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)

The Committee for Faculty Innovation and Development (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 work to:

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!

Committee for Faculty Innovation and Development (CFID)

Current Members

Adjunct faculty:

Ash dHarcourt, adharcou@austincc.edu – radio-television-film
Gretchen Harries, gharries@austincc.edu – communication studies
Jorge López-McKnight, jorge.lopez-mcknight@austincc.edu – library services
Nancy Johnson, nancy.johnson@austincc.edu – child care and development; general studies student development; academic coach
Samantha Soebbing, samantha.soebbing@austincc.edu – math and sciences

Full-time faculty:

LaKisha Barrett, lakisha.barrett@austincc.edu – biology
Jill Bosche, jill.bosche@austincc.edu – English
Manuel Duran, mduran12@austincc.edu – computer science and information technology
Sara Farr, sfarr@austincc.edu – Game Dev, Animation, & Motion
Susan Meigs, smeigs@austincc.edu – composition and literary studies
Courtney Mlinar, courtney.mlinar@austincc.edu – library services
Sajjad Mohsin, sajjad.mohsin@austincc.edu – computer science and information technology
Missi Patterson, mpatters@austincc.edu – psychology
Reed Peoples, rpeoples@austincc.edu – accounting
Dr. Tiffany Ricks, tiffany.ricks@austincc.edu – health sciences
J Lynne Wiesman, jwiesman@austincc.edu – PSS – American Sign Language and Interpreting

Instructors

Sherri Castillo, sherri.castillo@austincc.edu – learning lab
Elena Eidelberg, elaine.eidelberg@austincc.edu – ESL
Elizabeth Warren, ewarren@austincc.edu – continuing education

Members with non-faculty designations:

Marcela Nouzovska, mnouzovs@austincc.edu – continuing education
Gale Spear, TLED, special assistant – gales@austincc.edu

Membership Guidelines and Requirements

20 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

Adjunct faculty:

Mario Aguilar (2015-16) – President of Adjunct Faculty Association, served as representative from the AFA Executive Council
Yolonda Holland (2014-15)
Anaka Rivera (2014-17)
Bailey Lathem (2014-15)
Jackie Childress (2014-17)
Sharon Davis (2015-17)
Vanessa Faz (2016-17) – President of Adjunct Faculty Association, served as representative from the AFA Executive Council
Skye Howell (2017-18)
Christie Carr (2014-18)
Nagham Awadallah (2015-18)
Lillian Huerta (2017)
Jackie Burns (2017-18)
Christina Michura (2015-2018)
Matthew Pappas (2017-2019)
Shih-Ting Lee (2017-2021)
Herb Coleman (2019-2021)
Tobin Quereau, inaugural member (student development – was FT, became adjunct in 2018)
Dawn Allison, inaugural member (counselor)
Ana Mejia-Dietch (2020-2023)
Amy Velchoff (2019-2023)

Full-time faculty:

Liz Alexander (2014-16)
Gail Bayeta (2014-16)
Samuel Echevarria-Cruz (2014-16)
Julie Kostka (2014-15)
Juan Molina (2014-15)
Ally Dowell (2016-17)
Suzanne McFadden (2016-18)
Wayne Butler (2015-18)
Sheila Henderson, inaugural member (2018)
Mark Butland (2017-2018)
Blanca Alvarado (2016-2020)
Toyya Cisneros (2019-2021)
Gale Spear, inaugural member (2021)
Jason Vidrine (2016-2021)
Yam Tolan (2019-2021)
David Lydic (2014-2023)

Instructors:

Tiffany Rhodes (2020-2023)

Members with non-faculty designations:

Joe Lostracco (TLED, senior editor of faculty publications)

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
assistant III, administrative
(512) 223-7786
alyssa.gonzales@austincc.edu

Silke Morin
assistant dean, Faculty Development
smorin@austincc.edu

Chelsea Biggerstaff
interim manager, Faculty Development
chelsea.biggerstaff@austincc.edu

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

Aimee Finney
coordinator I, Faculty Development
aimee.finney@austincc.edu