College of Education and Human Development

Thirteen New CEHD Faculty Members Bring Experience From Public Schools to the Federal Government

This fall, more than a dozen distinguished professors are joining the ranks of the College of Education and Human Development’s (CEHD) faculty. From long-time professors and experienced public school instructors to faculty who have held important jobs at the federal and state government levels, the new crop of faculty members brings a wealth of talent, knowledge, and experience to the college.

Julie Aylsworth recently started at Mason as an assistant professor in the college’s popular Sport Management Program. She comes to CEHD from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, where she was an assistant professor of sport management for six years.

Christan Coogle is an assistant professor in the rapidly growing Early Childhood Education Program. She has held faculty positions at Florida State University and West Virginia University, and most recently at Duquesne University. With a PhD in special education curriculum and instruction from Florida State, she adds strength to the program’s concentration in early childhood special education.

Alvin Crawley is an associate professor in the college’s well-regarded Education Leadership Program. In his nearly 40-year career, he has served as superintendent, senior level administrator, program director, speech pathologist, special education teacher, and adjunct university professor. He also has experience in school districts in both Maryland and Virginia.

Carley Fisher-Maltese is an assistant professor of early childhood education and an affiliate of the college’s new Center for Social Equity Through Science Education. Her most recent positions were as an adjunct professor at Mason, an upper elementary teacher at the Drew Model School in Arlington, and Sustainability Liaison for Arlington Public Schools.

Mark Helmsing is an assistant professor of secondary education with a focus on social studies education. He recently received his PhD in curriculum, instruction and teacher education from Michigan State University. While working on his dissertation he was an instructor and also the coordinator of secondary social studies education at the University of Wyoming.

Anne Holton is a visiting professor jointly appointed to the Schar School of Policy and Government and the College of Education and Human Development, where she is also a senior fellow at the Center for Education Policy and Evaluation. She is the former secretary of education for Virginia and former first lady of the state. She has also served as program director for the Great Expectations Education Program for Foster Youth, as a judge for the Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, and in other legal and consulting positions.

Linda Mason is the endowed director of the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities. She comes to Mason as a senior scholar in special education well prepared to take the reins from the Kellar Institute’s founding director, Professor Emeritus Mike Behrmann. Previous faculty positions include appointments at UNC Chapel Hill and Penn State University.

Kristen O’Brien is an assistant professor of special education who joined the college last year in a part-time position. She has worked as an instructor, mentor, supervisor, and in other roles with a strong focus on clinical training. She received her PhD from the University of Florida last year.

Spiros Protopsaltis is a visiting associate professor and fellow of the Center for Education Policy and Evaluation. He most recently served as the deputy assistant secretary for higher education and student financial aid at the U.S. Department of Education in the Obama administration. Prior to that appointment he was senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Education and held several prominent policy-related positions in congressional venues.

Victoria Stone is an assistant professor in CEHD’s nationally recognized program in Counseling and Development. She has been an effective adjunct professor at Mason for over a decade while also serving as a professional school counselor in Virginia.

Kevin Taylor joins the college’s dynamic Special Education Program as the professor-in-charge of American Sign Language courses at Mason. He comes to the college from Northern Virginia Community College, where for the past six years he taught courses in American Sign Language and interpreting.

Divya Varier is an assistant professor in CEHD’s multifaceted Educational Psychology Program. For the past two years, she has been a research assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, the same school from which she received her PhD in educational psychology.

Theresa Wills is an assistant professor working in the Mathematics Education Leadership Program and in the college’s initial teacher licensure programs. She was previously in a part-time position following eight years as an adjunct professor at the college. She also has experience teaching mathematics at the high school level in Virginia.