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Purdue Global Leadership
Sara Sander began her career with Purdue Global (formerly Kaplan University) in 1997. She has served in a variety of positions including professor of communications and languages and program coordinator for the School of Arts and Sciences, now known as the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her experience includes over 15 years of teaching adult learners, with a focus in the last 10 years in online education and administration.
Education: PhD, Capella University; MA and BA, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Research Interests: Emotional intelligence, faculty performance and behaviors, communication in the online classroom
For many years, Lynn Massenzio's focus has been administrative, including strategic planning, accreditation, state approvals, and new program development. She previously served the University as an adjunct faculty member and assistant dean of faculty. Prior to entering the education field, Massenzio built on her experience as a former college athlete to start a small business as a fitness consultant and personal trainer. She earned her teaching certification through an alternative certification route at Oglethorpe University. After teaching high school science, she transitioned to higher education where she was a clinical instructor at Georgia State University and an assistant professor at LaGrange College. Both institutions, as well as Purdue Global, have enabled her to work with career changers entering the field of education through both traditional and alternative routes to certification.
Education: PhD, Georgia State University; MS, Georgia Institute of Technology; BA, Rutgers University
Purdue Global Full-Time Faculty and Full-Time Adjuncts
Jeffrey Bailie is a full-time faculty member with the School of Education. His areas of specialization include web-based instructional design, evaluation and assessment, and online faculty training, mentoring, and supervision. He serves as the lead faculty member for the Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology. Bailie has taught in a variety of learning environments, from middle school through doctoral level, on-ground and online, domestic and international. Over the past two decades, he has taught hundreds of online courses through a variety of institutions. Fulfilling his dedication to service, Dr. Bailie serves as a consultant evaluator for The Higher Learning Commission. He also serves on the University’s Institutional Research Board.
Education: EdD, Instructional Technology and Distance Education; MEd, Curriculum and Instruction; BSEd, Secondary Education
Publications: Published in the areas of validation of online instructional competencies, the effect of instructional immediacy and engagement on online student motivation and persistence, and the influence of learner expectations in the online environment; peer reviewer for a variety of professional journals
Honors and Achievements: 2017 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award (Kaplan University), 2014 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award (Kaplan University)
A full-time faculty member in the School of Education, Kelvin Beckett currently teaches graduate theory and research courses. He is also course lead for the history and philosophy of education course, and serves on several University committees. Prior to joining Purdue Global, he taught at the University of British Columbia and the University of Cincinnati. Beckett has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals. His areas of expertise include philosophy of education and urban education. He also presents each year at University symposiums and at an external conference, based on continuing research in the area of online teaching and learning.
Education: PhD, University of London; MA, University of British Columbia
Honors and Achievements: 2016 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Professor Award (Kaplan University), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowship
Misty LaCour has been an educator to every grade level from kindergarten through graduate school. At Purdue Global, she teaches various graduate courses in the School of Education and is also a course lead. In addition, she assists in accreditation efforts and the administration of the assessment management system, and serves as chair of the School of Education Assessment Committee. LaCour began her academic career as a K-6 teacher before moving to higher education where she held various positions including department chair of teacher education. LaCour maintains recency of experience by regularly substitute teaching in K-12 classrooms. Her research has been cited for her expertise in providing literacy best practices as well as meeting the needs of at-risk, diverse learners. Other leadership positions include the executive director of the Arkansas Association of Teacher Educators, member of the Audit Team for NAEYC Higher Education for CAEP Accreditation, and editor of the ArATE Electronic Journal.
Education: EdD, Liberty University
Honors and Achievements: ASCD National Emerging Leader Award, additional teaching, research, and service honors
Julia Nyberg currently teaches various graduate courses in the Master of Arts in Teaching program, with a special emphasis on diversity, differentiation, and curriculum design. She collaborates on many projects associated with the curriculum, including lesson plan design, clinical practice, and key assessment analysis. Nyberg is the chair of the School of Education Diversity Committee, member of the Assessment Committee, member of the Faculty Curriculum Committee, and has served on the Faculty Senate. She is board member for the California Association for the Gifted. Nyberg was a K-6 classroom teacher and professional development expert before entering higher education. She frequently speaks at conferences and provides demonstration lessons for school districts related to her expertise on curriculum design and differentiated instruction for gifted and high-ability students.
Education: EdD, University of Southern California
Honors and Achievements: Outstanding New Faculty and Curriculum Revision Awards (Kaplan University), additional teaching, research, and service honors
Research Interests: How differentiated instructional practices for gifted and high-ability students are responsive to Common Core, NGSS, and the History-Social Science Framework