blog navigation

EPOL Department - Student Spotlight

Meet our EPOL Graduate Students!

blog posts

  • Logan Tayler Pender (he/him/his)

    Jun 25, 2025 6:00 pm |  1 View

    Logan Tayler Pender is a graduate student in the Education Policy, Organization & Leadership (EPOL) program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Global Studies in Education. His research interests lie in decolonizing U.S. higher education and education abroad systems, advancing education as smart diplomacy, and promoting equitable global engagement. He served as a 2024-2025 Gilman Alumni Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State, a 2025 LeadNext Global Ambassador Fellow with The Asia Foundation, and was selected as a delegate for the 2025 Sustainable Development League World Economic & Leadership Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Logan aspires to become a university president and diplomat, shaping educational policy and global cooperation through inclusive, future-focused leadership.

    Advisor: Allison Witt, Ph.D.

    Anticipated Graduation Year: 2026

    Academic Background

    • Ed.M. (in-progress) Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a Concentration in Global Studies in Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2026
    • B.A Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in International Education for Higher Education Administration (IEHEA) with a Minor in Social Sciences, Winthrop University, 2024

    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/logan-tayler-pender 

    Share this Story

  • Joey Shepherd (he/him/his)

    Apr 14, 2025 10:45 am |  13  Views

    Joey Shepherd is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership with concentrations in Higher Education and the History of Education. He has ten years of experience as a higher education administrator and has previously served as a director of the following areas: academic accommodations/accessibility services, first-year transition support, housing, peer tutoring, residence life, student conduct adjudication, and student support. His research focuses on historical and contemporary barriers to higher education access, equity, and inclusion; first generation college students; and critical whiteness studies. 

    Expected Year of Graduation: 2028

    Educational Background:
    Ph.D. (in progress) Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    M.A., Adult and Higher Education, Morehead State University, 2018
    B.A., Education Studies, Berea College, 2014


    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyshepherd/

    Share this Story

  • Hyena Cho (she/her/hers)

    Mar 5, 2025 10:30 am |  33  Views

    Hyena Cho is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, concentrating in Human Resource Development. Originally from South Korea, She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Yonsei University, focusing on Human Resource Development and Education of Work. Before starting her Ph.D., she worked as a medical education researcher at Ajou University Medical Center. Her research focuses on enhancing individual and organizational work-related development, ultimately fostering meaningful work and well-being for all organization members. She takes an educational approach to addressing workplace and school-to-work transition challenges, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

    • Advisor: Dr. Chang-kyu Kwon
    • Expected Year of Graduation: 2029
    • Educational Background: 

    Ph.D. student, Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership (Human Resource Development), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.

    M.A., Education (Human Resource Development), Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

    B.A., Education, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

    Share this Story

  • Madelyne Lovekamp (she/her/hers)

    Mar 3, 2025 2:30 pm |  13  Views

    Madelyne Lovekamp is a graduate student in the Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership department with a concentration in Learning Design and Leadership. Her professional background includes 3 years of teaching experience in the public school system in both Colorado and Illinois. Her research interests include student engagement and technology integration within the higher education setting. 


    Advisor: Dr. Vania Castro

    Anticipated Graduation Year: 2026

    Academic Background:

    M.Ed. (in progress) Educational Policy, Organization, and Leadership; Learning Design and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2026

    B.S. in Elementary Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2022

    A.A. in Education, Richland Community College, 2016

    Share this Story

  • Gabrielle Haggins, M.Ed. (she/hers)

    Feb 24, 2025 2:00 pm |  35  Views

    Gabrielle Haggins is a PhD student in the Higher Education program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Her research explores global education and the experiences of Black women in academia. She examines cultural and communicative barriers to educational equity in the U.S. and abroad, emphasizing international education’s role in fostering cultural awareness and diversifying perspectives, particularly the impact of Black faculty teaching abroad. Additionally, she investigates how identity and socialization shape Black women’s experiences in graduate education and early career stages. Her work aims to advance equity, inclusion, and opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds, particularly people of color.

    Advisor: Tamara Bertrand Jones

    Anticipated Graduation Year: 2027

    Academic Background:

    Ph.D. (in progress) Higher Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2027

    Certificate, Program Evaluation, 2024

    M.Ed. Higher Education Administration, Georgia Southern University, 2021

    Certificates: English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), 2021

    B.A. in Spanish World Languages and Culture, Valdosta State University, 2018

    A.A. in Foreign Languages, Darton State College, 2016

    A.S. in Health Sciences, Darton State College, 2016

    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-haggins-m-ed-32bb6a225

    Share this Story

  • Juhi Bansal (she/her)

    Aug 29, 2024 12:00 am |  31  Views

    Juhi is a doctoral student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership with a concentration in  Learning Design & Leadership. Her research interests lie at the intersection of AI and education and exploring how technology can be leveraged to create adaptive and personalized learning experiences, as well as innovative formative assessment techniques.

    She currently works at the Centre for Learning Futures at Ahmedabad University, India.

    Advisor: Dr. Mary Kalantzis

    Anticipated Graduation: 2028

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/bansaljuhi/


    Share this Story

  • Minjoo Chong, PhD (She/Her)

    Jun 17, 2024 10:15 am |  105  Views
    • Minjoo Chong is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership with a concentration in Social Science & Education Policy. She adopts a comparative and critical perspective on education policy. Her research focuses on policy recommendations that promote innovation and improvement in higher education policy both within the U.S. and abroad context.
    • Advisor: Dr. Curtis Mason
    • Expected Graduation Year: 2028
    • Academic Background:
    •  - Ph.D., (in progress), Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, 
    •    University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
    •  - M.A., Comparative Education, Yonsei University
    •  - B.A., Education / English Education, Kongju National University  
    Share this Story

  • Judith Kom Nguiffo

    May 28, 2024 3:00 am |  10  Views

    Judith is a doctoral student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a concentration in Diversity and Equity in Education. Her research interests include access to equitable computer science education for minority students, immigrant students' achievement, and teachers' working conditions. Her work involves program evaluation, survey design and delivery, management of large datasets, and data analysis to support policymaking.

    Advisor: Dr. Curtis Mason

    Expected Graduation: 2025

    Educational Background:

    • EdD (in progress) – Educational Policy, Organization & Leadership – Educational Administration and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign 
    • Certificate (2016)- Education Policy and Program Evaluation, Georgetown University
    • MS (2006)- Economics and Statistical Engineering, ENSEA Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
    • Bs (2003) – Statistics, ENSEA Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-kom-nguiffo

    Share this Story

  • Israt Z Nipa (She/her)

    Jan 6, 2024 7:15 pm |  38  Views

    Israt Z Nipa is a student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a concentration in Global Studies in Education. She has more than 5 years of teaching experience at schools and universities. She worked as a lecturer at a university back in Bangladesh and taught undergrad students. Her research interests lie in the international students' experiences, internationalization of higher education, and equity in girl's education. 

    • Advisor: Dr. Rebecca Taylor 
    • Expected Year of Graduation: 2027 
    • Educational Background: 
    • Ph.D. Student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Concentration: Global Studies in Education 
    • M.A. in English Literature, Premier University
    • B.A. in English Literature, Premier University
    Share this Story

  • Naomi Simmons-Thorne, PhD (She/Her)

    Sep 12, 2023 9:45 am |  190  Views

    Naomi Simmons-Thorne is a PhD Student in Philosophy of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Naomi serves as an instructor, graduate research assistant, and Doctoral Fellow of the Graduate College. 

    Her research interests include moral and political philosophy, black education, black feminism, Africana philosophy, decolonial thought, Marxism, and critical theory/pedagogies. 

    Advisor: Rebecca Taylor

    Anticipated Graduation: 2028

    Education

    • PhD (2028), Philosophy of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • MT (2023), English Education, University of South Carolina
    • BA/BS (2020), Philosophy and Sociology, University of South Carolina
    • AA/AS (2018), Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
    Share this Story

  • Adetutu Fabusoro PhD (She, Her)

    Aug 19, 2023 9:15 pm |  75  Views

    Adetutu Fabusoro is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education, Policy, Organization, and Leadership, with a concentration in Human Resource Development. She has more than 10 years of experience in the corporate sector HR Learning and Development, Marketing, Relationship management, and the media in her country, and 3 years of experience in higher education teaching in the US. Her research interest is in Communicative competence/linguistics profiling and effect on career development in Corporate America

    Advisor: Jessica Li

    Expected Graduation: 2025

    Academic Background:

    Ph.D. (in progress) Education Policy, Organization & Leadership | University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Concentration:  Human Resource Development

    M.A. Teaching English as Second Language (Linguistics), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

    M.A. Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria.

    B.A. Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria.

    Share this Story

  • Mario D. Marquez, MPA

    Aug 18, 2023 1:00 pm |  32  Views

    Mario D. Marquez is a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership, with a concentration in Diversity and Equity, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mario is currently a Management Analyst with the District of Columbia Government. He previously served an adult school in Washington, DC where he oversaw dual-enrollment, workforce development, career coaching, and alumni services. A native of the Inland Empire, Mario earned a Master of Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. He spent the early stages of his career supporting college access programs, community-based public health organizations, and transportation planning agencies. Mr. Marquez volunteered with Queer Alliance at UCR, Associated Students, Inc. at CSUSB, and The Next Step/El Próximo Paso’s Board of Trustees. His professional interests include school choice models, performance management, public education finance, and nonprofit governance; and his research interests concern access policies, excluded populations, and postsecondary education.

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariodmarquez

    Share this Story

  • Aigul Rakisheva, PhD (She/Her)

    Mar 29, 2023 9:00 am |  252  Views

    Aigul Rakisheva is a doctoral student in the Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership Department, with a concentration in Global Studies in Education. Her research interests include initial teacher education focusing on Information and Communication Technologies and Virtual Exchange, the rural and urban gap in education, gender equality in higher education, and international/comparative research. Aigul utilizes mixed methods and art-based methods in her research approach.

    • Advisor: Dr. Allison Witt 
    • Expected Year of Graduation: 2027 
    • Educational Background: 
    • Ph.D. student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Concentration: Global Studies in Education 
    • M.Sc. Educational Leadership: Higher Education, Nazarbayev University 
    • M.Sc. in Geography, Pavlodar State University 
    • B.Sc. in Geography, Pavlodar State University 

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aigul-rakisheva/

    Share this Story

  • Lauren Purcell, Ed.D. Student

    Jan 23, 2023 4:30 pm |  54  Views

    Lauren Purcell is a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership program, with a concentration in Learning Design and Leadership. Lauren holds a master's degree in Art and Design Education from Pratt Institute. Her area of focus is New Media, Learning, and Assessment Technologies. For the past 10 years, she has been an Instructional Designer (ID). Lauren's career goal is to become a Learning Experience Designer (LXD). 

    Share this Story

  • Chiquita R N Toure, Ed.D Student

    Jan 16, 2023 3:45 pm |  37  Views

    Chiquita Toure is a doctoral student in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership with a concentration in Diversity and Equity . As an educator- librarian her research interests include ethnic diversity in literature for grades PK12  soft censorship among school librarians, history of African American public education, oral history and Black Girlhood narratives. She has served in the Columbus City School disrict for over 27 years.

    Advisor: Dr Sharon Lee

    Expected graduation date: 2026

    Educational Background:

    Ed.D. student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Concentration: Diversity and Equity

    M.Ed., School Library and Information Technologies, Mansfield University ,Mansfield, Pennslyvania

    M.Ed., Educational Policy Studies, Policy Analysis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

    B.S., Elementary Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

     

    Share this Story

  • Haeryun Kim, PhD (She/Her)

    Jan 6, 2023 3:15 pm |  250  Views

    Haeryun Kim is a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization & Leadership with a concentration in Educational Administration & Leadership. Her research interests are school organizational structures required for equity-focused reform, with an emphasis on principal leadership, teacher labor markets, school finance, and district governance. Haeryun uses quantitative methods to study how to design school personnel policies, distribute school finance, and structure education governance with the goal of respecting learner diversity and ensuring the inclusion of all students. 

    • Advisor: Dr. Paul Bruno
    • Expected Year of Graduation: 2027
    • Educational Background
      • Ph.D. student, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Concentration: Educational Administration & Leadership
      • M.A., Educational Policy & Educational Administration, Chung-Ang University
      • B.A., Education, Chung-Ang UniversityDouble Major in English EducationMinor in Political Science and International RelationsExchange Student at University of Turku, located in Finland
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haeryunkim
    Share this Story

  • Elena Sharafutdinova, Ed.D. Student

    Jan 5, 2023 10:45 am |  86  Views

    Elena Sharafutdinova is an online doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership program, with concentration in Learning Design and Leadership. Elena holds two Master’s degrees, one in teaching Italian as a second language and one in Linguistics. Her primary research interest is in SLA and pedagogy with a focus on Italian and e-learning. She has a book chapter (May 2022) in “Mind and second language acquisition: Experimental Approaches”. Currently, Elena teaches Italian at California State University and serves as a CSU QLT Systemwide online/hybrid course reviewer.

    Advisor: Dr. Mary Kalantzis

    Anticipated Graduation: 2024

    LinkedIn: Elena S.

    CV: Elena S.

    Share this Story

  • Christian Holmes

    Jan 5, 2023 10:15 am |  28  Views

    Christian is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in the Learning Design and Leadership concentration with a focus on how Self-Determination Theory can be leveraged to improve student engagement with their studies. 

    Christian is currently employed in Denver, Colorado as the Director of Innovation and Technology at The STEAD School, an innovative Project-Based Learning school housed in next-gen agriculture and CTE. 

    Share this Story

  • H. M. Kuneyl M.A.Ed.

    Jan 3, 2023 2:30 pm |  81  Views

    Kuneyl (Ka-Neil) is a Ph.D. student in EPOL with dual concentrations in Higher Education and History of Education. Her research interest centers the history of two-year colleges which were founded in the Jim Crow South, minority serving institutions, and racially marginalized community college students. Kuneyl has served in higher education for over eight years and currently works as a graduate research assistant for the Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL).

    Advisors: Dr. Baber, Lorenzo and Dr. Jon Hale 

    Education: Lone Star Community College (A.S.) Texas A&M University (B.S.) Virginia Tech (M.A.Ed.). 

    LinkedIn: H.M. Kuneyl | LinkedIn

    Share this Story

  • Tara Adams, Ed.M., JD

    Jan 3, 2023 9:30 am |  99  Views

    Tara is a Ph.D. student in EPOL with a concentration in higher education. Her research interests are focused specifically on the ethics of higher education fundraising, particularly when it comes to vulnerable donor populations like the elderly and cognitively impaired. Tara is currently the Director of Development at North Carolina State University in Raleigh and the co-founder of Cognitive Empowerment Consulting, a higher education and nonprofit consulting firm. 

    Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Delaney

    Education: Illinois State University (B.S.), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (J.D. & Ed.M.)

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraeadams/

    Share this Story

  • Wendy Mockler Giles

    Dec 28, 2022 3:30 pm |  37  Views

    Wendy is an expert teacher and university lecturer and tutor with a demonstrated history of working in schools and higher education. Skilled in interdisciplinary approaches, student-centred pedagogy, data analysis, and innovative assessment with an accent on building self-efficacy through challenge and engagement with a strong emphasis on building relationships. 

    Program of Study: Doctor of Education

    Research interests: The future of learning with e-learning ecologies; sustainable assessment and the new social contract with education; building teachers’ self-efficacy through identity work; integrated approaches to teaching and learning in the humanities, especially economics.

    Advisor: Professor William Cope

    Expected Year of Graduation: 2025

    LinkedIn profile

     

    Share this Story

  • Aaron Schlessman (he/him)

    Aug 25, 2022 1:45 pm |  52  Views

    Aaron is a doctoral candidate in EPOL with a concentration in Diversity and Equity. He has nearly 20 years of experience in training and education, first as a training supervisor with the U.S. Navy then as a high school teacher, administrator, and instructional leader. Academically, he has completed all coursework and exams and has moved into the disseration phase. His primary interest is in establishing clear guideposts that can help to operationalize anti-racism for classroom teachers so they have a path to follow to ensure that their approach with all students is as racially equitable as possible. 

    Graduate Advisor: Dr. Denice Ward Hood 

    Expected Graduation Year: 2023

    Academic Background: 

    B.A. Justice Studies - Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois

    M.Ed. Educational Policy, Organization, & Leadership - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

    Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/aschlessman

    Share this Story

  • Yaning Cao

    Aug 24, 2022 10:00 am |  187  Views

    Yaning Cao is a doctoral student in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership. Her concentration is Global Studies and her research is in international higher education collaboration. Her work experience in a one joint-venture university in China leads her to consider efficient ways for higher education institutes to collaborate and in what ways education policy can benefit students to become global citizens in the future.

    Share this Story

  • Nakisha Griffin, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC

    Aug 23, 2022 5:30 pm |  45  Views

    Nakisha Griffin is an EDD student in the Human Resource Development concentration in the Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership.  She has over fifteen years of human resources leadership experience with a specialization in recruitment strategy, workforce planning, and organizational development. Her research interests are building world class human capital functions within startup organizations, connecting people and business strategies, and leadership team dynamics. Nakisha has over fifteen years of human resources leadership experience. She currently serves as the Head of Human Resources for Neustar Security Services based in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan. 

    Advisor: Wen-Hao (David) Huang

    Expected Year of Graduation: May 2026

    Educational Background:

    M.P.S.  in Human Resource Management,  University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

    B.S. of Management Science,  Kean University, Union, NJ

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nakishagriffin/

     

    Share this Story

  • Thong M. Trinh, PhD (he, him)

    Aug 23, 2022 1:15 pm |  387  Views

    Thong M. Trinh is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education. His research focus is higher education policy with a focus on finance. Thong has published in the areas of student willingness to pay, university budgeting and related topics of higher education policy.

    Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Delaney

    Expected Graduation Year: 2027

    Academic Background: 

    • PhD (2022-Present) Education Policy, Organization & Leadership – Higher Education – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
    • MSc in Business Analysis and Consulting – University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom - 2022
    • BSc International Business - Banking Academy of Vietnam - 2019

    Websites:

    Homepage, Google Scholar

    Share this Story