The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at The Ohio State University is a leader in the field of family, school, and community engagement. We are located at the Center on Education and Training for Employment, a translational research center within the College of Education and Human Ecology.
The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center is part of The Ohio State University’s Center on Education and Training for Employment, a translational research center within the College of Education and Human Ecology.
Principal Investigator & Director
boone.32@osu.edu
Barbara leads a team conducting family engagement initiatives creating professional development, tools, and processes for families, school personnel, and organizations.
A sought-after trainer and speaker, Barbara’s past experiences as a Director at the Ohio Department of Education, education consultant, program evaluator, college instructor, parent educator, and early childhood educator allow her to leverage skills and understanding from multiple perspectives. Her work has focused on improving partnerships between home, school and communities for children of all ages through research, developing tools and resources, facilitating professional development, and leading state and local initiatives. Barbara has enjoyed helping thousands of families and educational professionals grow, and her own family of five, and local schools too. A New Jersey native, Barbara is an avid hiker and beekeeper.
Project Coordinator
alvarezpadilla.1@osu.edu
Yesenia’s work will focus on developing family financial literacy education resources for Ohioans. She is currently a PhD student at the College of Social Work. Yesenia is an executive team leader for the Latinx Space for Engagement and Research, a student-led mentoring program serving underrepresented high school students in Central Ohio. She earned her Master of Social Work (2018) at the Ohio State University. Her research interests include: financial capability and asset building, family financial socialization, health disparities, and access to higher education.Yesenia recently published her first journal article focused on civic engagement in underrepresented high school students.
She was previously awarded two fellowships from the Graduate school before receiving this position. She has attended various international and national conferences with the support of Ohio State including the Council of Graduate Students Edward J. Ray Travel Award, and the Women of Color Professional Development Award from the Women’s Place.
Yesenia’s teaching experiences stem from English courses taught to adult English Language Learners from across the world. She has also taught Math and English to adults testing for the high school equivalency exam. As an undergraduate intern Yesenia worked with the Northern Nevada Food Bank where she facilitated financial literacy courses for adults from low-income backgrounds and met with state legislators to advocate for public policies aimed at promoting financial stability and food security. Yesenia has also co-facilitated support groups for immigrant women who encountered sexual assault and domestic violence.
Research Administration Management Consultant
bachman.33@osu.edu
Hadley Bachman, Ph.D., is a Research Administration Management Consultant at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, where she spearheads efforts to advance research, professional development, and the acquisition of grants and sponsored projects. In her role, she manages and implements large-scale professional learning projects of state, national, and international significance. Hadley holds a Ph.D. (2023) in Educational Studies specializing in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University. Before joining Ohio State, she was an English teacher and principal, serving in these roles for 14 years. She earned her Teacher-Leader Endorsement (2016) and Master of Education (2007) from OSU and her Bachelor of Arts in English (2003) from Goshen College. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (2003-2005) from Cabo Verde, where she taught English and supported her colleagues with grant writing and professional learning.
When she’s not working or writing, Hadley loves traveling and adventuring outdoors with her husband, daughter, and dog. You can reach her at bachman.33@osu.edu and find her on Twitter @HadleyBachman.
Project Coordinator
capretta.29@osu.edu
Tom previously worked for the Ohio Department of Education where he supported schools and districts in their efforts to serve students in foster care and other vulnerable student populations. Additionally, Tom worked with Dr. Barbara Boone and Dr. Meredith Wellman to support the implementation of effective family and community engagement strategies in education settings across Ohio.
Tom, a Cleveland, OH native received a B.A. in religious studies and applied ethics from Seton Hall University, and as a 2012 Teach for America Mississippi Delta Corps Member, taught 4th and 5th grade math and science for three years. Tom then received a M.P.A. from the John Glenn College and is excited to return to the Ohio State University.
Tom lives in the Olde Towne East neighborhood of Columbus with his cats, Maude and Jasper, where they enjoy an extensive collection of records. Tom also enjoys eating out around town and frequenting the city’s many local festivals and events.
Marketing & Operations Specialist
daniel.304@osu.edu
Senay Daniel is a Marketing and Operations Specialist at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at The Ohio State University. In Senay’s current work he supports and organizes marketing strategies that amplify CETE’s mission and offerings, and guides CETE’s outreach to educators and families through social media, conferences, and workshops. Senay is also involved with the day-to-day operations at CETE.
Senay started his career as a technology consultant at Ernst & Young (EY). Senay then accepted a fellowship with Venture For America, a nonprofit founded to empower recent graduates to build and work at startup companies in smaller, underinvested cities across the United States and accelerate entrepreneurship in these cities. Senay was placed at SmartLogic through Venture For America, a custom software development company where he collaborated to increase gender and racial diversity at the company through implementing a hiring approach that dramatically improved the diversity in the talent pools SmartLogic drew from. Senay then moved on to found several entrepreneurial and nonprofit ventures, including Autism In Color, a nonprofit dedicated to serving as a support group and resource center for young adults of color on the autism spectrum.
Born and raised in the Columbus area, Senay earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration cum laude from Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Senay is excited to return to his alma mater as a staff member at CETE and currently resides in Pickerington, Ohio.
Learning Coordinator
DeShon.8@osu.edu
Sarah DeShon joined the Center on Education and Training for Employment as a Family Engagement Learning Coordinator with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. As a learning coordinator, her primary role is designing and facilitating research-based professional development for out-of-school-time personnel and other family-facing professionals. She seeks to build their capacity for equitable family engagement. As a former classroom teacher, Sarah has learned and experienced the important role all families, schools, and communities play in the success of student achievement and wellness.
Sarah received a BA in elementary education from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She has 14 years of classroom teaching experience at the elementary level (K-6) with multiple public school districts in northern Indiana. As part of the Teaching and Learning Committee and the School Leadership Team at an Expeditionary (EL) school, she brings her knowledge and experience collaborating with teachers, staff, and community leaders when designing engaging curricula. Likewise, she brings her skills as a trained Lead Teacher of Project Lead the Way (PLTW), when developing and facilitating professional development for adult learners.
Sarah currently lives in Dublin, Ohio with her two cats Brynn and Elliott. She enjoys outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and biking, especially when it involves her family. She is the “fun aunt” and loves exploring and creating entertaining (and sometimes messy) STEM projects with her nieces and nephews.
Learning Coordinator
gherman.12@osu.edu
Whitney Gherman is a Family Engagement Learning Coordinator with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at The Ohio State University. In her role, she leads efforts to support, develop, and advance professional learning among schools, district leaders, and other family-facing professionals. Based on more than a decade of experience as an educator and advocate for youth and families, Whitney supports the Ohio Network of Partnership Schools through capacity building activities that enhance the adoption of research-based practices among district and school leaders who engage with families.
Whitney holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and is currently a Ph.D. student in Teaching and Learning with a specialization in Multicultural and Equity Studies in Education from the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Her research advances efforts around family engagement and elevates youth voice to improve school policies, programs, and practices. “Project DREAMS” examines how anecdotal and personal experiences of high school students connect to wider cultural, political, and social meanings of race, racism, belonging, and othering. In 2021 she was awarded by Ohio’s Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission for her ability to keep Dr. King’s dream alive and advance his philosophy of nonviolent social change. Whitney has also been featured in dozens of publications and webinars including Voyage Ohio Magazine and a social work textbook, “Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice: Building Social Work Practices Skills”. She has won additional local, state, and national awards for promoting diversity and her approach to racial justice is described by her peers as “warm, open, and authentic.”
When she’s not working or studying, Whitney connects to her ancestry and the natural world with her partner, Chris and their 9-year-old daughter, Isa. She loves to read, eat good food, and spend time outdoors. Her sign is Libra, and her Instagram handle is @whitneygherman.
Program Coordinator
meek-hennon.1@osu.edu
Kristin received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN. Prior to working at CETE, she worked for over 18 years in the private sector as an office manager with a focus in project management, HR, and fiscal services. Kristin brings her experience to CETE as she is responsible for planning and coordinating all professional development events and meetings, managing time lines, and monitoring budget and fiscal needs associated with state and federal grants. Kristin also plays an important role as the lead coordinator of the OhSFEC State Advisory Council, collaborating with family and organizational members all across Ohio and creating meetings rich in family engagement content that can be shared across their communities.
When she’s not at CETE, Kristin is busy with her family of 6. She enjoys anything Italian including cooking it, planning trips, and home decorating.
Technology Engineer
nagy.8@osu.edu
Greg works with the Family Engagement Team to provide technology support like creating this website, editing and posting all webinars, and posting much of this website’s content. Greg has worked over 20 years at CETE sharing his technology expertise on many different state and federal projects.
He has many interests including wanting to implement VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) in education. He has a BS in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Research Associate
owens.787@osu.edu
Wesley Owens is a Family Engagement Research Associate at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. In his role, he leads and supports research-based professional development for out-of-school personnel and other family-facing professionals. In his professional career, Wesley has worked with youth and families in recreation, sports, and educational settings.
Wesley received a BA in Coaching and Management, and a MA in Sports Management, both from The Ohio State University. He received his licensure in Health Education and Physical Education from Otterbein University. Wesley comes to the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center from a K-8 school in Columbus, OH, where he taught Physical Education for seven years and was the enrollment coordinator and community liaison for two years.
Wesley enjoys serving in his church, fitness and sports, outdoor activities, game nights with friends, and reading more books every year.
Program Manager
wellman.87@osu.edu
Since 2014, she has worked at CETE to support strong family-school-community partnerships within Ohio’s education system. She is co-author of a training series for school districts called Partnerships for Literacy. Dr. Wellman also conducts program evaluations. As a Community Psychologist, Dr. Wellman specializes in research and evaluation of services for marginalized/at-risk populations, such as survivors of human trafficking, immigrants and refugees, and indigenous groups.
Meredith lives in Westerville, OH with her husband and two children, and enjoys biking, hiking, playing frisbee, and baking pies.
Senior Learning Designer
xu.3849@osu.edu
Dr. Fan Xu is a Senior Learning Designer at the Center on Education and Training for Employment, where she collaborates with the Family Engagement Team to design and implement research-driven learning experiences using interactive technologies for diverse learners. She leads the “Advancing AI Literacy for Families and Schools in Ohio” project, which aims to close the knowledge gap by developing accessible, comprehensive programs tailored for students, educators, and families statewide.
Fan holds a Ph.D. in Education Studies (Learning Technologies) from The Ohio State University and a Master’s in Information Technology in Education from The University of Hong Kong. Originally from Shandong, China, she now resides in Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, and capturing moments through photography with her antique film camera.
Graduate Research Associate
Duncan.1393@osu.edu
Amy Duncan, M.A. Ed., is a Graduate Research Associate working with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at the Ohio State University. She will be collaborating with Dr. Meredith Wellman to develop family engagement in literacy resources for K-12 students and their families.
Amy Duncan is a literacy specialist, initially trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. She received her training from the Dyslexia Training Institute and mentored under a veteran specialist for five years at a private literacy center. She received her Master’s in education and Ohio Intervention Specialist license and is now in her third year as a doctoral student at The Ohio State University. She is studying special education with a focus on improving teacher education and interventions for students with dyslexia. She is a board member for Central Ohio International Dyslexia Association, co-presented at the IDA conference in 2023, and at OSLHA in 2024. She was recently invited as a guest speaker for the School of Speech Podcast. Her current research interests include the dual encoding and automation of letter transcription with phonemes in kindergarten and the role of morphology in dyslexia interventions.
Amy has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and loves the outdoors. She enjoys jogging, hiking, and walking her dogs. She also has a love for Bikram yoga and watching her sons play soccer and football.
Graduate Research Associate
haddad.172@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Hind Haddad is a dedicated educator, researcher, and community activist with a passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs at The Ohio State University, Hind holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Ashland University and a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Jordan. With over a decade of experience in teaching and education, Hind has worked with students of all ages, from preschool to higher education. She has taught Arabic language and culture, Islamic studies, and English as a second language. Her research focuses on the experiences of Muslim students and Arab females in higher education, exploring barriers and developing strategies to enhance support for these students.
As an emerging writer and presenter, Hind has published articles and presented at conferences on topics related to education, diversity, and inclusion, with a particular interest in addressing the digital divide in educational settings. She has also volunteered with various organizations to support education and community development. Throughout her career, Hind has demonstrated leadership, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. She is committed to creating inclusive learning environments and promoting social justice through education.
Outside of academia, Hind enjoys life with her husband and two children, exploring new travel destinations, hiking, and trying her hand at furniture restoration and baking.
Graduate Research Associate
park.3445@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Gahyun Park, M.Ed. is a Graduate Research Associate working with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at the Ohio State University. She will be collaborating with Dr. Meredith Wellman to develop family engagement in mental health resources for K-12 students and their families.
Gahyun is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Counselor Education program at the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University. Before joining OSU, she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Sungkyunkwan University. Gahyun worked as a researcher at the Traumatic Stress Center in Seoul. She conducted research on emotional regulation and social support of Korean adolescents and has published several papers in school psychology and counseling journals. She also worked as a counseling psychologist and a mindfulness teacher in Seoul. Gahyun is interested in social-emotional learning, which serves as a strong protective factor for K-12 students against their traumatic life events. Her long-term goal as a social scientist is to apply the skills component of mindfulness to social-emotional learning.
Gahyun is originally from South Korea. Outside of academia, she loves playing the viola, reading classic novels, being in nature, and having a deep conversation. She practices mindfulness and self-compassion meditation and loves sharing anything about them.
Graduate Research Associate
lee.10398@osu.edu
Sangeun Lee, M.Ed, is a Graduate Research Associate at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE). In this role, Sangeun contributes in various ways, including data collection and analysis, providing technical support to schools, managing projects, and conducting research across multiple initiatives. She has also worked with CETE’s Equity, Engagement, and Evaluation program, where she helped develop a resource kit to advance education for multilingual learners.
Sangeun is currently pursuing her PhD in Counselor Education at The Ohio State University. She earned her Master’s degree in Counseling from Korea University and has field experience as a counselor at Korea University, a Youth Counseling and Welfare Center in Seoul, and in schools in Ohio. Sangeun has published articles in counseling and psychology journals and has presented at national conferences on topics such as hope, family engagement, burnout, stress, and school counseling. Her research aims to bridge the gap between school counseling practice and research by evaluating and enhancing school counseling programs. She is particularly interested in exploring adverse childhood experiences and strategies to mitigate their impact in schools, including promoting hope.
Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Sangeun enjoys jigsaw puzzles and exploring different parks and cafes in Columbus.
Graduate Research Associate
planke.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Julie Planke, M.A., is a Graduate Research Associate at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at the Ohio State University. Julie supports the center’s work and various projects in diverse ways, including writing newsletters for educators and families, taking care of public inquiries, collaborating on project content development, writing research briefs, and more.
Julie is a fourth-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Educational Psychology program at the College of Education and Human Ecology at the Ohio State University. Before joining OSU, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychobiology and Master of Arts in Psychology from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Julie’s passion for psychological science and education was further nurtured by her undergraduate students, both during her time as a graduate teaching assistant and as an adjunct professor at New Paltz. Also an avid researcher, Julie served as lab manager for several research labs during her time at New Paltz. She later translated her acquired skills in the nonprofit sector, supporting a human service and educational organization as a Data Analytics Specialist and Manager of Information Systems. Julie’s general research focuses on family-school engagement in early childhood education and its impacts on young children’s socioemotional development. Her work emphasizes the need for culturally responsive engagement practices that value and leverage families’ strengths. For her dissertation and in collaboration with her advisor, Dr. Laura Justice, and additional co-investigators at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy at OSU, Julie is applying implementation science to better understand the effectiveness of a connection-focused intervention designed to support children’s transition from preschool into kindergarten.
Outside of her work, Julie is a dedicated vinyasa yoga practitioner and poet, often finding that these passions support her work in unexpected ways. She loves spending time sitting outside with her husband and their mini poodle, Brady, and taking care of her bearded dragon, leopard gecko, and parakeets.
Graduate Research Associate
xie.1196@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Jiarui Xie is currently a Ph.D. student of Learning Technologies at The Ohio State University and a graduate research associate at the Center on Education and Training for Employment, specifically the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. She will be working with Dr. Hadley Bachman on creating online learning modules for adults, developing accessible resources for educators and families, and supporting research projects and administrative tasks.
She holds a BS and a MSc in Educational Technology from Shaanxi Normal University, China. In 2018, she also studied at the University of California, San Diego as an exchange student. The topics of her studies include asynchronous online discussion, teacher online training, rural education, deep learning, problem-solving, and learning analytics. Her current research interests include online teaching and learning, the use of AI in online education, collaborative learning, instructional design, equity in education, and mixed research methods.
She is from Xi’an, China, and now lives in Columbus. She enjoys working out, cooking, hiking, and playing board games with friends.
Graduate Research Associate
delacruzperez.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu
Alanis T. De La Cruz Pérez, M.A. is a Graduate Research Associate working with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at The Ohio State University. Alanis will be collaborating with Dr. Barbara Boone and Yesenia Alvarez Padilla to develop a comprehensive resource guide for multilingual learners and their families as part of the Advancing Ohio’s English Learner’s Project. In 2022, she worked as a research assistant on the “Staying and Thriving” project for CETE under Dr. Kenyona Walker and her team.
Alanis is a PhD Candidate in the School Psychology program at the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. She received her Master of Arts in School Psychology from The Ohio State University in 2021. Before entering OSU, Alanis received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico – Recinto de Río Piedras and completed two minors in Women and Gender Studies and Human Rights. Her academic research interests center around Afrolatinx identities and sense of belonging, mental health topics surrounding minoritized youth, and suicide prevention.
In the schools, Alanis brings a wealth of experience developing academic, behavioral, and mental health interventions with an array of student population including students who primarily speak Spanish and Swahili in Columbus, OH, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Alanis is driven by her passion for helping youth succeed and do their best while creating a safe space for them.
In her free time, Alanis enjoys yoga, weightlifting, salsa/bachata/merengue dancing, being with friends, and reading. She is a lover of everything regarding bell hooks. Alanis is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, but also proudly reps her parents’ island, the Dominican Republic.
Some position of power
someemail@email.com
Twitter: @username
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Program Manager
walker.1809@osu.edu
Her passion for education and equity, led her to earn her PhD in Educational Studies, with a focus on School Psychology from The Ohio State University. She works with the Family Engagement Center on multiple projects, leading research and content development for professional development and training for families and schools.
As an agile evaluator and researcher, Dr. Walker enjoys focusing her efforts on educational equity and access, with a keen focus on the educational experiences of Black females, in addition to the role of parents, educators and the community in education. She was invited to serve as a panelist at the American Educational Research Association Conference on the topic of Translational Research: A Mechanism for Promoting Researcher and Stakeholder Collaboration and the Public Good.
Rounding out her exposure, Dr. Walker completed her School Psychology internship in schools in the Columbus area with urban students where she worked collaboratively with educators and parents to identify and address a multitude of educational issues related to the evaluation of students regarding Special Education.
Program Manager
crawford.555@osu.edu
Beth works with the Family Engagement Team to support the implementation of the National Network of Partnership Schools model in Ohio. Beth brings over 20 years of experience in health and human services. She has a specific focus on collective approaches to achieving outcomes and contributes expertise in project management, community collaborations, data management, and analysis. She holds a Master’s in Political Science with a concentration in Public Administration from Ohio University.
Prior to her current role, Beth served as the director of the Franklin County Family and Children First Council where she developed and implemented several cross-system initiatives as well as a performance based contracting system. Her professional interests are focused on public policy impacting family, youth, and community well-being.
Graduate Research Associate
Kyanna will be conducting systematic reviews, collecting qualitative data from interviews, assisting in the development of educational resource toolkits for families, and working on projects related to parents’ engagement with the education system.
Kyanna is a PhD student in School Psychology at the Ohio State University. She received her Masters in Educational Studies (School Psychology) in 2020. She has several research interests related to understanding the social-emotional needs of Black girls and Black LGBTQ+ youth in school contexts. She has recently published two articles in school psychology journals, which discuss the linguistic demands of preschool cognitive assessments and the inclusion of Black children in behavioral interventions. Her dedication to implementing a social justice lens in academia stems from her work experience in urban preschools throughout New York City.
Kyanna is currently Ohio State’s Student Affiliates of School Psychology Social Justice Chair, where she leads school psychology students to work towards increasing cultural competency as well as supporting marginalized students and their families outside of their program requirements. Her previous position as the co-founder and Vice President of the Black Student Union at St. John’s University has exhibited her passion for working to achieve equity in educational settings.
