Professional Profile

San Antonio College (ASPEN INSTITUTE)

Vice President for Student Success

  • Oversee 19,000+ campus student affairs for students, primarily first-gen, low-income, Hispanic Serving Institution.
  • Oversees Enrollment Management, Academic Advising, Admissions and Records, Title IX, Student Conduct, Student Life, Veteran Affairs, Financial Aid, Bursar, Testing and Assessment, Advocacy Center, Counseling, Disability Services, Empowerment Center (DACA), Career Services, TRiO STEM, TRIO Veteran Services, TRiO Outward Bound, International Office, Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment, Early College, and GED.
  • Provide leadership to over 300+ full-time and 100+ part-time employees with 6 direct reports—Dean of Student Success, Dean of Holistic and Wellness Support, Director of Financial Aid, Director of Title IX and Student Conduct, Director of Bursar Office, Director of Student Liaison and Special Projects
  • Deputy Coordinator of Title IX.
  • Established the first year-round Bridge program in developing college-readiness skills for high schoolers, FTIC, and returning adults to college
  • Established the first Prison and Reentry Education Special Projects in partnership with the University of Texas, Austin.
  • Oversees Disability policies in conjunction with four Vice Presidents for Student Success across the Alamo College District (70,000+ students).
  • Liaison for Alamo College District in Dual Credit enrollment, International Student engagement and Internationalization of five college campuses.
  • Executive member of the International Committee at Alamo Colleges District.
  • Established the first Campus Safety Task Force in collaboration with the Alamo Colleges Police Department.
  • Executive member of the Unlocking Opportunities for High-Value, High-Wage; Ready-To-Work Task Force.
  • Member of the Digital Equity Challenge Task Force in compliance with Section 508.
  • Special Advisor for Strategic Planning in the Office of International Programs at Alamo Colleges District.

Dean of University College

Full-Professor of Special Education (Tenured)

  • Oversaw 200+ full-time and part-time faculty, learning support specialists, directors, program coordinators, managers, intervention specialists, academic success coaches, support coaches, peer mentors, tutors, supplemental instruction leaders, federal work study students, and administrative assistants.
  • Established the first Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), ACE Transition Program for transfer students, ACE Priority Program for at-risk students; Oversaw ACE Academic Support.
  • Chaired the Dean’s Advising Council. Oversaw PD for Advising & Retention Office. Provided advisory leadership to Student Affairs (Recruitment, Admission, Counseling, Accessibility, Residential Life, Health Services, Financial Aid, Community Engagement, Student Government).
  • Restructured the First-Year Experience based on concepts of self-determination—self-awareness, self-regulation, self-advocacy, self-empowerment. Authored the FYE curriculum based on a growth mindset, identifying one’s purpose, and developing a sense of belonging. Authored the MAP Workbook (My Aspiration Plan) to transition students to a 4-year institution; Taught Freshmen Seminars.
  • Oversaw Common Read and Anchor Text. Led Reading The Globe Study Abroad. Redesigned Signature Course through interdisciplinary critical thinking and community engagement. Established the First Community Engagement Day and Annual Community Engagement Consortium.
  • Oversaw Summer Bridge Programs, Developmental Education and Co-requisites. Oversaw TRiO and TRiO STEM; Athletes advising (Div II).
  • Aligned undergraduate Math Pathways for every program offered at the institution.
  • Chaired the University Honors & Undergraduate Research Program. Oversaw scholarship distribution for Act on Ideas.
  • Oversaw PK-16 initiatives. Chaired Standards for SACSCOC. Oversaw the Multidisciplinary Baccalaureate degree.
  • Provided PD for all new and current faculty on High-Impact Teaching and Universal Design Learning (UDL). Mentored faculty seeking future leadership positions for Texas Academic Leadership Academy (TALA).
  • Graduate of “Becoming A Provost Academy” from the American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU). Nominated for Fulbright Administrator to France.
  • Responsible for acquiring student engagement software such as Signal Vine, Ready Education App, and Grammarly for the whole campus.
  • Collaborated with the Engineering Department in a $5 million NSF Luis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) grant.

Professor and Program Coordinator of Special Education 

** Recipient of University Exemplary Faculty Award

  • Taught upper-class for elementary and secondary pre-service teachers
  • Program Coordinator for Special Education CAEP & AAQEP accreditation
  • Chaired WASC accreditation
  • University Competency Accreditation Committee, WASC
  • Board of Directors, CEC (Council for Exceptional Children)
  • Founder & Executive Director for PACE (Parents as Advocates for Change in Education)
  • Senior Advisor, University Accessibility Advisory Council
  • ESSA State Program Reviewer, US Department of Education
  • Advisory Council for Oxford Education Research Symposium
  • Principal Investigator, Harold K. L. Castle Foundation G rant, Hawaii
  • Collaborator, LDAH (Leadership in Disabilities & Achievement of Hawaii)—Office of Special Education (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education
  • Mentor faculty for Fulbright Applications
  • Professional Chair, Community Children’s Council, Windward District, Hawaii DOE
  • Speaker Bureau, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Association
  • Past-President, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
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Special Assistant to Vice Presidents on A.I.D.E.–Access, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity.

**504/ADA Compliance Officer

  • Served as a resident expert to the President’s Council in responding to emerging issues, exceptional cases, and challenges impacting A.I.D.E. efforts
  • Served as the internal and external liaison in advocating for policies, procedures, and systemic improvements to remove physical and technology barriers
  • Designed policies to align with institutional, accreditation, and Federal regulations involving 504/ADA, Title IX, EEOC, and OCR
  • Chaired the University Accessibility Advisory Council
  • Chaired the University Diversity Committee
  • Developed standardized incident management practices, including complaint reporting, investigation, conflict of interest, crisis management, grievance protocol, and discriminatory allegations involving students, faculty, and staff 
  • Developed and implemented staff and faculty training for A.I.D.E. competencies and compliance initiatives
  • Provided counsel to Disability Services and Human Resources in delivering reasonable accommodations to students and employees
  • Collaborated with Title IX investigators to develop an investigatory process that meets university policies and federal regulations
  • Consulted and trained supervisors in formal and informal interactive processes.
  • Interpreted policies regarding 504/ADA and other disability-related legislation for offices (e.g., Dean of Students Office, HR, Events & Outreach, Food Services, Risk Mgt, Facilities Management, Library, and Campus Planning)
  • Updated 504 deficiencies for the physical plant. Work with auxiliary units to correct barriers in facilities

Education Specialist in Professional Development 
Fairfax County Government, Virginia
Department of Family Services, Office for Children & Institute for Early Learning

  • County Consultant, Curriculum Evaluation and Learning Outcomes
  • Completed evaluation of Early Childhood standards for county preschools
  • Provided training for county on research-based practices
  • Parent consultant and disability specialist

Associate Professor of Special Education 
Division of Education, Human Development & Social Sciences

** Recipient of Teacher-of-Honor Award, International Education Honor Society

** Excellence in Student Advising

** Speaker Specialist & Expert, appointed by the U.S. Dept. of State, Bureau of International Programs

  • Senior Fulbright Specialist—Turkey
  • Senior Fulbright Scholar—Qatar
  • Fulbright Hays Fellow—Qatar
  • First Honorable Visiting Scholar—Taiwan
  • Taught undergraduate elementary and secondary teacher candidates
  • Doctoral Faculty Advisor
  • Research Advisor for graduate candidates in the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation 
  • Chair, Faculty Senate Research
  • Chair, Senate Faculty Affairs
  • Chair, International Committee, Kappa Delta Pi, International Education Honor Society
  • Chapter President of the International Education Honor Society

Senior Fulbright Scholar—Qatar

  • Appointed U.S. Speaker Specialist and Expert on Disability to consult with the Supreme Education Council and curriculum supervisors; Conducted professional development on reading and math for educators.
  • Consulted with healthcare professionals at Rumaillah Hospital, Qatar Foundation, and Hamad Medical Corporation on Early Childhood behavioral disturbances, depression and schizophrenia.

Senior Fulbright Specialist—Turkey

  • Selected by Zirve University in Gazientap to conduct teacher training and faculty development on cognitive science of teaching and learning; Advisors for Masters and Ph.D. candidates.

Fulbright Hays Fellow—Qatar

  • Invited by the US State Department to provide professional development training for teachers in the Gulf—Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Jordon, Egypt, Armenia, Syria, Georgia, and Somalia).
  • Collaborated with US Embassy, Cultural Affairs and Education division on strategic planning for faculty, principals, healthcare professionals, and educational specialists on mental health and disability issues.

Appointed U.S. Speaker Specialist on Disability and Inclusion by the Department of State Bureau of International and Information Programs 

Improving Teacher Quality, Student Learning, and School Outcome: Implications for Impactful Change. Invited by the U.S. Embassy in Qatar in consultation with the Supreme Education Council, Qatar Foundation, Rumaillah Hospital, and Hamad Medical Corporation.

  • How the Brain Learns
  • Myths about Teaching and Learning
  • How to Teach Reading
  • How to Teach Math
  • What are Learning Disabilities
  • How to Handle Difficult Behaviors in the Classroom
  • Diagnosis of Childhood and Teens Depression and Mental Health
  • Behavior Disorders and Emotional Disturbances; Social Maladjustment; Childhood Schizophrenia

Associate Professor of Education Administration & Special Education 

Department of Professional Programs — Full Doctoral Rank 

  • Taught graduate teacher and school administration candidates and teacher candidates—Majority Hispanics
  • Supervisor, doctoral candidates as Graduate Faculty
  • Full Doctoral Status Faculty
  • Chaired First-Year Success Initiatives
  • Chaired the University Technology Committee
  • Chaired the University Code of Honor
  • Principal Author of the Graduate Handbook
  • Executive Secretary for Faculty Senate

Assistant Professor of Special Education (2003 – 2005)
Dowling College, New York

  • Taught graduate teacher candidates
  • Coordinator of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)