Welcome Message from the Ed.D. Program Director
Dear Ed.D. Community,
Wow! We have concluded the Spring ’25 semester and are already in the midst of our intensive summer term. This newsletter celebrates our extraordinary Ed.D. community and highlights some of our recent happenings.
Although we highlighted the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting in our last newsletter, now that the experience is behind us and we have the photos to prove it, I want to share a bit more about how our students, alumni, and faculty participated. While in Denver at the conference, I was able to attend most of the sessions featuring SF State presenters, and (not that I’m biased!) without exception, the research from our community stood out as the strongest or among the best in every room.
What struck me most about our doctoral students and alumni, who were often the most junior scholars in their sessions, was the clarity and power of their presentations. They shared rigorous research with poise, highlighting their findings and analysis and providing actionable recommendations to drive systemic change. Their ability to cut to the heart of the matter, name the takeaways, and show why their work matters consistently sets them apart. In several sessions, they also stepped into leadership roles, gracefully filling in as chairs when needed. Carmen Madden, for example, guided her panel with such clarity that her fellow presenters immediately turned to her for direction.
I also want to recognize the joy and depth of this year’s graduation celebration on May 10, 2025. Our speakers this year were truly outstanding. Keynote speaker, Associate Professor April Baker-Bell of the University of Michigan, opened with a speech that, in part, highlighted the radical and groundbreaking work of each of our graduates. Dr. Omar Currie followed with a brilliant address that blended memoir, policy, passion, and leadership, mixing pathos with humor in just the right measure. Then Dr. Alvin “Goobs” Gubatina brought it all home. After a centering meditation, his speech was personal, vulnerable, authentic, and overflowing with gratitude and a vision for a future that is more just for all. After these formal remarks, each graduate had two or three people who have been their supports do the honors of placing the doctoral hood over their shoulders. Having a ceremony, featuring family, faculty, close friends, and mentors on our center stage, was a beautiful and personal way to honor each scholar’s path.
Looking ahead, Violet and I have moved our summer AERA writing workshops to Wednesday afternoons (via Zoom) instead of Saturdays, to give students a bit of a break, given the long weekends on Zoom for our courses. The sessions will be held on Wednesdays before each class weekend (June 11, June 25, and July 9) and are designed to help you stay accountable, get feedback, and work toward strong proposals ready to submit for AERA 2026 in Los Angeles.
In this issue, you’ll also find features on Dr. Lauren Sneed, Dr. Jamie Chan, and Dr. Shanice Robinson—three powerful examples of scholar-practitioners whose work continues to make an impact.
Barbara Henderson, Ph.D.
Director of the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at San Francisco State University
Ed.D. Recognition Ceremony 2025
The Ed.D. Recognition Ceremony took place on May 10, 2025. It opened with a warm welcome from Dr. Barbara Henderson, Director of the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program, followed by an address from Dr. Cynthia Grutzik, Dean of the Graduate College of Education. The keynote was delivered by Professor April Baker-Bell of the University of Michigan.
Dr. Omar Currie shared remarks as the Distinguished Student Scholar, and Dr. Alvin Gubatina delivered the Elected Doctoral Address. After the hooding of doctoral graduates, the celebration concluded with a reception for faculty, scholars, and guests.
Ed.D. Presence at AERA 2025
Ed.D. students, alumni, and faculty had a strong presence at this year’s American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting that took place April 23–27, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. This year’s conference theme is “Research, Remedy, and Repair: Toward Just Education Renewal.”
Numerous members of the SFSU Ed.D. community, including faculty, alumni, and current students, presented at the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting. Tenure-line and lecturer faculty presenters included Bianca Licata, Daniel Meier, Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, Corrine Aramburo, Maria Zavala, Barbara Henderson, Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Grace Yoo, and Alex Mejia. Also presenting were Isauro Escamilla and Arlene Daus-Magbual, both Ed.D. alumni and tenure-line faculty members, along with Ruby Turalba Khalid, Violet Ballard, Shanice Robinson, and recent grad, Lauren Sneed, who are all Ed.D. alumni and lecturer faculty members at SF State. Additional alumni presenters included Cathy Aragon, Sara Marcopolos, and Chu Hsi Tseng, all recent grads from Cohort 16. Current Cohort 17 students Carmen Madden and Sarah Stein also shared their research at the conference. Congratulations to all who presented!
Unedited Conversation: Dr. Lauren Sneed
In this episode of Unedited Conversation, I sit down with Dr. Lauren Sneed, who recently defended her dissertation, (Re)Defining Freedom: Black Scholars’ Prison-to-University Pathways (PUP) through a Counseling Lens. Dr. Sneed shares the life experiences that led her to this work at the intersection of education, counseling, and social justice. We explore her research on the school-to-prison pipeline and how the political climate shaped her thinking and activism.
What makes Dr. Sneed’s work especially powerful is how she centers the voices of system-impacted Black men—not only in her dissertation, but also in our conversation. She shared an audio clip during the episode to amplify the voice of her participants.
As a faculty lecturer in SFSU’s Department of Counseling and a fierce advocate for youth navigating complex systems, Dr. Sneed embodies scholarship rooted in compassion, cultural humility, and community..
Listen To Dr. Lauren Sneed Here
Ed.D. Community Accomplishments
Dr. Jamie Chan (‘23) Honored for Campus-Community Collaboration + Planet Bee Featured on NBC
Congratulations to Dr. Jamie Chan, who was recently awarded the Community Partnership Award for Campus Collaboration by the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE) at San Francisco State University (SFSU). ICCE supports service learning, civic engagement, and community-based research that connects SFSU students with local communities through meaningful partnerships. Jamie’s recognition highlights her deep commitment to creating impactful, equity-centered collaborations that bridge the university and the broader Bay Area.
In addition to this honor, Jamie’s nonprofit, Planet Bee Foundation, was recently featured on NBC Bay Area’s Climate in Crisis series for their innovative environmental education programs in K–12 schools.
🔗 Watch the segment here
Planet Bee also received a $10,000 corporate grant to pilot a new STEM curriculum integrating coding and conservation. This exciting program was co-developed by Dr. Chan and her ICCE College Corps student fellows at SFSU.
Dr. Shanice Robinson (‘24) Publishes The Gangster’s Scholar
Congratulations to Dr. Robinson on the publication of her debut book, The Gangster’s Scholar: Love Behind Bars—a powerful narrative exploring love, justice, and transformation within the carceral system.
🔗 View the book on Amazon
Since completing her dissertation in Fall 2023, Shanice has expanded her teaching into San Francisco County Jail and Juvenile Hall, while continuing to serve as faculty at SFSU, DVC, and CCSF.
She’ll soon appear in a KQED interview, host book signings across Contra Costa County and Barnes & Noble, and is preparing for a local radio feature. Shanice is also nearing completion of a paralegal studies program, with plans to launch a legal consulting firm to support system-impacted individuals.
Dr. Isabel Reichert (‘25) Joins Ohlone College as Professor
Congratulations to Dr. Reichert on her new role as Assistant Professor of Digital Arts and Interactive Design at Ohlone College. Wishing her the best in this exciting new position!
Coron Brinson (‘26) Named Assistant Principal of the Year
Congratulations to Coron Brinson, assistant principal at Skyline High School, who was recognized by the Oakland Unified School District’s Office of Equity as Assistant Principal of the Year for the entire district. This honor was announced during the 24th Annual Oscar Wright African American Academic Excellence Celebration, a cherished event that uplifts Black student achievement across OUSD. For more on the celebration and Coron’s recognition, read the full article here.
Professional Growth Opportunities
Community-Based Design Research Methods (Hosted by Stanford)
Stanford University is offering a virtual summer research training designed to equip scholars and students with community-based design research methods that bridge academic inquiry and community collaboration.
Led by Dr. Megan Bang, this four-part seminar Community-Based Design Research Methods: Co-Designing Transformative Research with Families and Communities will take place virtually on June 17, 19, 24, and 26 from 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM (PT)
🔗 Register here or scan the QR code on the attached flyer.
About Us
The SF State Educational Leadership Doctoral Program prepares educational leaders who envision and lead social justice reform for California public education from early childhood through community college.
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