Academic Credentials

Ed.D. in Educational Administration and Policy, University of Minnesota; M.Ed. in Educational Administration, University of North Texas; B.S. in Exceptional Student Education and Elementary Education. B.S., Syracuse University.

Bio

Dr. Baldanza is a life-long educator and transformational leader. She is a recognized turnaround expert and has committed her career to changing outcomes in Title I schools for more than 20 years. Dr. Baldanza works to improve equity and access for under-resourced communities. She has received recognition for her turnaround work moving failing schools to achieving schools through transforming culture; creating protocols for collaborative faculty learning; and funding schools more fairly. Dr. Baldanza now shares that knowledge with others who aspire to innovate the future of teaching and learning. Dr. Baldanza has served as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent in large and small districts around the country. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, teenage son, and two dogs.

Teaching Areas

Introduction to Education: Teaching and Learning (M.Ed.) Challenges of Leadership: Conflict and Crisis Management (Ed.D.)

Research Interests

Equitable School Funding Teachers as Leaders

Publications

Professional Practices for the 21st Century Leader and EmpowerED3.2.1 […]

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Academic Credentials

Ph.D. in Education, George Mason University; Masters in Special Education, George Mason University; Autism Certificate, George Mason University; BS in Marketing Management, Virginia Tech

Bio

I am passionate about serving God and using my gifts and talents to improve the lives of families and students with disabilities. I love research and sharing best practices with teachers and pre-service teachers. I especially enjoy working with families to help them gain a better understanding of their child’s needs and interventions that will help them. I’m a mother of an adult child with an autism spectrum disorder, a high school son, and two stepchildren. I love to travel with my husband. Fun Fact: When traveling in Mostar, Bosnia, my husband and I had coffee with a fighter from the Bosnian war and learned firsthand his experiences and atrocities.

Teaching Areas

Special Education, Mathematics

Research Interests

Family Collaboration, Evidence-Based Practices

Publications

Creighton Thompson, C. & Hauth, C., (2015). The Survival Guide for NEW special education teachers. Council for Exceptional Children. […]

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Academic Credentials

PhD in Education Policy, George Mason University; Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Vermont; Bachelor of Science, Education, University of Vermont

Bio

Linda J. Mann holds a PhD in Education Policy from George Mason University. Mann currently serves as the Executive Director for the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at Northeastern University’s School of Law. In 2018 Mann was awarded an Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability fellowship with Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR). Following her fellowship, she continued to work for ISHR establishing a U.S. African American Redress Network in collaboration with Howard University. Mann also served as Director of Clinical Experiences at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. Mann’s research focuses on the intersection of race, history and restorative justice policymaking. Mann previously worked for the Georgetown Memory Project and the American Educational Research Association. She is a veteran educator, a conflict resolution specialist and a 20+ year grass-roots organizer. Mann loves to kayak, run, hike and play outdoors with her dog Sunny.

Teaching Areas

Social Studies K-12; specialization in U.S. History and African American Studies, Ethics & Social Justice

Research Interests

The potential of restorative justice for U.S. Historical Wrongdoings

Publications

Mann, L. (2021). Unfulfilled restorative justice: Prince Edward County, Virginia and the Brown scholarship fund in Past/Present: Time, Memory, and the Negotiation of Historical Justice (invited). Routledge. In print Pellegrino, A., Mann, L., Russell, W., (February/March 2013). To Lift As We Climb: A Textbook Analysis of the Segregated School Experience. The High School Journal 96(3), 209-231. […]

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Academic Credentials

Ed.D. in K-12 School Leadership, Regent University; M.Ed. in Special Education, Marymount University; B.S. in Social Psychology, Park University

Bio

“Nicci T. Dowd, Ed.D. is a Marymount University alumna and an Assistant Professor for the School of Education. Dr. Dowd has worked as a Language Arts and Learning Strategies middle school and high school special education teacher. She enjoys raising awareness about community resources for students with disabilities and their families. Dr. Dowd is passionate about exploring barriers related to diversity, equity and inclusion in education and the community. Additionally, she collaborates with community stakeholders to identify recommendations for facilitating diversity in education and the community. She serves as a board member on several boards including the Arc of Northern Virginia, the Autism Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV), and the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE).
In her spare time, Dr. Dowd enjoys spending time with her family, grilling and relaxing on her front porch with her dog (Chuck Norris)!

Teaching Areas

Special Education: Foundations and Characteristics, Diagnostic and Corrective Literacy

Research Interests

Support for African American Males with Disabilities and their Families; Development of support programs for students with Autism; Development of support programs for Adults with Disabilities; and Diversity and Inclusion for Technology in Education.

 

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