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MAEd: Learning, Design, and Technology
Kayla Cook
Graduate Counselor
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Dr. Kellie Albrecht is the Assistant Dean for the School of Education, Senior Director of the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership program, and a Professor of Education. She is responsible for Ed.D. program operations, program development and improvement, faculty training, curriculum development and assessment, and advising doctoral students with their dissertation research. Dr. Albrecht served as the Chair of the Educational Effectiveness Committee (EEC), a member of the Academic Council and Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Prior to teaching in higher education, Dr. Albrecht was an elementary school educator having taught in grades 1, 4, 5, and 6. Dr. Albrecht's experience teaching in urban schools sparked her passion for educating in diverse settings. Her experience working with culturally diverse and underrepresented children led to an interest in English language development and differentiated instructional practices. Additionally, Dr. Albrecht is the mother of four children, her oldest being identical twin boys. Dr. Albrecht's doctoral dissertation was an interpretive phenomenological analysis focused on identifying twins as a cultural group, which investigated individual needs for educating twins. The dissertation is titled, Beyond Bonded Voices: A Qualitative Study with Adult Monozygotic (Identical) Twins.
Dr. Albrecht's experience in higher education includes MAEd program development and improvement, faculty training and professional development, advising graduate and postgraduate qualitative research projects, teaching undergraduate, graduate, and multiple and single subject credential courses, supervising student teachers in the field, assessing teaching performance assessments (TPAs), and facilitating TPA student workshops.
Dr. Lori Doyle works as Associate Professor of Education and serves as Director of the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership: Social Emotional Learning, Character, and Ethics and Cognition, Motivation, and Development programs. Lori is also the Assistant Director of the Servant Leadership Institute and her roles include framework integration, curriculum updates, and assessment measures. She has worked on extensive curriculum development projects in multiple programs for the university and is the Subject Matter Expert for EDEL 510, EDEL 550, EDCE 543, EDCE 553, and EDCM 549. Lori has taught at several universities over the past 20 years, but her career began in 1999 as a high school English and Theology teacher, curriculum writer, communications director, and basketball coach. Lori has a PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in Cognition.
Robin Gomes has been serving in Lutheran education for over 25 years. Before serving at Concordia University, Robin worked as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in Lutheran elementary schools in Nevada and California. Throughout that time, Robin led in the areas of teacher recruitment and retention, curriculum and assessment, and school consultancy in the Pacific Southwest District.
Robin is married to Domingo, a middle school teacher she met as a student at Concordia University. They are blessed with a son and a daughter. Their pastimes include musical theater, going to Disneyland, enjoying the beach, and baseball.
Dr. Sandra Mercier is an Associate Professor of Education and serves as Director of two Master of Arts in Education programs: Curriculum & Instruction and Learning, Design, & Technology. Sandra attended Concordia University Irvine both as an undergraduate and graduate student. As Chair of the university’s Mental Health Committee, she is passionate about enhancing and destigmatizing mental health support for students, faculty, and staff in higher education settings. Additionally, she serves the School of Education as the Subject Matter Expert for EDU/EDUT 586, EDU/EDUT 547, EDU 524, and EDU 542. Prior to moving into higher education in 2012, Sandra taught various elementary and middle school grade levels, including kindergarten, 6th grade, 7th-8th grade Literature, and K-8 Computers. Sandra holds an EdD in Adult Education.
Dr. Charlie Rodrigues currently teaches and serves as a subject matter expert in the Teacher Credential Program. Dr. Rodrigues also serves as the Director of SOE Data Management and Logistics. In this role he guides our new adjunct instructors through the onboarding process. His doctoral research studied the effectiveness of onboarding for university faculty.
Prior to his full-time faculty appointment, Dr. Rodrigues served as Assistant Registrar for Graduate Programs at Concordia University Irvine. He also has over 20 years of experience teaching in Lutheran elementary classrooms and higher education administration.
Dr. Rodrigues received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Education and Doctorate of Education from Concordia University Irvine. He and his wife are raising two active boys. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with extended family, traveling and reading.
Dr. Kent Schlichtemeier is a teacher. He started his teaching career in 1978 teaching 6th-8th grades in Oxnard, CA. After completing his Master’s degree at Denver University in 1984, he continued his teaching career at the high school level in Orlando, FL. Dr. Schlichtemeier served in the School of Education at Concordia University Irvine from 1988-2003 where he mentored future teachers. In addition to teaching at Concordia, Dr. Schlichtemeier was the women’s basketball coach until retiring in 1993 to pursue his doctorate degree. During the final two seasons of his tenure as coach, the Lady Eagle Basketball team made two consecutive appearances at the NAIA National Basketball Tournament after winning the Golden State Athletic Conference Championships. Dr. Schlichtemeier was voted the District Three NAIA Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1993 and was voted into the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. Dr. Schlichtemeier has served as a teacher and assistant principal at Orange Lutheran High School from 2003-2007, before returning to teach at Concordia University Irvine. He enjoys frequent opportunities to speak at sports banquets, school graduations, athletic camps, teacher conferences, and leadership retreats.
Dr. Michael Schulteis has been a full-time faculty member in the School of Education since 2003 specializing in science and math education, teaching instructional methods, classroom management and research methods courses, and supervising graduate research projects. His educational research has focused on evolution education in parochial schools.
Dr. Schulteis is currently a mentor for the American Meteorological Society Datastreme program. He also conducts seminars and makes presentations to educators across the United States and from Korea, Japan, China, South Africa, and Australia on such topics as instructional methods and evolution education. Prior to arriving at Concordia University, Dr. Schulteis taught multiple subjects at the junior high and senior high school levels.
Dr. MaryAnn Seng is a professor of education in the area of school counseling. Prior to her arrival at Concordia University, Seng was a counselor briefly and a school psychologist for 20 years in the Long Beach Unified School District. Her roles in the district included being a bilingual consultant (for the Khmer language), crisis team member, and the coordinator of the school psychology internship program. She also served as a faculty coordinator/counselor at Webster University's Irvine campus. Her knowledge of the Khmer language/culture allowed her to be a community member advisor to the Long Beach Police Department and the Department of Mental Health's Asian Unit for several years. She is currently a board member of the Pediatric Arthritis and Lupus Foundation. Her current research interest involves the educational needs of children with medical conditions.
Assistant Professor Yvette Stuewe teaches courses in the MA and Teacher Credential programs. Professor Stuewe has served in Lutheran education for 28 years. Her educational experience spans across St. John’s Lutheran School, Orange Lutheran High School, and Concordia University Irvine. In addition to 27 years of classroom experience, Professor Stuewe served in various leadership roles including Curriculum Leadership Chair, Induction mentor, Induction Assistant Lead Mentor for the Orange County Department of Education Private School Cohort, Conference Presenter, President of the Lutheran Educators Conference Committee, Director of Curriculum, WASC Visiting Team Member, and Associate Director of Orange Lutheran Online. In February of 2023, she presented at the national Digital Learning Annual Conference (DLAC) in Austin, Texas.
Professor Stuewe was part of a team that piloted a one-to-one middle school laptop program, and she taught in a one-to-one setting for fourteen years, gaining experience with many different learning platforms and digital tools. She is a National Board Certified Teacher. She truly sees teaching as an art and values reflective teaching practices. Not only does she find passion in crafting effective lessons and building relationships with students, she also finds great value in collaborating with other educators. Professor Stuewe is currently working towards a doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Tanya Tarbutton works as a Professor of Education and serves as the Senior Director of MA Programs. Prior to joining Concordia’s School of Education, Dr. Tarbutton worked as a supervisor and instructor at several higher education institutions in Southern California, mentoring and supporting new administrators and educators. Dr. Tarbutton has also participated on Academic Advisory Boards focused on transformational change, served on International Education Boards, served on Educational Effectiveness Committee, and presented at international conferences. Before entering higher education, Dr. Tarbutton worked as a site based school administrator, resource teacher and general education teacher. She brings a unique perspective grounded in more than 25 years of career experience. Her areas of interest include adult learning, online education, educational leadership and curriculum development and alignment.
Dr. Heather Vezner first began her teaching career in 1993 as an early childhood teacher. She has now served as an educator for 30 years. Her experiences include being an early childhood and elementary education teacher, early childhood program administrator, and parent educator for a grant-funded early education program. She first came to Concordia University Irvine in 2009 as the Field Experience Coordinator and CalTPA Assistant Coordinator. She has also served as Director of Student Teaching, Director of Preliminary Teacher Credential Programs, Assistant Dean, and currently serves as Dean of the School of Education. Her areas of research and expertise include early childhood education, literacy development, mentoring, teacher preparation, and leadership development. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to serve and support students in their calling to become educational leaders who make a positive impact in our school communities.
Dr. Webb is a dedicated educator with a profound passion for education administration, curriculum development, instruction, and evidence-based teaching and learning. Her career is driven by a commitment to integrating faith and learning, believing in the transformative power of education to help students discover and fulfill their unique callings.
With a strong belief in leveraging her strengths to engage students actively in the learning process, Dr. Webb fosters an environment where learning is not only about acquiring knowledge but also about personal growth and leadership development. She encourages her students to apply what they learn to positively impact others, nurturing them to become future leaders in their respective fields.
Dr. Webb's approach to education administration is marked by innovation and a deep understanding of how effective curriculum and assessment strategies can enhance student outcomes. She continually seeks to integrate the latest research and evidence-based practices into her teaching and leadership, ensuring that educational initiatives are grounded in proven methodologies.
Throughout her career, Dr. Webb has been instrumental in shaping educational environments that prioritize holistic student development and the cultivation of a lifelong love for learning. Her contributions to education are characterized by her unwavering dedication to empowering students to excel academically, spiritually, and personally, equipping them to make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.
Dr. Webb brings over 25 years of experience in education in the United States, having served as a K-8 teacher, special education teacher, site administrator, and district administrator. She holds Clear Administrative Services and Teaching credentials. Dr. Webb successfully defended her dissertation on the effectiveness of professional learning communities and their influence on student academic achievement. Her expertise spans curriculum development, instructional strategies, assessment, educational administration, leadership, and technology integration. Since 2007, Dr. Webb has contributed to higher education as a consultant, professional development presenter, and educator, collaborating with school districts nationwide.
Dr. Tim Young currently serves in the School of Education as Director of the PPOHA (Promoting Post-Baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans) grant and as the Ed.D mentor and Assistant Professor. This grant, awarded to Concordia in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education, focuses on enrolling and equipping future Hispanic teachers, school administrators, and K-12 district leaders. Dr. Young is dedicated to creating opportunities for graduate students to excel in their degree programs and to eliminating barriers to student access and success.
Prior to joining Concordia, Dr. Young served as the Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Operations at Vanguard University. In this role, he provided leadership to both student affairs and campus operations departments. He has experience leading and developing teams to foster student success through the development of programs and services tailored to a Hispanic Serving Institution. He also has extensive experience with university operations.
His research has focused on understanding the needs of culturally diverse students and identifying and removing challenges faced by students pursuing degrees, with a particular focus on the experiences of African American students at Christian colleges.
Dr. Young has also worked as both a teacher and school counselor in a variety of K-12 settings including a Lutheran elementary school, a comprehensive high school, community day school, and an alternative education high school.
Additionally, Dr. Young is the founder of The Joshua Foundation for Christian Mentoring, a nonprofit organization dedicated to mentoring pastors and Christian leaders. Through this organization, he provides resources and support to encourage lifelong ministry.
Dr. Young also serves as a strategic planning and organizational development consultant for churches and nonprofit organizations, channeling his passion for improving organizational health and efficiency.