EdPrepLab at University Council for Education Administration 2025

November 19-22, 2025 | 9 AM-6 PM AST

The 39th Annual Convention of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) will be held on November 19-22, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We are excited that members from several EdPrepLab institutions will be presenting over the course of the convention. See below for a list of session titles, presenters, dates, and times.

Learn more about the annual meeting here.

EdPrepLab-affiliated institutions are indicated with:

Community Learning Exchanges: A Democratic Process for Building School/Community Capacity to Foster Resilience, Development, and Wellness

Thursday, November 20; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino: San Felipe

Participants:

• Paul Koh, Towson University 
• Miguel Guajardo, Texas State University
• Christopher Janson, University of North Florida
• Jerry Johnson, East Carolina University
• Matthew Militello, East Carolina University

Constructing Meaning: How White Women Superintendents Navigate Whiteness, Gender, and Transformational Leadership

Thursday, November 20; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 2

Participants:

• Sara Stone, University of California, Berkeley 

GSS Session: Educational Outcomes and Technological Integration—Challenging Assumptions: System Leadership of Educational Technology and Generative AI for Equity in Secondary Schools

Thursday, November 20; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 1

Participants:

• Brian Simmons, University of California, Berkeley 

UCEA/BELMAS Research Collaboration: The International School Leadership Development Network

Thursday, November 20; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino: San Cristobal

Participants:

• Suzy Hardie, University of South Carolina 

Amplifying Youth of Color Leadership for Equity-Centered School Improvement

Thursday, November 20; 2:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino: San Juan 6

Participants:

• Ashley Dominguez, University of Arizona 
• Carl Greer, University of Wisconsin. Madison 
• Marina Lambrinou, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Katherine Mansfield, University of North Texas
• Courtney Mauldin, Syracuse University
• Brenda Rubio, University of North Texas
• Anjalé Welton, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Van Lac, University of Illinois at Chicago 
• Courtney Mauldin, Syracuse University
• Jason Salisbury, University of Illinois at Chicago 

Collaborative Faculty Efforts to Build Program Coherence Through the Development of Core Beliefs for Equity-Centered Leadership

Thursday, November 20; 3:45 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino: San Juan 8

Participants:

• Paul Koh, Towson University 
• Carla Finkelstein, Towson University 
• Chantal Francois, Towson University
• Kofi LeNiles, Towson University 

Advocacy and Agency: Educator Responses to Anti-DEI and Anti-CRT Legislation

Thursday, November 20; 5:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Bahia 1

Participants:

• Danielle Sutherland, Towson University 
• Michaela Pernetti, UT-Austin
• Emily Germain, Learning Policy Institute 

Challenging Assumptions: System Leadership of Educational Technology and Generative AI for Equity in Secondary Schools

Thursday, November 20; 5:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Bahia 2

Participants:

• Brian Simmons, University of California, Berkeley 

Culturally Responsive and Care-Oriented Practices and Approaches

Thursday, November 20; 5:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 3

Participants:

• Honey Walrond, University of California, Berkeley 

Fostering Resilience, Community, and Hope: Perspectives From Asian Diasporic Students, School Leaders, and Scholars

Thursday, November 20; 5:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino: San Juan 2

Participants:

• Paul Koh, Towson University 
• Van Lac, University of Illinois at Chicago 
• Jenn Nguyen, University of Washington 
• Xinyi Zhong, University of Washington 

Keep On Keep’n On: How EdD Graduates Transfer Learning to Their Work Contexts

Thursday, November 20; 5:15 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 8

Participants:

• Lihi Rosenthal, University of California, Berkeley 

Politics of Education Association Meeting

Thursday, November 20; 6:30 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 1

Participants:

• Cory Brown, Ohio State University
• Travis Dumas II, Rutgers University
• DeMarcus Jenkins, University of Pennsylvania 
• Cecilia Suarez, University of Florida
• Rachel Williams, University of California, Berkeley 
• Rebecca Cheung, University of California, Berkeley 

Beyond SLLA: What Do We Know About Students’ Learning in an Equity-Centered Leadership Preparation Program?

Friday, November 21; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 1

Participants:

• Carla Finkelstein, Towson University 

Fostering Leadership Collaboration, Community, and Capacity through Equity-Centered Professional Learning Lesson Study

Friday, November 21; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 3

Participants:

• Melissa Virrueta-Ayala, University of California, Berkeley 

Culturally Responsive Leadership to Create Inclusive School Culture: Experiences of School Leaders in Implementing Extracurricular Activities

Friday, November 21; 10:40 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 2

Participants:

• Francis Rojas, University of California, Berkeley 

Developing Leaders With Resilience: Signature Practices from the US and Europe

Friday, November 21; 10:40 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Felipe

Participants:

• Patrick Alexander, Oxford Brookes University
• Jessica Charles, Marist College
• Maria Hyler, Learning Policy Institute 
• Paul Magnuson, Leysin American School in Switzerland & Moreland University
• Kate Perry, University of California, Berkeley 
• Lihi Rosenthal, University of California, Berkeley 
• Joy Rushing, Learning Policy Institute 
• Chunyan Yang, University of California, Berkeley 
• Cathy Yun, Learning Policy Institute 
• Rebecca Cheung, University of California, Berkeley 
• Ozge Hacifazlioglu, University of California, Berkeley 
• Bilge Kalkavan, Hasan Kalyoncu University
• Susanne Sahlin, Mid Sweden University
• Patricia Virella, Montclair State University 

“Don’t Ever Forget—These Children Are Somebody’s Hope”: Black Superintendents as Community-Engaged Leaders in Shaping District Policy and Practice

Friday, November 21; 10:40 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Bahia 1

Participants:

• Honey Wolrand, University of California, Berkeley 

Exploring Principals’ Abilities to Build Capacity and Community through Multicultural Competence in Schools

Friday, November 21; 10:40 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 2

Participants:

• Rachel Geesa, Ball State University 
• Rochelle Maynard, Morningside University 

Critical Camaraderie and Affinity as Fugitivity for Marginalized Leaders

Friday, November 21; 1:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 6

Participants:

• Jabari Mahiri, University of California, Berkeley 
• Aukeem Ballard, University of California, Berkeley 
• Melissa Virrueta-Ayala, University of California, Berkeley 
• Quennie Dong, University of California, Berkeley 
• Rebecca Cheung, University of California, Berkeley 

Effective Integration of Simulation-Based Activities to Enhance Equity-Centered Discourse and Raise Critical Consciousness Among Aspiring School Leaders

Friday, November 21; 1:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 2

Participants:

• Vangie Aguilera, Trinity University 
• Patty Escobedo, Trinity University 
• Enrique Aléman, Trinity University 

Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: Lessons from Community Schools

Friday, November 21; 1:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Bahia 2

Participants:

• Emily Germain, Learning Policy Institute 
• Laura Hernandez, University of California, Berkeley 
• Sarah Klevan, Learning Policy Institute 

Resisting or Navigating? Teachers Navigating Race-Evasive Language and Racial Politics for School Integration

Friday, November 21; 1:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 7

Participants:

• Talia Leibovitz, University of California, Berkeley 
• Joy Esboldt, University of Delaware

Culturally Responsive Leadership to Create Inclusive School Culture Through Extracurricular Activities

Friday, November 21; 1:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 2

Participants:

• Francis Rojas, University of California, Berkeley 

PR Pa’lante: Educational Historia y el Futuro, Workshop/Development Sessions: Individuals or Group Submission

Friday, November 21; 2:40 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 1

Participants:

• Nilka Avilés, Trinity University 
• Mariela Rodriguez, University of Texas, San Antonio 

Building Resilience Through Collective Leadership: Collaborative Meeting Structures for Equity-Centered Leadership

Friday, November 21; 4:00 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 3

Participants:

• Frances Henderson, High Tech High 
• Kelly Wilson, High Tech High 

Differences Matter: Racialized School Experiences of Students of Color and White Students

Friday, November 21; 4:00 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 2

Participants:

• Manali Sheth, University of Illinois at Chicago 
• Jason Salisbury, University of Illinois at Chicago 

Early Childhood Pipeline to School Leaders Initiative

Saturday, November 22; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 3

Participants:

• Cathy Main, University of Illinois, Chicago 
• Cynthia Barron, University of Illinois, Chicago 
• Kate San Juan, University of Illinois, Chicago 

Talking with Building-Level Leaders in Northern and Southern California

Saturday, November 22; 8:00 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Bahia 1

Participants:

• Betty Alford, California Polytechnic State University, Pomona
• Özge Hacıfazlıoğlu, University of California, Berkeley 
• Rebecca Cheung, University of California, Berkeley 
• Dayna Mitchell, California Polytechnic State University, Pomona

Engaging in Pedagogies of Resistance and Disruption in Urban School Leadership Preparation

Saturday, November 22; 10:40 am | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 6

Participants:

• Carla Finkelstein, Towson University 
• Brenda Conley, Towson University 
• Jessica Shiller, Towson University 
• Kofi LeNiles, Towson University 
• Paul Koh, Towson University 
• Chantal Francois, Towson University 

Equity Centered Leadership: Fostering Resilience and Wellbeing: Voices of Leadership from California and Chile

Saturday, November 22; 3:00 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 4

Participants:

• Francis Rojas, University of California, Berkeley 
• Sara Stone, University of California, Berkeley 
• Özge Hacıfazlıoğlu, University of California, Berkeley 
• Rebecca Cheung, University of California, Berkeley 
• José Manuel Améstica Abarca, Universidad Diego Portales
• Simon Rodriguez Espinoza, Universidad Diego Portales
• Lini Rosenthal, University of California, Berkeley 
• Elaine Luo, University of California, Berkeley 
• Michelle Young, University of California, Berkeley 

Meeting Routines That Strengthen Research–Practice Partnerships Between Universities and School District

Saturday, November 22; 3:00 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, San Juan 3

Participants:

• Decoteau Irby, University of Illinois at Chicago 
• Devin Swartley, Chicago Public Schools 
• Martha Hebert, University of Illinois at Chicago 

Teacher Thriving in the Era of Anti-DEI: The Hopes and Fears of Teacher Candidates

Saturday, November 22; 3:00 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 2

Participants:

• Danielle Sutherland, Towson University 
• Courtney Cavellier, St. Thomas University

Building Cross-Racial Solidarities Through Dialectical Humanism

Saturday, November 22; 4:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Miramar 4

Participants:

• Lionel Allen, Jr., University of Illinois at Chicago 
• Melanie Bertrand, University of Arizona
• Virgilio Caruz, East Carolina University
• Ethan Chang, University of Hawai’i
• Carla Finkelstein, Towson University 
• Miguel Guajardo, Texas State University
• Jessica Huang, University of San Diego
• Ann Ishimaru, University of Washington 
• Christopher Janson, University of North Florida
• Kofi LeNiles, Towson University 
• Grace Liang, Kansas State University
• Daniel Liou, Arizona State University 
• Latrice Marianno, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville
• Socorro Morales, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• David Nguyen, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Mariela Rodríguez, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Ruby Stuart, University of Houston
• Patricia Virella, Montclair State University
• Taeyeon Kim, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Paul Koh, Towson University 

Does it Matter Whether School Principals Experience Flow in Their Work?

Saturday, November 22; 4:20 pm | Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort and Casino, Laguna 1

Participants:

• Samuel Whalen, University of Illinois at Chicago