Instructor Biographies
Alan Baker – Mr. Baker holds a master’s
degree in educational technology from Boise State University and a
master’s in the art of teaching from Marygrove College. He has
been teaching elementary school in Ohio for the past 12 years, and
is currently an eighth-grade mathematics teacher. He is actively involved
in curriculum development, teacher training and mentoring, technology
training, and community work.
Gwenda Purnell – Ms. Purnell
received her master’s in math education from the
University of Southern Mississippi and her M.Ed. in secondary
math from William Carey College. After 24 years in the
classroom teaching middle school and high school mathematics
on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Ms. Purnell has spent
the last seven years working with the Mississippi State
Department of Education. She has been the principal and
director of the Mississippi Virtual Public High School. She
has attained National Board Certification in Mathematics,
and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Educational
Leadership.
Karen Koupal - Ms. Koupal earned an
M.A.Ed. in secondary social studies from the University
of Missouri, Columbia. Her teaching career grew
out of her initial work as a special education tutor,
where she discovered her love of teaching and was
inspired to become a teacher herself. For the
past six years, Ms. Koupal has taught ninth-grade civics
and world geography at an alternative public high school
as well as teaching online for the South Dakota Virtual
High School system. This year, she is taking on
the challenge of a new position as civics and geography
teacher at a local high school.
Elaine Duff – Ms.
Duff has a master’s degree in English education
from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Ms.
Duff taught high school English in North Carolina for
14 years, and for the past five years, she has continued
teaching high school English for the state’s only
virtual high school. She also holds the position of Online
Professional Development Coordinator for the school,
allowing her to write and facilitate courses for educators
in North Carolina. In 2002-2003, Ms. Duff was honored
to represent 19 counties in southeast North Carolina
as the North Carolina Southeast Region Teacher of the
Year.
Christine Peterson – Ms. Peterson
received her master’s degree in K-12 reading from
Western Illinois University. She taught junior high and
ninth-grade social studies and coached and supervised
cheerleaders before making a big change to teaching first
grade. For the past nine years, she has been the
reading specialist for grades kindergarten through two
at her school in Illinois. Ms. Peterson is a member of
the core team that develops the district’s mentoring
program, and has been teaching graduate level courses
for teachers for 10 years.
Hank Garvey – Mr. Garvey holds
a master’s degree in education from Cambridge College
and has been teaching graduate level courses for teachers
for over 12 years. Mr. Garvey recently retired after
34 years of teaching in elementary and middle schools
in Massachusetts. The last 10 years of his career he
spent as an instructional technology specialist in a
computer lab.
Dee Ring – Ms. Ring holds master’s
and specialist degrees in psychology from Western Illinois
University. Ms. Ring has been teaching graduate level-courses
for teachers for 15 years. She is a school psychologist
and has a private counseling practice in her hometown
in Illinois.
Kathleen Cleveland - With a doctorate
in adult education curriculum and instruction from Nova
Southeastern University, Dr. Cleveland also possesses
a master’s degree in music from Washington University
in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in education
from St. Olaf College. She taught high-school English
and K-8 music in Iowa and Missouri for the first 10 years
of her career. For the past 20 years, she has been a
writer, designer, graphic artist, and editor for over
30 graduate-level site-based and online graduate courses
for teachers. |
