College of Education and Human Services
Meet Our Faculty
Curriculum & Instruction – Teacher Education Faculty
Amanda Aldridge
Dr. Aldridge is an Associate Professor for 丝瓜APP University鈥檚 College of Education and Human Services Curriculum & Instruction Department, and is the Coordinator of Student Teaching. She directs the LindenTeach Internship program.
She holds a B.S. Ed. in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a M.Ed. from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis, and an Ed. D in Higher Education Administration at 丝瓜APP University. Dr. Aldridge has taught in higher education for over 15 years. Before beginning her career in higher education, Dr. Aldridge taught for the Wentzville School District as a social studies teacher. Dr. Aldridge holds Missouri career teacher certifications in Middle School Social Studies Education (5-9), Secondary Social Studies Education (9-12), K-12 Mild/Moderate Special Education (K-12), Elementary Education (1-6) and Early Childhood Education (B-3).
Kathryn Arnone
Dr. Kathryn 鈥淎nnie鈥� Arnone is the Department Head of Advanced Graduate Studies in Curriculum and Instruction and an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Services at 丝瓜APP University. She earned her doctorate in Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum with an emphasis in Elementary STEM Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She holds a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a minor in Design and Technical Theater, all from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Additional certifications include a Missouri Teaching License in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, a graduate certificate in Online Education from the University of Missouri, and a graduate certificate in STEM Education from the NASA Endeavor STEM Project. Her professional experience includes acting as Dean of Students for the NASA Endeavor STEM Project, elementary classroom teaching in multiple grade levels in Missouri public schools (Title 1, Expressive Arts Focused, and STEM Focused), university teaching and teacher professional development focused on STEM Education (specifically Science and Art). She was awarded a 鈥淐ertificate of Teaching Excellence鈥� for her classroom teaching by the Columbia Public School District in Columbia, Missouri. She has acted as a mentor for new teachers as well as an advisor for both pre-service and in-service educators. Dr. Arnone鈥檚 doctoral research focused on the integrative practices of elementary teachers in their development of STEM learning experiences. She has been a part of various publications, including one resulting from her doctoral work, published in the Journal of Research in STEM Education called 鈥淎n Exploratory Cross-Sectional Survey Study of Elementary Teachers鈥� Conceptions and Methods of STEM Integration鈥�.
Ronda Cypret-Mahach
Dr. Ronda K. Cypret-Mahach is an accomplished educator and instructional leader with over three decades of experience in the field of education. She currently serves as the Department Head for Initial Teacher Education in the College of Education and Human Services at 丝瓜APP University, where she has been a full-time faculty member since 2016. In her tenure at 丝瓜APP, Dr. Cypret-Mahach has also held positions as Acting Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Instruction and Director of the Center for Innovation and Insight.
Dr. Cypret-Mahach earned her Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from 丝瓜APP University, where she was inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society. She also holds a Master of Arts in Education from 丝瓜APP University and a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her commitment to continuous professional development is evident in her additional certifications, including a Specialized Certificate in Teaching Online from the University of California, San Diego, a Certificate in Innovation and Critical Thinking from Duke University, and a Certificate for E-Learning Essentials through the NASBA program.
With Missouri State certifications in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle School Language Arts, and Middle School Social Studies, Dr. Cypret-Mahach brings a diverse range of expertise to her role. Her professional experience spans Title 1 remediation in reading and math, elementary classroom teaching, technology coordinator, administration, and university instruction.
Dr. Cypret-Mahach’s research focuses on teacher candidate perceptions, educational leadership, and instructional strategies that enhance student learning outcomes. Her doctoral research examined professional development practices that support elementary teachers in developing critical thinking skills and their relationship with student achievement. She has conducted impactful studies on teacher candidates’ perceptions of virtual teaching and learning, as well as investigating the educational implications of COVID-19.
As an active contributor to her field, Dr. Cypret-Mahach has authored “Transformational Shifts of Pedagogy through Professional Development” in the book “Emerging Self-Directed Learning Strategies in the Digital Age” (2018). She has been recognized as a teacher of the year and has served as a host teacher for student teachers and a mentor to new educators entering the profession.
Throughout her career, Dr. Cypret-Mahach has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to academic excellence and the advancement of educational practices. Her extensive background in education, dedication to instructional leadership, and ongoing research make her a valuable asset in shaping the future of education and preparing the next generation of teachers.
Emilie Johnson
Dr. Emilie Johnson, professor of education, has been a fulltime faculty member since 1999 and teaches in the graduate College of Education and Human Services. She earned a Ph.D. in educational administration from St. Louis University in 1997 and brings to 丝瓜APP 13 years of experience in public school teaching, administration, and teacher training. In addition to teaching, Dr. Johnson is the author of student study guides, teacher resource manuals, instructor test banks, and websites for Educational Psychology, Introduction to Teaching, and Educational Research texts for Pearson. Dr. Johnson was awarded the St. Charles County 40 Under 40 Award, St. Charles County Ring of Excellence in Teaching Award, and The Missouri Governor鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Teaching. She is recognized as a 丝瓜APP Distinguished Mentor and was promoted to the rank of full professor in August 2006. In the fall of 2017, Dr. Johnson established a partnership with CharacterPlus of St. Louis and provides support to local districts through coaching teachers and school leaders as they transform school culture and climate and implement social emotional learning curriculum. She also serves as an evaluator for state and national Schools of Character awarded by Character.org.
Holly Karraker
Dr. Holly Karraker is a Professor of Education 鈥� Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education and Human Services at 丝瓜APP University. Dr. Karraker earned her Ph.D. in Educational Studies, M.A. in Special Education, and B.A. in Special Education at Saint Louis University. She holds Missouri State Teacher Certification for School Psychological Examiner, Learning Disabilities, Behavior Disorders, and Mentally Handicapping Conditions. Dr. Karraker has been a full-time faculty member at 丝瓜APP University since 2007 and has been recognized with the Adam Morgan Foundation鈥檚 Higher Education Mentor Award and the Emerson Award for Teaching Excellence. Her previous professional experience includes serving as the Director of the Special Learning Clinic at Saint Louis University where she gained extensive experience in the assessment and diagnosis of educational disabilities. Her professional and research interests include educational assessment and implications for students with history of acute illness and rare disorders.
Kristen Levin
Kristen Levin earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Loyola University in 1996, her Master of Education from University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2007, and her Ph.D. in teaching and learning processes from University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2018. Her research interests include teacher identity development and the impact of autonomy on novice teachers; and current educational reform efforts. She is excited to use her classroom teaching experience and knowledge of curriculum design to guide pre-service teachers as they prepare to launch into their own careers.
Rebecca Panagos
Rebecca Panagos began her career teaching special education, focusing on children with autism and all abilities. Holding a master鈥檚 degree in school counseling, she led multidisciplinary school teams that involved interagency collaboration to prepare students for secondary transitions. Panagos discovered an interest in teacher preparation and completed her Ph.D. in special education from the University of Missouri. While at 丝瓜APP, she led program development for certification in special education mild to moderate and the M.A. degree in Early Interventions in Autism and Sensory Impairments. Current lines of research and presentations include developing and field-testing an empowerment tool for families of young children with developmental disabilities, the Empower2Families App for iPhones and Androids.
Tonya Thompson
Dr. Tonya Thompson is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Services at 丝瓜APP University. She also serves as program chair for the School Library Media and Technology program and teaches courses in library, literature, and research. She earned a B.S. in communications and mass media, an M.A. in education, an M.S. in instructional technology, as well as her doctorate in educational leadership. Before moving into higher education, she worked for 16 years as a library media specialist, professional development leader, and communications manager for a large public school.
Michelle Whitacre
Michelle Whitacre is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education. She has a Ph.D. in education (teaching and learning processes) from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She also has an M.A.T. with an emphasis in educational psychology from Webster University, an M.A. from the University of Notre Dame Australia, and a B.A. in English and environmental science from the University of Notre Dame. Whitacre has several years of experience working as a high school science teacher and instructional coach. She has taught a wide range of education courses and has experience supervising teacher candidates in their school-based practicums. During her doctoral studies, she worked as a research assistant on the National Science Foundation-funded project 鈥淪cience Literacy through Science Journalism鈥� and was an NSF CADRE Fellow. Whitacre鈥檚 research interests focus on disciplinary and content literacy and using technology to enhance teacher education. She is passionate about educational equity and seeks to design learning experiences for teacher candidates that nurture innovation and professional creativity.
Kevin Winslow
Kevin Winslow earned a Ph.D. in mathematics instructional methodology with an emphasis in instructional technology from George Mason University. He also earned an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction: secondary mathematics from George Mason, and a B.A. in intercultural studies from Biola University in Los Angeles. He taught middle school math and technology for 12 years before teaching at the college level. He taught at Cedarville University in Ohio and Missouri Baptist University before coming to 丝瓜APP. Dr. Winslow is currently serving as a professor of education and the program chair for the M.A. in educational technology at 丝瓜APP University.