Alumni Council members

HGSE Alumni Council, 2009-2010

* denotes a new council member

*Jiraorn Assarat Ed.M. '04
(Council Term 2009-2013)

Founder and Principal, Ivy Bound International and Anubaan Assarat Thai Schools, Bangkok, Thailand
Seeking to establish a high quality early childhood educational environment for children living in Thailand, Jiraorn's educational background reflects a purposeful and strategic planning process that both informs and epitomizes how her current schools are managed. Inspiring high expectations for herself, her teachers and students, Jiraorn's schools attract a community of like-minded thinkers drawn to contributing to the work of transforming education for the better. Motivated by a school system that links research to everyday classroom practice, both teachers and students are fully engaged in a life-long learning mode. Also close to Jiraorn's heart is offering a world class education that includes important Thai traditions and cultural values, such as respect for all forms of life. Therefore, Jiraorn has pioneered a unique schooling system in which both a Thai school and an International school co-exist on the same premises and share the same resources while operating as two equal but separate entities on different school calendars. Jiraorn's system allows intercultural learning within and between the two schools that enables Thai students to receive a first class education without compromising their Thai heritage or cultural identities.

*Marilyn Annette Barber Ed.M.'83
(Council Term 2009-2013)

Instructional Literacy Coach, Prince George’s County Public Schools
Marilyn trains classroom teachers in promoting literacy and enhancing academic achievement for all students.  She serves as an adjunct faculty member at several institutions such as Bowie University, Goucher College, and Prince Georges’ College. She teaches reading education classes promoting literacy for adult learners, and has been involved in youth intervention programs such as Upward Bound. Marilyn’s international teaching experiences (Canadian Academy – Kobe, Japan) have provided her with a wide perspective of global educational goals. Her interests include addressing the digital divide as well as providing adequate intervention programs to promote academic achievement. Currently President of Prince George’s County’s Reading Council and the 2nd Vice President to the State of Maryland International Reading Association, Marilyn is also the former president of MICCA (A Maryland Association of Educators Using Technology). Marilyn has participated in various Maryland State Department of Education review committees and on NCATE’s (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) review committee. Her goal is to be a voice for educators in urban diverse public school settings.  Marilyn has also served on the TLB Scholarship Foundation Executive Board since 2001. The foundation, named in memory of her dad Theodore L. Barber, has awarded over 60 scholarships to support higher education goals and highlight students’ community outreach.

Margaret Jay Braatz, Ed.M.'93, Ed.D.'99
Alumni Council Interim Chair (Council Term 2005-2009)

Senior Executive for Presidential Operations and Chief of Staff Office of the President DePaul University
Jay's perspective on education is influenced by previous work in the non-profit world and her 15-year career with Outward Bound. Jay views involvement on the Alumni Council as a way to bring alumni voices and interests to HGSE's work to strengthen teaching, learning, and scholarship across a variety of educational settings.

*Tara M. Brown Ed.M.'01, Ed.D.'05
(Council Term 2009-2013)

Assistant Professor of Education, Brandeis University
Tara is a former secondary classroom teacher, having worked in alternative education in Boston and Washington DC.  Tara’s current research is in the areas of educational equity, urban education, the social contexts of education, and school exclusion (school suspension, expulsion, dropout, and alternative education) using qualitative and participatory action research methodologies. Her most recent research is a two-year PAR project with students in an urban alternative high school, focusing on the experiences students excluded from mainstream educational environments and how to improve the schooling conditions of youth “at risk” for exclusion.

Anthony De Jesús Ed.M.'97, Ed.D.'03
(Council Term 2006-2010)

Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Hunter College (CUNY), New York City
Anthony's HGSE journey was characterized by vigorous debate and struggle regarding the full inclusion of historically excluded communities at HGSE. Despite considerable challenge and frustration - it was the most empowering experience of his life. Through this journey, Anthony learned to navigate the competing tensions between institutions and excluded communities and to devise solutions to the "challenges of diversity" in ways that are mutually beneficial. After seven years in a leadership role at Centro - a university based institute dedicated to documenting, preserving, and interpreting the Puerto Rican/Latino experience in the U.S. - Anthony has recently accepted an Assistant Professorship at the Hunter College School of Social Work. He looks forward to teaching courses in research methods and continuing to focus on his own research.

*Stella M. Flores Ed.M.'02, Ed.D.'07
(Council Term 2009-2013)

Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Higher Education, Vanderbilt University
Stella’s scholarly work investigates the impact of state and federal policies on college access and completion for low-income and underrepresented populations. She has written on the role of alternative admissions plans and financial aid programs in college admissions, demographic changes in higher education, the role of the Hispanic Serving Institution in U.S. higher education policy, and Latino students and community colleges. Before HGSE, Stella served as an evaluator and program specialist for two federal agencies.  She is originally from Edinburg, Texas, and is honored to serve HGSE in this new capacity.

Rowena Fong, Ed.D.'90
(Council Term 2007-2011)

Professor and Director, Bachelor of Social Work Program, University of Texas at Austin
Rowena's life work with children and families to promote empowerment and cultural diversity has been reflected by her various roles as a clinical social worker, preschool teacher and director of a bilingual, bicultural Chinese preschool, college professor, Center Director of Asian American Studies, and university administrator. Her areas of advocacy encompass child welfare, international adoptions, immigrants and refugees, Asian American children and families, and other ethnic minority issues. As author, educator, and consultant, Rowena promotes culturally competent practices and policies in universities and schools, private agencies, and public organizations. She welcomes the opportunity to serve on the HGSE Alumni Council to collaborate with others in bridging communities and disciplines to strengthen ethnically diverse populations.

David A. Greene Ed.M.'91, Ed.M.'94, Ed.D.'02
(Council Term 2008-2012)

Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, University of Chicago
David oversees the planning of major academic, administrative, and capital initiatives at the University of Chicago. Previously he was a vice president at Brown University, and earlier in his career he helped lead a long-term planning effort at Smith College. He welcomes the chance to support HGSE as it continues to evolve during a dynamic and competitive period for higher education.

Irene Hall C.A.S.'93, Ed.D.'05
(Council Term 2006-2010)

Co-Founder and Co-Leader of the Discovery Charter School, Newark, NJ
The Discovery Charter School is a small urban middle school that has been in existence for over a decade. As a teaching principal, Irene is familiar with both classroom and administrative issues. Before she started the school, Irene worked as a special education teacher for fifteen years. Her time at Harvard Graduate School of Education is one of her most favored lifetime experiences. While at Harvard, Irene served on the Editorial Board of the Harvard Educational Review. She loves discussing educational issues with colleagues and with her busy life as a teacher and school administrator, she rarely have the opportunity to do so. As a mentor of the advisory board, she hopes to bring her fondness of HGSE and her experiences as a practitioner to the Council.

Deborah J. Hirsch, Ed.M.'86, Ed.D.'89
(Council Term 2007-2011)

Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Mount Ida College, Newton, MA
In her work across a variety of educational settings, Deborah continues to revisit the themes of leadership, access and equity that were part of classroom discussion, lectures and field experiences at HGSE. Currently serving as Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Mount Ida College in Newton, MA, her experience includes leading educational non-profits, teaching at both public and private universities and serving as a member of Governor Patrick's higher education task force and Commonwealth Readiness Project sub-committee to create a strategic plan for a comprehensive public education system for Massachusetts. For the past five years, Deborah has worked with HGSE student interns helping them link theory and practice and find useful knowledge to the questions that arise in classrooms and on campuses. As a member of the Alumni Council, Deborah will draw on her experiences to help HGSE students who will be working in educational environments that will increasingly require cross-dialogue and cooperation.

Sarah L. Levine, Ed.M.'77, Ed.D.'80
Alumni Council Vice-Chair (Council Term 2006-2010)

Retired Principal; Current Education Consultant, Teacher, Writer, Denver, CO
Currently, Sarah collaborates with teachers and principals on issues and practices related to creating schools that support the health and well-being of their constituents. She also teaches adult learners at a program sponsored by Denver University. Sarah has devoted her career to promoting and supporting the growth of the adults who work in schools on behalf of adult and student learning. She worked closely with school leaders as Associate Director of the Harvard Principals' center. At HGSE, she also directed the principal certificated program, taught, and led summer institutes for practicing and aspiring school leaders. She has been principal of an elementary and pre-K through twelfth grade school-hard and important work that she loved. HGSE ignited and sustained her passion for teaching and learning and she is honored to give back to HGSE by bringing her experience, energy and passion to the work of the Council.

Marc Lewis, Ed.M.'99
(Council Term 2007-2011)

Teacher, RJ Grey Junior High School; President, Acton Education Association
As a seventh grade social studies teacher and president of a local affiliate of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and National Education Association, Marc hopes to join the Alumni Council in order to ensure that training classroom teachers remains a priority for HGSE. HGSE's programs and initiatives must always reflect an understanding that those who work directly with young people and affect their lives daily are integral members of the educational community. As a member of the Council, Marc will challenge the Ed. School to continue its commitment to training and preparing teachers for that great responsibility. As the former president of GLSEN Boston, the founding chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, he will be a voice on the Council for social justice and a passionate advocate for education to serve as a vehicle for societal and political change.

*Ellie Loughlin Ed.M.’06, C.A.S.’07
(Council Term 2009-2013)

Ellie has worked in a variety of school settings, and is currently serving on the Alumni Council for Dartmouth College, the Board of Trustees of Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, and previously served on the Board of Trustees for the Teancre School in Wellesley.  She also currently serves on several non-profit boards. She is looking forward to working with Alumni Council members to support HGSE as it addresses the changing needs of educators and schools today.

*Will Makris Ed.M.’00
(Appointed Council - Chair, Recent Alumni Circle)

MBA Admissions Consultant, MIT Sloan School of Management
Will’s 20-year career in higher education has focused on the positioning and branding of MBA programs.  Working across four distinct institutions, he has served in roles that are at the intersection of institutional mission and public perception.   Prior to his current role, he was Executive Director of MBA Alumni Advancement and Associate Dean, MBA Admissions at Babson College, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Arthur D. Little School of Management, and Director of Executive and Part-time MBA Programs at Northeastern University. His interest in the evolution of technology and its impact on the adult learner brought him to HGSE and the TIE program.  What most impressed him was the faculty’s focus on the new ways to introduce technology to diverse learning environments.  The free exchange of ideas across the entire student body and faculty made for lasting impressions of the possibilities for future curriculum innovations.  He is the current Chair of the Recent Alumni Circle Committee at HGSE. Also, Will has developed a wholesale vegetable business, Meadow Men Acres, selling sorrel, cippollini onions, and broccoli rabe from his farm in Westport, Massachusetts. In addition to HGSE, he has a BS in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and an MBA in Finance from Northeastern University.

Tanya Odom Ed.M.'98
(Council Term 2008-2012)

Education and Global Diversity and Inclusion Consultant & Co-author of Evaluation in the Field of Education for Democracy, Human Rights and Tolerance; columnist for Diversity Women magazine; faculty Georgetown University's new Diversity Management program
As a consultant working in the education, NGO, and corporate arenas, I am committed to issues of inclusion and equity. I have conducted workshops globally for adults and youth, on topics including: Diversity and Inclusion Education, Teambuilding, Hate Crime Prevention, Conflict Management, Youth Engagement, and Parental/Community Involvement. For the last 15 years, I have worked with all members of school communities focusing on diversity and inclusion, equity, and the creation of "caring, learning and inclusive classrooms." As a consultant, facilitator, and coach, I have worked on issues of educational reform, standards and equity, bilingual education, and overall school and district improvement efforts. I am passionate about engaging students as key change agents, and work with students on leadership skills, life skills, social change and diversity. I hope to bring my commitment to education, equity and inclusion to the work of the Council.

*Sam Robinson, Ed.M.’88
(Appointed Member – HAA Board Director, HGSE)

Associate Director, New England Association of Schools and Colleges,Commission on Independent Schools
Sam’s interest in innovation and enrichment in education has resulted in his being involved with teachers and students across backgrounds and generations, especially in independent schools and experiential education. Sam has worked for many organizations at all levels, as a teacher at Nichols School in Buffalo, the head of a boarding school in New Hampshire and a day school in Maine, an Outward Bound instructor, and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Center for Equity and Excellence in Independent Schools for the New England area.  Sam’s current work with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges consists of the accreditation and improvement of independent, non-public schools, and he also serves as Board Director of the Harvard Alumni Association for HGSE.

*Douglas Wood Ed.M.'96, Ed.D.'00
(Council Term 2008-2012)

Executive Director and Principal Investigator National Academy for Excellent Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University
Doug's work in the field of education has been on school reform. Not reform for the sake of reform, but reform focused on bringing about meaningful and sustainable change. Doug's experience at HGSE shaped his thinking about the importance of sound practice, research and policy in improving educational opportunities for all children. Doug has been an advocate of early childhood education, adolescent literacy development, teacher effectiveness, equitable school finance, and leadership development within schools-all within the context of social justice leading to a more democratic and pluralistic society. Doug looks forward to the opportunity of working on the Alumni Council to promote these ideals.