Ryan Ambuter
Assistant Professor
Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Education. He earned a Ph.D. in Teacher Education and School Improvement and an M.Ed. in Social Justice Education from UMass Amherst. He has extensive experience teaching English Language Arts at the secondary level in Western Massachusetts. Ryan approaches teaching about both the system and practice of education through equity-based frameworks.
Ericka Blais, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor of Education
Ericka Blais is the technology teacher at Stefanik School, Chicopee. She teaches our technology courses.
Shannon Dillard, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
Dr. Dillard’s career as an educator began in middle schools where she taught a variety of subjects. Her primary interest is in the teaching of mathematics, at all levels. She has extensive experience as a curriculum developer, mentor to student teachers, and faculty member in Western Massachusetts teacher preparation programs.
Melinda Gowdey, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor of Education
Melinda Gowdey is an elementary teacher in Hinsdale, with an expertise in educational technology. She teaches the technology and multicultural children’s literature courses at our Pittsfield site.
Tyra Good, Ed.D.
Executive Director, Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE); Associate Professor of Education
Dr. Good is the founding faculty director, Cynthia A. Lyons Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) at Elms College.
Yeukai Imeh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Education
Yeukai Imeh, Ph.D., MBA, has joined the college as an assistant professor of education. Imeh earned her doctorate at Simmons College in Boston, her MBA at Southern Connecticut State University; and holds a master of math adolescent education from Pace University in New York. She has been an adjunct professor at several local colleges, including Elms, and she also supervised Elms student teachers last spring. She is an experienced teacher in mathematics at the middle/high-school levels and in urban settings. Imeh will also advise middle/secondary licensure candidates.
Jane McCarry, M.Ed.
Director of Operations in the Sr. Kathleen Kirley ’66 School of Continuing Education, Academic Program Coordinator, Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree Program in Early Care and Education at BCC; Adjunct Faculty for Education
Jane McCarry, M.Ed., is a former education coordinator and naturalist at several sites in Florida, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. She teaches our Inquiry-Based Natural Science education course and Health, Safety and Education.
Laura Porter, Ed.D.
Interim Division Chair, Assistant Professor
Dr. Porter is a former early childhood and special education public school educator. Over the course of her career, she has had wide-ranging experiences in P-12 and higher education settings. Her professional interests focus on encouraging adult learners in gaining an understanding and developing strategies to engage with individuals who have exceptionalities as well as their families.
Patricia Regan, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor of Education
Patricia Regan, M.Ed., CAGS, is a certified Reading Recovery instructor and a reading teacher in Wilbraham, Mass. She teaches the multicultural children’s literature course at our main campus.
Suzanne Rene, MAT
Lecturer of Education
Suzanne Rene has taught preschool, special education, and most recently was an elementary Instructional Leadership Specialist for the Springfield Public Schools. Her area of expertise is Literacy. Professor Rene is the Director of the Reading Specialist Master of Arts in Teaching Program, and of its Summer Reading Clinic.
Sarah Sawyer, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor of Education
Sarah Sawyer, M.Ed., is a pre-kindergarten teacher in Springfield, Mass. She has extensive experience with children with special needs and teaches the early childhood curriculum and instruction courses at our main campus.
Corrin Schulze, M.Ed.
Practicum Director for the Education Division
Corrin Schulze has taught middle school English Language Arts and has taught writing, Children’s, American, English and World Literatures at the collegiate level. While she enjoys teaching literature, her primary focus has been teaching writing. Professor Schulze is the Practicum Director for the Education Division guiding students in both the pre-practicum and practicum experiences.
Ellen Williams
Adjunct Professor of Education
Ellen Williams is a reference librarian for the City of Springfield. She teaches multicultural children’s literature.
Tara Witte, MAT
Adjunct Professor of Education, Assistant Director of the Elms College Summer Reading Clinic
Tara Witte, MAT, has been an elementary teacher for the last ten years, teaching both third and fourth grades. She is a licensed reading specialist, and serves as the assistant director of the Elms College Summer Reading Clinic.
Emily Wood, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor of Education
Emily Wood, M.Ed., is a preschool teacher for an integrated classroom in Dalton, Mass. She teaches the ECE assessment and methods courses at our off-campus site in Pittsfield, Mass.