Carol Vukelich, Ph.D., Southern Illinois University
Director, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Deputy Dean, College of Education and Human Development
Dr. Vukelich, in addition to serving as the Director of the Delaware Center for Teacher Education, is the Hammonds Professor in Teacher Education, a Professor in the School of Education, Co-director of the Delaware Writing Project, and Co-director of the Unlocking Doors to Enhanced Language and Literacy, a federally-funded Early Reading First Project. Building young children’s early literacy skills is her current research interest. Her recent publications include four books and numerous articles and book chapters on early literacy.
Barbra VanDornick, M.Ed., Western Illinois University
Associate Director, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Barbara VanDornick received a Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in French from Millersville University and a Master of Education in Counseling from Western Illinois University. Since coming to the University in 1972, she has served as an academic advisor, student teacher supervisor, and director of the Office of Student Services for Teacher Education. Currently, she monitors the recruitment and retention of candidates in the University’s professional education programs; provides support services to professional education faculty, staff and students; and serves as the University’s certification officer. In addition, Barbara is the Project Director of the Teacher Quality Enhancement grant.
Bonnie Albertson, Ph.D., University of Delaware
Associate Director, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Bonnie left an 18+ year career in teaching to join the Delaware Center for Teacher Education in 1998. Initially, Bonnie was the Teacher Co-director of the Delaware Writing Project and an instructor for Teaching Reading and Writing at the Middle Level. Then Bonnie helped create the Delaware Reading Project to serve the needs of Delaware’s school teachers as they seek help in secondary reading instruction. As a Program Coordinator for both the reading and writing projects, much of Bonnie’s time was spent working in “partner” schools helping teachers to implement research-based best practice in their reading and writing instruction. Bonnie has taught and supervised student teachers for the English department, and she has a secondary appointment in the Education department, teaching graduate courses as needed. Currently, Bonnie is assigned to the Teacher Quality Enhancement grant, developing program evaluation tools, teaching Praxis II preparation seminars, and working with teachers to develop curriculum units for Special Education teachers.
Kimberly Cavallio
Administrative Assistant II, Office of Clinical Studies
Patricia Dooling
Administrative Assistant II, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Deborah Fetzer, EDD University of Delaware
Reading Specialist
Debbie is an Early Literacy Coach with the Unlocking Doors to Enhanced Language and Literacy (UDELL) project at the Delaware Center for Teacher Education. As Literacy Coach on this project, she works with preschool teachers to enhance their skills at developing language and literacy in young children.
Rob Grey, JD, Widner Law School
Program Manager, Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership
Rob Grey currently works as the Program Coordinator of the Delaware Transition to Teaching Partnership, a new project designed to help anyone with a background in Math, Science, English, or Technology become a teacher in a high-need, grade 6-12, Delaware public school. Prior to this, Rob served as the Assistant Director in the Office of Clinical Studies and as Coordinator of the Teacher Quality Enhancement program. Rob came to the University in early 2006 after 12 years teaching special needs students in grades 3 through 10, in both Pennsylvania and Delaware, with the last 5 years spent teaching 8th grade students in the Red Clay School District, where he also served as Technology Coordinator, Chair of the Instructional Technology Team, and Instructional Technologist. Rob received his BS in elementary and special education from the University of Delaware and his JD from Widener Law School. He is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with a focus on Educational Technology.
Barbara Ligatti, M.Ed., University of Delaware
Clinical Coordinator, Masters Plus Certification Program
Barbara Ligatti received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Shippensburg University and a Master’s Degree in Exceptional Children Education from the University of Delaware. She joined the Delaware Center for Teacher Education in 2007, after 38 years working in Delaware Public Schools as a special education teacher and instructional support facilitator. Barbara is responsible for many aspects of the MPCP initiative, which is an alternative route to certification and a Masters degree in teaching exceptional students. As well as on site supervision of teacher-interns, Barbara maintains communication with professors, staff, students, school districts and applicants. Barbara also provides on line coaching in the Instructional Collaborative Team Process for the University of Maryland. Her main interest is intervention methods, materials and assessment.
Frank Livoy, M.Ed., Temple University
Associate Director, Alternate Routes to Certification
Frank was a classroom English, Drama and Special Education teacher for twenty-six years in Delaware and for ten years provided coaching and training in whole school reform and specific instructional strategies including Project Based Learning, Critical Friends Groups, Literacy Across The Curriculum and AVID Strategies. Most recently he has served as a Laboratory Extension Specialist with the Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic.
Christine McBride, MSLIS, Syracuse University
Associate Director, Education Resource Center
Chris McBride is the Director of the Education Resource Center. Chris has Master of Science in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University and a Master of Science in Physiology from Penn State University. She is also a SMART Certified Trainer.
Fran O’Malley, MI, University of Delaware
Policy Scientist, Delaware Social Studies Education Project
Fran O’Malley, (vita) Director of the Delaware Social Studies Education Project (DSSEP) and Curriculum Specialist for the Democracy Project, received his Master’s of Instruction from the University of Delaware in 2000. Mr. O’Malley was Delaware’s 1997 State Teacher of the Year and is a James Madison Fellow. His interests are social studies curriculum development, constitutional studies, and civics education. Mr. O’Malley teaches social studies methods and serves as a curriculum specialist for the Democracy Project Summer Seminar and the DSSEP Integrated Social Studies/Reading Summer Institutes for teachers.
Carol Phipps, MA, Washington College
Assistant Director, Office of Clinical Studies
Carol Phipps has served as a classroom teacher and instructional leader in the Delaware Public Schools for 32 years. Having grown up in her early years in inner city Baltimore, her urban experiences have provided insight and practices that have addressed the diversity and needs of area students. Carol has served as an adjunct professor, Master teacher, department chairperson and a state lead mentor. She has served as a cooperating teacher with students from the University of Delaware, and been a member of the Clinical Studies Advisory Board. While serving as a cooperating teacher, Carol developed a cooperating teachers’ handbook which was adopted by the University of Delaware. She also built a partnership between her school and the University in working collaboratively with student teachers and high needs populations. Her most recent work as a cooperating teacher involved creating cohorts for student teachers and cooperating teachers to support the best practices of effective teachers.
Colleen Quinn, M.Ed., Temple University
Reading Specialist
Colleen is an Early Literacy Coach with the Unlocking Doors to Enhanced Language and Literacy (UDELL) project at the Delaware Center for Teacher Education. As Literacy Coach on this project, she continues to work with preschool teachers to enhance their skills at developing language and literacy in young children. Colleen came to UD with many years of experience as a Title 1 Coordinator, Reading Specialist and teacher in Pennsylvania schools.
Marie Senff
HR Assistant, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Melva Ware, Ph.D., St. Louis University
Associate Director, ASPIRE
Melva L. Ware has primary responsibility for developing equity and access strategies that improve opportunities for students from a range of backgrounds to pursue degrees in education. As director of the Academic Support Program Inspiring Renaissance Educators (ASPIRE), Dr. Ware has focused an interest in longitudinal guidance interactions to establish outreach into schools and the broader community that engages high-potential students as early as the sixth grade in college planning sessions. Her current work involves designing academic support and professional development opportunities for University of Delaware students, who are preparing for careers in education and youth development. Aiming to nurture an interest in teaching and a commitment to enroll in University of Delaware teacher education programs, Dr. Ware has also created an internship program for competitive high school juniors and seniors. The program was piloted in summer 2008 with a small cohort of high school seniors. All members of the original cohort are currently enrolled in teacher education degree programs, with half of them enrolled at the University of Delaware. Prior to assuming responsibilities at the University of Delaware in December 2000, Dr. Ware was an assistant professor in the division of Teaching and Learning at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Her research has examined the impact of urban education policy, and she has written about social, political, and curricular factors that influence schooling outcomes for African Americans. Her publication record includes commercially published curriculum for middle schools students.
Linda Zankowsky, Ed.D., University of Delaware
Associate Director, Office of Clinical Studies
Linda Zankowsky has 29 years of experience as a Reading Specialist, classroom teacher, and leader in Delaware Public and Independent Schools. In the 1990’s she was the principal at Townsend Elementary School in the Appoquinimink School District and later at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School in the Brandywine School District. In 2000, Linda became the Head of Wilmington Montessori School where she developed her interest in the Montessori philosophy. Linda’s focus has been on leadership development, literacy and assessment, and building professional learning communities. Her Doctoral Position Paper focuses on classroom-based assessment in literacy. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the University, has consulted with schools and presented nationally on assessment in literacy. Linda has served on various state committees focused on early childhood education and curriculum development. Currently, Linda is providing leadership to the office of Clinical Studies which annually places approximately 1600 students in field placements in area schools providing important foundational experiences for the next generation of teachers.
Debbie Ziomek
Administrative Assistant III, Delaware Center for Teacher Education
Faculty with Extended Appointments
Martha Buell, Ph.D.
Professor, Human Development & Family Studies
Myae Han, Ph.D., Arizona State University
Associate Professor, Human Development & Family Studies
Dr. Han is currently a co-director of the Delaware Early Reading First Project and the Opening Doors to Literacy Project, both funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and is a faculty member in Human Development and Family Studies. She is currently teaching IFST 222 Early Childhood Curriculum, IFST 306 Reading and Writing in ECE. She received a Ph.D. in Language and Literacy and M.Ed. in Early Childhood. Her research interests are early childhood literacy development and play. She is an advocate of balanced literacy instruction within a developmentally appropriate practice.
Amy Pleet, Ed.D., George Washington University
Professional Development School Inclusion Consultant
Amy retired from a varied career in Maryland to join the Center for Secondary Teacher Education in 2006. After graduating from the University of Delaware, she served as an English and Special Education teacher in Baltimore County Public Schools. Then, she worked as a Transition Specialist at the local and state levels, planning and implementing practices to smooth the transition between secondary school and adult environments for students with disabilities. She was appointed by the Governor to the Maryland Interagency Transition Counsel, serving as Co-Chair from 2000-2006. As Transition Consultant to the 54 schools in the Maryland Association for Nonpublic Special Education Facilities, Amy organized conferences and provided technical assistance. Amy is recognized as a national expert on the subject of parent involvement during the transition years, issuing publications and delivering numerous presentations/workshops at the local, state, and national levels. Her responsibilities at the CSTE include providing professional development on inclusion of students with disabilities within the new NCCVT District, St. Georges Technical High School. Amy teaches at the university and coordinates the Special Education option for undergraduate secondary education candidates. During the summer, Amy facilitates special education professional development opportunities for Delaware secondary teacher.
Kathryn Scantlebury, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Director, Center for Secondary Teacher Education
Emeritus
Margaret Dillner, MS, University of Delaware
Margaret Dillner initiated the Book Examination Site in the Education Resource Center where new books may be read, examined, and reviewed for one year following their release. Her particular area of interest is adolescent and children’s literature.
Christine Evans, Ed.D., University of Delaware
Christine joined the Delaware Center for Teacher Education in 2000 after leaving a 25 year teaching career in Delaware’s public schools. Before that, she was an instructor for Reading and Writing in the Primary Grades at the University of Delaware. As Project Coordinator for both the Reading and Writing Projects, much of Christine’s time was spent working in university-school partnerships helping teachers implement research-based best practices in their literacy instruction.
