College of Education
2007 - Eradicating Gaps in Student Achievement:
Moving from Intention to Action!
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Geneva Gay is highly respected for her research and teaching of
curriculum theory, African-American culture, and multicultural education. In 1994, she received
the Ann Baker Award, in honor of her distinctive leadership, scholarship, and service to women.
She has contributed to numerous journals and books in these fields.
Dr. David Campos is an associate professor of education in the School
of Education at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. His experiences
include being a Fullbright Scholar, teaching second grade and conducting corporate training and
development for Advanced Micro Devices and Guiltless Gourmet, Inc. He has supervised student
teachers and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in special education, multicultural
education, and curriculum methods. In addition to his duties as an associate professor, he served
as an Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, and as a project coordinator for a Title II Teacher
Quality Enhancement Grant.
Seminar Speakers
La Vonne I. Neal, Ph.D., is Dean of the College of Education at
the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dean Neal is a teacher-educator whose work in the
design and implementation of culturally responsive teaching methods has earned wide recognition
both among educators and in the popular press. For example, her research on the correlation
between African American male students’ walking styles and their placement in special
education courses has been featured in USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Diversity
Inc. Com, and radio and television stations across the country.
Dr. Neal's presented "Teaching Methods Matter: Strategies to Inspire African American Students to Overcome the Crippling Obstacles of Slavery."
Mary Esther Soto Huerta earned her Ph.D. in Culture,
Literacy, and Language from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has been a bilingual
education teacher, curriculum specialist, a trainer of teachers, and program coordinator of Title
VII and Title III teacher-training grants at UTSA. Her research focuses on the bi-literacy
development of English language learners and teacher education.
Carole de Casal grew up in Denver, attended and graduated from Thomas
Jefferson Jr/Sr High in south Denver, and attended Colorado State University. Carole wanted to
return to Colorado to serve the people of the state to whom she is grateful for her solid
educational background and ethical grounding as an educator.
Ms. Benita Dillard is a ninth grade English teacher in Las Vegas,
Nevada. She is also a doctoral candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction Department at the
University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Her area of emphasis is literacy, in particular African
American adolescent girls’ literacy practices in cyberspace.
Dr. Alicia L. Moore is a native Austenite. In 1985, she entered
Huston Tillotson University, in Austin, Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in
1988, in Elementary Education with specializations in Early Childhood and Physical Education. She
was employed with the Austin Independent School District from 1988 through 1995 where she taught
Pre-kindergarten.
Darryl Lee Baynes founded the Minority Aviation Education
Association (MAEA) in 1992. Mr. Baynes is a graduate of the University Of Pittsburgh where he
majored in chemistry and math. He is also a licensed pilot and entrepreneur.
Dr. Rhonda Williams is an Assistant Professor in Counseling
Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dr. Williams has served as a school
counselor in public education for 25 years, and in numerous community-related positions,
including President of the Colorado School Counselor Association. She also served as President of
the Kansas School Counselor Association.
Dr. Bryant is an assistant professor of special education at the University of
Colorado, Colorado Springs. His research examines cultural relationships between African American
adolescent males diagnosed with an emotional/behavioral disability and social systems. His focus
is to provide pre-service and active service teachers with innovations that will assist them in
improving their social skills around African American adolescent males.
