Education Faculty
Department of Education
Gordon College
Wenham, MA 01984
Janet Arndt, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Director of Graduate Education
Licensure Officer
p: 978.867.4814
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B.A. Gordon College
Ed.M., CAGS Boston University
Ed.D. University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Dr. Arndt teaches in the undergraduate and graduate programs. She assists teacher candidates and alumni in obtaining Massachusetts as well as other states' teacher licensure. Dr. Arndt served in the public sector as a teacher, counselor, early childhood specialist, principal and policy maker for ten years as a state representative. Her research interests include transitions, learning needs of students with disabilities, the impact of social emotional competence on learning, family-school partnerships, and intentional teaching for young children.
Janis D. Flint-Ferguson, D.A.
Professor of Education and English
Chair-Middle School, Secondary, ESL Education
p: 978.867.4317
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B.A. North Central College
M.S., D.A. Illinois State University
Both a composition and English education specialist, Dr. Flint-Ferguson began teaching at Gordon in 1990. Her additional areas of interest and scholarship include adolescent literature, women's literature, literacy, and rhetorical theory. Dr. Flint-Ferguson is a widely sought after educational consultant. She is also the editor of The Journal of the New England League of Middle Schools, a refereed publication focusing on strategies and issues in education as well as on current educational research. An avid sports fan, Dr. Flint-Ferguson regularly participates in the Gordon faculty/staff Monday Night Football gatherings (Go Bears!) and annually attends the Indianapolis 500 auto race.
Joyce L. Meeuwsen, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor of Education
p:978.867.4325
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B.A. in Economics from San Jose State University
M.A. in Teaching and Learning/Curriculum Design from University of California San Diego
Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Organizations from Vanderbilt University
Dr. Meeuwsen specializes in Early Elementary Education. Prior to joining Gordon, she worked as a policy analyst at the National Center on Performance Incentives at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College for two years, an elementary classroom teacher for nine years, and a financial analyst/business administrator for thirteen years. Dr. Meeuwsen’s educational research interests include: (1) the impact of performance incentives on teacher quality, student achievement and organizational dynamics; (2) school site responses to legislative initiatives; (3) the intersection of policy and practice; and (4) factors influencing instructional decision-making.
Priscilla Nelson, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Chair-Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education
p: 978-867-4359
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B.S. Gordon College
Ed.M. Boston University
Ed.D. University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Priscilla Nelson, Class of '74, returned to Gordon's Education Department after twenty years of combined experience as a public school classroom teacher, an elementary Christian school principal, and an adjunct professor at Gordon. Priscilla pursued advanced study at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. This enables her to prepare teachers of reading using the most recent scientifically based research. She served as a Master Trainer in the Massachusetts Department of Education's Teacher Reading Academies under the Reading First legislation. Priscilla's doctoral studies focused on the perceived disconnect between scientifically based research and the teacher preparation program.
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Ryan Plosker, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor of Education
Coordinator of Graduate Programs
Leadership and Special Education
B.S. Northeastern University
M.S./CAGS Northeastern University
Ed.D. University of Massachusetts
Ryan Plosker has taught Exceptional Child courses at Gordon College for several years. He is the Executive Director and founder of New England Academy, a private school that caters to the social-emotional and academic needs of students in grades 6-12. Ryan worked in both clinical and school settings throughout his career. He brings extensive experience as a school psychologist, private school director and special education administrator in the Methuen Public School system.
Donna Robinson, Ed.D.
Associate Professor of Education
Moderator-Division of Education
p: 978-867-4326
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B.S. Gordon College
M.A., CAGS Salem State College
Ed.D. University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Donna (Vincent) Robinson , Class of’70, came back to Gordon with 16 years teaching experience and a passion for promoting middle and secondary level reading that includes applicable literacy skills, an emphasis on complex text and a commitment to critical thinking. In the 13 years she has taught at Gordon her research and academic interests have centered on interactive teaching strategies and dialogic discourse that engenders retention of information and student engagement. Her doctoral research on the Paideia Seminar is published on the National Paideia Center’s website. Donna teaches elementary, middle, secondary and graduate courses.
Adjunct Professors
Mary Beth Goodell, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Special Education Assessment and Intervention, Language and Learning Disabilities, Methods
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B.S. Lesley University
M.Ed. Lesley University
Mary Beth Goodell brings a rich variety of experiences to Gordon College. Mary Beth has been a learning specialist, head integration teacher, assistant principal, and assistant director of special education at schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. She provided learning support at The British School in Paris. Mary Beth teaches several special education courses in Gordon’s undergraduate and graduate programs. Mary Beth is currently the Out of District Coordinator for the Windham Public School District in New Hampshire.
Mariann Illingworth, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Language Acquisition, English as a Second Language, Sheltered English Instruction
B.S. Salem State University
M.Ed. Salem State University
Mariann Illingworth brings a wealth of teaching experience to the Gordon College Department of Education. Mariann currently teaches the English as a Second Language courses at Gordon and previously taught at North Shore Community College. She is a teacher of history, French and ESL at Danvers High School. Her early teaching experience included teaching middle school (social studies, French and Spanish) at North Shore Christian School in Lynn.
Kimberly Leonard. M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Early Childhood, Reading
B.A. Gordon College
M. Ed. Gordon College
Kimberly Leonard, Class of 1989 (Sociology), is licensed in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, Reading, and English as a Second Language. Kim has been in the field of education for over 20 years. She has experience within all four disciplines and currently serves as Elementary Education Coordinator for Georgetown Public Schools and consults as a reading specialist at Covenant Christian Academy. She has seven years of experience teaching graduate and undergraduate education courses at Gordon with a special interest in teaching reading. Kim is currently pursuing a doctorate in education.
Kathleen Mort, Ed. D.
Adjunct Professor, Human Development, Action Research
B.A. Rhode Island College
M.Ed. Rhode Island College
Ed. D. Johnson and Wales University
Kathy worked in public middle and high schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island for over thirty years. She taught English, speech, theatre, and served as a reading specialist and consultant. Additionally, she spent one year in Liberia, West Africa where she taught middle school students and did adult literacy work in a village. Previous administrative positions include district-wide professional development coordinator, assistant principal for curriculum, instruction, and assessment, middle school principal, and educator quality specialist. Kathy serves as the Director of Curriculum and Training with DELTA Ministries International, an interdenominational evangelical organization that supports U.S. and international local churches in short-term missions.
Suzette Persenaire, Ed. M.
Adjunct Professor, Children's Literature
B.S. Calvin College
M.Ed. Salem State University
Suzette Persenaire has a passion for children’s literature and has enjoyed sharing this passion with Gordon undergraduate education majors for eight years. She has extensive experience teaching reading in the Danvers Public School system as well as experience as a classroom teacher in Christian schools in Lynn, Massachusetts and Louisiana.
Carolyn A. Sawyer, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Multicultural Education, Creative Arts
BA Gordon College
Music Certification, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
M.Ed. Lesley University
Carolyn Sawyer has many years of classroom experience as a high school English teacher and a middle school music teacher in Massachusetts public schools. She is currently teaching an honors literature and writing course at Bradford Christian Academy. BCA has a growing international student enrollment which enhances the courses she teaches at Gordon.
STAFF
Bryan Parys, M.F.A.
Program Coordinator | Division of Education
Adjunct Instructor | Department of English
M.F.A. University of New Hampshire
B.A. Gordon College
Bryan manages administrative, clerical, and application tasks for the undergraduate education program, serving as the first line of contact for the Division of Education (includes the Recreation & Leisure Studies Department). Additionally, he tracks applications for the graduate education program, and is a copyeditor for Design Services. He also teaches creative writing in the English Department.
p: 978.867.4315
f: 978.867.4663
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