Student Profiles

Ellie is a fifth year PhD student in education specializing in multilingual education, K-12 teacher preparation and dual immersion programs. Her current research investigates teacher roles in humanizing multilingual students' educational experiences and the advancement toward their ambitions.

Amy McPhie Allebest investigates the ways in which the history of colonization and genocide are transmitted in settler society through school curriculum and civic ritual. She also leads the educational project Breaking Down Patriarchy, which examines the origins and ongoing effects of patriarchal structures throughout the world.

Mona Bayati's interests center on language education, transformative teaching practices, and creating supportive learning environments. With more than seven years of experience teaching English, she is passionate about supporting students' academic and personal growth.

Saolo Vavau Betham's research examines Indigenous approaches to leadership and education, with a focus on community-based learning. Her work bridges academia and practice through initiatives that support Pacific Islander women, youth, and community leadership development.

Arturo Canela's research examines the experiences of students participating in after-school programs housed within community learning centers. He currently serves as Director of Development for University Neighborhood Partners, where he works to expand access and opportunity for residents on the west side of Salt Lake County.

Marci Cornaby is an experienced elementary educator with a passion for literacy and student learning. Her professional interests include language development, student engagement, and creating meaningful learning experiences for diverse learners.

Corie DePola is a kindergarten teacher and graduate student studying Education, Culture and Society. She recently completed her ESL endorsement and is committed to supporting language development and early childhood learning.

Agustin "Tino" Diaz's research investigates the future of higher education, student affairs, learning design, and online education. He currently leads program research and discovery for online microcredential initiatives and continues to publish and collaborate on scholarship in higher education.

Ashley Engeler's work uses arts-based methods to explore social and emotional learning in public education and beyond. Prior to her doctoral studies, she spent a decade as Program Director for Playworks Utah, working at the intersection of nonprofit leadership and public education.

Juan Carlos Fernández's research focuses on the intersection of social class and bilingual education, particularly how socioeconomic backgrounds shape the educational experiences of Spanish heritage speakers. He also explores how bilingual education can help students develop sociopolitical consciousness.

Xiao Hu's work focuses on dual language programs and the experiences of teachers and students in multilingual classrooms. She brings more than a decade of experience teaching Mandarin Chinese in both Chinese and American universities.

Yuanyuan (Christina) Hu focuses on comparative education between China and the United States, with particular attention to bilingualism, identity, and belonging among transnational immigrant families. She brings more than 15 years of experience in international trade and cross-cultural collaboration.

Julia Kingsdale serves as Dean of Equity, Community, and Culture at Bosque School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her work focuses on fostering community and supporting meaningful educational experiences for students and families.

Roberto Jacob Laanan is CHamoru, born and raised on Guåhan, and a third-year PhD candidate in Education, Culture and Society. His research centers Pacific Islander families as theorists of their own children's learning, working alongside community partners to build family-school relationships rooted in Indigenous Pacific values.

Brendan Lee's current research focuses on twentieth century student movements, politics, and memory. Brendan holds a pair of M.A.’s in American History and Higher Education from the University of Mississippi.

Vivian Lee studies the intersections of race, gender, activism, and education through the lens of social history. Her research examines the intellectual history of women of color's protest movements and pedagogical traditions across higher education.

Liyilan Liang's research interests include using artificial intelligence to support multilingual learners, improving educational experiences for students receiving special education services, and strengthening multilingual family-school partnerships. She also served as a course teaching assistant during her master's program.

Whitney Lott is a Special Education Teacher at Midvale Middle School in Canyons School District, where she has served since 2018. She earned a Master of Education in Culture & Society from the University of Utah in 2026, along with endorsements in English as a Second Language and Mild/Moderate Disabilities.

Ghasaq Maiber's academic interests include multilingual education, language development, and culturally responsive teaching practices. She also serves as the director of a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering refugee women in Utah.

Carly Moor earned her degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Moravian University and has experience supporting students in both co-taught and resource classroom settings. She currently teaches middle school resource math and reading in Utah and is pursuing graduate studies in Education, Culture, and Society at the University of Utah.

Gift Onwubuya's research focuses on multilingual learners and the ways schools can support students' languages, identities, and lived experiences. Drawing on experiences across Nigeria, China, and the United States, she approaches research through a multilingual and transnational lens.

Sonny is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in pluralism, research, and educational sustainability. With over a decade of experience working alongside culturally and linguistically diverse youth and educators, Sonny brings a justice-oriented approach to his teaching, mentorship, and research.

Amreth Phirun's current research interest focuses on the heritage/community language preservation of Cambodian immigrant and refugee families through community centers.

Amber Rock is an Assistant Principal at Willow Springs Elementary, where she is committed to creating positive, welcoming, and supportive learning environments for students and staff. Her journey in education began as a substitute teacher and PTA president, and she has since served in several roles, including Brain Booster teacher, classroom teacher, Multilingual Learner teacher, and Extended Learning Specialist.

Veronica Root's research examines historicizing and feminist practices in the secondary mathematics classroom as a means to create equitable learning experiences for students. She is passionate about amplifying student voice and making mathematics accessible to all.

Abbey Salamera works as a Program Coordinator for Student Engagement and Belonging at the David Eccles School of Business. Her work focuses on supporting student organizations, developing large-scale programs, and fostering community across campus.

S. Forden Shiver's research focuses on higher education administration, particularly postsecondary education staff, whiteness, and antiracism. They have worked in postsecondary education staff roles since 2015 and currently support faculty affairs within the University of Utah College of Nursing.

Jennifer Snyder is a master's student in Education, Culture, and Society with a background in biochemistry. She hopes to become a high school chemistry teacher and enjoys exploring educational theory and classroom practice.

Amber Sposeto is a fourth-grade teacher whose work focuses on supporting multilingual learners and creating engaging learning environments. She is committed to using instructional strategies that build both language development and academic content knowledge.

Pele Neiufi Tonga's research examines how schooling experiences shape the postsecondary pathways of Tongan boys. She also works in student retention research and evaluation, supporting student success initiatives through qualitative and quantitative research.

Beatriz Trejo's research examines how higher education policies and institutional practices shape undocumented Latinx students' sense of belonging, campus engagement, and academic persistence. Before beginning her doctoral studies, she worked as an early childhood educator and college advisor supporting students in navigating postsecondary pathways.

Ema Valverde is a researcher preparing for doctoral study in cultural anthropology and ethnic studies, with an emphasis on transnational Latinx and Indigenous communities. Her work examines colonial and postcolonial formations, Indigenous erasure, and the politics of knowledge production in Mesoamerican contexts.

Valmene Teriipaia Whippy's research investigates teaching practices among Pacific Islanders, with a focus on culture and translanguaging pedagogy. She is passionate about multilingualism and hopes to influence language practices that support marginalized learners in their educational journeys.

Véronique Marichal-Willardson specializes in heritage learners and language maintenance. She currently teaches French and brings expertise in second language acquisition and multilingual education.

Zijun Wu is a doctoral candidate in Education, Culture and Society at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on international students’ experiences, raciolinguistic ideologies, and multilingual learners in educational settings.