Biographies of Members

DR. MILTON CHEN is the current Executive Director of The George Lucas Educational Foundation. Previously, he served as Center Director of KQED Center for Education & Lifelong Learning, taught courses and conducted research in the field of educational technology, and acted as a consultant and manager for various children's educational television programs including Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and 3-2-1 Contact. He has also been the national spokesman for the "Smart Parents" campaign on media literacy for families, conducted by PBS and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Chen earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication Research from Stanford University and has received many honors and awards in the field of instructional technology. He is the author of over 30 books, chapters, and articles on educational media and is a frequent speaker and media commentator on issues of children and the media.

DR. JERE CONFREY, professor of Mathematics Education at The University of Texas at Austin, received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Cornell University. For nearly 20 years she has been a professor of mathematics education, serving at Michigan State University, Mount Holyoke College, and Cornell University before joining UT. She has received numerous awards and honors for her expertise on mathematics education and has published several articles about educational research, systemic reform, mathematics education, the role of technology in mathematics education, and various mathematical topics. Dr. Confrey, who has spoken at numerous conferences and was formerly on the editorial board for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, is currently a member of the American Mathematical Society's Committee on Education and recently organized a "Think Tank Meeting on Modelling Systemic Reform."

MS. BETTY CRONIN, Principal at Covington High School in Covington, Louisiana, has also held the positions of assistant-principal for curriculum and instruction, guidance counselor, and teacher of business, math and social studies at that school. Recently, she authored and taught graduate courses at Southeastern Louisiana University on the subject of integrating technology into curricula. Ms. Cronin, who received her M.Ed. in Guidance Counseling, was named Louisiana Outstanding Administrator for 1996 for Leadership and Technology Innovation. At numerous national, regional, and state conference she has conducted presentations on topics dealing with technology integration in high schools and linking technology with School-to-Work programs. Presently director for Area 1 for the Louisiana Computer Using Educator, she has also been instrumental in creating a district-wide technology plan and leading her school into the spotlight as a model school for technology and information system integration.

DR. CHRISTOPHER J. DEDE, Professor at George Mason University in the Graduate School of Education and in the School of Information Technology & Engineering, is also a Core Advisory Faculty member of GMU's Institute for Public Policy. His previous experience includes work as Senior Program Director of the National Science Foundation. Dr. Dede is a member of the National Academy of Science's Committee on Foundations of Educational and Psychological Assessment and the Steering Committee for the Second International Technology in Education Study. Dr. Dede, who received his Ed.D. in Science Education from the University of Massachusetts, has engaged in a variety of government and corporate work involving assessment, technology, and strategic planning for education and training. Active in the field, he has provided over 100 keynote and invited addresses and presentations in the past 4 years, and authored even more articles, chapters, books and studies.

DR. ALLEN D. GLENN, Dean and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Washington's College of Education, received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Education from the University of Michigan. He is the current President of the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE), AACTE's U.S. Coordinator for the Japan-U.S. Teacher Education Consortium; and chair of the Executive Committee of NCATE. He has acted as consultant to a number of technology and education-related organizations. In 1996 he was the recipient of the Pomeroy Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education. He has published books, chapters, and journal articles, authored numerous papers and presentations for professional meetings, and engaged in a variety of curriculum and technology projects.

DR. LOUIS M. GOMEZ, who received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, is currently an Associate Professor in Northwestern University's School of Education & Social Policy, Learning Sciences, and Department of Computer Science. Prior to joining Northwestern, he was the Director of Human-Computer Systems Research in New Jersey. Dr. Gomez has also served as Chair of Educational Testing Service's (ETS) Visiting Panel of Research, member of the Board Media Workshop in New York, and member of the Review Panels for the National Science Foundation Program. He is the recipient of a Spencer Foundation Mentorship Award and has authored numerous publications during his career on topics such as integrating Internet services into classrooms, promoting reflective inquiry in learning, linking science education and Internet technology, and creating interactive learning environments.

DR. MARGARET HONEY is Director of EDC's Center for Children and Technology. She has eighteen years of experience in the research and development of education media for children. Since 1991, Dr. Honey has focused on the role of telecommunications technologies in education. She directed the first national survey study to look at K-12 educators' use of telecommunications and conducted teacher professional development. Currently, Dr. Honey directs several National Science Foundation projects, including a nationally recognized study, which is investigating the educational potential of networked technologies when coupled with district-wide systemic reform. She holds a doctorate in developmental psychology from Columbia University.

MS. CAROLINE McCULLEN is an Instructional Technologist at SAS Institute and creator and Editor-in-Chief of MidLink Magazine. She has 22 years of teaching experience at the middle and high school level and was honored as the Technology and Learning National Teacher of the Year (1996-97). Ms. McCullen created and implemented CREST, a volunteer community-based project integrating telecommunications projects into the classroom; Global Discovery, a telecommunications project involving live Internet Relay Chats with over 150 international sites; and an award-winning model telecommunications curriculum. She earned her M.S. in ESOL, has published articles regarding computer networks, the utilization of the World Wide Web, and computer integration into classrooms. She writes The Electronic Thread, the technology column for the National Middle School Journal, Middle Ground. She has presented numerous addresses regarding technology utilization, and has been recognized at the state and local level as well for outstanding contributions to the fields of education and technology

DR. PETER T. MICH is the Technology Officer/Program Officer at the Joyce Foundation where he solicits and reviews proposals to facilitate school reform in several public school systems, and evaluates and monitors all educational technology grants made by the Foundation. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was a Senior Associate at RFP Associates, a consulting firm specializing in education and technology services. He also served as Director of Education and Computer Services and the Computer Education Program at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago. Dr. Mich, who completed his M.S. in Educational Psychology and Ph.D. in Urban Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his M.M. at Northwestern University's Kellogg Graduate School of Management, has a variety of instructional experience. He has provided technical training and instruction in computer skills to a wide variety of organizations and has been involved in program/curriculum development in the area of computer use.

DR. JACQUELINE B. MILLER, who received her M.A. in Teaching from the University of Detroit, and her M.Ed. in Secondary Mathematics and Ed.D. in Administration and Supervision from Wayne State University, is the former principal of Southeastern High School of Technology in Detroit. In her three years at the school, she transformed it into a dynamic, technologically state-of-the-art center of learning. She developed the Ronald Edmonds Academy School-Within-A-School Program, and developed and implemented "On-site Chat Rooms" as a method for effective professional development at local schools. Dr. Miller is the recipient of the Booker T. Washington Business Association's 1996 Educator's Achievement Award. She is also the former President of the Metropolitan Detroit Alliance of Black School Educators and former Executive Board member of the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

DR. LAWRENCE B. MIXON, SR., Executive Director of the Transportation Services Department for Columbus Public Schools, was previously Superintendent of Schools for that district. In that capacity, he directed the work of the professional staff in the areas of curriculum development, instructional leadership, communications, administrative and personnel management, and student and community relations. He has experience as a teacher, counselor and coach. Dr. Mixon, who received both his M.A. in Philosophy in Education and his Ph.D. in Administration and Philosophy of Physical Education from The Ohio State University, is a member of numerous boards including the Board of Directors of Cities in Schools, Board of Directors of Ohio's Center of Science & Industry, and Chairperson of the Sub-Committee for Ohio's Fourth Annual Progress Report on Education.

DR. DAVID MOURSUND is Professor at The University of Oregon's College of Education and Executive Officer of the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE). His previous work includes directing the National Science Foundation's summer institutes for teachers, holding the position of Computer Component Director of a NSF Systemic Initiative for Math Education in Oregon, establishing master's and doctorate programs in the field of Computers in Education at the University of Oregon, and helping to create the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oregon. Although his initial teaching experience was in mathematics, specifically numerical analysis, he now mainly focuses his attention in the field of computers in education. His numerous publications, and conference and workshop presentations, center on the topics which span the field of computer-related technology in education. Specifically, he examines problem-solving, futures of technology in education, project-based learning, and grant writing.

DR. JAMES D. PARRY is the present Director of Technology & Innovations in Education (TIE) at the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative in South Dakota. As director, he has established and administered a statewide technology and innovation consortium to address current and emerging technology applications for educators and school restructuring issues that face educators. He has also conducted training for educators regarding school restructuring issues and technology applications for instruction and management. Dr. Parry, who received his M.A. in Communication Disorders/Special Education from the University of South Dakota and his Ph.D. in Special Education/Instructional Technology from Utah State University, has diverse experiences as an instructor, administrator, and curriculum developer. His long list of publications and presentations reflect this background while often addressing the subject of technology.

DR. NORA HOJVAT SABELLI, Senior Program Developer at the National Science Foundation, is currently on leave as NSF representative to the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, Science Division. Dr. Sabelli received her M.S. and her Ph.D. in Chemistry (Theoretical Organic) from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina before beginning work in academia. Previously a Program Director at NSF, she has also held the positions of Senior Research Scientist and Assistant Director for Education at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Associate Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the same institution. At the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Sabelli was the Chair of the Advanced Computing in Graduate Education Task Force, Chair of the Campus Molecular Modeling Task Force, and Chair of the Computers in the Chemistry Curriculum Committee.

MR. STEVEN A. SANCHEZ is the Director of Educational Technology at the New Mexico State Department of Education, and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Mathematics at the University of New Mexico, Valencia Campus. He has also held positions as an Associate Program Director in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources at the National Science Foundation; Elementary Technology Resource Teacher in the Los Lunas Schools; Building Coordinator for Special Education, Chapter 1, and Bilingual Education for Raymond Gabaldon Intermediate School; and classroom teacher in mathematics, science, and language arts. Mr. Sanchez, who received his M.S. in Community College Teaching from Pittsburg State University, has been a member of several planning teams, including those for the National Science Teachers Association Area (Albuquerque) Convention, and Harvard Graduate School of Education's Leadership and the New Technologies Strategies for the Schools of Tomorrow program.

DR. KAREN SHEINGOLD, who holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Harvard University, is the current Director at the Center for Performance Assessment, Educational Testing Service. She also holds offices on the Advisory Board for "Science Counts", the Annenberg Advisory Group for the Rand evaluation of New American Schools, the Advisory Board for the Portals Project at the Center for Children and Technology (Education Development Center), and the Task Force on Technology and Teacher Education (National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education). Dr. Sheingold's prior positions have included Director of Research in the Division of Applied Measurement Research (ETS), and Director of the National Center for Technology in Education and the Center for Children and Technology (Bank Street College of Education). Her current research focuses on performance-based assessment that is linked to reforming schooling and raising educational standards.

MS. ROBIN WILLNER is the Director of Corporate Social Policy and Programs for the IBM Corporation. In this capacity, she has designed and implemented a new philanthropic initiative in K-12 school reform, Reinventing Education, and has also held responsibility for programs applying technology to adult literacy and job training. Prior to her current position, Ms. Willner served as the Executive Director for Strategic Planning/Research and Development for the New York City Public Schools, and as Deputy Executive Director of INTERFACE where she directed projects on public policy in the areas of education, job training, and child welfare. Ms. Willner has published a wide array of reports including those on bilingual education, vocational education, school libraries, youth employment, and privatization of social services. She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Columbia University with a degree in Urban Affairs.