Assistant Professor, School of Education, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

PhD, University of Southern California, Urban Education Policy, 2016

Daniel J. Almeida is an assistant professor in the School of Education at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and coordinator of the Master of Science program in Higher Education Counseling/Student Affairs. Almeida teaches courses on student development theory, multicultural counseling and leadership. He received his BA in psychology from Dartmouth College, MA in higher education administration from Boston College, and PhD in Urban Education Policy at the USC Rossier School of Education.

Almeida has published articles in Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, and the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. He also has two chapters included in the edited book The Problem of College Readiness and a chapter in Qualitative Inquiry in Higher Education Organization and Policy Research in the Core Concepts in Higher Education series.

Instructor, Department of Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Fullerton

PhD, University of Southern California, Urban Education Policy, 2019

Arely Acuña Avilez was a research assistant at the Pullias Center for Higher Education and a Rossier Dean’s Fellow in the Urban Education Policy PhD program at USC Rossier School of Education.

Before pursuing her doctoral studies, Avilez worked as a research assistant in the Office of Residential Life at UCLA where she conducted assessment and evaluation for the living-learning and theme communities. During her time at UCLA, she completed her master’s degree in student affairs and served as an intergroup dialogue facilitator. Avilez also earned her bachelor’s degree in international studies from UC Irvine, where she developed an interest in student affairs and research on higher education through her various involvements on campus.

Avilez was advised by Adrianna Kezar. Her research interests include student civic engagement, student organizations, and the educational experiences that contribute to the academic persistence of historically underrepresented students, particularly for immigrant and undocumented youth in higher education.

Assistant Director of Research and Academic Affairs, Joint Educational Project (JEP), University of Southern California

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pullias Center for Higher Education, 2017-2018

PhD, University of Southern California, Urban Education Policy, 2012

Samantha Bernstein-Sierra is the assistant director of research and academic affairs for the Joint Educational Project (JEP) at the University of Southern California. In this role, she provides support to faculty partners, conducts and disseminates research on service learning and community engagement, and works with graduate research and teaching assistants to develop curricula for a wide range of undergraduate service learning classes. An attorney by trade, Sam is also a consultant and curriculum developer for JEP’s Pre-Law Project. For the last two years, she has been working with Susan Harris to develop graduate-level community engagement programs at USC, including the Engaged Graduate Education Learning Community which launched in January of 2018.

Bernstein-Sierra first came to JEP during her doctoral program as a graduate research and teaching assistant. After receiving her PhD in urban education policy from USC’s Rossier School of Education, she served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Pullias Center for Higher Education and continued to work with Susan and JEP on graduate engagement initiatives. She joined the full-time staff in the summer of 2018.

Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership, California Lutheran University

PhD, University of Southern California, Urban Education Policy, 2017

Sharla Berry is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership. Her research explores technology in K-12 and higher education. Topics of interest include technology and college access and online learning in postsecondary environments. Berry teaches a number of research methods classes.

Assistant Professor of Higher and Adult Education, Department of Leadership, University of Memphis

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pullias Center for Higher Education, 2020-2021

Dr. Bettencourt is an assistant professor of Higher and Adult Education in the Department of Leadership at the University of Memphis. Previously, she served as a postdoctoral research associate at the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California and the Center for Student Success Research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst; a Master of Science in College Student Services Administration, and; Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, History, and Political Science from the University of California Davis.

Upper School Principal and Interim Athletic Director, Salem Baptist Christian School

EdD, University of Southern California, Educational Leadership-Higher Education Administration Specialization, 2004

C. Dean Campbell is the School Principal at Salem Baptist Christian School. He has served as Assistant Dean for Academic Services in The Graduate College at North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT) from 2012 to 2020. He participates in leadership and management of the unit planning strategies and implementing enrollment activities for academic departments. Prior to coming to Salem Baptist Christian School, he worked for over a decade in a variety of administrator roles in graduate education, including Morgan State University’s School of Graduate Studies, the University of Southern California’s Graduate School, and USC’s Enrollment Services Division.