Dr. Amanda Wilkerson is an Assistant Professor of Urban Education at the University of Central Florida in the College of Community Innovation and Education. Wilkerson has written educational materials and coordinated forums on significant social, educational, and community matters. Emerging social justice advocate and scholar, Dr. Wilkerson serves as the guest editor for the Urban Education Research and Policy Annuals Journal-Hillard Sizemore Special Edition. Wilkerson seeks to build a better world through cooperation, collaboration, and community action. As a part of her passion for higher education, Amanda is enhancing how students seize the promise of post-secondary education through access. Specifically, she creates and manages collaborative partnerships that provide important services for underserved student populations. As a passionate supporter of civic engagement, Amanda continues to work on community development projects, charitable missions, and advocacy initiatives for nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies. Her twitter handle is #DrAVWilkerson
Dr. DeShawn Chapman has positioned her work at the intersection of educational research and practice. Beginning as a middle and high school classroom teacher, DeShawn honed her core skills in curriculum and instruction by working in general and special education at both suburban and urban schools. Roles such as Department Chair, Faculty Advisory Committee Chair, Program Developer and Research cultivated Dr. Chapman's expertise as a teacher leader. Currently, she is an instructor of classroom management, diversity, and teaching methods courses in Valencia College's Educator Preparation Institute, as well as, the Director of First Star Central Florida Academy – a college and career preparation program for high school youth in foster care, housed in the College of Community Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Chapman uses her research and experience in traditional and non-traditional educational spaces to encourage the development of learning environments that result in equitable educational outcomes for underserved students, particularly students impacted by poverty and trauma.
Dr. Shalander Samuels is currently a high school English teacher and adjunct professor. Her research interests include: English Speakers of Other Languages' (ESOL) achievement and gaps in learning as well as creating unique literacy intervention programs in majority minority communities. She is keen on developing varying opportunties through the concepts of intersectionality whilst connecting higher education and grades k-12 research, especially in urban areas. Dr. Samuels has written several educational materials and presented at national and international conferences as well as she has coordinated research forums that focuses on literacy. Her instagram is the.teacher.corner
