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University Outreach and Engagement: Connecting Knowledge to Serve Society

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Office of the Associate Provost for Outreach and Engagement

Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

Hiram (Hi) Fitzgerald, Ph.D., is Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement at Michigan State University and University Distinguished Professor of Psychology. He has been actively involved with national efforts to define and measure the scholarship of engagement, and create institutional alignment, effective models of community-university partnerships, and standards of practice for such partnerships. His scholarly work is grounded in a developmental psychobiological or systems perspective and has been applied to studies of infant learning and attention, interhemispheric specialization of function, community based prevention programs for families with infants and young children, the impact of fathers on early child development, the etiology of alcoholism and co-morbid psychopathology, and broad issues related to the scholarship of engagement. Fitzgerald is a member of the research consortium overseeing the national evaluation of Early Head Start, the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Consortium, and the steering committees of the American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start Research Center at the University of Colorado Health Sciences, the Higher Education Network for Community Engagement, and the Outreach Scholarship Conference. He was editor of the Infant Mental Health Journal and associate editor of Child Development, and currently is a member of the editorial boards for Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Zero to Three; the Infant Mental Health Journal; and the Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship, and is associate editor of the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement.

At Michigan State University, his administrative responsibilities include oversight of University Outreach and Engagement (i.e., Cultural Engagement Council, University- Community Partnerships, the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, the Center for Community and Economic Development, Community Evaluation Research Center, the Usability and Accessibility Center, and the National Center for the Study of University Engagement), the MSU Museum of Natural and Cultural History, and Wharton Center for Performing Arts. Fitzgerald has over 430 scholarly publications in broad areas of infant development, developmental psychology, developmental psychopathology, and prevention science, and in the role of PI or Co-PI has received over 25 million dollars in support of this work. Recent books include two 4-volume sets, namely, the WAIMH Handbook for Infant Mental Health (with Joy Osofsky), and The Crisis in Youth Mental Health (with Robert Zucker and Kris Freeark), as well as a 2-volume set on Obesity in Children and Adolescence (with Dele Davies). Fitzgerald is a fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology and has served as executive director of the World Association for Infant Mental Health since 1992. In 2006 he received the Zero to Three Dolley Madison Award for lifetime contributions to very young children and their families.

Patricia Farrell, Ph.D.

Patricia Farrell, Ph.D., is the senior director at University-Community Partnerships and associate director for the Families And Communities Together (FACT) Coalition. Farrell has extensive experience in school reform efforts, promotion of school health programs, and early childhood initiatives to improve children's school readiness. Most recently, she partnered with Anne Soderman from the College of Human Ecology on a Kellogg-funded school readiness initiative in the Lansing area. Their manual, Off to a Great Start: Best Practices in Emerging Literacy, outlines how preschool and kindergarten teachers can improve children's literacy and school readiness. Through her role as associate director for the FACT Coalition, Farrell assists in administering an annual competitive and targeted grant process for campus-community partnerships, plans forums on topical issues such as obesity, and builds collaborations with public and private entities to foster campus-community partnerships. Farrell holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from Michigan State University.

Burton A. Bargerstock

Burton A. Bargerstock is director of Communication and Information Technologies and co-director of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement. He directs information system development, publications, public/media relations, and event management; and serves on university-wide advisory committees. Since 1994, Bargerstock has participated in a number of institutional research efforts, including the development of the Outreach & Engagement Measurement Instrument (OEMI) which collects data on faculty outreach efforts and activities. Under the aegis of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement (NCSUE) he leads the OEMI project, heading its implementation at MSU and partnering institutions. Bargerstock also helped shape an ongoing qualitative research project that studies the impact of outreach on scholarship and scholarly lives. Recently, he was involved in the creation and development of the MSU Usability & Accessibility Center, a University laboratory that conducts research on and provides services for the evaluation of human/technology interfaces (e.g., software, Web sites, etc.). He is an institutional member of EDUCAUSE and the University Continuing Education Association, and is president of the MSU Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Lynne J. Devereaux

Lynne J. Devereaux is the operations manager at University Outreach and Engagement. Her duties include UOE budgets, personnel, and facilities management for the unit. She is also a member of several University committees. Devereaux has worked at MSU for almost 30 years.

William A. Edwards

William A. Edwards is the pre-college program strategist and assessment specialist with a joint appointment between University Outreach and Engagement, Student Affairs & Services, and Admissions. His responsibilities include building assessment protocol, developing benchmarks for assessment, and creating strategies and toolkits to be used by all MSU pre-college programs. Edwards works closely with pre-college program administrators and directors to coordinate their efforts. Additionally, he serves as a point of contact for external constituencies including school districts, community colleges, and other stakeholders. Edwards also provides support to the University Pre-College Programs Steering Committee.

JoDee Fortino

JoDee Fortino is the laboratory manager at the new MSU Usability & Accessibility Center (UAC) and administrative assistant at Office of the Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement (APUOE). For the UAC, Fortino handles scheduling, facility rentals and bookkeeping. She also sets up user testing sessions, focus groups, and video conferencing. Additionally, she supervises UAC support staff. Fortino's responsibilities at APUOE include conference logistics planning, marketing assistance, and coordinating UOE reception coverage. Prior to joining UOE, Fortino was the executive administrative assistant at the MSU Center for Urban Affairs.

Glenda Gatewood

Glenda Gatewood is an administrative assistant at the Office of the Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement. She is responsible for maintaining, monitoring, and reconciling bookkeeping records for partnerships and programs. She also oversees office operations and provides administrative support to the staff and graduate assistants.

Cindy M. Helms

Cindy M. Helms is secretary III at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT) and the Office of the Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement. Helms researches the MSU Web site for activities, programs, and workshops for the Statewide Resource Network (SRN) and Spartan Youth Programs (SYP) Web sites. Helms is also involved in the everyday functioning of the office from setting up meetings and scheduling meeting rooms to preparing travel vouchers.

Paul Phipps

Paul Phipps is an information technology professional for UOE. He provides technical support to the office staff and maintains and updates the machines. Some of his duties include maintaining computers, servers, and printers within the domain. Phipps also assists the technical support coordinator in making recommendations for technology purchases within the office.

Joyce M. Pinckney

Joyce Pinckney is the secretary to Hiram Fitzgerald, Associate Provost for University Outreach and Engagement. She coordinates his calendar and travel, and arranges meetings, as well as manages databases and the organization and circulation of materials. Pinckney also plays an integral part in support of general office operations throughout the day, and with supervision of student and on-call employees.

Kirk S. Riley

Kirk S. Riley is an academic specialist at University Outreach and Engagement (UOE) and the Executive Director of the Information Technology Empowerment Center (ITEC) , Lansing, MI. The center—a non-profit that operates under a Board of Directors composed of academic, governmental, school district, and private sector partners—seeks to strengthen K-12 learning in science, technology, engineering, and math. ITEC operates in the former Holmes Street Elementary School in Lansing. At UOE, Riley's primary interests are formulating and applying methods for the study of university engagement, promoting scholarly approaches to the practice of engagement, and engaging university faculty in outreach. He participates as a member of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement and began employment in UOE in January 2006. Riley is a Fellow in the Center for Water Sciences at MSU and Member of the Outreach Advisory Board for the Great Lakes Environmental and Molecular Science Center at Western Michigan University. He lectures on risk communication and public involvement in environmental decision making at MSU. Riley has a master's degree in resource development from Michigan State University.

Mark Szymczak

Mark Szymczak is an information technologist and technology support coordinator for the UOE unit. Szymczak provides technical support to the office staff and maintains and updates the machines. Szymczak is also the network and domain administrator. Some of Szymczak's other responsibilities include staying informed about the latest technological advances and research. Based on this work, Szymczak makes recommendations for implementing technology within the office, thus facilitating a more productive work environment.

Laurie Van Egeren, Ph.D.

Laurie Van Egeren, Ph.D., is the co-director of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement and director of the Community Evaluation and Research Center. She conducts both program evaluations and community-based research. Van Egeren has led or co-led several statewide evaluations to assess the implementation and outcomes of state-funded programs for children, youth, and families, including the evaluations of 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the All Students Achieve Program - Parent Involvement in Education, and the Child Care Expulsion Prevention Initiative. Van Egeren's research interests focus on contributions of programmatic quality, organizational structure, and community context to differences in child, youth, and family outcomes. She also conducts basic research in coparenting and family development. She holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Michigan State University.

National Center for the Study of University Engagement

Burton A. Bargerstock

Burton A. Bargerstock is co-director of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement and director of Communication and Information Technologies for University Outreach and Engagement (UOE). He directs information system development, publications, public/media relations, and event management; and serves on university-wide advisory committees. Since 1994, Bargerstock has participated in a number of institutional research efforts, including the development of the Outreach & Engagement Measurement Instrument (OEMI) which collects data on faculty outreach efforts and activities. Under the aegis of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement (NCSUE) he leads the OEMI project, heading its implementation at MSU and partnering institutions. Bargerstock also helped shape an ongoing qualitative research project that studies the impact of outreach on scholarship and scholarly lives. Recently, he was involved in the creation and development of the MSU Usability & Accessibility Center, a University laboratory that conducts research on and provides services for the evaluation of human/technology interfaces (e.g., software, Web sites, etc.). He is an institutional member of EDUCAUSE and the University Continuing Education Association, and is president of the MSU Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Laurie Van Egeren, Ph.D.

Robert E. Brown

Robert E. Brown is the associate director at University-Community Partnerships. He works to support, nurture, and expand outreach and engagement at MSU through structural, collaborative, and curricular initiatives. He also promotes communities' use of actionable knowledge and evidence-based interventions/models. With his colleague Celeste Sturdevant Reed, he developed the Outcome-Asset Impact Model (Outcome/impact assessment model: Linking outcomes and assets, Evaluation and Program Planning, 24, 287-295). A description of their work can be found on the Capable Communities Web site. He is also a team member of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement.

Diane Doberneck, Ph.D.

Diane M. Doberneck, Ph.D., is a research specialist in the National Center for the Study of University Engagement and an adjunct assistant professor in the Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program. She conducts research on the effectiveness of institutional change efforts and designs curricula to support the scholarship of engagement at multiple levels of the institution. In addition, she co-leads an international collaborative with the Tochar Valley Rural Community Network (Co. Mayo, Ireland) that focuses on enhancing rural community vitality through autonomous community development and engaged learning experiences for students. Doberneck holds a Ph.D. in organizational and community resource development from Michigan State University.

Hiram E. Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

Cindy M. Helms

Kirk S. Riley

Diane L. Zimmerman, Ph.D.

Diane L. Zimmerman, Ph.D., is the director emeritus of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement. Her primary interest areas are higher education policy and administration, communication strategies, and outreach and engagement evaluation and measurement. Zimmerman has participated in the decade-long conversations and presentations on evaluating and measuring scholarly outreach. She served as a team member and editor of Points of Distinction: A Guidebook for Planning & Evaluating Quality Outreach; co-authored, with Robert L. Church and Burton A. Bargerstock, "Measuring Scholarly Outreach at Michigan State University—Definition, Challenges, Tools"; and wrote, with Peter McPherson, Robert Church, and Nancy Pogel, a chapter entitled, "Real-World, Practical Learning: Developing a Comprehensive Model in the Land-Grant Tradition, Michigan State University," in Learning to Serve (2002). She leads the initiative that developed and implemented the Outreach & Engagement Measurement Instrument to collect information on faculty-based outreach activity. Along with Burton Bargerstock, she gave direction to the founding and development of the MSU Usability & Accessibility Center . In her current role, she is principal investigator of a 6-year study of MSU's Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure revision and implementation. She is also participating in several new UOE/NCSUE publication ventures. Prior to coming to MSU in 1991, Zimmerman held administrative and faculty positions in small private colleges and editorial positions in publishing. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Michigan State University.

Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

Karen McKnight Casey

Karen McKnight Casey is the director of the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. Casey facilitates university initiatives that provide academic, curricular and co-curricular, service-based learning and engagement opportunities for MSU students. She works closely with university faculty, administrators, and students to offer opportunities that meet their academic, personal, professional, and civic development goals, while also addressing the expressed needs of community partners. Casey also directs the MSU America Reads/America Counts federal work-study projects. She serves as an adjunct faculty/specialist in the Department of Family and Child Ecology and as a field instructor for the School of Social Work. She is active on a number of university and community committees and boards, including the board of Michigan Campus Compact. Casey's multiple years of professional experience in higher education and working with community agencies give her unique perceptions and expertise in promoting and implementing service-learning and civic engagement.

Georgia Davidson

Georgia Davidson is the associate director of the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. Her work focuses on curricular and co-curricular service-based learning and engagement opportunities for students within the Greater Lansing community. She is a former special education teacher in Lansing, Michigan and Harrisburg, Illinois who also served as a summer camp director for several years with the Presbytery of Detroit. Davidson's career in student affairs administration has included positions at the University of New Hampshire, Boston College, and Michigan State University. Her experience is in residence life, admissions, student life, judicial affairs, and service-learning/civic engagement.

Kelly Malloy

Kelly Malloy is the accounts manager at the Center for Service- Learning and Civic Engagement (CSLCE), which includes the America Reads/America Counts programs. Malloy processes student payroll for over 100 student workers and handles issues with students and partner schools as they arise. She also maintains and reconciles bookkeeping records and provides secretarial support to the director of the CSLCE. Malloy is also the site supervisor for the AmeriCorps MI Service Scholars Scholarship opportunity administered through MI Campus Compact.

Kevin Schwemmin

Kevin Schwemmin is a student services assistant with the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (CSLCE). He is a native of Michigan and has an bachelor's degree in history and German from Central Michigan University and an M.Ed. in student affairs from Grand Valley State University. Schwemmin most recently served as director of student activities at Adrian College. He is an active member of the Community Service Directors Steering Committee of the Michigan Campus Compact. In his work with the CSLCE, Schwemmin advises the student-led service initiatives of Alternative Spring Break, Into the Streets, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). In addition, he serves as the facilitator and advisor for programs with Sparrow Hospital/Health Systems and community nutrition programs.

Nicole C. Springer

Nicole Springer is an academic outreach specialist with the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement (CSLCE). She began work with the CSLCE as a graduate assistant. Before graduate work at MSU, Springer attended Concordia College, where she worked closely with the Office of Student Leadership and Service and later served with AmeriCorps VISTA in Moorhead, MN. At the CSLCE Springer is involved in research, outcome evaluation, curriculum development and other activities related to the scholarship of engagement. She also advises students and assists with faculty consultations related to service and engagement opportunities, and serves as CSLCE liaison to the community-based LEAD program for families of chronically truant elementary school children.

Communication and Information Technology

Burton A. Bargerstock

Ghada Georgis

Ghada Georgis is an assistant director and information architect at Communication and Information Technology (CIT). Georgis works on information architecture and content development of both UOE and MSU partners' outreach-related Web sites. Some of the projects that she has worked on include the Capable Communities Web site, which highlights the work of University-Community Partnerships; and a project with the College of Education's Office of K-12 Outreach, ABCS Michigan Academic Coaches , which is a program that trains school improvement coaches. She is interested in user-centered design and incorporates best practices related to Web design and development. She is also involved in conducting Web evaluations at the MSU Usability & Accessibility Center . Before joining UOE, Georgis worked at Texas A&M University's Office of Continuing Education, developing Web-based curriculum that was geared for professionals in the fields of teacher education and counseling.

Amy Byle

Amy Byle is an editor at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). Her primary responsibility is to maintain the Statewide Resource Network (SRN) Web site, a database of MSU outreach activities and programs. Byle researches these programs, writes about, and keeps them updated by interacting with the program directors and other contacts across campus. She leads the SRN Web team and serves as primary editor to the site, as well as to the Spartan Youth Programs (SYP) Web site.

Lisa Eldred

Lisa Eldred is an editorial aide at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). Her main responsibility is to aid in the maintenance of the Statewide Resource Network (SRN) and the Spartan Youth Programs (SYP) databases. Additionally, she assists with writing, copyediting, and formatting miscellaneous UOE projects and reports. She is currently pursuing a M.A. in Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing.

Catherine Gibson

Catherine Gibson is a contributing writer and editor in Communication and Information Technologies. She provides data research and analysis, literature searches and reviews, report- and story-writing, and editing. She has also worked on other university-community engagement projects such as curriculum development. Previously, she was a project consultant with University-Community Partnerships, for a Michigan Applied Public Policy Research Program project, and co-authored the project's report (2004) entitled The Collaborative Design of Built Environments and its Relationship to Social Capital and Community Health. Prior to joining UOE, she was a consultant and educator for 20 years, primarily with the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and the City of Toronto. In this capacity she provided consulting and training services to private and public sector employers in the areas of equal employment opportunity, workplace diversity, organization development, and corporate culture change.

Cindy M. Helms

Carla J. Hills

Carla J. Hills is a communications manager at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). Hills coordinates and assists efforts to plan and implement communications and marketing strategies for UOE projects, partnerships, collaborations, and events. She serves as the UOE media contact for press and media inquiries and is the UOE representative at University Relations Campus Communicator meetings. Prior to joining UOE, Hills worked in Michigan state government, as well as state and federal campaigns and elections.

Tina Houghton

Tina Houghton is the marketing and sales assistant at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). Houghton coordinates and/or assists in planning and implementing UOE conferences, speakers' series, and special events. She showcases UOE materials at various events and assists in the promotion of UOE products and services.

Adina Huda

Adina Huda is a graphic designer at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). She creates for both digital and print media. She is also involved in the creation and updating of Web pages, and contributes her editing skills to various print projects. Her professional interests include interactivity, usability and accessibility, and other tools that lead to a positive user experience.

Linda Chapel Jackson

Linda Chapel Jackson is the senior editor at Communication and Information Technologies (CIT). She assists UOE staff and research fellows with their presentations, Web-based resources, and journal articles. She works on all aspects of the publication process, including editing, proof-reading, formatting and graphic layout, seeking copyright permission, and acquiring illustrations. Jackson also develops publication templates, style sheets, and manuals describing how to use the content management systems. In addition, Jackson is the editor of the Engaged Scholar Magazine. Prior to joining UOE, Jackson was the editor at the Institute for Children, Youth, and Families.

Brad Smith

Brad Smith is an information architect with Communication and Information Technologies. He primarily works on the MSU Usability & Accessibility Center and the National Center for the Study of University Engagement Web sites. Smith determines layout and follows Web Standards for XHTML, CSS and Section 508 Accessibility. He has worked with developers and users within the accessibility and usability field for about 6 years.

University-Community Partnerships

Patricia Farrell, Ph.D.

Jessica V. Barnes, Ph.D.

Jessica V. Barnes, Ph.D., is the associate director of University-Community Partnerships and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. She conducts both program evaluations and basic research. Barnes has established and led the evaluations for numerous prevention programs for families with young children. The evaluations have focused on gathering information about the relationships among family members in prevention programs and family functioning, child social development, and child cognitive development. Currently, Barnes is working in collaboration with Genesee Intermediate School District to develop a longitudinal study that examines the effectiveness of a variety of physical and mental health programs. Barnes holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Michigan State University.

Robert E. Brown

Robert E. Brown is the associate director at University-Community Partnerships. He works to support, nurture, and expand outreach and engagement at MSU through structural, collaborative, and curricular initiatives. He also promotes communities' use of actionable knowledge and evidence-based interventions/models. With his colleague Celeste Sturdevant Reed, Brown developed the Outcome-Asset Impact Model (Outcome/impact assessment model: Linking outcomes and assets, Evaluation and Program Planning, 24, 287-295). A description of their work can be found on the Capable Communities Web site. Brown is also a team member of the National Center for the Study of University Engagement.

Laura Bates

Laura Bates is a research assistant with University-Community Partnerships, the Community Evaluation and Research Center, and the Institute for Children, Youth, and Families. Bates has seven years of experience in managing community research projects and developing university-community partnerships. She is on the management team for the state evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers after-school programs and works on several other community-based projects. She coordinates the Michigan Family Impact Seminars, which inform state policymakers about research on family issues, and edits a series of briefs that translate research into the language of policymakers. Before coming to the university she had 20 years of experience in program development and management in the areas of early childhood and youth development.

Luke Kane

Luke Kane is a school liaison for University-Community Partnerships. He currently works with schools and administrators in the Genesee Intermediate School District to gather data about the effectiveness of a variety of physical and mental health programs, including the Bridges to the Future after-school program, the Coordinated Community Student Survey, and the Character Education initiative in Genesee County. He excels in data entry and management, as well as building relationships with community partners and has also been involved with editing several of the reports for which data were gathered. Kane holds a B.S. in human biology from Michigan State University.

John Melcher

John Melcher is an engagement specialist with University-Community Partnerships and the associate director of the Center for Urban Affairs.

Victoria Nichols

Victoria Nichols is a school liaison for University-Community Partnerships. She assists in the evaluation of Project SKIP and Bridges to the Future and in the administration of the Coordinated Community Student Survey. She joined the UOE team from the University of Minnesota, where she earned a B.S. in Microbiology, and is completing a Master's of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health/Epidemiology. Nichols' research interests are centered on community health, promoting healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery, healthy starts for children, and preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Since community outreach, engagement and evaluation are integral parts of promoting health and starting community health clinics, Nichols hopes that her experiences with UOE will prove to be valuable for her future career as a physician.

Celeste Sturdevant Reed, Ph.D.

Celeste Sturdevant Reed, Ph.D., is an evaluator and engagement specialist with the Community Evaluation and Research Center. During her tenure at MSU, she has worked on youth development, culture and arts, early childhood, community problem-solving, evaluation, and professional development efforts. Currently, Reed is the co-principal investigator for the Michigan Statewide Evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers project as well as being the PI for the Great Parents, Great Start evaluation. Both contracts are with the Michigan Department of Education. Most of her evaluation efforts focus on building the capacity of evaluation partners, which has been carried out through formal training as well as individual consultation. She is co-author, with Robert E. Brown, of "Outcome/Impact Assessment Model: Linking Outcomes and Assets," in Evaluation and Program Planning and "An Integral Approach to Evaluating Outcome Evaluation Training" in the American Journal of Evaluation. Reed holds a Ph.D. in social science (with a concentration in Labor and Industrial Relations) from Michigan State University.

Sadhia Rehman

Sadhia Rehman is a research assistant and school liaison in University-Community Partnerships. She currently assists in evaluating Bridges to the Future, SKIP to a Great Start early childhood development program, and Coordinated Community Student Survey for the Genesee Intermediate School District. Rehman also conducts training workshops for community partners and helps build relationships with schools. She obtained a bachelor's degree at Michigan State University in Interdisciplinary Humanities, studying mathematics, history and studio art. After graduating, Rehman began working in the non-profit sector to help address the literacy needs of adults and youth in the Lansing area. She has been trained to assess English Language Learner (ELL) and basic literacy levels of adults and children, administer GED practice tests, and train literacy tutors. Additionally, Rehman has coordinated multiple literacy programs within the Capitol area and has tutored for and taught GED classes.

Betty Tableman

Betty Tableman is editor of Best Practice Briefs for University-Community Partnerships. Briefs draw on basic research, evaluation reports, and field experience, presenting state-of-the-art knowledge about various facets of human services, organized in terms of basic concepts, processes, models of best practice, and tools. Tableman also participates in the development of materials for community partnerships.

Community Evaluation and Research Center

Laurie Van Egeren, Ph.D.

Miles McNall, Ph.D.

Miles McNall, Ph.D., is the assistant director at the Community Evaluation and Research Center. McNall has extensive experience in the evaluation of health and human service programs. He participated in the evaluation of HIV prevention programs for young men at the University of Minnesota Medical College and oversaw the development of client outcome monitoring systems for agency programs at Catholic Charities of Chicago. At the Hektoen Institute for Medical Research, he evaluated HIV/AIDS care programs and oversaw the agency's quality improvement efforts. Currently, McNall and his colleagues are conducting an evaluation of school-based health centers funded by the Michigan Department of Community Health. In addition, he is conducting an internal evaluation of the Community Evaluation and Research Center projects. McNall holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Minnesota.

Jason B. Almerigi, Ph.D.

Jason B. Almerigi, Ph.D., is a research associate in University-Community Partnerships and the Community Evaluation and Research Center and an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Psychology. He is both a basic-research and applied life-span developmental psychologist who specializes in large-scale, longitudinal survey research. He is currently developing a comprehensive, mixed-methods measurement model to evaluate student outcomes related to community engagement within international contexts. In addition, he collaborates with Jessica Barnes in evaluating several health, safety, and nutrition programs offered by Genesee Intermediate School District, and the Bridges to the Future, after-school youth development program. Almerigi holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Michigan State University and has completed post-doctoral work at Tufts University.

Laura Bates

E. Beth Prince

Beth Prince is an engagement specialist at University-Community Partnerships.

Celeste Sturdevant Reed, Ph.D.

Center for Community and Economic Development

Kassandra Ray-Smith

Kassandra Ray-Smith is secretary at the Center for Community and Economic Development. She provides administrative and functional support. She has an associate degree and has worked at the MSU for almost 27 years.

Michigan State University Museum

C. Kurt Dewhurst, Ph.D.

C. Kurt Dewhurst, Ph.D., is the director of the Michigan State University Museum. In addition to his administrative duties, he coordinates a variety of state, national, and international folklife research, collection development, and outreach and engagement programs. He is a founding director of the annual Great Lakes Folk Festival. His research interests include museum studies theory and practice, and national and international cultural heritage policy; cultural change and continuity: e.g., traditional arts and material culture; identity and ethnicity; and occupational folk culture. His research is shaped by a commitment to undertaking research projects in collaboration with representatives of the underserved communities and cultural groups, responding to social/community needs. He teaches courses in museum studies, folklife, and material folk culture. He is a past president of the Michigan Museums Association, past chair of the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and past vice chair of the Michigan Humanities Council. He serves as president of the Fund for Folk Culture Foundation, chair of the Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, board member of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and is a senior accreditation reviewer for the American Association of Museums.

MSU Usability & Accessibility Center

Sarah J. Swierenga, Ph.D.

Sarah J. Swierenga, Ph.D., C.P.E., is the director of the Michigan State University Usability & Accessibility Center (UAC) and professor by courtesy in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media. She is responsible for developing and disseminating innovations in theory building, research methodologies, and technologies to enhance usability and accessibility in Web and information technology contexts. The UAC serves faculty, students, and organizations at MSU, as well as external clients, through consulting, collaborative research, educational programming, publications, and the sponsorship of open houses, workshops, and symposia. A researcher and a practitioner with 20 years of experience in the scientific study of users in commercial, military, and academic environments, Dr. Swierenga formerly held a joint appointment as a senior human factors research psychologist in the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) and visiting assistant professor of psychology in the Psychology Department. She possesses extensive skills in user interface design, data collection tools, and methodologies including usability tests, accessibility compliance evaluations, questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, and expert evaluations. At her previous employer, LexisNexis, Dr. Swierenga led a corporate accessibility compliance initiative, providing technical consulting on over 50 products, and creating an organizational strategy for implementing Section 508 (Rehabilitation Act) standards. She continued this effort under contract through UDRI. She also co-authored Constructing Accessible Web Sites, and her most recent chapter appeared in The User-Centered Design Casebook. She has presented widely on accessible Web site design, usability techniques, e-learning effectiveness, and health communication technology which comprise her research programs. Swierenga received a Ph.D. in human factors psychology with a concentration in human-computer interaction from the University of South Dakota, and a B.A. in psychology from Calvin College. She is an alternate member of the U.S. Access Board 508/255 refresh committee, and a member of the UPA Voting and Usability Project. She is also a Certified Professional Ergonomist (C.P.E.).

Michael S. Elledge

Michael S. Elledge is the assistant director of the MSU Usability and Accessibility Center (UAC). Elledge performs a variety of activities at the UAC, including client development, project management, user testing, and facilitation. His particular areas of interest include educational and course management software and accessible Web design for persons with disabilities. In addition to his duties at the UAC, Elledge manages a multi-university effort to promote accessibility of Sakai, an open source collaboration and learning environment. Elledge brings a breadth of marketing, consumer research, and human computer interaction experience to the UAC. Prior to joining UOE he worked as a usability and accessibility specialist for the University of Michigan, conducting usability testing, accessibility evaluation, workshops, and outreach. Earlier in his career, Elledge worked in consumer product marketing and advertising for such well-known companies as Quaker Oats, Borden, Vlasic, Campbell-Ewald, Wells Rich Green, D'arcy Masius Benton and Bowles, and the Henry Ford Health System. Elledge holds an M.S. in information science from the University of Michigan, concentrating in human computer interaction and information architecture, and an M.B.A. in marketing and finance from Columbia University.

Constantinos K. Coursaris, Ph.D.

Constantinos Coursaris, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the Usability & Accessibility Center. His formal training consists of a B.Eng. in Aerospace, an MBA in e-Business, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems with a concentration on electronic business (e-Business) and mobile commerce (m-Commerce). His doctoral dissertation focused on "Contextual Usability: The Impact of Distraction on User Performance, Satisfaction, and Adoption of Mobile Devices for Wireless Data Services." During his academic career he has received many accolades in business analysis and e-Business research and development. Coursaris has been involved in the instruction of over 40 university courses over the past 7 years. He has also gained consulting experience having worked repeatedly as a contractor for McMaster University, focusing on Web content management, Web site development, and event organizing. Coursaris has also held management positions in retail, hospitality, and information technology (IT). His current research interests lie in the intersection of usability and mobile devices for the purpose of health and/or commercial applications. The results of his research efforts can be found in his numerous publications and conference presentations.

JoDee K. Fortino

Shreelina Ghosh

Shreelina Ghosh is graduate assistant in the Usability & Accessibility Center (UAC). She is a doctoral student in the Department of Rhetoric & Writing. Her academic and professional interests range across cultural and digital rhetoric, cultural identities and resistances, subaltern studies, human computer interaction, and Web accessible and usability techniques. Her responsibilities at the UAC include analyzing data from usability evaluations, generating expert reviews, and assisting in focus groups. She is also co-authoring several articles on usability research with the UAC Director, Dr. Sarah Swierenga. Ghosh is a student representative at the Graduate Council of the College of Arts & Letters and an executive board member of the MSU International Students Association. Prior to joining UAC she was an instructor of a first year writing course for the Department of Writing Rhetoric and American Culture. Ghosh holds an M.A. in English from Calcutta University, India.

Wharton Center for the Performing Arts

Michael J. Brand

Michael Brand is the executive director of Wharton Center for Performing Arts, a position he has held for the past three years. He has nearly 30 years of performing arts experience as a performer, teacher, and presenter. Since his arrival at Wharton Center, Brand has increased programming in all four of Wharton Center's venues: the 2,400-seat Cobb Great Hall, the 600-seat Passant Theatre, the 3,800-seat MSU Concert Auditorium, and the 600-seat Fairchild Theatre. He was instrumental in Wharton Center achieving its ranking as the fifth top theatre in the world according to Pollstar Magazine, the industry source for concert and tour information. The ranking was based on tickets sold between January 1 and June 30, 2006.

Previously, as vice president of the theatrical division of Clear Channel Entertainment, he initiated the rebirth of the Baltimore Center for Performing Arts, returning the Center to its former prominence. He was also responsible for the creation of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, where the initial Broadway subscription exceeded 7,000 patrons. Prior to his term with Clear Channel, Brand was the executive director of Jujamcyn Productions in Minneapolis, where he provided managerial oversight for six subscription series in markets throughout the country. His vision at Jujamcyn resulted in substantial growth that led to the acquisition of Jujamcyn Productions by SFX, and later Clear Channel Entertainment. Before working with Jujamcyn and Clear Channel, Brand spent 10 years at the Ordway Music Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota. During his time at the Ordway, Brand worked in virtually every facet of the organization, eventually becoming vice president responsible for all programming and marketing. With Brand's guidance the Ordway Music Theatre became one of the preeminent centers in the country.
Brand is also an accomplished trumpet player and teacher. He has taught at several colleges and has performed with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, to name a few. He received a B.S. in music from the University of Minnesota and did post graduate work at Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota.