quarterly and the Journal of Business Research. His work has also been recognized by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, as well as featured in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal and other mainstream news and business outlets. He is also a Research Fellow of the National American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) and a Fellow of the Collegiate Sport Research Institute (CSRI).
Mark Lu
Associate Professor
Dr. Mark Lu conducts research in the intersections of sport marketing, technology and sustainability. You can find his work in numerous academic and industry publications including the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Retailing, Annals of Tourism Research and the Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Lu serves as the Vice-Chair for the American Marketing Association Entrepreneurial Marketing Special Interest Group (SIG). He is passionate about inspiring and teaching and has won two university-wide teaching awards. Lu earned his Ph.D. in Marketing at Pennsylvania State University.
Alex Sullins ‘19
Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Alex Sullins brings a combination of higher education experience and 20 years of professional experience in the sport and recreation industry. His research interests include community sport, recreational programming, sport tourism and positive youth development through sport. Sullins believes in the holistic development of all students by challenging worldviews. One of his favorite ways to teach student development is through international student experiences and engaging with various cultures through sport. Sullins volunteered in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and has served as an advisor for global student engagement programs in Scotland, England, France, Switzerland and Germany. Sullins earned his Ph.D. in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M.
Teaching, Learning and Culture
Adan Alvarez
Associate Professor
Dr. Adan Julian Alvarez is a distinguished scholar in urban education, focusing on race, violence, trauma, and healing. With six years of experience as an elementary teacher at a psychiatric treatment facility, Alvarez’s research examines the impact of societal issues on educational environments, emphasizing trauma-informed practices and racial justice. His work has been shared and recognized by AERA and earned him the Distinguished Early Career Alumni Award from the University of Pittsburgh. Alvarez’s work is further supported by grants from organizations like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, reflecting his commitment to advancing equity and healing in education.
Ali Bicer ‘16
Associate Professor
Dr. Ali Bicer returns to Aggieland after serving as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wyoming. He received his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in mathematics from Texas A&M University in 2016 and worked as a postdoctoral research assistant in Aggie STEM soon after. His research interests include mathematical creativity and teaching mathematics through integrated STEM projects and writing. Bicer has presented his work before AERA and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), among others. Before pursuing his master’s and doctorate at Texas A&M, Bicer taught mathematics in secondary and middle schools.
Vicki Gibson ‘75
Professor of Practice
Dr. Vicki Gibson is a national educational consultant, author, and presenter with expertise in curriculum development, differentiating instruction, and collaborative practice in education. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher and Learning Disability Specialist, later opening and directing three full-inclusion preschools, where she developed and implemented research-based curricula. Gibson has authored numerous curricula and professional development materials. She co-owned Gibson Hasbrouck & Associates from 2008-2020, a consulting firm providing professional development to schools and state agencies, and in 2019, she founded and directed the Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center. Gibson earned her bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.
Marcus Johnson
Associate Professor
Dr. Marcus Wayne Johnson, born and raised in Houston, is a former public school teacher and congressional liaison. He is the author of B through Y: The Underdog’s Process of Seizing Opportunity, Control, and Respect, a book that explores how various individuals, groups, companies, sports teams, and nations have achieved success despite being considered underdogs. Johnson, fondly known as ‘MJ,’ has published in journals such as Theory & Research in Social Education, Urban Education, Educational Studies, and Race, Ethnicity and Education. He has taught, presented, and spoken both nationally and internationally, including co-leading study-abroad programs in Cape Town, South Africa. His mission is to blend academic research with the informal experiences, narratives, and knowledge of marginalized individuals and communities.
Hyunyi Jung
Associate Professor
Dr. Hyunyi Jung has dedicated her efforts to creating inclusive learning environments for students and community members, with a focus on the design, implementation, and analysis of mathematical modeling curricular and humanizing pedagogical approaches. Through mathematical modeling, she empowers students, teachers and community members to use mathematical concepts alongside their personal experiences to analyze real-world situations and make informed decisions. Jung’s research methodology is anchored in multi-tiered design-based research, enabling her to delve into culturally sustaining practices and identify theoretical perspectives related to instructional design, implementation, and discourse with historically marginalized groups of learners. Jung has earned various honors, including the Early Career Award from the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.
Melanie Kinskey
Assistant Professor
Dr. Melanie Kinskey’s area of expertise centers on science instruction in the elementary classroom, with an emphasis on facilitating lessons that engage students in real-world problems. Her research focuses on helping pre- and in-service teachers find ways to make science meaningful to their students, specifically through the incorporation of socio-scientific issues. Through this research, Kinskey advocates for providing all children, regardless of age, an opportunity to participate in inquiry-based science lessons that challenge their thinking and help develop their abilities to make informed decisions about the world around them. Before entering higher education, Kinskey was an elementary science teacher for over 10 years. She also worked at the Florida Department of Education in the Division for Educator Quality where she provided professional development for teachers throughout Florida. Kinskey earned her Ph.D. in Science Education. at the University of South Florida.
Rebecca Sansom
Assistant Professor
Dr. Rebecca Sansom’s work centers on the professional networks of rural science teachers, understanding the professional learning processes that lead to changed classroom practice including the integration of three-dimensional science and the unique affordances of rural places for rich, engaging science learning. Previously, she was an Associate Teaching Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Brigham Young University, where she was the coordinator for general chemistry laboratories, taught general chemistry and chemistry teaching methods, and was active in discipline-based education research. Sansom was also a high school chemistry and biology teacher for eight years and served as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Science Foundation.
Megan Svajda-Hardy ’22
Clinical Assistant Professor
Dr. Megan Svajda-Hardy returns to our College as a faculty member after having a diverse career in federal and state policy and public education. She brings a unique perspective on teacher education and education policy grounded in cultural identity and its impact on practice and policy. Her research focuses on policy concerning discipline in teacher preparation and in-service support. In this vein, Svajda-Hardy works to address inconsistencies and inequitable practices driving PK-12 schools. As an educator, she also works to address cultural bias and its impact on discipline through the lens of PK-12 teachers. Svajda-Hardy earned her Ph.D. from Texas A&M in 2022, followed by a two-year post-doctoral position. Before graduate school, she worked in public education as an elementary and secondary social studies teacher, campus administrator and district administrator.
Yuling Zhuang
Assistant Professor
Dr. Yuling Zhuang earned her Ph.D. in mathematics education and M.A. in mathematics from the University of Georgia, where she also worked on an NSF-funded STEM education project. Her research focuses on empowering teachers to support STEM learning through argumentation and developing AI-driven teaching tools. Zhuang has shared her work in mathematics education journals and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to promote integrated STEM education. She teaches mathematics and mathematics education courses and has significant teaching experience in both China and the United States. In 2022, Zhuang was named a StaR Fellow by the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.
For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.
