Faculty and Staff

Dr. Tony Armenta

Associate Professor: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Degree: Ed.D. – Northern Arizona University

Areas of Expertise: School law; personal leadership qualities; leadership theory

Research Interest: Personal qualities of effective leaders; the effect of contemporary legal decisions on the practice of school administration

Professional Highlights: A former high school English teacher, Dr. Armenta has also served as a faculty member and administrator at several universities including Northern Arizona University, Humboldt State University (Calif.), University of Nevada-Reno, and Southeastern Louisiana University prior to coming to UNC. His administrative roles have included Coordinator of High School-College Relations, Director of Student Teaching, Director of New Student Programs, and Assistant Dean of Continuing Education. He has published in several national and international publications. He serves the local education community by presenting workshops in the area of school law, with an emphasis in tort liability.

Email: tony.armenta@unco.edu

Room: 408

Phone: (970) 351-2832

Dr. Clifford O. Brookhart

Affiliate Faculty: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Degree: Ed.D. - University of Northern Colorado

Areas of Expertise: Principalship/Superintendent

Research Interests: Policy in K-12/University Partnership

Professional Highlights: 30 years as School & District Leader

Email: clifford.brookhart@unco.edu

Room: 418B

Phone: (970) 351-1156

Dr. Martha Cray

Assistant Professor: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Degree: Ph.D. University of Connecticut

Areas of expertise: Policy Development and Analysis; School Reform and Program Evaluation

Research Interests: Policy Development and Implementation and School Restructuring

Professional Highlights: As an assistant superintendent, Dr. Cray was charged with implementing a performance-based salary schedule for K – 12 personnel and a program-based budget. Dr. Cray is the co-author of one of the Essentials for Principals series on observing teachers published by the National Association of Elementary Principals. Dr. Cray has also served as a senior research associate at the Center for Resource Management; a partner in the North East Regional Education Lab at Brown University in the Secondary School Reform Initiative; a principal investigator in the implementation study of the National Secondary School Administrators’ Breaking Ranks recommendations; and the primary investigator for the New York City Board of Education “Turn Around Schools” study, a look at the patterns and strategies exhibited by at-risk schools that led to success effects in achievement.

Email: martha.cray@unco.edu

Room: 402

Phone: (970) 351-2960

Dr. Linda Vogel

Coordinator/Associate Professor: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Chair: Leadership: Policy and Development

Degree: Ph. D. - Illinois State University

Areas of Expertise: State and Local Education (P-12) Leadership, Assessment, Teacher and Administrator Evaluation, Standards-Based Curricular Implementation, School Improvement, Professional Development, School Reform Policy and Finance, Culturally Responsive Administrative Preparation, and Social Justice in Educational Administration.

Research InterestsLeadership for the development of assessment literacy and the development of socially just, culturally responsive, responsible educational policies

Professional Highlights: A former principal at the high school and middle school levels where she implemented several service learning and community anti-bullying and harassment programs, she has worked with large urban districts on building internal leadership capacity and minority leader recruitment through the Illinois State Action for Leadership project. Dr. Vogel has conducted research on state education reform policy implementation, standards-based assessment, and school finance and developed state-wide training for the supervision of certified staff. Her book on the leadership of standards-based education implementation, Leading Standards-Based Education Reform: Improving Implementation of Standards to Increase Student Achievement (2010), is based on research she conducted funded by the Spencer Foundation.

In addition to serving as the Leadership: Policy and Development Department chair and Educational Leadership & Policy Studies coordinator, Dr. Vogel is the program coordinator of the Native American Innovative Leadership (NAIL) program, an online interdisciplinary master's degree program leading to principal and special education director licensure that is culturally responsive to Native American educational contexts and culture. She is currently leading the development of an interdisciplinary doctorate in public policy.

Email: linda.vogel@unco.edu

Room: 418A

Phone: (970) 351-2119

Dr. Spencer C. Weiler

Assistant Professor: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Degree: Ph. D. Virginia Polytechnic Institution and State University (Virginia Tech)

Research Interest: I am fascinated with virtually all topics related to public education. An example of my current interests include: measuring the impact of a new facility on student achievement; historical analysis of the federal government role in public education; impact of involving parents in the discipline process; faith-based volunteer efforts; the value of online instruction, charter schools responsibilities, parent-to-parent conferencing, and the optimal use of technology to enhance student achievement.

Professional Highlights: After 14 years in public education as both a social studies teacher and an administrator I came to UNC in 2007. While at UNC I have been fortunate to coordinate a cohort, serve on the IRB Board, work on the Leadership Academy Design Team with the Colorado Department of Education, and contribute to a local elementary school's school improvement team. Ultimately, my professional highlight is that I can use my current position to better public education.

Email: spencer.weiler@unco.edu

Phone: (970) 351-1016

Room: 401