New faculty

Emily Adah Miller

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’21 in curriculum and instruction, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Specialties: Science education for equity and social justice-oriented environments, project-based learning, teacher empowerment, teacher-driven adaptations, multiple language learners, socio-cultural theory

Before UGA: Miller taught preschool, elementary, and middle school for more than two decades and spent the last 10 years as a science specialist and ESL/bilingual teacher. She advocates for teacher voice, professionalization, and agency in decision-making as essential ingredients for high quality and equitable science learning environments.

Emily Adah Miller, assistant professor, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Emily Adah Miller, assistant professor, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Emily Adah Miller

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’21 in curriculum and instruction, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Specialties: Science education for equity and social justice-oriented environments, project-based learning, teacher empowerment, teacher-driven adaptations, multiple language learners, socio-cultural theory

Before UGA: Miller taught preschool, elementary, and middle school for more than two decades and spent the last 10 years as a science specialist and ESL/bilingual teacher. She advocates for teacher voice, professionalization, and agency in decision-making as essential ingredients for high quality and equitable science learning environments.

Lauren Bagdy

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’22 in instructional systems and learning technologies, Florida State University

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Career and Information Studies

Specialties: Networked learning in online spaces, informal learning environments supported by social media platforms, personal learning networks to support teacher professional development

Before UGA: Prior to her doctoral studies, Bagdy served in various administrative and classroom roles in K-12 education in the Washington, D.C. area. During her doctoral studies, she co-designed and taught an educational technology course for pre-service teachers.

Giovanni Dazzo

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’22 in research methodology, George Mason University

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy

Specialties: Restorative forms of inquiry, critical theories, participatory action research and evaluation, non-formal civic and human rights education, community-informed policymaking

Before UGA: Dazzo led the research and evaluation unit in the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Prior to this role, he conducted applied research and evaluation for organizations focused on human rights, social protection, and education initiatives.

Giovanni Dazzo, assistant professor, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy

Giovanni Dazzo, assistant professor, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy

Giovanni Dazzo

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’22 in research methodology, George Mason University

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy

Specialties: Restorative forms of inquiry, critical theories, participatory action research and evaluation, non-formal civic and human rights education, community-informed policymaking

Before UGA: Dazzo led the research and evaluation unit in the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Prior to this role, he conducted applied research and evaluation for organizations focused on human rights, social protection, and education initiatives.

Ai-Chu Elisha Ding

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’18 in instructional systems technology and literacy, culture and language education, Indiana University, Bloomington

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Career and Information Studies

Specialties: K-12 technology integration and teacher professional development, game-based learning in STEM education, technology-mediated multimodal learning for English learners, virtual reality, video case-based teacher reflection

Before UGA: Ding served as an assistant professor of educational technology at Ball State University.

Denis Dumas

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’16 in human development and quantitative methodology, University of Maryland, College Park

Job title and department: Associate professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Specialties: Psychology of creativity, educational measurement, identification of high-potential students, theories of learning and cognition

Before UGA: Dumas previously held two tenure-track positions, including assistant professor of educational psychology at Howard University and assistant professor of research methods and statistics at the University of Denver.

Denis Dumas, associate professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Denis Dumas, associate professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Denis Dumas

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’16 in human development and quantitative methodology, University of Maryland, College Park

Job title and department: Associate professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Specialties: Psychology of creativity, educational measurement, identification of high-potential students, theories of learning and cognition

Before UGA: Dumas previously held two tenure-track positions, including assistant professor of educational psychology at Howard University and assistant professor of research methods and statistics at the University of Denver.

Sakhavat Mammadov

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’16 in gifted education, College of William & Mary

Job title and department: Associate professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Specialties: Social and emotional experiences of students with gifts and talents, personality, motivation, well-being, creativity

Before UGA: Mammadov served as an assistant professor in the Dewar College of Education and Human Services at Valdosta State University (VSU) where he taught gifted education, assessment, program evaluation, and research methods courses. Prior to his appointment at VSU, he worked as a postdoctoral research associate for the University of Washington's Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars.

Lindy Parker

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’13 in counselor education and practice, Georgia State University

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Specialties: Impact of accreditation standards on student success, college development and leadership, curriculum design, student advising, career counseling, public policies affecting universities, public mental health, and maternal and child health

Before UGA: Parker most recently served as assistant dean for academic programs and a faculty member in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. She held various roles during her 15 years at Georgia State, including director of accreditation and evaluation, academic advisor, administrative coordinator, disability advocate, and researcher. Parker is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Georgia.

Lindy Parker, clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Lindy Parker, clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Lindy Parker

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’13 in counselor education and practice, Georgia State University

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Specialties: Impact of accreditation standards on student success, college development and leadership, curriculum design, student advising, career counseling, public policies affecting universities, public mental health, and maternal and child health

Before UGA: Parker most recently served as assistant dean for academic programs and a faculty member in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. She held various roles during her 15 years at Georgia State, including director of accreditation and evaluation, academic advisor, administrative coordinator, disability advocate, and researcher. Parker is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Georgia.

Ryan Schey

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’18 in education, teaching, and learning, The Ohio State University

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education

Specialties: Adolescent literacy and language practices, English education, queer and trans studies in education, LGBTQIA+ youth in secondary schools, discourse analysis, ethnography

Before UGA: Schey served as an assistant professor of English education at Auburn University before spending one year as a visiting assistant professor of English education at the University of Iowa. Prior to his doctoral studies, Schey worked at a high school in Ohio for seven years where he taught English and video production, co-sponsored the Gay-Straight Alliance club, and served as the union’s co-president.

Ryan Schey

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’18 in education, teaching, and learning, Ohio State University

Job title and department: Assistant professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education

Specialties: Adolescent literacy and language practices, English education, queer and trans studies in education, LGBTQIA+ youth in secondary schools, discourse analysis, ethnography

Before UGA: Schey served as an assistant professor of English education at Auburn University before spending one year as a visiting assistant professor of English education at the University of Iowa. Prior to his doctoral studies, Schey worked at a high school in Ohio for seven years where he taught English and video production, co-sponsored the Gay-Straight Alliance club, and served as the union’s co-president.

David Schmidt

Terminal degree: M.S. ’16 in sport management and policy, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Instructor, Department of Kinesiology

Specialties: Strategic communication in sport, gender and sport communications, player and team performance analytics, sports labor market, sports economics, sport gambling

Before UGA: With over 10 years of experience working in college athletic media relations, Schmidt has ties to the University of North Carolina, Florida State University, and his alma mater, Grand Valley State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations before entering the world of college athletics.

David Schmidt, instructor, Department of Kinesiology

David Schmidt, instructor, Department of Kinesiology

David Schmidt

Terminal degree: M.S. ’16 in sport management and policy, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Instructor, Department of Kinesiology

Specialties: Strategic communication in sport, gender and sport communications, player and team performance analytics, sports labor market, sports economics, sport gambling

Before UGA: With over 10 years of experience working in college athletic media relations, Schmidt has ties to the University of North Carolina, Florida State University, and his alma mater, Grand Valley State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations before entering the world of college athletics.

Ainsley Vergara

Terminal degree: M.Ed. ’17 in communication sciences and disorders, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education

Specialties: Augmentative and alternative communication, social aspects of communication, speech-language pathology

Before UGA: Prior to her faculty appointment, Vergara worked as a speech-language pathologist for clients of all ages and their families. Her work spans a variety of settings, including public schools, clinics, non-profits, as well as home health and telehealth.

Ainsley Vergara

Terminal degree: M.Ed. ’17 in communication sciences and disorders, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education

Specialties: Augmentative and alternative communication, social aspects of communication, speech-language pathology

Before UGA: Prior to her faculty appointment, Vergara worked as a speech-language pathologist for clients of all ages and their families. Her work spans a variety of settings, including public schools, clinics, non-profits, as well as home health and telehealth.

Monica Williams

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’09 in counseling psychology, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Specialties: Direct clinical service provision, anxiety and depression treatment, training new clinicians, multicultural counseling

Before UGA: Williams served as the associate director for training of UGA’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services at the University Health Center. She is a licensed psychologist with over 10 years of experience in quality mental health care.

Monica Williams, clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Monica Williams, clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Monica Williams

Terminal degree: Ph.D. ’09 in counseling psychology, University of Georgia

Job title and department: Clinical assistant professor, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Specialties: Direct clinical service provision, anxiety and depression treatment, training new clinicians, multicultural counseling

Before UGA: Williams served as the associate director for training of UGA’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services at the University Health Center. She is a licensed psychologist with over 10 years of experience in quality mental health care.

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