Our People

breaunna.alexander@csus.edu

Breaunna Alexander is a research associate with EdInsights focused on evaluating institutional effectiveness and initiatives to improve the community college experience. Breaunna is passionate about increasing access and success for underrepresented and underserved populations and understanding how institutions impact individuals and communities as a whole. Her previous research has utilized a variety of research methods to evaluate juvenile welfare cases and analyze the state of parole in multiple Oregon counties. Breaunna received a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Oregon State University and a BA in Psychology from San Diego State University.

jeanine.cunningham@csus.edu

Jeanine believes strongly that higher education should be accessible and that it is the responsibility of the institution to prioritize the supports and structures that enable accessibility and student success. As a member of the research and evaluation team at EdInsights, Jeanine’s work broadly engages the measurement of institutional effectiveness and the evaluation of equity initiatives. As an educator, Jeanine has taught college and university courses on deviance and social control, social movements, ethics, and social research methods. As a researcher, her primary research focuses upon structures of power, narratives and meaning-making, and the use of multi-method research strategies including network analysis. She holds an M.S. from the University of Oregon and an M.A. from Sacramento State University, both in Sociology, along with a B.S. in Criminology from California State University, Fresno.

 j.caro-sena@csus.edu

Jackie Caro-Sena is a research associate at EdInsights focused on the large-scale evaluation of the California Community Colleges Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI). She uses mixed methods to evaluate IEPI’s professional development resources and help provide equitable opportunities for underrepresented students. Jackie received her Master of Arts in Education from UC Davis in June 2017 and her BA in Ethnic Studies and American Studies with a concentration in Social Policy from UC Berkeley in May 2015.

Leann.fong-batkin@csus.edu

Dr. LeAnn Fong-Batkin has committed her career to social justice and equity for underrepresented students. She brings over two decades of K-12 and higher education policy experience from WestEd, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, Sacramento State, the California Department of Education, the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, and the California State Auditor. Dr. Fong-Batkin has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of California, Davis, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Sacramento State, and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Fong-Batkin is excited to return to where her career in education started—at Sacramento State.

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Iboutakidis@fullerton.edu

Dr. Boutakidis is Chair and Professor of Child and Adolescent Studies. He has previously served as Associate Dean of Student Success and Faculty Fellow of Student Success for the College of Health and Human Development, and currently serves as Chair of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness and Vice-Chair of the Institutional Review Board. His research has focused on cultural processes, such as ethnic identity and acculturation, and their associations to adolescent adjustment outcomes. More recently, his work has examined the role of engagement, motivation, and theory of mind in academic achievement outcomes for historically under-served students. His current work extends this line to college students, with a special focus on efforts to reduce equity gaps in college student populations.

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shonda.goward@csueastbay.edu

As the Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Advising and Success at San Jose State University, Dr. Goward supports the university’s student success initiatives by leading peer supported learning. She is excited to work with the Network as the Convenings Director. Shonda has 15 years of professional experience in higher education administration particularly in the area of academic student support. Shonda’s current research, and passion, focuses on how universities can work to retain marginalized students and support their academic success and well-being.

m.kerrick@csus.edu

Madeleine is the Network’s Research Director. In her role as Evaluation Director at EdInsights, which facilitates the Network, she focuses on evaluating initiatives aimed at promoting student success within community college and public university systems. Her research interests include: understanding how institutions can impact individuals’ development and vice versa; advancing institutional change in support of student success; and qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. Prior to joining EdInsights, Madeleine was an adjunct lecturer at San Jose State University where she taught courses on research methods and identity development. Her previous research examined how we form identities, self-beliefs, and relationships—particularly in the contexts of talk about romance and sex, and the transition to parenthood. Madeleine received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from UC Santa Cruz and her B.A. in Child Development – Social and Community Settings from Sacramento State University..

d.lohmeyer@csus.edu
(916) 278-7220

Dylan is the Interim Operations Director for the CSU Student Success Network and has been with EdInsights since 2018. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts/Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2015. Prior to the Network, he served in roles pertaining to university operations, human resources, and student advising. While having the opportunity to serve in several roles for the CSU Student Success Network, he has had the opportunity to launch and execute professional learning opportunities surrounding equity for California State University staff, students, and administrators. He believes in the transformative power of organizing in support of underrepresented communities including but not limited to people of color, low-income households, and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

k.madden@csus.edu

Kalifa Madden joined EdInsights in January 2020 and currently manages the  communications needs of both EdInsights and The Network. Kalifa earned her BA in Communications and Organizational Public Relations at California State University, Los Angeles. She has a passion for communications and enjoys facilitating the needs of the organization, through creativity, collaboration and transparency. She is also passionate about student success initiatives as a first-generation, transfer student herself. Prior to joining EdInsights, Kalifa worked as a Digital Media Manager and Social Media Specialist in Los Angeles.

lmercadolopez@csufresno.edu
(559) 278-8599

Dr. Larissa M. Mercado-López is a professor of Women’s Studies at California State University, Fresno, where she teaches courses on women of color feminisms and engages in proactive mentorship. Within the Student Success Network, Larissa serves as Conference Director for the CSU Student Success Conference. Her academic scholarship is in the fields of Chicana feminism and Literature, and her campus service focuses on researching and improving the student parent population and the Latina PhD pipeline. Larissa is committed to public scholarship and serves as a Senior Editor for the National Center for Institutional Diversity Public Scholarship Initiative at the University of Michigan.

paquette-ferguson@csus.edu

Ben is the UX Design Analyst & Research Assistant at Education Insights (EdInsights). In his role, Ben creates visuals that tell compelling data-driven stories. Ben has spent over ten years providing exceptional experiences to customers and clients in a multitude of fields including higher education, non-profit, immigration, medical, and tech. He graduated with a BA in Spanish and a minor in Business Administration from Cabrini University, a private school located outside of Philadelphia, PA. During the pandemic, he took the opportunity to further his education and earned a certificate in User Experience (UX) Design. Ben continues to provide positive experiences utilizing research and design thinking while sharing his passion for education, equity, and accessibility.