New Faculty, Staff and Promotions for Fall 2019

The College of Education is excited to welcome the new faculty and staff members joining us for the fall semester!

Faculty

Dr. Eric Felix
Assistant Professor, ARPE 

Eric’s areas of expertise include higher education policy implementation, community college reform, issues of racial equity and critical policy analysis. He earned his Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. This past year he has been in a postdoctoral role with the Center for Urban Education. A native of Anaheim, Eric is a first-generation college student and a proud graduate of the California State University system, attending Cal State Fullerton for his bachelor's degree and San Diego State for his master’s. He has traveled to 41 states — most of them by car, driving from California to Iowa then New York, and back!

Dr. Nicholas Johnson 
Assistant Professor, STE 

Nick’s research centers on how people learn and mathematics education. Nick earned his Ph.D. in education in the division of Urban Schooling at UCLA, where he was a recipient of the National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship. His advisor was Dr. Megan Franke. He is a former elementary school teacher, instructional coach and county office coordinator, and is co-author of Young Children’s Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction in Early Childhood Education. A native of San Clemente, Calif., Nick worked at his college radio station as an undergrad, where he met his spouse and developed an unhealthy obsession with vinyl records.

Dr. Katheryne Leigh-Osroosh 
Assistant Professor, CSP 

Katy examines experiences of cultural identity silencing and decolonizing education through school counseling practice. She is an active member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Association for Counseling Supervision and Education (ACES), and the Society of Indian Psychologists (SIP). Katy received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and her M.Ed. from the University at Buffalo. She also has two years of professional experience as an elementary school counselor for the Saint Louis Public School District, and one year as visiting faculty at the University of Montana. Originally from Jamestown, NY, Katy enjoys dancing (hip-hop and house), hiking and Tai Chi.

Dr. Sonia Peterson 
Assistant Professor, ARPE 

Sonia’s areas of interest are disability policy, recovery-oriented mental health services and evidence-based vocational counseling interventions for individuals with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. She worked for the California Department of Rehabilitation as a counselor for eight years in the Oakland area, a supervisor in San Francisco, and then district manager in San Diego before returning to school to earn her Ph.D. at the University of Arizona in 2014. Sonia has been connected with ARPE and the Interwork Institute since attending supervisor training in 2005. She went on to earn a certificate in rehabilitation administration here and has been teaching as an adjunct faculty member in ARPE since 2011. The native of Sioux Falls, S.D. is a member of the Finest City Squares club, which dances every Wednesday night in Balboa Park. Sonia invites you to join her to learn how to square dance!

Staff 

Rachel Fine
Assistant to the Senior Associate Dean 

Rachel is the new assistant to Senior Associate Dean Karen Myers-Bowman. A San Diego native, Rachel received a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in children’s literature from SDSU. For the past two years, she has worked as the department coordinator for the Department of Sociology. Outside of work, she enjoys reading and library book sales; going to local street fairs, art walks and trivia nights; and hanging out at the beach. An avid traveler, Rachel visited Italy last summer and she is planning a trip to Scotland next year.

Promotions and reappointments 

The College of Education is excited to congratulate the following faculty members on their new positions and appointments for the fall semester!

• Dr. Cristian Aquino-Sterling has been named the inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity and International Affairs. 
• Dr. Christopher Brum has been granted reappointment for a successor 3-year probationary contract. 
• Dr. Estella Chizhik has been promoted to professor. 
• Dr. Chuck Degeneffe has been named acting chair of ARPE. 
• Dr. Tonika Green has been promoted to professor. 
• Dr. Rachel Haine-Schlagel has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Lisa Linder has been granted reappointment for a successor 3-year probationary contract. 
• Dr. Saúl Maldonado has been granted reappointment for a successor 3-year probationary contract. 
• Dr. Sesen Negash has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. She has also been named director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program. 
• Dr. Alyson Shapiro has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Melissa Soto has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Jessica Suhrheinrich has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Nellie Tran has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Mark Tucker has been promoted to associate professor with tenure. 
• Dr. Felisha Herrera Villarreal has been promoted to associate professor with tenure.