CRLT Staff Directory

Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director

Constance E. Cook (734) 763-0159 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. cecook@umich.edu [1]

Constance E. Cook has served as Executive Director of CRLT since 1993. She was named Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in 2006 and also serves as Clinical Professor of Higher Education in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education, as well as adjunct associate professor of political science. Connie leads new initiatives on teaching and learning and represents both CRLT and the broader University community on those topics. She also runs professional development programs for University of Michigan department chairs and associate deans, as well as international higher education leaders. With Managing Director Matt Kaplan, Connie edited a book entitled Advancing a Culture of Teaching on Campus: How a Teaching Center Can Make a Difference (Stylus Publishing, 2011), a book describing CRLT programs and strategies authored by them and their CRLT colleagues. Prior to becoming the Director of CRLT, Connie was the executive assistant to the president of the University of Michigan and, from 1987-1990, Connie was coordinator of the FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education) Comprehensive Program at the U.S. Department of Education. Before going to Washington, Connie was an associate professor at Albion College, where she chaired the political science department. She received her B.A. from Barnard College, her M.A. from The Pennsylvania State University, and her Ph.D. from Boston University, all in political science. Her two political science books concern American political interest groups: Lobbying for Higher Education: How Colleges and Universities Influence Federal Policy (Vanderbilt University Press, 1998), and Nuclear Power and Legal Advocacy: The Environmentalists and the Courts (D.C. Heath/Lexington Books, 1980). See also:

http://www.soe.umich.edu/people/profile/constance_ewing_cook/ [2]

Program Staff

Matthew Kaplan Managing Director (734) 936-0644 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. mlkaplan@umich.edu [3]

Matthew Kaplan runs the day-to-day operations of the center, including oversight of budget, publications and publicity, and CRLT’s seminar series. He collaborates with the Artistic Director of the CRLT Players on theatre projects and with CRLT’s professional staff on meeting the needs of the university’s instructional community. He also co-directs the LSA Teaching Academy and oversees the Thurnau competition, the university’s highest undergraduate teaching award. Matt received his Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked at UNC’s Center for Teaching and Learning for three years before joining CRLT in 1994. He has published articles on the academic hiring process, the use of interactive theatre as a faculty development tool, and the evaluation of teaching, and he co-authored a chapter of McKeachie’s Teaching Tips on technology and teaching. He has co-edited The Scholarship of Multicultural Teaching and Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2007), a volume of New Directions for Teaching and Learning, and edited two volumes of To Improve the Academy (New Forums Press, 1998, 1999). With Executive Director Connie Cook, Matt edited Advancing a Culture of Teaching on Campus: How a Teaching Center Can Make a Difference (Stylus Publishing, 2011), a book describing CRLT programs and strategies authored by them and their CRLT colleagues. He was a member of POD’s Core Committee from 1998 to 2001.

Crisca Bierwert Associate Director Coordinator of Multicultural Teaching and Learning (734) 936-0648 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. crisca@umich.edu [4]

Crisca Bierwert is CRLT’s associate director and coordinator of multicultural teaching and learning. She provides workshops and consultations for departments and programs, consults with individual faculty members and TAs, and leads programs to promote diversity and social justice efforts at the University. She also does research on student learning outcomes, supports interdisciplinary teaching, and provides multicultural training. She participates in university wide diversity initiatives, and she is currently Past-Chair of the President’s Diversity Council and a member of the Council Executive Committee. Before coming to CRLT in 2000, she obtained her Ph.D. degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Washington, worked in the Native educational programs of the Coqualeetza Centre (Sardis, B.C.), and taught at the University of Michigan. Her major publications in anthropology and Native American Studies focus on text analysis, cultural politics, and environmental issues; they include Lushootseed Texts: An Introduction to Puget Salish Narrative Aesthetics and Brushed by Cedar, Living by the River: Coast Salish Figures of Power.

Cynthia Finelli Director of CRLT in Engineering and Research Associate Professor (734) 764-0244 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. cfinelli@umich.edu [5]

Cynthia Finelli is director of CRLT in Engineering, which serves the UM College of Engineering. She earned her B.S.E.E., M.S.E.E., and Ph.D. degrees from the U-M in 1988, 1989, and 1993, respectively. She holds a joint appointment in the College of Engineering and CRLT, and is also research associate professor of engineering education at U-M. Prior to joining CRLT in April 2003, she was the Richard L. Terrell Professor of Excellence in Teaching, founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and associate professor of electrical engineering at Kettering University. She is a strong advocate of active, team-based learning in the classroom and is engaged in several engineering education research projects. She is a past chair of the Educational Research and Methods Division of ASEE.

Sara Armstrong Artistic Director (734) 615-8309 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. skarmst@umich.edu [6]

Sara Armstrong is the Artistic Director of the CRLT Theatre Program. She has over twenty years of experience as an actor, director, dramaturg, arts administrator, and educator across professional, university, and community contexts. Artistically, she is committed to creating work that encourages dialogue and critical reflection. As Artistic Director of the CRLT Theatre Program, she maintains the company’s repertoire of existing productions, develops original scripts, and works with academic units to incorporate theatre into their professional development programming. She also consults with faculty and graduate student instructors (GSIs) on communication issues and on incorporating performance into their instructional practices. Sara is a performance scholar. Her research focuses on the impact performers’ physical histories have on their conceptual and somatic experiences of performance training.

Meg Bakewell Assistant Director (734) 615-9281 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. mbakewel@umich.edu [7]

Meg Bakewell received a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Wayne State University, and went on to earn her M.S in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, both at the University of Michigan. As a graduate student, Meg worked for CRLT as a Graduate Teaching Consultant, with a special interest in helping faculty and GSIs make effective use of instructional technology. As an instructional consultant, Meg continues to consult with faculty and graduate students about instructional technology. She also facilitates workshops related to teaching and learning, conducts midterm student feedback sessions, coordinates the UM Graduate Teacher Certificate Program and the Rackham-CRLT Intercampus Mentorship Program, and co-teaches with the English Language Institute a course for prospective GSIs who were educated abroad.

Chad Hershock Assistant Director Coordinator of Science Initiatives (734) 615-8060 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. chersh@umich.edu [8]

Chad Hershock is an assistant director at CRLT. Chad coordinates CRLT's sciences and health sciences projects and works on instructional technology initiatives, consults with faculty and TAs on teaching and course design, participates in research and evaluation projects, and facilitates customized workshops on teaching methods. He also created the U-M Graduate Teacher Certificate Program and U-M Postdoctoral Short-Course on College Teaching in Science and Engineering. Chad's training includes a B.S. in Biology from the University Scholars Program at the Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Michigan, where he also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Prior to joining CRLT in 2005, he worked as a Research Scientist and Project Manager at BioMedware, Inc., and as a Lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Biological Station campuses. He has been teaching at U-M since 1994.

Deborah Meizlish Assistant Director Social science initiatives (734) 763-2396 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. debmeiz@umich.edu [9]

Deborah Meizlish is an assistant director at CRLT. She consults with administrators, faculty, and TAs on course and curricular issues, including assessment; plans university-wide programs on teaching, learning, and academic leadership; and conducts seminars on a wide variety of pedagogical topics. Deborah co-directs the LSA Teaching Academy and is co-Principal Investigator on “The Impact of Meta-Cognitive Strategies within Writing in the Disciplines: Experiments to Improve Writing and Critical Thinking,” funded by the Teagle and Spencer Foundations. Deborah’s research and writing focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning, academic hiring, preparing future faculty developers, and academic integrity. She has a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan.

Rachel Niemer Assistant Director (734) 615-9266 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. rkniemer@umich.edu [10]

Rachel Niemer earned a B.A. in chemistry and women’s studies at Bowdoin College and her Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech.  Prior to coming to CRLT, Rachel taught chemistry at Gustavus Adolphus College and courses on pedagogy to undergraduate peer leaders as part of the Workshop program at the University of Rochester.  As an instructional consultant at CRLT, Rachel consults with faculty, co-directs the Rackham-CRLT Preparing Future Faculty seminar and oversees GSI teaching orientation.

Tershia Pinder–Grover Assistant Director and Coordinator of GSI Initiatives (734) 615-9263 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. tpinder@umich.edu [11]

Tershia Pinder-Grover received a B.S. in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland, and went on to earn her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. In August 2005, she joined CRLT, where she is an assistant director responsible for planning teacher training for new engineering GSIs, co directing the Rackham-CRLT Preparing Future Faculty Seminar, and developing pedagogical workshops. She also consults with faculty and GSIs on a variety of teaching and learning issues and participates.  Her engineering education research initiatives focus on examining the effect of instructional technology on student learning and assessing GSIs' use of active learning.

Laura Schram Assistant Director (734) 647-5676 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. lnschram@umich.edu [12]

Laura Schram joined CRLT in 2010 and is Assistant Director responsible for coordinating several graduate student development programs, including planning the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Conferece, co-directing the PFF Seminar, and faciliating the Graduate Teaching Consultant (GTC) programs. Laura also consults with faculty on to achieve their student learning goals, facilitates workshops related to teaching and learning, and conducts midterm student feedback sessions for faculty. Her research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, graduate student professional development and mentoring, and learner-centered teaching. She earned a B.A. in international studies from Middlebury College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Michigan.

Mary Wright Director of Assessment and Associate Research Scientist (734) 936-1135 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. mcwright@umich.edu [13]

Mary Wright is Director of Assessment and an Associate Research Scientist at CRLT. In this capacity, she works with U-M's faculty and academic units on assessment of student learning, evaluation of educational initiatives, and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Her research and teaching interests include teaching cultures, graduate student professional development, undergraduate retention in the sciences, and qualitative research and evaluation methods. Her book, Always at Odds?: Creating Alignment Between Faculty and Administrative Values, was published in 2008 by SUNY Press. Outside CRLT, Mary has served as an external evaluator for several NSF grants, and she is also a member of the board of directors (Core Committee) for the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education. Mary earned an A.B. in sociology from Princeton University, an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. in higher education administration from the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at U-M.

Erping Zhu Assistant Director and Coordinator of Instructional Technology (734) 763-3757 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. ezhu@umich.edu [14]

Erping Zhu earned a Ph.D. in instructional systems technology from Indiana University. Erping is an assistant director for instructional technology initiatives at CRLT, where she consults with faculty about integrating technology into their teaching and developing courses that incorporate instructional technology. She collaborates with colleagues from U-M technology units to provide services and programs to faculty through the Enriching Scholarship program. She also coordinates the Teaching Innovation Prize and directs the Teaching with Technology Institute. She has authored and co-authored chapters in books, encyclopedias, and academic journals. Her research focuses on technology and teaching, scholarship of teaching, and online learning and instruction. Dr. Zhu also coordinates CRLT’s China initiatives.

Visiting Consultant 

Theresa Braunschneider Visiting Consultant  (734) 763-5988 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. tbraun@umich.edu [15]

Theresa Braunschneider is visiting CRLT from her position as Associate Professor of English at Washington & Lee University.  She earned her Ph.D. in 2002 in English and Women’s Studies from U-M, where she received both the Outstanding GSI Award and the David and Linda Moscow Prize for Excellence in Teaching English Composition. She has held fellowships at the National Humanities Center and Huntington Library, and she was awarded an ACLS Fellowship by the American Council of Learned Societies. Her scholarly publications include the monograph Our Coquettes:  Capacious Desire in the Eighteenth Century (University of Virginia Press, 2009), winner of the Walker Cowen Prize for an outstanding work of scholarship in eighteenth-century studies.  At CRLT, her range of work includes consulting with faculty and GSIs about their teaching, managing the CRLT blog, and advising the CRLT Players as dramaturg. 

Postdoctoral Research Associates 

Karishma Collette Postdoctoral Research Associate (734) 615-9267 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. karishms@umich.edu [16]

Karishma Collette earned a B.Sc. in Life Science from the University of Mumbai, India, a M.Sc. in Industrial Biotechnology from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K., and a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology from the University of Michigan. At U-M, she was a graduate student instructor (GSI) for Genetics and Introductory Biology, and a graduate student mentor in the MCDB department. She has also taught Genetics as an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University. At CRLT, she does teaching consultations with GSIs and faculty, and contributes to graduate student development programs and assessment and evaluation projects.

Kris Gorman Postdoctoral Research Associate (734) 763-2988 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. ksgorman@umich.edu [17]

Kris Gorman earned a B.A. in Linguistics and Cognitive Science from Pomona College and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from the University of Rochester. While a graduate student, she taught courses in cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience and served as President of the Graduate Organizing Group, which represents and advocates for graduate students at the University of Rochester. At CRLT, she primarily consults with faculty, instructors and GSIs, and contributes to assessment and evaluation projects.

Becky Matz Postdoctoral Research Associate (734) 615-4617 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. rslahti@umich.edu [18]

Becky Matz earned a B.S. in Chemistry from University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Educational Studies from University of Michigan. Becky's work as a graduate student was multidisciplinary, combining chemistry, science education, cellular biology, and nanotechnology. As a graduate student, she also interacted in many capacities with CRLT through the Investigating Student Learning Grant Program, the Graduate Teacher Certificate Program, and the Colloquium on the Science of Learning. She is excited to join the CRLT team and contribute to teaching and learning research and practice.

Program Associates and Coordinators

Lori M. Dickie Budget Administrator (734) 763-6939 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. lmdickie@umich.edu [19]

Lori Dickie earned a B.B.A. in accounting from Eastern Michigan University. She has 30 years of experience in finance and administration at U-M, first at the U-M Development Office and then at CRLT. With CRLT since 2000, she is responsible for budget management and implementation of HR processes.

Ryan Hudson Program Coordinator (734) 936-0641 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. rhudson@umich.edu [20]

Ryan Hudson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Carleton College and the University of Michigan, respectively. Certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language by the University of Liverpool, she did so in Prague from 1989 to 1991. As a GSI, she received teaching awards from Rackham and the department of political science. In September 2006, Ryan joined CRLT, where she leads the event planning team and provides general research and editing support.

Project Staff

Pam Fisher Program Assistant (734) 647-4765 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. fisherpj@umich.edu [21]

Pam Fisher. At CRLT, Pam provides support for the CRLT website, videography and photography, and graphic design for print and web publishing. Pam also provides support for campus-wide events, including the CRLT Seminar Series, Teaching with Technology Institute, and the One Day Preparing Future Faculty Conference. 

Amy Beth Hamermesh Technology Support (734) 936-2596 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. amybeth@umich.edu [22]

Amy Hamermesh is primarily responsible for technology support at CRLT. Before joining CRLT, Amy received her M.A. in linguistics from the University of Michigan and worked as the departmental administrator at the University of Michigan’s Frankel Center for Judaic Studies. Amy provides support for all of CRLT’s computer-related technology, including research and training for CRLT staff.

Jeri Hollister Program Assistant (734) 764-2462 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. jerih@umich.edu [23]

Jeri Hollister earned her B.A. in history of art and her M.F.A. from the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan.Prior to joining CRLT in August 2004, she worked in the Visual Resources Collections in the Department of the History of Art in LSA. Jeri provides support for various CRLT programs, including the five-week Rackham-CRLT Preparing Future Faculty Seminar, the seven-week Postdoctoral Short-Course on College Teaching in Science and Engineering, the Graduate Teacher Certificate program, and CRLT grants. She also maintains the CRLT website, and provides desktop publishing and graphic art support.

Ben Matheny Program Assistant (734) 936-2871 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. bmatheny@umich.edu [24]

Ben Matheny earned his B.A. in art from Lyon College. Prior to joining CRLT in 2012, Ben worked in educational, non-profit, and design consultation settings. He brings broad experience in project management, grants administration, and communications. Ben supports the Student Learning and Analytics at Michigan (SLAM) series and CRLT grant programs. He also assists with CRLT website maintenance, desktop publishing, and graphic art.

Courtney Riddle Managing Director, CRLT Theatre Program (734) 615-9265 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. myersco@umich.edu [25]

Courtney Riddle studied Communications and Theater Arts at Eastern Michigan University. As Managing Director of The CRLT Players she supervises and coordinates the work of actors and support staff, coordinates rehearsal and performance schedules, manages logistics of travel with the company, and collaborates with the Artistic Director on program development. Courtney has been a resident of Ann Arbor since 1998 and performs at The Performance Network, The Purple Rose Theater, The Tipping Point, and The Blackbird Theater.

Carolyn Parker Assistant to the Executive Director   (734) 763-0159 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. cwparker@umich.edu [26]

Carolyn Parker earned a B.S. in kinesiology/education from the University of Michigan. Carolyn provides administrative and secretarial support to the executive director and to the managing director. She also plans and coordinates several campus-wide events: New Faculty Orientation, the Provost’s Seminars on Teaching. She provides support for the Michigan-China University Leadership Forum.

Jessica Rapai Program Assistant (734) 763-4418 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. kruejess@umich.edu [27]

Jessica Rapai earned a B.A. in International Relations in Modern Western Europe from the University of Michigan. Before joining CRLT in 2011, Jessica worked for a fast-growing technology company in Ann Arbor. She brings extensive experience in planning and managing events to her support of a range of CRLT programs, including GSI teaching orientations, the Provost's Campus Leadership Program, CRLT's 50th Anniversary celebration, and the Graduate Student Mentor/Graduate Teaching Consultant workshops. Jessica also oversees travel arrangements for CRLT.

Melinda Thompson Administrative Assistant (734) 764-0505 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. guillory@umich.edu [28]

Melinda Thompson earned her associate’s degree in administrative assistant technology from Washtenaw Community College. She has over 10 years of combined clerical and customer service experience and has worked in several different departments at the University of Michigan, including the Housing Information Office and the Facilities Information Center. Since January 2004, Melinda has been with CRLT, where she oversees the undergraduate student assistants and keeps the office well supplied and running smoothly.

Jessica Von Hertsenberg Program Assistant (734) 936-0646 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. jvonh@umich.edu [29]

Jessica Von Hertsenberg earned her B.A. in German and linguistics from New York University in 2009. After moving to Ann Arbor, she joined CRLT in 2010. Jessica oversees performance and trip logistics for the CRLT Players and works with the Managing Director on scheduling and communication with theatre program contacts. She also provides support for other CRLT events.