Elizabeth Dinkins, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Dinkins, Ph.D. (website and contact information) is Dean of the School of Education & Associate Professor of Literacy Education. She received her doctorate in English Education from the University of Virginia, her Master’s in education from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, and her Bachelor’s from The Evergreen State College. Before beginning her career in higher education, Dr. Dinkins taught middle school language arts and coordinated school-wide literacy instruction. Her research interests include writing instruction, instructional use of young adult literature, approaches to school-wide literacy, and how critical literacy can be used to help students read and write their world. Her work has appeared in English Journal and Middle Grades Research Journal. She teaches classes in literacy education and qualitative research methodologies.
Dr. Jung Colen
Dr. Jung Colen (website and curriculum vitae) is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education. She holds a doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction, with a focus on Mathematics Education, from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Colen has spent nine years teaching mathematics education at the higher education level and an additional five years instructing mathematics in grade 5-12 schools, both in the USA and South Korea.
Her research endeavors are centered around enhancing teaching practices in elementary and middle school mathematics, reflecting her dedication to improving the quality of education in these critical stages. Dr. Colen actively contributes to the academic community through her involvement as a member, reviewer, and committee participant in prominent professional and scholarly organizations, including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Association for Mathematics Teacher Educators, and the Korea Society of Mathematical Education.
Moreover, she serves as an editorial board member of the Journal of the Korean Society of Mathematical Education Series D: Research in Mathematical Education. In addition to her editorial role, Dr. Colen is also engaged in developing mathematics curricular materials, contributing as a mathematics textbook revision counselor and teacher's manual writer for South Korea's 1st and 2nd grade mathematical curricula.
Dr. Kristin Cook
Dr. Kristin Cook (website and contact information) is the Associate Dean of the School of Education. She received her doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction specializing in Science Education and Environmental Sciences from Indiana University (Bloomington). Since 2012, Dr. Cook’s productivity includes over $2.5M dollars in externally funded projects, 2 peer-reviewed published books, 60+ peer-reviewed publications published or in-press, and 100+ peer-reviewed and invited international, national, regional, and state presentations. Dr. Cook is actively involved in the Association for Science Teacher Education, serving in an elected position and winning the Innovations in Teaching Science Teachers award. A former biology teacher, Dr. Cook serves as a professional developer and consultant for elementary, middle, and high school STEAM-focused school reform and project/problem-based learning development. Dr. Cook’s research focuses on engaging students and teachers with the community of science through the exploration of socio-scientific inquiry and transdisciplinary STEAM instruction. At Bellarmine University, she teaches Elementary, Middle, and Secondary Science Methods, STEAM Education, and School Health, Nutrition, and Physical Education.
James G. Archibald, Ph.D., LPC
James G. Archibald, Ph.D., LPC (website and contact information) is an Associate Professor and Chair of Higher Education Leadership and Social Justice. Before coming to Bellarmine University, Dr. Archibald was an Associate Professor at Valdosta State University. He previously served as the Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Valdosta State University where he provided strategic vision, leadership, organization, and supervision for the Division of Student Affairs. Dr. Archibald is a licensed professional counselor and earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from The Ohio University. He has a Master of Science degree in Guidance and Counseling from Austin Peay State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Morehouse College. Dr. Archibald was the recipient of the 2014 NASPA Region III Outstanding Contribution to Student Affairs through Teaching Award as well as ACPA’s 2018 Outstanding Contribution to Recreation Award.
Dr. Diane Courington
Dr. Courington (website and contact information) is a former K-12 educator who loves advocating for students. She has transferred her skills into higher education as full-time faculty in the School of Education. In addition, she has delved into the world of consulting, working as an Amgen Biotech Experience (ABE) ambassador for the ABE Kentucky team at Bellarmine and an ABE Community and STEM Partnership Liaison for the program office. Both roles allow her to support new and existing ABE program sites in developing partnerships to reach underrepresented populations. She also leverages community assets, local and regional, Black-led organizations and initiatives, and STEM partnerships to support and scale ABE.
Dr. Courington is not a stranger to the Bellarmine community as she received her Doctorate in Education and Social Change. Her research interest includes:
- trauma-informed care
- traumatic racial experiences
- belonging and safe spaces for Students of Color in P-20 settings
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
She also served on the President Advisory Board and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the Student Success Center, focusing on retention and student success. Diane served as an adjunct faculty member in the School of Education for the Undergraduate and the Master of Arts in teaching. She continues to mentor and coach students of color and current and future educators. At the same time, she was a part of the Bellarmine Black Caucus community.
Amy E. Lein, Ph.D.
Amy E. Lein (webpage and contact information) is Assistant Professor of Special Education and the Chair of the Education and Social Change (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) programs. Before coming to Bellarmine, Dr. Lein was a Master Coach for Minnesota Math Corps and adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where she earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and won the 2016 Balow Dissertation Award. As a former public-school teacher, she taught special education and general education mathematics at the high school and middle school levels in both the Boston metro area and in Charlotte, Michigan. Her research areas of interest include mathematics interventions for struggling students, student engagement, and teacher preparation and development. Her research has resulted in peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Preventing School Failure, Educational Research and Evaluation, The Journal of Learning Disabilities, Learning and Instruction, and The Journal of Educational Psychology.
Jess Smith, Ph.D.
Jess Smith, Ph.D. (website and curriculum vitae) is an assistant professor of literacy education. Before coming to Bellarmine, Jess served as an affiliate clinical professor and writing coordinator at Baylor University, where she earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching with a focus in literacy. A former secondary ELAR teacher, Dr. Smith researches reading and writing, particularly the ways that teachers, and sometimes their students, make decisions about which texts are taught in the secondary English language arts classroom. At Bellarmine, she teaches courses in teaching methods and qualitative research.
Grant Smith, Ph.D.
Grant Smith, Ph.D. (webpage and contact information) is Associate Professor of Research Design and Statistics. Grant spent over 20 years in the private sector working in operations management, mergers and acquisitions and the design and execution of feasibility research and process improvement studies. His research interests include accountability measurements, and the relationship of educational outcomes and economic opportunity. He received a B.A. from the University of Florida, a Ph.D. in measurement and statistics from the Florida State University and is currently completing postdoctoral studies at Harvard University where he works with the National Center for Teacher Effectiveness at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. At Bellarmine, Grant teaches courses in statistics, research methods and evaluation.
Alexandra J. “Ali” Taylor, Ph.D.
Ali Taylor, Ph.D. (webpage and contact information) is an Assistant Professor of Special Education. Prior to teaching at Bellarmine, Dr. Taylor taught special education for seven years in Indiana in the early childhood inclusive setting and self-contained emotional/behavioral unit. Her research interests include using practice-based opportunities to support pre-service teachers’ understanding of data-based decision-making. She implements experiential learning projects that allow her students to gain practice in administering, scoring, and analyzing data for multi-tiered systems of support and individualized education programming. At Bellarmine, Dr. Taylor teaches undergraduate courses in childhood development and special education. She received her Ph.D. in Education and Social Change with an emphasis on special education from Bellarmine University. Dr. Taylor completed her Master of Science in Education (Elementary) from Indiana University Southeast, along with obtaining additional licensure in Educational Leadership. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education (Elementary Education and Learning/Behavior Disorders) at Bellarmine University.
Kevin Thomas, Ph.D
Kevin Thomas, Ph.D. (webpage and contact information) is a Professor of Instructional Technology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to entering higher education, Dr. Thomas taught high school English for 15 years in Tennessee. His research areas of interest include pre- and in-service teachers' perceptions on mobile phones, the impact of professional development on in-service teachers’ application of TPACK, and the integration of instructional technologies to support student learning. Dr. Thomas has been published in Computers & Education, Journal of Research on Technology in Education, Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, and TechTrends. At Bellarmine, Dr. Thomas teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses related to the integration of instructional technology in the classroom to support student learning.
Dr. Thomas received his bachelor’s degree in Secondary English Education from Trinity College of Vermont in Burlington, VT; his master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, TN; and his doctoral degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Tommy Wells, Ed.D.
Tommy Wells, Ed.D. (webpage and contact information) is an Assistant Professor of Education. He received his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University. He earned a Master of Science in Education degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Purdue University, a Master of Science in Education as well as a Specialist in Education degree in Counseling and Counselor Education from Indiana University, and a Master of Education degree in Educational Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. Lastly, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Voice Studies from Northwestern University.
Before coming to Bellarmine, Dr. Wells served as a school counselor for public schools in the Indianapolis area as well as an associate faculty member in the School of Education at Indiana University, Indianapolis. His research interests include education policy as related to equity, school leadership, and trauma-informed practices. At Bellarmine, he currently teaches classes in trauma-informed practices and research methodology.
Will Wells, Ed.D.
Will Wells, Ed.D. (webpage and contact information) is an Assistant Professor of Instructional Leadership and School Administration. He earned his doctoral degree from the University of Louisville in Educational Leadership and School Administration. Before joining the faculty at Bellarmine in 2016, Dr. Wells was Superintendent in the Oldham County Schools. His experience as a successful assistant superintendent, school principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, and middle school teacher, in both urban and suburban districts, provided him a broad base of experience and expertise as he served in this role. His current research interests are systems, structures, and policies that improve teacher quality vis-à-vis job embedded professional learning such as the academy structure and other means of building teacher capacity in order to ensure the learning of ALL students. Wells teaches a variety of instructional leadership and administration courses to graduate students at the masters, specialist, and doctoral levels.
Winn Crenshaw Wheeler, Ph.D.
Winn Crenshaw Wheeler, Ph.D. (webpage and contact information) is an Assistant Professor of Literacy. She received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on literacy and instructional coaching from the University of Louisville. Dr. Wheeler holds a Masters of Education in Elementary Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Elementary Education and History from Elon University. Additionally, she is a National Board Certified Teacher (Middle Childhood Generalist). Prior to her work at Bellarmine, Dr. Wheeler worked in public education for twenty years where she served as a classroom teacher and literacy coach. Her research interests include adolescent literacy, fluency development, writing assessment and instruction, professional collaboration, instructional coaching, and curriculum design. At Bellarmine, Dr. Wheeler teaches courses in literacy at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Rosie Young, Ed.D
Rosie Young, Ed.D., (webpage and contact information) serves as the Advanced Education, Graduate Programs Chair at Bellarmine University. She worked in the Jefferson County Public Schools for 38 years, 28 years as an elementary school principal before coming to Bellarmine in 2013 as the Field Placement Coordinator. She also served as the chair of the Ed.S. Program before assuming the chair of Graduate Programs. She holds certification in elementary education 1-8, school guidance counselor, principalship, ECE supervisor, and superintendency. She serves as a lead and site team member for CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation). In 2011, she was named Kentucky’s National Distinguished Principal for 2012. In addition, she was a Bellarmine Alumni award recipient in 2006 and received the Caritas Medal from Spalding University in 2011. Rosie was selected to serve on a national committee that developed the NELP (National Educational Leadership Preparation) Standards for Building and District level leadership. She co-chaired the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) committee that developed the Accomplished Principal Standards. Rosie also serves as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association of Elementary School Principals. She volunteers her time in support of this association’s mission to lead and serve all elementary and middle level principals in Kentucky. She earned her B.A. from Bellarmine University, her M.Ed from the University of Louisville, and her Ed.D. from Spalding University.