Office of Faculty Development

Overview

The Office of Faculty Development (OFD) encourages and supports continuous learning by coordinating and providing high-quality professional development opportunities for Austin Community College (ACC) faculty.

As a centralized hub, OFD offers programs, resources, and direct support for faculty at all career stages. Our goal is to inspire and empower faculty to enhance their teaching, promote collaboration across disciplines, and connect faculty success to student success in alignment with Faculty Values and the College’s Theory of Change.

Faculty Development provides a wide variety of opportunities—from specialized workshops and learning communities to in-depth experiences such as the Celebration of Great Teaching Retreat and the Teaching & Learning Academy (TLA).

For questions about Faculty Development opportunities, email facdev@austincc.edu.

Faculty Development Opportunities

Faculty Leads

Celebration of Great Teaching Retreat

Dr. Missi Patterson, faculty lead
professor of psychology
mpatters@austincc.edu

Department Chair Academy

Catherine Solaas, faculty lead
department chair, dance
csolaas@austincc.edu

Faculty Talent Onboarding

Amy Ashton Cunningham, lead faculty facilitator
professor, composition and literary studies
amy.cunningham@austincc.edu

Hoda Tavakoli, facilitator
faculty, mathematics
htavakol@austincc.edu

Teaching & Learning Academy

Susan Diamond, faculty lead
professor of surgical technology
sdiamond@austincc.edu

Sunshine Heenen, facilitator
adjunct assistant professor of philosophy and ethics
sunshine.heenen@austincc.edu

Meg Flemming, facilitator
adjunct professor of anatomy and physiology
mfelmmin@austincc.edu

Carrie Kaplan, facilitator
adjunct faculty, drama
carrie.kaplan@austincc.edu

Ryan Lopez, facilitator
faculty, composition and literary studies
ryan.lopez@austincc.edu

Committee for Faculty Innovation & Development (CFID)

CFID is a primarily faculty-driven group that ensures that the work of the Office of Faculty Development and the Faculty Center for Learning Innovation represents faculty in the creation and administration of faculty development initiatives, activities, and services.

CFID members are appointed to advise Faculty Development on:

- Engage in advising, promoting, and participating in faculty development programming.
- Ensure the development and implementation of initiatives, activities, and services represent our Faculty Values.
- Provide insight and expertise on opportunities for faculty to grow, based on evidence-based practices.
- Provide support and advocate to and for faculty in the spirit of lifelong learning.
- Be the voice of faculty development needs and wants from the faculty.

Click here to submit ideas for CFID to consider!

Current Members

Adjunct faculty:

- Joseph Ferguson, Student Development
- Gretchen Harries, Communication Studies
- Nancy Johnson, Child Care & Development
- Paula King, Art
- Sarah Elizabeth Wilson, English

Full-time faculty:

- LaKisha Barrett, Biology
- Jill Bosche, English
- Lindsay Carlson, Pharmacy Technician
- Sara Farr, Game Dev, Animation, & Motion
- Darryl Houston, Accounting
- Jorge López-McKnight, Library Services
- Courtney Mlinar, Library Services
- Sajjad Mohsin, Computer Science
- Rajani Ramachandran, Adult Education
- Donna Shepperd, Adult Education
- Samantha Soebbing, Chemistry
- Ryan Swank, Culinary Arts
- Caroline Tornatore, Adult Education
- May Wang, Accounting

Instructors

- Jennifer Houlihan, Continuing Education
- Elizabeth Warren, Continuing Education

Membership Guidelines and Requirements

- Twenty membership positions total.
- Representation is primarily full-time and adjunct faculty and includes a faculty librarian, counselor, Adult Education, and Continuing Education instructors.
- One-year commitment for new members.
- A member must attend 75% of all meetings and respond to 75% of online voting/communications.
- Unlimited membership length for all members as long as they remain in good standing.

How to Join

- Prior to each fall semester, eligible current members will be asked to confirm their commitment to participate for another term.
- Faculty association leadership makes recommendations on association executive council leadership representation.
- Based on the number of seats available, an application will be shared with the respective faculty group accepting applications at the start of the fall semester.

Past Members

- Mario Aguilar
- Liz Alexander
- Dawn Allison
- Blanca Alvarado
- Nagham Awadallah
- Gail Bayeta
- Jackie Burns
- Mark Butland
- Wayne Butler
- Christie Carr
- Sherri Castillo
- Jackie Childress
- Toyya Cisneros
- Herb Coleman
- Sharon Davis
- Ash dHarcourt
- Ally Dowell
- Manuel Duran
- Samuel Echevarria-Cruz
- Elena Eidelberg
- Vanessa Faz
- Jennifer Graydon
- Sheila Henderson
- Yolonda Holland
- Skye Howell
- Lillian Huerta
- Julie Kostka
- Rise Lara
- Bailey Lathem
- Shih-Ting Lee
- Joe Lostracco
- David Lydic
- Suzanne McFadden
- Susan Meigs
- Ana Mejia-Dietch
- Christina Michura
- Juan Molina
- Marcela Nouzovska
- Matthew Pappas
- Missi Patterson
- Reed Peoples
- Tobin Quereau
- Tiffany Ricks
- Tiffany Rhodes
- Anaka Rivera
- Yam Tolan
- Gale Spear
- Larry Stephens
- Amy Velchoff
- Jason Vidrine
- J Lynne Wiesman

ACC Faculty Values

ACC Faculty Values play a significant role in the professional development and programming of faculty development and more at ACC.

Learn More

Contacts

Dr. Theresa Glenn
Dean, Faculty Development & Evaluation
tglenn2@austincc.edu

Alyssa Gonzales
Administrative Assistant III
(512) 223-7786
alyssa.gonzales@austincc.edu

Dr. Tasha Davis
Assistant Dean, Faculty Development
tdavis3@austincc.edu

Chelsea Biggerstaff
Manager, Faculty Development
chelsea.biggerstaff@austincc.edu

Valeria Flint
Coordinator II, Faculty Development
valeria.flint@austincc.edu