Faculty Co-Chair Heather Olson Beal (Education Studies)
Heather is a Professor of Education Studies and is starting her 13th year at SFA. She teaches courses in family and community engagement, educational policy and advocacy, and literacy. Her scholarship examines the issues of school choice, second language education, and the experiences of women and mothers in academia. She has three feisty and bighearted children who guide and shape her scholarship and teaching. She is so excited to be starting our first official year of OWLE and looks forward to all the good work we can do together.
Staff Co-Chair Ashley Johnson (ITS Coordinator)
Ashley Johnson is an ITS Coordinator and SFAS 1101 instructor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a minor in Physics, from SFA and her Master of Education in Science Curriculum and Instruction from UT Arlington. She has taught K-12 middle school science for eight years before returning to her alma mater to take on IT responsibilities. She is a wife, boy mom, and enjoys journaling, baking, and collecting reusable bags wherever she visits.
Faculty Co-Chair Elect Mary Hawkins (Kinesiology)
Staff Co-Chair Elect April Chaney (Title IX Compliance Specialist)
April Chaney is the Title IX Compliance Specialist – Investigator and is starting her third year at SFA. She earned her BA in Geography/Environmental Studies with a minor in Environmental Systems and Society from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2014, and she graduated cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2018. She clerked at the Nashville Public Defender’s office and externed with the Ole Miss Athletics Compliance office while in law school. April is a proud dog mom of two black labs named Sam and Savannah and she enjoys baking and traveling.”
Secretary Bailey Thompson (Mass Communication)
Treasurer Sudeshna Roy (Communication Studies)
Sudeshna Roy is a Professor in the Communication Studies Program at Stephen F. Austin State University. Her research and teaching interests are in the areas of media representation of minorities, politics of ethnic/racial identities, cultural politics of immigrants, migrants and diaspora populations, intercultural communication, and peace and conflict communication specifically in the global South. Sudeshna is a founding member of OWLE. She firmly believes in women helping women to be better, stronger and more resourceful in order to facilitate a more just and equitable world. She joined SFA in 2008 and continues to work towards making this workplace and community more inclusive, tolerant and willing to take bold initiatives. She is originally from the city of Kolkata, India, and has two college-going children.
Ethics Committee
Secretary – Sara Bishop
Tenure / Promotion / Annual Review Committee
Chair – CC Conn
CC Conn is professor of lighting and sound in the school of theatre. Conn designs lighting, sound, projections and sound mixes for radio plays. She also writes and researches on mentoring in the field of theatre. Conn is founder and Executive Director of Nacogdoches Arts Collaborative (501c3) serving the arts community of Nacogdoches county. Some of her community projects now supported through her non-profit include a children’s theatre camp (Junior Jacks) and the local community lavender prom. Her only son now lives in Colorado but was her constant companion throughout her tenure and promotion process at SFA."
Secretary – Chrissy Cross
Dr. Chrissy Cross is an associate professor in Education Studies. She loves to research and advocate for STEM education, student rights, and public education.
Mentoring, Membership, & Outreach Committee
Chair – Sarah Sanchez
Sarah Sanchez is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Stephen F. Austin State University. Originally from San Antonio, Sarah began her training in Ballet Folklorico and Flamenco touring the Greater Texas area with company, Danza Gitana Mexicana. She holds an M.F.A. in Dance (2016) from Sam Houston State University and a B.F.A. in Dance (2013) from Texas State University. Sarah’s choreography has been presented at the American College Dance Association Festival, Sans Souci Video Dance Festival, Luminaria Arts Festival, and Geografia, to name a few. Additionally, Sarah has obtained her Pilates Mat certification under Balanced Body and enjoys teaching Pilates to her Dance students and to the community of Nacogdoches at large. Sarah hopes to utilize her expertise in movement to strengthen the practices of fitness and dance here at SFA.
Achievement and Advancement Committee
Chair – Lauren Burrow
Dr. Lauren Burrow is an Assoc. Professor of Elementary Education. She is a mother and scholar of three who is always inspired by and often collaborates with her children and colleagues to pursue scholarship and service focused on social in/justices, literacy, and Service-Learning in Teacher Education.
Secretary – Jill Carrington
Jill Carrington is Professor of Art History in the School of Art and came to SFA in 1989.
She was inspired by her Mom who became the breadwinner for 2 children after her husband died and left no assets. As a single mother Jill completed her Ph.D, and became assistant professor at SFA and encourages students who are single parents to persevere.
Wellness Committee
Chair – Sarah Drake
Secretary - Beth Gound
Dr. Elizabeth Baker Gound holds a Bachelor of Independent Studies from Stephen F. Austin State University, Master of Education with an emphasis in Secondary Education from The University of North Texas, and an Ed D in Educational Literacy from Sam Houston State University with an emphasis in Digital Literacy. She is an assistant professor in the Education Studies Department, in elementary and secondary education. Her research interests include digital literacies and the preservice teacher, technology in teaching, and literacy in the teacher preparation program.
Diversity Committee
Chair – Amanda Rudolph
Amanda Rudolph is a professor in Secondary Education. Since 2003, she has worked through tenure and promotion while also raising 3 kids with her husband.
Governance Committee
Chair – Lauren Brewer
Lauren Brewer, Associate Professor of Psychology, earned her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Florida State University and taught in London, England and Idaho before arriving to SFA in 2014. Lauren is a mother, a wife, and a scientist, and in her spare time she enjoys reading about personal finance.
Special Projects
Chair – Elizabeth Spradley