Faculty and Staff

Dr. Susan Zimlich

Department Head/Associate Professor

susan.zimlich@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-2221

Office: TEC 2004 A

Certifications/Education:

Certifications: Elementary, Gifted Education, Early Childhood Expertise: Gifted Education, Educational Technology, Differentiation, 5E Learning Cycle, Talents Unlimited Thinking Skills

B.S.: Lewis & Clark College

MAT: The University of Alabama

EdS: The University of Alabama

PhD: The University of Alabama

Research/Publications:

Zimlich, S. L. (2012). Classroom Practices Using Technology in Gifted and Talented Education Classrooms: The Teachers’ Perspective (Doctoral dissertation). The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.

Zimlich, S. L. (2017). Technology to the rescue: Appropriate curriculum for gifted students. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 16(9), 1-12.

Zimlich, S. (2016). Using technology in gifted and talented education classrooms. Saarbrücken, Germany: Scholar’s Press.

Bio:

If Dr. Zimlich sounds a little different, it is because she is a native of Idaho. She did her undergraduate in Oregon and then got married and moved to Alabama. Even though she has wanted to be a teacher since age 6, Oregon does not allow you to get a teaching certificate at the undergraduate level, so she ended up getting an MAT at The University of Alabama. She taught 4th grade and then taught many different grade levels of children identified as gifted in Alabama. She eventually found her way to a PhD program and ended up doing her research on the use of educational technology in gifted classrooms. She got hired at Southeastern originally to teach the Academically Gifted certification courses. She also has taught junior teaching methods courses and supervised teacher candidates. She was Graduate Coordinator for a couple of years and recently took on the position of Interim Department Head. She relaxes by listening to podcasts, reading, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and playing video games with her family.

 Department Head Assistant

Location: TEC 2004 B

(985) 549-2221 | lisa.kea@southeastern.edu

Dr. Kitty Ainsworth

Instructor

Mary.Ainsworth@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5852

Office: TEC 218

Certifications/Education:

Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1-8, Administration & Supervision & Reading--Curriculum and Instruction--emphasis on Early/Emergent Literacy

B.S.—University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

M.Ed.---Southeastern Louisiana University---Supervision and Curriculum--1972

Ed. S.---Southeastern Louisiana University---Reading 1974

Ph.D.--LSU 2008 Emphasis, Early Literacy Development

Bio:

I am a native of Baton Rouge, LA. Graduate of Istrouma High School, 1965 & attended the University of Southern Mississippi from 1965 until graduating in 1969. I taught second grade at the SLU Lab School, being the last second grade teacher in the old Department of Education building and the first second grade teacher in the "new" Department of Education building, which is where it is currently located. I have two graduate degrees from SLU Supervision & Curriculum and Reading. In 2005, I returned to college at LSU pursuing a Ph. D degree which I received in 2008. I am entering my 53rd year in the field of education. I have taught Pre-K, Kindergarten, & Second Grade. I have served as assistant principal, principal and supervisor of the newly developed Pre-K program in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 4. I have spent the last 17 years as both an assistant professor and instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University. I have owned my own consulting company working in small school districts in the southeast and southwest United States. I have co-authored 20 "teacher resource" books; 8 being published by the Carson-Dellosa Company. I have presented at conferences at the local, regional, state and national level. I am enjoying helping future teachers prepare for their future careers.

Mrs. Wendy Allen

Instructor- Project Director BRIDGE

wendy.allen@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5551

Office: TEC 201C

Certifications/Education:

Lifetime Teaching Certificate | A 429704

Supervisor of Student Teaching

Educational Leader 1 (Provisional)

Secondary 6-12 (General Science, Biology, English, Social Studies)

NIET Certified

M.Ed., Secondary Education-Curriculum & Instruction, Northwestern State University

B.S. in Psychology, Northwestern State University

Ms. Jill Barry

Instructor

Jill.Barry@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3219

Office: TEC 234 J 

Certifications/Education:

Certified PreKindergarten - 8th Grade

B.A., Early and Lower Elementary Education, Southeastern Louisiana University, 1996

M.ED. Curriculum and Instruction (Reading), Southeastern Louisiana University, 2004

Bio:

Mrs. Barry has over 20 years teaching experience in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten in public schools and Head Start. For over five years, she has shared her love for early childhood with future teachers here at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Dr. Gerlinde Beckers

Associate Professor/Lions Connected Director

Gbeckers@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3030

Office: TEC 214

Certifications/Education:

Reading Specialist (1-12)

Educational Diagnostician

Supervisor of Student Teaching

Mild/Moderate Disabilities (1-12)

K-12 Principal

Parish or City Supervisor/Director of Special Education

Provisional Elementary Principal

Parish or City School Supervisor of Instruction

Severe/Profound Disabilities (1-12)

B.A. Southeastern Louisiana University

M.Ed. Southeastern Louisiana University

Ed.S. Louisiana State University

Ph.D Louisiana State University

Research/Publications:

Beckers, G. G. & Calderon, P. S. (2022). The need for cultural experiences for black students with intellectual disabilities at historically black colleges and universities. Research Issues in Contemporary Education, 7(2), 44-53

Beckers, G.G., & Klein-Ezell, C. (2021). A model rural inclusive postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 40(4), 191-202, DOI: 10.1177/87568705211032380

Beckers, G. G., & Knight, K. L. (2021). Project LION - Learning in our neighborhood: A community partnership. National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Journal, 5(1). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar/vol5/iss1/5

Bio:

Dr. Beckers is a Professor in the Department of Teaching & Learning with 30 years of experience in the field of education. This includes teaching/research experience at a Research I institution, a regional practitioner-focused university, and as a K-12 public educator. Dr. Beckers teaches courses related to applied behavior analysis in the classroom; evaluation; significant disabilities and content literacy. Dr. Beckers is the Director of Lions Connected, serves on the Louisiana Department of Education Special Education Advisory Panel, is the chair of the Board of Reagents Inclusive Postsecondary Education Committee and Co-chairs the Education committee on the Governor's Advisory Council on Disability Affairs. Dr. Beckers has numerous publications and presentations related to individuals with disabilities and content literacy. In addition has been awarded $289,100 in external funding while at Southeastern.

Dr. Arthur Bernard

Instructor

Arthur.Bernard@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5242

Office: TEC 2018 H

Certifications/Education:

6-12 Mathematics

6-12 English

Educational Leadership (k-12)

BS - LSU

MEd - LSU

EdD - Southeastern

Bio:

I have been in the field of education for over 25 years. Before coming to Southeastern in the Fall of 2020, I served as a classroom teacher for 16 years and as an assistant principal over curriculum and instruction for 9 years. My wife, who is also an educator, and I have been married since 1994. Both of my children are graduates of Southeastern and I earned my doctorate at Southeastern in 2011. I love teaching at Southeastern and working with future educators.

Dr. Lindsey "Ellen" Caillouet

Graduate Coordinator, Instructor

lindsey.caillouet-2@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3726

Office: TEC 212 B

Certifications/Education:

Elementary Education (1st-5th)

Middle School Math (4th-8th)

Qualitative research, action research, educational administration (K12 emphasis), emotional intelligence

MAT University of New Orleans

PhD University of New Orleans

Research:

Hoang, T., & Caillouet, L.E. (2020). Chapter 7: "You are my person". In T. Duncan, & A. Buskirk-Cohen, Cultivating success: A multi-faceted approach to working with emerging adults in higher education. (published)

Bio:

Dr. Lindsey (Ellen) Caillouet is an instructor in the Department of Teaching and Learning. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of New Orleans. She has taught undergraduate courses in mathematics methods and foundations of Pk-8 mathematics instruction and graduate courses in educational research and elementary/secondary curriculum development. She was also a Site Coordinator for Elementary Education majors and recently became the Graduate Coordinator. Dr. Caillouet was born and raised in New Orleans and currently resides in Mandeville, where she loves to walk on the lakefront and spend time with her family. Her sons, Jude and Julian, are her greatest joys.

Dr. Celina V. Echols

Professor

cechols@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3430

Office: TEC 228 B

Certifications/Education:

Online/traditional teaching

Diversity-inclusion/NIET certification

Recruiting historically underrepresented students

Communications and Political Science, USM -MPA University of Akron

C&I Ph.D. University of Akron

Research/Publications:

Artifacts that Reflect The Experiences of Practicing Teachers and Teacher Candidates During COVID 19 And In The Aftermath of Hurricanes

Twenty-ninth International Conference on Learning Valencia, Spain July 13-15, 2022

Echols, C. (2018). (3rd. ed). Lessons learned: A focus on Millennials. Dubuque, IA: Kendall / Hunt Publishing Company.

Echols, C. (2013). The promise of a mentoring & tutoring program at a junior high school labeled "At-Risk", presented at the Bi-Annual Empirical Conference of Research on African American Education, facilitated by Wayne State University, Hilton Head, North Carolina. Echols, C. (2007). Challenges facing Black American principals: A conversation about coping. Connexions, An On-Line Journal: http://cnx.org/content/m13821/latest/

Echols, C. (2002). Campus diversity: Implementing the town hall approach for racial and cultural understanding at a predominantly White university. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 40(1), 169-186 https://doi.org/10.2202/1949-6605.1191

Bio:

Celina is a native Mississippian and a professor in the College of Education’s Department of Teaching and Learning, who holds both the Marcia K. Galatas Endowed Professor (2015-2018) and Schlieder Endowed Professor (2010-2013) awards. Whether winter, spring, summer, or fall, Dr. Echols is excited to meet the needs of students in the academy. Echols completed undergraduate degrees at the University of Southern MS. For a brief time, she searched for her niche by preparing to become a United Methodist minister (Wesley Theological Seminary). Eventually, she turned to the field of education and was employed with the Mississippi affiliated National Education Association, NEA. In 1998, Echols was employed by Southeastern Louisiana University as both an assistant professor and a mid-level administrator, Coordinator of Diversity and Multicultural Education. Fifteen years later, Echols is recognized as the first African American to hold full professorship at this university. From a scholarship perspective, her research interest entails social equity, multicultural educational and educational psychology. Dr. Echols' teaching emphasis lies in the same domain; hence, a plethora of service experiences have evolved during her Southeastern tenure. Dr. Echols created a mentoring/tutoring partnership between teacher education candidates and a local at-risk middle school.

Dr. Stacy Garcia

Instructor

stacy.garcia@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5244

Office: TEC 2018 B

Mrs. Robyn Hutchinson

Instructor

robyn.hutchinson@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3421

Office: TEC 213

Certifications/Education:

Elementary Education/ Literacy

MEd University of West Alabama

Bio:

I am Robyn Hutchinson. I graduated from Judson College with my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1990. I then completed my Masters Degree in Elementary Education from the University of West Alabama. My National Board Certification is in Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.

Dr. Melanie Lemoine

Instructor

melanie.lemoine@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5234

Office: TEC 211

Certifications/Education:

SPED Mild/Moderate

SPED 1-8 LA Type C

MED SPED Mild Moderate University of New Orleans

PHD SPED Mild/Moderate & Systems Intervention University of New Orleans

Research/Publications:

Lemoine, M. F. (2019) Diversity in Higher Education: Creating Culturally Responsive Classrooms. Higher Ed Connects https://higheredconnects.com/diversity-in-higher-education-creating-culturally-responsive-classrooms

Lemoine, M.F. (2019) Technology and Teacher Training: Utilizing Simulated Environments for Real Practice. Higher Ed Connects https://higheredconnects.com/technology-and-teacher-training-utilizing-simulated-environments-for-real-practice

Forstall, M. (2018) How this simple approach can dramatically help at-risk students. School Leaders Now. https://schoolleadersnow.weareteachers.com/helping-at-risk-students/

Bio:

Dr. Lemoine began her career in education in 1996 as a special education classroom teacher. She has experience in inclusive and self-contained settings. She worked for fourteen years on the Louisiana State Personnel Development Grant. That work focused on personnel development and technical assistance to improve outcomes of students with disabilities. As Director of the project, Dr. Lemoine worked with districts across the state in improvement efforts focused on data-based decision making, family engagement, culturally responsive practices, and inclusive education. Since 2014 she has been a member of the Special Education faulty. She serves as a course instructor, Coordinator of the Student Success Center, and Site Coordinator.

Ms. Michele Mayberry

Instructor

Michele.Mayberry@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3756

Office: TEC 2018 

Certifications/Education:

Elementary 1-8

Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Southeastern Louisiana University 1999

M. Ed in Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education with Concentration in Reading Southeastern Louisiana University 2001

Bio:

Mrs. Michele Mayberry graduated in the spring of 1999 with her BA in elementary grades 1-8 from Southeastern Louisiana University. She was then accepted into the Teacher Scholar Program and began her graduate degree at SLU. She also began teaching 3rd grade In Tangipahoa Parish. Mrs. Mayberry completed her graduate degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a Concentration in Reading in spring of 2001. She taught 3rd grade for 13 years. During that time, Mrs. Mayberry mentored 1st year teachers and student teachers. In 2012, Mrs. Mayberry began teaching at SLU as an instructor where she teaches literacy courses, an instructional planning and assessment course, methods courses, and is a site coordinator of resident student teachers.

Ms. Amy Prats

Instructor/Undergraduate Coordinator

amy.prats@southeastern.edu

Phone: (985) 549-5264

 Office: TEC 2018 E

Certifications/Education:

Music Education

(MM) Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Southeastern

Bio:

Amy Prats is an instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University where she conducts the University Chorus/Northshore Choral Society and teaches undergraduate conducting, elementary and secondary music methods, voice, and supervises student teachers. She is the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Department of Teaching and Learning and serves as the education liaison between the College of Education and the Department of Music and Performing Arts. Prior to coming to Southeastern, Mrs. Prats was the Assistant Director for the Northlake Performing Arts Society and taught at Destrehan High School and Ponchatoula High School. She frequently serves as an adjudicator for local music festivals and as a guest clinician for honor choirs throughout the Southeastern Louisiana region. Mrs. Prats completed her Alternate Certification in Music Education at SLU and was awarded the highest honor, Exemplary Alternate Certification Student. She hold a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and currently serves as President for the Louisiana American Choral Directors Association.

Ms. Susan Sawyer

Instructor

Susan.Sawyer@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-3425

Office: TEC 216

Certifications/Education:

Child Development

MS, Texas A & M University, Educational Psychology: Human Growth and Development

Bio:

I began teaching at Southeastern in 2001. Prior to that, I was a preschool teacher in multiple early childhood programs, and I was an instructor at a local community college, focusing on Early Childhood courses there. Since coming to Southeastern in 2001, I've taught Educational Psychology, Classroom Management, Early Child Development, Introduction to Early Childhood, and Early Childhood Methods courses.

 Instructor

Location: TEC 217

(985) 549-3218 | Mary.Scherer@southeastern.edu

Dr. Cherissa Vitter

Assistant Professor/IB Program Coordinator

cherissa.vitter@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5248

Office: TEC 2018 J

Certifications/Education:

International Baccalaureate Education

 Doctor of Education: Southeastern Louisiana University

+30 in Music Education: Boston University

Master of Music, composition and performance: Northwestern State University

 Bachelor of Music Education: Northwester State University

Bio:

Dr. Vitter is a Professor of IB Education at Southeastern Louisiana University teaching courses leading to the IB Educator Certificate. She created the courses using experiential online techniques and differentiated instruction. Cherissa is a Clinical Coach for US PREP and consults nationally with universities providing guidance in teacher preparation and evaluation development. Her area of research is teacher evaluation and experiential learning online where she has been a presenter at national and international conferences. Cherissa currently serves as the president of the Louisiana IB Schools.

Dr. Letitia Walters

Instructor

letitia.walters@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5241

Office: TEC 234 A

Certifications/Education

Early Childhood Education

Elementary Education

English as a Second Language

Teacher Preparation

B.A. - Southeastern Louisiana University

M.A. - Simpson University

Ph.D. The University of Southern Mississippi

Research:

Walters, L. (2013). Waiting on Daddy. Medea Publishing.

Walters, L. & Jones, R. (2014). The Reggio Emilia Approach (REA) in contemporary existence. Early Years Bulletin: Pre-K & K Column online. Association for Childhood Education International.

Walters, L & David, D. (2016). Homeschooling approach: how do parents decide. Home School Researcher Journal. National Home Education Research Institute.

Bio:

Dr. Walters is currently teaching undergraduates and graduates in English as a Second Language, Early Childhood and Elementary Education methods at Southeastern. She has been in higher education teaching since 2012 when she began her doctoral program. Since, she has taught English as a Second Language and Elementary Education methods to study abroad students from Panama and methods courses for early childhood and elementary education, PreK-K and ESL at Southeastern. Prior teaching experiences in early childhood and elementary education entails of traditional, and non-traditional, public, private, rural, urban, and inner-city schools in Mississippi, Louisiana, and south Florida and Seoul, South Korea. In addition, south Florida and international teaching consisted of serving cultures with opportunities to learn English as a Second Language while using American curriculums. Research areas include best practices in homeschool, teacher preparation and English Language Learners.

Instructor

Office: 2018F

(985) 549-3217 | bethani.franklin@southeastern.edu

Assistant Professor

Office: 2018J

(985) 549-5330  |  marie.goff@southeastern.edu

Instructor

Office: 2018G

(985) 549-3915  | angela.ellison@southeastern.edu

Ms. Paulette Felder

Lecturer

mfelder@southeastern.edu
Phone: (985) 549-5096

Office: TEC 215

Certifications/Education:

Elementary Education-Kindergarten

Supervisor of Student Teaching

B.A. Southeastern Louisiana University 1973

M.ED. Southeastern Louisiana 1977

Plus 30 Southeastern Louisiana University 1985

SEAS Student Organization

Bio:

I am a retired Tangipahoa Parish Public School Teacher. I have worked at Southeastern Louisiana University for 25 years supervising Student Teachers and teaching the Introduction to Education class.

Lecturer

shireley.mcdonald@southeastern.edu

Lecturer

lacy.hitt@southeastern.edu

Lecturer 

shawn.messina@southeastern.edu

Lecturer

laverne.traylor@southeastern.edu

Lecturer

jordan.ahrend@southeastern.edu

Lecturer