Learning Forever with ASU: Presenters

Ahlborn, Ceri

Ceri Ahlborn enjoys being around teachers and students alike. She has mentored student interns and student teachers during her 17 years in the field. She thoroughly enjoys supervising student teachers and teaching future educators in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at ASU, West campus. She also mentored first year SPE teachers under a grant from the Arizona State Department of Education. Ceri received her B.A. in Special Education and her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from ASU, West campus. view/hide comments

Lariate Wieger from Peoria: “Well prepared and knowledgeable. She believes in and uses these techniques herself.”

Andrea Turley from LESD: “I will apply these methods at work and at home. Great job!”

Anonymous: “Ceri rocks!”

Regarding Assessment and Supervision workshop, anonymous: “She was well-prepared and enthusiastic. She knew her content area and gave us time for discussing real life situations with student teachers.”

Anonymous: “Down to Earth, experienced, great sense of humor and pacing!”

Baker, Jaime

Jaime Baker is a math coach in the Litchfield Elementary School District. She has been a coach or math instructor for the last 10 years. She teaches a mathematics course for ASU and also enjoys her time consulting in mathematics. Her goal is to make learning math fun and meaningful as she helps students become problem solvers and develop a positive outlook on math.

Christie, Alice (Ph.D.)

Dr. Alice Christie, recently named ASU President’s Professor, received her Ph.D. in Educational Technology and Language and Literacy from ASU in 1995. She also earned a B.A. in English and M.Ed. in Reading Education. Dr. Christie has just completed her 41st year as an educator, teaching Technology and Education in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership and prior to this, 25 years in K-12 schools. She speaks and conducts workshops nationally and internationally on how technology can enhance teaching and learning. When awarded the Innovation Leadership Award by the AzTEA, they indicated that “Alice is a true agent of change, encouraging every educator to incorporate the most appropriate technology to enrich their classes.” view/hide comments

Lacey Insel from Deer Valley: “Excellent! Wonderful “ton” of info that I can share with my co-workers and students.”

John Lovell of GUHSD: “Alice is a remarkable instructor. I wish I had taken Master’s classes with her at ASU.”

Sheryl Lovell of GUHSD: “Thanks for taking such a huge topic and breaking it down into smaller, easily digestible pieces! I’m updating my Tech Blog and will share all that I learned with my teachers.”

Kay Storm from TUHSD: “Fantastic energy and enthusiasm.”

Ebyn Adeyemi from Isaac: “Very knowledgeable. Thank you for your contribution to tech educators!”

Mike Cady from Peoria: “I have taken Learning Forever workshops before, and all were very good. This one is great!”

Cohen-Hogan, Laura

Laura Cohen-Hogan is a lecturer and field service supervisor within the Special Education Department at ASU at the West campus’ College of Teacher Education and Leadership Department. Laura has supervised Special Education student teachers for several years and enjoys teaching at the university. A learner forever, Laura received her Master's Degree and Certifications from ASU at the Tempe campus, taught Special Education for 14 of 17 years while working extensively with ED and At-Risk populations, and was a building administrator and a district Special Services Director.

Deignan, Larry

Larry Deignan, an educational consultant, provides quality training for teachers and administrators throughout the country. He has worked in public education for 28 years as a high school principal, staff development trainer, curriculum and instruction director, and a classroom teacher. Since 1985, Larry has also worked as a national consultant specializing in student engagement, motivation strategies, and instructional supervision. His workshops are engaging, practical, and applicable to all grade levels and content areas. Larry models what he teaches and personalizes his instruction to meet the needs of the participants. Larry has earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Education. view/hide comments

Amanda Guerrero from Isaac: “Larry’s style is refreshing. He has a lot of ideas and suggestions that truly work.”

Joanie Colson from Paradise Valley: “Amazing. Things moved well, and Larry is very approachable.”

Lorin Sempkowski from TUHSD: “Larry makes complex ideas and strategies seem very simple for implementation.”

Gwen Barlow from Osborn: “Excellent. Very clear explanations. Great pacing. Great mix of activities verses lecture. Well done!”

Carolyn Scudder from LESD: “I can’t wait to use all of this in my classroom. I will also be training others. Thank you for great ideas and info.”

Kristin Weiss from Litchfield: “There are many ways I can tweak what I am already doing to make my classroom more productive for students. I learned a lot. We were able to participate, and I would love to come to another of your workshops.”

Mike Cady of Peoria: “Excellent information for both new and experienced teachers.”

Gerard, Maureen (Ph.D.)

Maureen Gerard is the Director of Professional Field Experience at ASU West. Before arriving at ASU West, Dr. Gerard was an Associate Professor of Reading and Literacy. With a background in emergent literacy and early childhood, she also teaches in the Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Program at ASU West. Dr. Gerard completed her doctor of philosophy degree in the Early Childhood program at the ASU Tempe campus. With colleague Jennifer Prior, they have authored three texts. One of these publications is with the International Reading Association, Environmental Print in the Classroom, Meaningful Connections for Learning to Read. Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education was published by Thomson Delmar in 2006.

Flesher, William

William Flesher (Bill) is a high school teacher of Civil and Criminal Law, Criminal Justice, and Law Enforcement 1 & 2 in the Dysart Unified School District. He is a veteran Police Officer where he served for 11 years. Transitioning to the field of education, he brought with him experience working with local gang and drug task forces, general instructor certification, field training officer, and other numerous certificates and training courses. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Education from NAU. view/hide comments

Paula Siebert from WESD/GUHSD: “Bill is very dynamic, knowledgeable, and experienced.”

Lariate Wiegel from Peoria: “Great information that I found valuable and specific to my campus. Thank you!”

Susan Huxley from Fowler: “Very effective. Bill knows his material!”

Kimzin, Gail

Gail Kimzin is currently a Spanish teacher and a department chair for the Deer Valley Unified School District. She has taught in multiple educational settings and for more than twenty years in public high schools. In addition, she has taught professional development courses which include the 15 hour Provisional SEI training. She has a master’s degree in English as a Second Language. view/hide comments

David Helmstetter from Phoenix: “Gail did an outstanding job! She treated us like professionals while making a required class enjoyable and informative.”

Anonymous: “I love all the interaction. It made it easier for me to retain more of the information you gave us.”

Teena Flesher from ASU: “Gail modeled what was expected, made us dig deep to connect what we learned to how we will apply it, and she was very interactive. All of the SEI strategies I learned will help me in the future, but I learned much more than that from Gail. I learned different teaching strategies from her and different ways to make learning interactive for students. She is truly a gifted teacher and made learning fun!”

Alice Huth-Derral from Deer Valley Unified School District: “Thanks for treating us as the adults and professionals we are.”

Kirk Bergen: “Learning from a true professional and experienced teacher, Gail Kimzin taught us many specific skills and gave us the opportunity to work with and learn from each other.”

Jon Swearengen from Phoenix Union: “The instructor did a fantastic job. One of the most informative classes I have ever had!”

Margo Gooderham from Paradise Valley: “ Awesome! Best class I’ve taken as a teacher. Gail, you made us all feel so comfortable and created a stress-free atmosphere. It was a pleasure to come each day!”

Kortman, Sharon

Dr. Sharon A. Kortman is the Director of the Building Educator Support Teams (BEST) program in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership, Arizona State University, and an inductee in ASU’s College of Education Hall of Fame. Dr. Kortman is co-author of The BEST Beginning Teacher Experience: A Framework for Professional Development, The BEST Mentoring Experience: A Framework for Professional Development, Managing the Classroom: Creating a Culture for Teaching and Learning, and a series of other publications on mentoring and supporting teachers through their professional growth. She presents locally and nationally, with one of her favorite areas that of classroom management and personality/interaction styles, both affecting the success of classroom teachers and students.

Larson, Susan

Susan Larson is a former elementary, middle school, and secondary school teacher with over twenty-six years of classroom experience. She is currently a full-time lecturer at Arizona State University at the West campus (and a favorite of many students!) teaching mathematics content and methods classes. She also serves as an educational consultant in the areas of mathematics education, classroom management, and authentic assessment. Sue earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, a Master of Science degree in Education, and holds certifications in middle school mathematics, secondary mathematics, and elementary education. Sue’s greatest reward is helping others discover that math can be FUN! view/hide comments

Audrey Sellers from ASU: “I loved this workshop and will certainly use everything we discussed.”

Barb Jones from Peoria: “Very effective strategies that were clearly modeled!”

Amy Stinson from ASU: “Fabulous class! Can’t believe how fast the time passed!”

Helen Green from Avondale: “This workshop is so practical and useful. Thank you! I can’t wait to put all of it into practice!”

Abby Field from Litchfield: “Very effective. I especially enjoyed the modeling of all activities and procedures.”

Kathy Huntington-Miller from Washington Elementary: “Thank you so much for the fantastic ideas for my classroom environment! You were thorough, easy to understand, enthusiastic, and sincere.”

Rebecca Maesta from Avondale: “Fantastic! I love Sue!”

LeBlanc, Debbie

Debbie LeBlanc is currently an Instructional Specialist for a high school in the Peoria Unified School District. With a Bachelor of Arts in Language Arts/Social Studies and a Master of Arts in Reading, she has been an English teacher for 24 years at both the high school and junior high levels. Her experience lies in teaching a variety of levels: at-risk students as well as “regular” and gifted populations. Debbie has served as department chair for 16 years and has been assisting new teachers, working on Language Arts curriculum, and evaluating instructional practices and policies.

Lugo-Flesher, Teena

Teena Lugo-Flesher is an instructor and a supervisor of student teachers within the College of Teacher Education and Leadership Department at ASU, West campus. Teena received her Master's Degree from NAU and her Bachelor's degree from ASU at the West campus. She taught regular elementary education as well as gifted students for several years. Teena also currently works as a Gifted Specialist in several local school districts. view/hide comments

Pat Blankenship from Phoenix Union: “Clear, concise, and ideas can be used to help both high and low students. Every grade level /content area can use these ideas.”

Barbara Grandinetti from PEC: ”Outstanding as is every workshop you do.”

Jaye Thompson from Cartwright: “Teena is excellent!!”

Janin Polcovich from TUHSD: “Students enjoy making and learning from foldables just like the instructors! Foldables can be adapted for all content areas and grade levels. Great job!”

Lynn Moore from Coolidge: “You are fabulous. I will be back for another class with you! We learn better when we are ‘doing’ something. All aged children can enjoy these helpful organizers. Gifted students can do these for extra challenges!”

Katharine Chambers from Dysart: “Learning by doing was extremely beneficial. I will take the foldables and incorporate them into all subjects. Everything was great!”

Matheson, Mary

Mary Matheson has worked with educators across the United States from the five Boroughs of New York City to the Desert Southwest. She has worked as a Biology and Chemistry teacher for ten years and as an instructional specialist for 8 years, providing district wide professional development, working with teachers and administrators in public and private schools across the country. Mary has created her own educational consulting business and provides professional development that has direct classroom application, allows for teacher collaboration, and is designed with the teacher in mind. Mary earned her Master of Arts in Education and her Bachelor of Arts in Biology. view/hide comments

Barbara Grandinetti from PEC: “Outstanding, beneficial workshop. Thank you.”

Anonymous from Tolleson Elementary: “Mary is awesome. I really enjoyed her presentation and the way she actively engaged all of us in the learning.”

Anonymous: “Mary was great. She was very interactive, effective, and personable. I plan on presenting this information to my grade level and possibly to our whole staff.”

Lynn Duffy from Tolleson: “Mary is a highly effective instructor who uses excellent instructional practices.”

Donna Drew from Dysart: “I really enjoyed the instructor. Her information was applicable to our students.”

Miranda, Shona

Shona Miranda is currently a principal at Raymond S. Kellis High in the Peoria Unified School District. Shona has been involved in education for the last 16 years in the following capacities: Language Arts teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. She has earned her bachelor’s degree in English and History and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Shona's greatest desires are to help teachers better prepare for quality classroom instruction and motivate students by creating authentic writing experiences across all content areas. The workshop Write Right! is created from her own teaching experience and knowledge as a classroom teacher, an evaluating administrator, and a student of the English language. In her free time Shona is an outdoor enthusiast and loves hiking and camping with her family. view/hide comments

Alyssa Seivert from Litchfield: “I love your enthusiasm and communication skills. I really enjoyed this workshop! Thank you!”

Brittany Chesley: “I love that we are leaving with great ideas that we can use in any content area, and they work well! Very effective!”

Liz Mesler: “I enjoyed being the student in the modeling activities. I also loved picking your brain!”

Mostofo, Jim

Jim Mostofo is a full-time clinical instructor at ASU who works with new teachers by providing clinical support in the classroom. His specialty includes teaching teachers in the areas of math education and instructional practices. He has 17 years of teaching experience from grades 7-12 in math. With two Master’s degrees from NAU, he has conducted many workshops for new teachers and mentored teachers for the past ten years. The math achievement of his students is among the highest, and he enjoys working with other teachers to reach their goals as educators. view/hide comments

Megan Alle from Murphy: “The modeling and explanations were excellent! They helped to show how this method can work so well. You did an excellent job presenting and modeling the lessons. Well done!”

Theresa Levine from Avondale: “Very effective.”

Wendy Agersea: “Very effective. I would take another workshop from Jim Mostofo!”

Gwen Barlow from Osborn: “Very good modeling of lesson as it was very clear and easy to learn from. I like the candor, clear philosophy, and positioning. Fast-paced, easy to follow.”

Catherine Shepp from Leona Group: “Thank you. I will recommend this to fellow teachers at my school.”

Melany Willekens from TESD: “This workshop was a great, fast-paced demonstration of specific principles on how to improve my teaching and increase student learning.”

Diana Given from TUHSD: “Excellent workshop. I can take these methods back and use them immediately. Great job! Time flew by. It was very engaging. Teach more workshops!”

Mary Schlatter from North Pointe Preparatory: “I big fat PASSED!!!! Thank you for helping me prepare for the class. Your class was super helpful as it was so similar to what the exam asked for!”

Scott Warner of Anthem: “I’m an alternative pathway teacher who started his second career as a 7th grade math teacher this year. I needed to become highly qualified to teach math for the masters/certification program that I’m in at ASU. It’s safe to say that I had had about a 25 year break between math classes. Jim’s workshops were perfectly paced to reawaken some long dormant math skills. It demanded my full attention for both sessions, and his study guide was stellar. What was even more important to me is that Jim made me believe that I would pass the test. I went into the AEPA Mathematics 010 test with a confidant attitude I wouldn’t have had if I had not taken the class, and it paid off with a passing score! I would highly recommend Jim’s workshops to anyone who wants to pass the AEPA math test and have already recommended it to a few friends myself.”

Nancy Donnellan: “A big WHEW!!! And an even bigger WOOHOO!!! I passed! I know your review class helped me! I had forgotten some of the things you reviewed so it was a great refresher. Plus it was similar to the test. It definitely helped me pass the test!”

Megan Miller from PESD: “Very helpful and well worth the time and money!”

Stephanie Huckins: “I passed my test...yea!!! Thanks for your class and your extra help. Without it, I don't think I would have done as well. Thanks again :) ”

Panneton, Teresa

Teresa Panneton earned her Bachelor's degree from ASU at the West campus in Elementary Education. Teresa taught a variety of ability levels with students at each grade level. After receiving her Master's degree in Educational Administration, she joined the College of Teacher Education and Leadership as a Supervisor of student teachers. Teresa also enjoys teaching various courses for the University. view/hide comments

David Agresto from Imagine Schools: “Extremely knowledgeable and effective in disseminating the information effectively.” Tina Gartland of TD #3: “Excellent workshop. I came away with strategies I can use right away.”

Stacy Marcinka from Cartwright: Great job. Thank you! I will try many of the new strategies.”

Breanne Sinclair of LESD: “Teresa was great! Very energetic and allowed for a lot of participation.”

Anonymous from Tempe: “Well-run, very interactive workshop. Great enthusiasm and highly beneficial!”

Anonymous from Maricopa: “I realize now I have all the tools. I just need to decide what to do and keep trying different things. Thank you very much!”

Prior, Jennifer (Ph.D.)

Jennifer Prior completed her doctor of philosophy degree in the Early Childhood program at the ASU Tempe campus and is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education with Northern Arizona University. She is the coordinator of the NAU east valley teacher preparation program in Phoenix. Together, Dr. Prior and Dr. Maureen Gerard have authored three texts and continue to collaborate and research together. One of these publications is with the International Reading Association, Environmental Print in the Classroom, Meaningful Connections for Learning to Read. Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education was published by Thomson Delmar in 2006.

Rillero, Peter (Ph.D.)

Dr. Peter Rillero has been involved in education for the last twenty four years as a high school science teacher, technical teacher trainer for cross cultural training in Kenya for the U.S. Peace Corps, and author and co-author of several science books. He is a visiting professor abroad and is currently an associate professor and Department Chair of the Secondary Education Department at ASU College of Teacher Education and Leadership. Dr. Rillero has a Ph.D. in Science Education, a M.A. in Biology, and a M.A. in Science Education.

Robinson, Debbie

Debbie Robinson earned her B.A. at BYU and her Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Chapman University. Debbie taught high school Language Arts, served on curriculum development committees, and worked closely with the SPE students. Since 1998, her love is supervising student teachers for ASU, West campus, as she realizes the impact they will have on students for years to come. Her specialty is in training mentors of student teachers and is also the coordinator of Learning Forever with ASU. view/hide comments

Vanessa Leavitt from Paradise Valley: It was helpful to hear other teachers’ experiences and discuss how to prevent possible problems with student teachers prior to a situation. Pleasant, to the point, helpful questioning strategies, and loved the shared experiences.”

Todd Watson of PUSD: “The input and insight I received gave me specific strategies and conceptual ideas to take back with me. As always, I will grow from the information I’ve gained. Well done, Debbie!”

Mia DeLaRosa from Alhambra: “Debbie is an excellent facilitator! I learned as much from the content as I did from the process/management. Thanks!”

Karen McGuiness from Alhambra: “It’s refreshing for an instructor to treat us with such absolute professionalism. Thank you! And she made sure we understood and felt comfortable with each area of the assessment.”

Annette McConnell from the Diocese of Phoenix: “Mrs. Robinson is welcoming, organized, enthusiastic, approachable, professional, and informative. She is very efficient and thorough in her content knowledge and her ability to meet objectives.”

Taylor, Wendy

Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., is a former library media specialist with the Madison School District where she served as a technology liaison and led district professional development workshops. Wendy, a full time lecturer for the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at Arizona State University, teaches courses in computer literacy and technology integration across the curriculum. She envisions technology as a tool that motivates, inspires, and supports students to reach higher levels of achievement. view/hide comments

Norma Jean McCarthy from ASU: “I will definitely take additional workshops from this instructor!”

Julie Dubay from Buckeye Union: “Wendy is an awesome teacher--- so patient and knowledgeable! I will use all that I learned in this workshop to apply to any and all lesson plans. I see so many ways to use this knowledge and to have students use it?

Judy Geant from Tolleson Elementary: “Wendy was very patient and helpful. She was willing to slow down or restate how to complete tasks. I am going home to continue working on my video. I feel it will be a great ‘getting to know your teacher’ media presentation.”

Jane Koval from Paradise Valley: “Great instruction. Warm, friendly, and an advocate of education.”

Anonymous: “I will take back this awesome info to my school to discuss how we can use it in our school. Great job!”

Tompkins, Philip (Ed.D.)

Dr. Philip Tompkins is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Arizona State University. As an educator for the last 11 years, Dr. Tompkins graduated from UCLA with his doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. He has facilitated and taught thousands of students and fellow educators. Dr. Tompkins is a certified Strength Development Trainer and has worked extensively in helping individuals and educational organizations learn how to best share their leadership and apply their talents.

Warren, Gina

Gina Warren is a full-time clinical instructor at ASU who works with new teachers by providing clinical support in the classroom. She teaches courses in special education professional practices, curriculum and methods, assessment, and educational research. Gina taught math in a high school resource classroom for students with learning disabilities and worked as an instructional coach for high school teachers. She is a graduate of ASU with a B.A. in special education and a M.A. in early childhood special education. Gina's area of passion and interest in education is providing quality, exceptional mathematics education to all students. view/hide comments

Kristina Crawford from Dysart: “Great seminar! I will implement the strategies taught to ensure comprehension for all learners!”

Anonymous: “Excellent workshop with useful material. You were very clear in providing explanations and were easy to follow. I learned a lot!”

Barbara Grandinetti of Paradise Education Center: “Excellent variety of ideas and use of manipulatives. Extemely beneficial workshop. Useful to new and experienced teachers!”

Elizabeth Dawson of Pendergast: “Playing all of the games will help me remember them and bring them back to my students. Good job!”

Susan Holtgrewe from Tolleson Elementary School District: “Excellent… will recommend to other teachers!”