OUR LEADERSHIP
I support DU with:
- Policies and practices to support holistic faculty development at all career stages
- Strategic vision to improve student learning, practices in teaching, course design, curriculum development, and assessment
- Initiatives informed by research and promising higher education practices
My Job: In my roles as Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs and Faculty Director of the OTL, I advance and support campus-wide and unit-based programs that amplify the educational mission of the University; initiate and sustain partnerships with academic units to foster engaged teaching and learning; use innovative strategies to deepen the pedagogical knowledge and teaching effectiveness of DU faculty; and create and facilitate a holistic faculty professional development plan.
My Background: As a proud member of the DU community for the past 12 years and counting, I love engaging in initiatives that spark connection across students, staff, and faculty. During my past presidency of Faculty Senate (2016-2018), I collaborated with colleagues on strengthening faculty development initiatives and creating opportunities for faculty to lead institutional change. This experience kindled my love for leadership – an area that I never knew I would enjoy so much! As Associate Professor of Communication Studies, my research examines critical intercultural communication, and my teaching portfolio covers topics about education and change, cultural memory and imagination, and food culture. One of my greatest joys is bearing witness to the inspiring journeys of students and colleagueswho continually teach me how to learn, grow, and thrive.
When I’m not at work: I am a flavor-forward foodie, home-making homebody, perennial and veggie gardener, flower paparazzi, and pleasure-seeking nerd. Depending upon the season and the mood, I love experimenting with recipes (especially fresh ingredients from my garden), practicing Yin yoga, finding adventure and beauty through travel, and enjoying the company of friends and family.
Leslie Cramblet Alvarez
Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning
Phone:
Email: Leslie.Alvarez@du.edu
I support DU with:
- Leadership of the Office of Teaching and Learning
- Promoting excellence in teaching, learning, and assessment across DU
- Cultivating a strategic vision for the OTL
My Job: As Director of the Office of Teaching and Learning, I report to the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs whose office promotes faculty success and well-being in four key areas: faculty development, teaching and learning, faculty relations, and faculty life cycles. As OTL director, I provide strategic guidance for the office and nurture the OTL team’s growth and success. A thriving OTL serves faculty as life-long learners which, ultimately, supports student achievement. Critical to my work is promoting initiatives that advance the university’s educational mission and dedication to inclusive excellence. I represent the OTL at all levels of the university through collaborative relationships and committee service (CFAB, ITAC, OTL Advisory board).
My Background: As a new member of the DU family, I am excited to join this vibrant and productive community of scholars.
I have a PhD in Educational Psychology, Learning and Instruction from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. I spent the last 13 years as a faculty member, earning full professor, in the psychology department at Adams State University, a Hispanic-serving Institution in rural southern Colorado. As an Educational Psychologist, my interests generally focus on the confluence of psychology and educational practice. This led to a part time administrative appointment which culminated in founding a Center for Teaching and Learning funded by a Title V grant.
My early research agenda focused on achievement motivation and goal orientation. Since, my interests have broadened to include replication, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and gender and diversity, in particular the representation of women in the psychology curriculum. I have served as a Faculty Senator and a department chair and had a leadership role in a number of campus wide initiatives including Faculty Handbook policy reform, HLC reaffirmation of accreditation, and general education curriculum redesign. My service commitments have ranged from Faculty Senator, to President of the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association, to Regional Vice president for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
As an educator and researcher I am passionate about advancing inclusion and equity, open science practices, and interrogating the inclusivity of the psychology curriculum. Now, as the OTL Director, I am enthusiastic about drawing from my identity as a scholar to support faculty growth and development full time.
When I’m not at work: I’m enjoying my husband and son, skiing, playing outside, or planning a trip. I am a lover but inconsistent practitioner of yoga and meditation and have been a yoga instructor since 2013.
OUR DIRECTORS
Virginia Pitts
Director of University Teaching
Phone: 303-871-3291
Email: Virginia.Pitts@du.edu
Portfolio: http://portfolio.du.edu/vpitts
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Designing for significant learning
- Student motivation and engagement
- Student-faculty partnerships
- Project-based learning
- Design thinking
My Job: I support faculty, students and other DU community members in learning and working together to create more engaging, inclusive, learning-rich experiences for DU students. As part of that work, I facilitate DU’s student-faculty partnership program, in which students and faculty members work together to explore student learning and engagement in the classroom. I also lead DU’s Course Design Institute, which bring faculty members together to learn from and with each other as they design courses to have a lasting, meaningful impact on students’ lives.
My Background: I’ve had an eclectic career-path, but the common thread is learning, motivation, and design. It started with a degree in Industrial Engineering, followed by 11 years as a change management consultant with Accenture, followed by a PhD at Northwestern University in Learning Sciences (which focused on learning and motivation in social contexts and the design of innovative, research-based learning environments). After receiving my PhD, I did a two-year post-doctoral fellowship studying instructional leadership in schools and the ways in which it is shared among members of a school community. I then spent four years working with National Geographic Education Programs as a professional development consultant, and teaching courses at Regis University and CU-Denver for educators pursuing their master’s degrees. I came to DU in February 2013.
When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending as much time as I can outdoors – taking long walks with our dog Molly, relaxing in the backyard with a good book, or exploring a mountain trail. My partner Brian and I also really enjoy exploring the neighborhoods around Denver and discovering new coffee shops, breweries, or restaurants (there’s so much here!).
Other Links:
My DU Portfolio page
Christina H Paguyo
Director of Academic Assessment
Phone: 303-871-6012
Email: Christina.Paguyo@du.edu
Portfolio: http://portfolio.du.edu/
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Accreditation
- Curricular renewal
- Program assessment
- Program evaluation
My Job: is an academic DJ who choreographs assessment in harmony with the everyday work of faculty and staff. On any given day, you will find me delivering consultations and facilitating Meetups about meaningful and manageable assessment, or designing institutes to help units develop a strategic plan for curricular renewal, or training faculty to serve as assessment consultants. I enjoy collaborating with colleagues to amplify the amazing work we do at DU, and I love helping staff and faculty discover the transformative potential of assessment!
My Background: Over the course of my 15-year career, I have led equity-oriented initiatives in student affairs units, coordinated PR campaigns for government agencies, acquired over $2 million dollars in education research grant monies, and co-authored publications about designing robust learning environments. From the University of Colorado Boulder I earned my PhD in education policy, and from Colorado State University I attained my MEd in counseling and BA in English. Notwithstanding the diversity of my work experiences, the ballast of my professional trajectory is composed from a long-standing passion to help people thrive and learn with their head, hands, and hearts.
When I’m not at work: In my moonlighting hours, I am the principal investigator and founder of Data Luminaries, a small boutique firm through which I conduct external evaluations. My hobbies include singing karaoke, practicing yoga, traveling with my life partner of 20 years, and cuddling with Licorice, my 100-lb spirit animal we adopted from a non-profit organization.
Other Links:
My DU Portfolio
www.dataluminaries.com
Karen Weller Swanson
Director of Faculty Learning Groups & Scholarship
Phone: 303-871-2993
Email: Karen.Swanson@du.edu
Portfolio: http://portfolio.du.edu/Karen.Swanson
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- Faculty learning communities
- Teaching consultations
My Job: My position supports the development of and support for faculty learning communities on a variety of topics. I consult with faculty to design courses which are based on evidence-based best practices.
My Background: I have an Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Arizona University as well as a Master’s in Secondary Education and a Bachelor’s in Biology. I have been a teacher for 25 years with 15 of those in higher education. I was an Assistant Professor at George Mason University teaching in the Initiatives in Educational Transformation Program. I most recently was an Associate Professor at Mercer University in Atlanta where I was the director of the PhD Curriculum and Instruction Program and the chair of four regional academic centers for the Tift College of Education.
When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family in Colorado Springs, writing on Cognitive Apprenticeship, and planning trips home to Montana.
Other Links:
See upcoming OTL Events
My Google Scholar
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Valentina Iturbe-LaGrave
Director of Inclusive Teaching Practices
Phone: 303-871-4437
Email: Valentina.Iturbe-LaGrave@du.edu
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Comprehensive research-based faculty consultations to assess, design, and implement inclusive pedagogical practices across all disciplines of study and learning environments.
- Creating and providing formative resources aligned with best practices in inclusive pedagogy to faculty and academic administrators following critical incidents in learning environments.
- Addressing critical aspects of course design, classroom management, and assessment of teaching and learning to best align with best practices in inclusive pedagogy.
- Real-time collaborations with academic leaders and partnering offices across campus (e.g., ODI, EOIX, CLIE) to develop and/or update faculty supports around specific campus incidents that may arise, and for which there are no existing up-to-date resources.
- Serving on and consulting with search committees related to the advancement of Inclusive Excellence at DU.
My Job: I provide proactive and responsive leadership, direction, and programming that advances the University of Denver’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence and Inclusive Pedagogy. I create, implement, and assess strategic faculty development opportunities; online resources; and consultations for faculty members, academic administrators, academic departments, and allied offices.
When I’m not at work, I am cooking and baking recipes from around the world, reading non-fiction, traveling with my husband and our four children, playing piano, raising awareness about pediatric cancer, and doing Bikram yoga!
Other Links:
Visit my website
National Science Foundation
Name
Director, Faculty Development & Career Advancement
We are currently searching for candidates. If you are interested in joining us, click here for more information Click here!
OUR INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Terri Johnson
Faculty Developer of Learning Initiatives
Phone: 303-871-7884
Email: Terri.Johnson@du.edu
Portfolio: http://portfolio.du.edu/Terri.Johnson
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Online teaching and learning
- Course design and development
- Teaching strategies
My Job: As an instructional designer, there are a number of ways I support faculty. I share best practices by facilitating the Teaching Online Short Course several times a year. I also co-teach Teaching@DU: A Short Course for New Faculty, which helps faculty that are new to campus learn about the resources available at DU as well as offering effective teaching strategies. I design our OTL newsletter so that faculty and staff across campus are informed about the variety of events and resources we offer here at the OTL. I am also available to meet with faculty for consultations around designing their courses and improving student outcomes.
My Background: I have a BA from Smith College and a MPS in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver. I have worked at the University of Denver in a variety of both student- and faculty-focused roles since 2006. My experiences as a student, staff member, and instructional designer have given me a unique and well-rounded perspective on effective teaching practices.
When I’m not at work, I’m often playing with my son and my cats. I also like to discover new restaurants in the Denver area.
Other Links:
View upcoming Teaching Online Short Course sessions
Check out the Course Design Repository
Heather Tobin
Faculty Developer of Integrative Learning
Phone: 303-871-2951
Email: Heather.Tobin@du.edu
Portfolio: http://portfolio.du.edu/htobin3
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Integrative learning
- High Impact Practices (HIPs)
- Reflective ePortfolios (and DU Portfolio)
- General course design
- Teaching strategies
- Visual design for learning
My Job: I collaborate with OTL staff members and university faculty to develop and lead trainings, workshops, and integrative learning programs and initiatives. I consult with faculty members and departments providing tools to improve student experiences and learning outcomes. I also manage the departmental website and create branding and marketing materials to enhance campus awareness of the OTL.
My Background: I have been working and teaching in higher education settings both online and face-to-face since 2002. I hold an MS in Higher Education with a specific focus on teaching and learning. As supplements to my Master’s degree, I completed additional graduate level coursework in General Psychology in Chicago, and a graduate certificate of completion in Organizational Training and Instructional Design at CSU. I am currently pursuing my EdD in Curriculum & Instruction with Morgridge College of Education at DU.
When I’m not at work, I’m typically either camping with friends and family, checking out a new craft cocktail spot, or watching Sci-Fi movies.
Other Links:
View my DU Portfolio
Check out the OTL ePortfolio Project site
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Tobin, H. (2018). Five Ways to Use ePortfolios for Reflection. The Teaching Professor.
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Kaltura Video Management
- ZOOM Video Conference
- Instructional Video
- Interactivity Design
- Website Design
My Job: My new position as an IT consultant is very focused on instructional video design and technologies. I serve as the primary Kaltura administrator providing support and training.
My Background: I have worked at DU since 2002.
Other Links:
Check out my upcoming Kaltura or ZOOM training sessions
My DU Portfolio page
OTL Ed-Tech Knowledge Base
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Christine Hood
Graduate Assistant
I support DU faculty and staff with:
- Direct support to the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs
My Background: I went to Grinnell college, a teeny tiny liberal arts school in Iowa, for my undergrad where I majored in political science and psychology with a policy studies concentration. While at Grinnell, I won a grant to implement foreign language in the local elementary school. Throughout my undergraduate years, I played varsity volleyball and was the executive director of a lounge focused on wellness and mental health! After undergrad, I worked at a public middle school in south Dallas for two years. During my first years as a teacher I earned my Master’s of Science in secondary mathematics education from Johns Hopkins University. I am now a first-year Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Morgridge College of Education at DU focusing on urban mathematics.
When I’m not at work, I am honestly usually studying or reading! However, when I do get that nugget of time to myself I love to workout, hike, play volleyball, and snuggle my dog. My Friends and family are my world, especially my 8-year-old niece and 6-year-old nephew!
OUR PARTNERS
Paul Michalec
2018-2019 Faculty Fellow
2019-2020 Faculty Fellow
Clinical Professor in the Morgridge College of Education
Email: paul.michalec@du.edu
