Office of the Dean

Leading, Learning, Life Changing

Dean Randy Hitz Educators are being asked today to educate all students at higher levels than ever and they are expected to meet the educational needs of all students regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. These appropriate and necessary demands are unprecedented and they require new commitments and new ways of addressing education.

The PSU Graduate School of Education is committed to preparing professionals to lead in helping all students to succeed. Effective education and related services depend upon the relationship between the professional and the student. Increasing demands upon professionals means they need to be better prepared than ever in their subject areas and abilities to meet each student's educational needs through a variety of methods.

The Graduate School of Education's faculty and students are constantly learning with one another and with other professionals. We reflect on our practices in light of the latest research and known best practices to simultaneously improve the preparation of professionals and improve education in schools and colleges. We also contribute to the knowledge base through our research and other scholarly work.

Because the work of educators is life changing for students and the community, we have a responsibility in the Graduate School of Education to ensure that every graduate is as well prepared as possible, and able to address the academic, moral, and ethical issues inherent in the work.

We welcome you to our website and to join us in leading and learning in this life-changing work.

Click here to view our State of the School Presentation for this year.

Staff Member		Position and Bio
	Deborah Allen dma@pdx.edu 503-725-4758 ED 606A	Director of Admissions Advising and Licensure Deborah Allen earned her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Elementary Education. In her current role she is the GSE liaison to Oregon's educator licensing agency (TSPC) and she oversees the Admissions Advising unit within the GSE. Prior to this position she developed and coordinated professional development opportunities for P-12 teachers; she has also been program director, teacher trainer, and teacher in Early Childhood Education settings. She is now working on her doctorate in Educational Leadership focusing on teacher education and university-school partnerships.
	Angelena Garlock Balzer angelena@pdx.edu 503-725-4635 ED 606	Accountant Ms. Garlock-Balzer is the Accountant for the Graduate School of Education Dean's Office. A Portland native, she earned a B.S. in Business Administration: Accounting from Portland State University. Prior to joining the GSE in February 2008, she acquired fifteen months experience in manufacturing accounting, and more than five years experience in finance and banking.
	Rob Brown robrown@pdx.edu 503-725-8301 ED 310C	Technology Consultant Mr. Brown is the GSE's computer and web technician. He holds degrees in English, German, and Computer Information Systems, and has completed coursework in Computer Science.
	Dr. David Bullock bullockd@pdx.edu 503-725-3156 ED 310	Manager of Technology Dr. David Bullock is manager of technology, director of the Metropolitan Instructional Support Laboratory, and an advisor in the Educational Media/Librarianship Program. His research and interests focus on technology in education, teacher preparation, and educational media/librarianship.
	Dr. Ann Fullerton fullertona@pdx.edu 503-725-4254 ED 204D	Director of Research Dr. Ann Fullerton is the Director of Research in the GSE and Professor of Special Education. As Director of Research, she supports faculty in their efforts to develop research projects with partners in the community and other disciplines and to find resources to support those projects. Within special education, Dr. Fullerton teaches courses in exceptional learning, literacy, and assessment. Her research focuses on helping adolescents gain the self-knowledge, life skills, and self-determination needed for the transition to adulthood. She also coordinates the undergraduate senior capstone course "Learning From and About Persons with Significant Disabilities," a transformative experiential service learning course.
	Crystal Froembling crysf@pdx.edu 503-725-3997 ARSC 676C	Assistant Director of External Relations Crystal works with the Advancement Team for the Graduate School of Education and the School of Social Work, working to make sure that donors, friends, and alumni find meaningful ways to connect with our important work. Annual giving, scholarship management, stewardship, events, gift processing and information management, and alumni engagement are central to Crystal's work. In the School of Social Work Crystal is also responsible for external communications, social media, and coordination of the web editors team. Previous to life at PSU Crystal held positions in communications, development, office/volunteer management, community organizing, and pediatric dentistry. Areas of interest include poverty, public education, leadership and community development, strategic and organizational development, social justice, and the power of story.
	Dr. Randy Hitz hitz@pdx.edu 503-725-4697 ED 608G	Dean Dr. Randy Hitz is the Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Portland State University. His administrative experience includes two other dean positions (eight years each at the University of Hawaii and Montana State University) and work in the Oregon Department of Education as the Early Childhood Education Specialist. His teaching experience ranges from preschool and kindergarten to graduate education. Dr. Hitz has published over 50 professional articles on topics related to educational policy and curriculum. He has served on a wide variety of state and national boards and committees, including the teacher licensing boards of Montana and Hawaii. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and he is past chair of the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education. Though he has been an administrator for over 20 years, he still sees himself primarily as a teacher and an advocate for quality education at all levels.
	Dr. Liza Finkel efinkel@pdx.edu 503-725-9656 ED 608F	Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. Liza Finkel is associate dean of the Graduate School of Education and a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at PSU. She has coordinated the Bilingual Teacher Pathway (BTP) program and recruited and trained bilingual classroom assistants to become licensed teachers in Portland Public Schools. Her background is in geological sciences with bachelor's and master's degrees from George Washington University and the University of Michigan. She holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction (science education), from the University of Wisconsin.
	Jaymee Jacoby jjacoby@pdx.edu 503-725-4789 503-890-4962	Director of Development Ms. Jacoby has a master’s of public administration and advanced certificates in nonprofit development and management from Portland State University. She holds undergraduate degrees in studio art and French from Indiana University. Prior to coming to Portland State, Ms. Jacoby worked to advance nonprofit arts, humanities and educational institutions in Indiana, California and Oregon. Locally she has worked with the Portland Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Craft, and Bitch Media.
	Penny Jasso jassop@pdx.edu 503-725-5857 ED 603A	Field Placement Coordinator, Education Ms. Jasso has served as the GSE Field Placement Coordinator since 2002. Prior to that she worked in the Beaverton School District with the Art Literacy Program for 15 years, and at Conestoga Middle School for one year.
	Dr. Cheryl Livneh livnehc@pdx.edu 503-725-4705 ED 218	Associate Dean for Outreach Dr. Livneh worked as a middle school teacher and guidance counselor before moving into the field of continuing professional development. Since 1977 (1987 at Portland State University), she has developed and directed professional development for human service providers and educators. Her doctorate is in adult and continuing education.
	Steve Micke micke@pdx.edu 503-725-4678 ED 608	Data Coordinator Mr. Micke is the data coordinator in the dean's office. He will be working on accreditation, TK20 and other data-related projects. He previously worked at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Assessment and Institutional Research department, and the TRIO and Precollege Departments.
	Jana Patterson janap@pdx.edu 503-725-4621 ED 603B	Field Placement Coordinator, Special and Counselor Education Jana Patterson has served as the GSE field placement coordinator for the Special Education and School Counseling Departments since 2008. Prior to coming to PSU she worked in the Beaverton School District for 31 years as a special education teacher and special education district facilitator.
	Leslee Peterson lesleep@pdx.edu 503-725-4652 ED 608	Assessment and Partnership Coordinator Leslee Peterson works with all GSE degree and licensure programs to develop plans for evidence-based continuous improvement and accreditation. She also supports the Portland Metro Education Partnership (PMEP) which collaboratively addresses issues of teacher preparation and professional development. She has taught middle school for several years and has worked for Intel. Ms. Peterson has a BA in Psychology and an MA in teaching.
	Stefanie Randol srandol@pdx.edu 503-725-4689 ED 608	Administrative Manager for the Dean’s Office Ms. Randol provides several types of specialized administrative support for the Dean’s Office, including management of the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program and hiring/payroll of GSE classified staff, as well as coordinating all aspects of academic scheduling and space in the GSE. Ms. Randol holds a BA in community studies from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and will complete her master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy through the PACE program in spring, 2013. She came to PSU in 2009, and has worked in higher education since 2000. She previously worked at Whittier College, and at Western Kentucky University.
	Susan Shortridge sshortridge@pdx.edu 503-725-4697 ED 608	Executive Assistant to the Dean
	Pati Sluys sluysp@pdx.edu 503-725-4750 ED 606B	Budget and Personnel Manager Ms. Sluys began employment at PSU with the Dean's Office in the Division of Continuing Education (currently the School of Extended Studies) in 1982. She helped establish the new Continuing Education Program housed in the School of Education. In late 1983 she began working for the School of Education dean, Donald Leu, eventually moving into her current position in 1996.