Ed Tech Hour

Dr. Pornchanok Ruengvirayudh is a faculty member of the School of Politics and Government, Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. Her goal is to apply her knowledge and experiences in statistics and quantitative research to the field of Political Science. When working as Associate Director of Grant Evaluation and Statistical Support at Loyola Marymount University in California, she collaborated with faculty and staff, consulting and conducting analyses. Her application of statistics to research studies has led to publications in STEM and other fields. She has expertise in statistics and public speaking, making her a statistician who can present statistical results in lay language. She is also a storyteller through data visualization. She earned her PhD in Educational Research and Evaluation from Ohio University. During her PhD, she served as a Graduate Associate in the Statistics and Research Lab, which allowed her to practice consulting with students on their doctoral dissertations in the field of Education, especially in research design and statistical analyses. 

Katherine Demsky is dedicated to gender equality on a global scale as she believes it holds the key to a more peaceful society. She worked in research and gender studies throughout China and now lives in Kathmandu where she monitors programs, on the ground, since 2013.

Katherine holds an MA in Medical Anthropology and a BS in Archaeology/Asian Studies. She is an active volunteer and student at the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT) and loves exploring the vast cultures and landscapes of Nepal.

Georgina Harris is the founder of Pamoja Leo children’s charity working to transform care for children in Tanzania. She has her BSc in International Development, and a MA in Development Education with a special interest and focus in children’s rights in practice. She has an interest in early childhood development, family-based care for children, the impacts of orphanage tourism, and is passionate about the healing power of play! She is the mother of two fabulous children who remain her greatest teachers. She is an avid traveler and lover of cross-cultural living and learning.

Mr. Jeff Rives began his teaching career with a bachelor's degree from Northwest Missouri State University, in Business Education. During his 17 years of teaching, he has also worked to obtain his master's degree in Instructional Design and Technology, from Emporia State University, and most recently, he obtained a generalist specialist degree with an emphasis in Instructional Technology, from Northwest Missouri State University. Through his 17 years of teaching, Mr. Rives has taught Journalism, Yearbook, and Digital Literacy classes at the middle school level. Outside of school, he is also responsible for running the cameras and doing stats for the high school football team, and he is on the Chiefs' football staff, working games in the press box.

Dr. Sherri Restauri is a teaching associate in the Department of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University (CCU) and has over 20 years of experience in online learning and educational technology. Currently, she is Senior Executive Director with Digital Learning; which focuses on policies, procedures, and digital accessibility for students on the CCU campus. Additionally, she serves on the Steering Committee for the OLC Innovate and Accelerate annual conferences and is a member of the MERLOT Psychology Editorial Board, as well as the editor of the Professional Coaching MERLOT Board.

Brad Johnson, PhD is Professor of psychology in the Department of Leadership, Ethics and Law at the United States Naval Academy, and a Faculty Associate in the Graduate School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. A clinical psychologist, Dr. Johnson is a mentoring expert specializing in developing gender-inclusive mentoring cultures for organizations around the globe. Dr. Johnson is the author of numerous publications including 14 books, in the areas of mentoring, professional ethics, and gender inclusion. Recent books include: Good Guys: How Men Can Become Better Allies for Women in the Workplace, Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women (both with David Smith) and the Elements of Mentoring 3rd Ed. (with Charles Ridley).

Carl E. James is a professor in the Faculty of Education and in the Graduate Program in Sociology; and is currently the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at York University, Toronto. He is also the Senior Advisor in Equity & Representation in the Office of the VP Equity, People & Culture. He holds a PhD in Sociology and an honorary doctorate from Uppsala University, Sweden, where he also taught. His scholarly interests pertain to questions of equity, access, and social justice for marginalized and racialized people. Specifically, in his research he examines the schooling experiences, educational performance, career trajectories, employment opportunities, and social achievements of marginalized and racialized people – particularly Black youth. His recent publications include: “Colour Matters”: Essays on the Experiences, Education and Pursuits of Black Youth (2021).

Erin Trautman has been working as an international educator for over 24 years. She began her career as a teacher for students with learning disabilities. After a break in education to support and care for her two children, she returned to The American School Foundation (ASF) to work in the Early Childhood Center (ECC). Inspired by her work and effort to reach students’ individual needs she created a literacy intervention program within the ECC to provide strategic and intentional literacy instruction. Erin then took on the leadership role of the Lower School Dean of students. Continuing her journey as an international educational leader, she has currently been working for four years in her role as the head of the ECC at ASF. Erin’s educational background includes a Bachelor's in Elementary Education and Early Childhood from Ohio University, a Master’s in Reading and Learning Disabilities from DePaul University, and a second Master’s in International Education Administration from Endicott College.

Tiffany Michels is the Founder and Executive Director of Helianthus Positive Behavior Supports LLC. She founded the company in 2020 after learning that ABA resources were lacking in her local area of North Carolina. Tiffany graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at ODU and a Master of Education in Special Education with a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis at GMU. She is attending Walden University for her Doctorate in Education. She started in the field after working for an organization who specialized in working with children with a diagnosis of Emotionally Disturbed, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectually Disabled, Operationally Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder, as a Special Education teacher assistant in an inclusion classroom. It was there she had discovered the world of Behavior Modification and Management. She became intrigued and began her journey into the ABA field. She has worked in the ABA field specifically for over seven years providing direct services, supervision and case management services, parent training and assessment services to young children and adolescents who have varying diagnoses and their families. After moving to North Carolina in 2018, she decided it was time to expand ABA services for families in North Carolina. Tiffany strives to better her community, serving others in need, and lending a helping hand. She takes pride in her work and loves to grow and progress in the field. When she has time, she loves researching, attending conferences and webinars, and finding advancements to better her practice. Outside of work, Tiffany enjoys living on a farm, spending time with her family, and is a HUGE animal lover.