Beza Tefera Muzein

Beza Tefera Muzein is a Ph.D. candidate and Graduate Research Assistant in the Program of Educational Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia. A former K–12 teacher and college-level educator, she brings a multifaceted perspective to the study of educational leadership. Her scholarship centers on instructional supervision and the sensemaking processes of instructional coaches, with particular attention to how systemic professional learning supports can cultivate joyful, high-capacity school cultures that prioritize teacher well-being and student success. She also examines the role of central office support and the “assistive relationships” necessary to scale equitable and sustainable school improvement efforts.

Her dissertation explores how instructional coaches make sense of evidence-based literacy practices within the context of Science of Reading (SoR) classroom walkthroughs. Using a qualitative multiple case study design grounded in sensemaking theory, she investigates how coaches interpret observation data and enact their prior professional roles in supporting teachers. Preliminary findings indicate that walkthroughs create structured opportunities for targeted feedback, instructional alignment, and strengthened implementation of evidence-based literacy practices.

In partnership with Marietta City Schools, Ms. Muzein has helped build a research–practice partnership focused on SoR implementation. Serving as a liaison between district leaders and the university research team led by Sally J. Zepeda, she has contributed to the development of a SoR walkthrough instrument aligned to eight standards and observable practices. Her work bridges research and practice to advance professional learning systems that strengthen teaching and learning.

Shweta Chandrashekhar

Shweta Chandrashekhar is a special education doctoral candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison whose research examines university supervision and equitable teacher preparation for inclusive education. Her dissertation explores factors influencing supervisor praxis using Cultural Historical Activity Theory. As part of the UW-Madison Mary T. Kellner Teacher Education Center's supervisor professional development team, she has collaborated to develop supervisor professional development content that centers equity-focused practices and situationally responsive mentoring and coaching. Shweta has directly supervised and mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates across multiple programs, providing constructive feedback to facilitate their professional growth in both special and general education settings. Drawing on 12 years of experience as a special educator in India, she brings global perspectives to supervision practices that support marginalized and vulnerable student populations. She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in inclusive strategies while modeling evidence-based practices such as Universal Design for Learning and differentiation. Her work is committed to preparing teachers who can implement high-leverage practices to create equitable learning environments for diverse learners in inclusive educational settings. She values collaboration and has published work with colleagues in journals and invited book chapters, presented at national and international conferences. Her research on teacher collaboration and university-school partnerships aims to strengthen teacher preparation programs and enhance the educational experiences of students with disabilities.

Anna Gustaveson

Anna Gustaveson is a doctoral student in the Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education PhD program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She studies systemic narratives in math, particularly as they relate to gender, race, ethnicity, language, and culture, as well as teachers’ beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning and student competency. Her work seeks to understand common deficit and anti-deficit narratives and practices from which teachers draw when planning and implementing math instruction, with the aim of supporting more teachers in taking up anti-deficit narratives and practices in their classrooms.  

Dr. Jeania Jones

Associate Instructor & Clinical Coordinator
Silverfield College of Education and Human Services
University of North Florida

Dr. Jeania Jones is an Associate Instructor and Clinical Coordinator at the University of North Florida’s Silverfield College of Education and Human Services. With 17 years of experience in elementary and higher education, she brings both classroom expertise and strategic leadership to educator preparation.

Dr. Jones oversees clinical partnerships across multiple Florida school districts, coordinating early clinical experiences and internships to ensure strong school-university collaboration and standards alignment. She teaches clinical and internship courses grounded in the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs), InTASC standards, and Universal Design for Learning, emphasizing reflective practice, professional dispositions, and continuous improvement.

A proud Black woman educator raised in the South, Dr. Jones is deeply committed to culturally responsive teaching and advancing equitable outcomes for diverse learners. She is dedicated to preparing educators who lead with integrity, instructional excellence, and a strong commitment to community impact.

Dr. Taylor Barton

Dr. Taylor Barton received the 2020 Blumberg/Pajak Scholarship Award.  He currently serves as principal of Lake Forest Elementary School in Georgia.  Dr. Barton received his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University, his Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Maine, and his Bachelor of Arts in English from Furman University.