º£½ÇÉçÇø

Deanna Davis, PhD, MA, BA (Hon), BA (Spec)

Executive Director
deanna.davis@ualberta.ca

Dr. Deanna Davis is an alumna of the º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Augustana and North campuses, with a longstanding affiliation with the institution. Known for her ability to bring people together, she has played a key role in uniting faculty and staff across campus to develop award-winning educational initiatives.

Her leadership has influenced º£½ÇÉçÇø’s teaching and research landscape, including roles in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Organizational Development, HRHSE. She was instrumental in implementing Canada’s first Professional Development Requirement, enhancing career planning and readiness for graduate students. Her contributions also include leading the curricular redesign of the Ethics and Academic Citizenship Requirement, focusing on integrating EDI and Indigenous perspectives.

As the architect behind the structural and curricular redesign of the multi-tier Graduate Teaching and Learning Program (GTLP), Dr. Davis taught pedagogy and course design, bringing over two decades of teaching experience across various levels and departments, including the Department of Music. Her expertise in pedagogical strategies and curriculum design, combined with certifications in EQi 2.0/360, Serious Lego Play, and coaching, enriches her contributions to the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

Dr. Davis’s impact has been recognized through numerous awards, including the APO Recognition Award (2023), underscoring her exceptional service to the º£½ÇÉçÇø community.

Cosette Lemelin, PhD, MEd

Associate Director
cosette.lemelin@ualberta.ca

Cosette has 20+ years of experience in faculty, sessional instructor, educational developer, and leadership roles within the U15 Canada. Her Master of Education (2003) and a PhD in Education (2016) focused on adult and post-secondary education, specifically, teaching and learning within health professions education. Cosette is the 2019 recipient of the º£½ÇÉçÇø Excellence in Learning Support Award and received the award again in 2020, along with the CTL Team, as part of their COVID-19 Response. She serves as the Chair of the Educational Developer Network of Alberta (EDNA), a Board Member for the Legal Education Society of Alberta (LESA), and a Member of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Canada Executive.

Jay Summach, PhD, MA, BA

Associate Director
jsummach@ualberta.ca

Jay earned a Master’s degree at the º£½ÇÉçÇø and a PhD in music theory at Yale University. His teaching and research focused on the potential for musical structure to afford meaning, alongside features like melody and lyrics. Jay’s area of interest is 20th-century pop music, both as an academic and performer. 

While at Yale, Jay was a Coordinator at the Yale Graduate Teaching Centre, where he led support programs in curriculum design, peer review of teaching, and student writing. In the years following, Jay was Associate Director of First-Year Writing at Duke University, where he had the opportunity to experiment with a variety of modalities in his teaching — including project- and community-based learning — and he supported cohorts of new instructors through semester-long programs in backwards course design, student assessment, academic integrity, et cetera.

Returning to Alberta in 2015, Jay broadened his experience as an educator to include workforce learning (Director of Education, Edmonton Construction Association), digital strategy for the public sector (Director of Delivery, Yellow Pencil), and applied artificial intelligence (Key Account Manager, Amii). He joined the º£½ÇÉçÇø as a Manager in the Centre for Teaching and Learning in 2025, where he looks forward to learning and contributing alongside a new team of enthusiastic, creative colleagues.

Elder Evelyn Day

CTL Elder 

Elder Evelyn Day is a member of the Tahltan Band from Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, and has made Edmonton her home for more than 30 years. Entrusted with the traditional wisdom of her Ancestors from a young age, she has long supported the healing journeys of Indigenous Peoples and communities.

A Residential School Survivor, Elder Evelyn pursued education later in life, completing her Grade 12 education, studying American Sign Language, and working for over a decade as a Health Care Aide. She has also shared Indigenous perspectives through community initiatives, including in Jasper, where she operated her own business. Today, she continues to play an active role in education, health, and community, offering teachings and guidance across diverse settings.

Elder Evelyn is a member of the National Indigenous Elders Council of the United Church of Canada and frequently facilitates KAIROS Blanket Exercises and other educational programming with the Edmonton Public School Board and the º£½ÇÉçÇø. She is often accompanied in her work by her husband, Dave Elliot, who supports her in her role as an Elder. Although a Settler, Dave has spent his life working alongside Indigenous communities across Alberta and Saskatchewan. Together, they spend much of their time at Elk Island National Park, reconnecting with the land and its beings.

Lia Daniels

lia1@ualberta.ca

Lia Daniels is a Professor of Educational Psychology and Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association. She currently holds a McCalla Professorship in recognition of the integration of her research and teaching about classroom assessment and wellbeing. She teaches undergraduate courses on classroom assessment and graduate courses on research methods and human motivation.

Lia is a quantitative researcher by training but has applied a wide range of methodologies in her research on motivation and emotions. Her PhD was in social psychology from the University of Manitoba and she continues to rely on robust psychological theories to frame educational problems and potentials. Currently she is focused on two main research projects. First, she is using self-determination theory to revise classroom assessments to better support student wellbeing. Second, she is co-investigator on an international study to understand teacher emotions through self-report, sentiment, and facial expression.

Carrie Demmans Epp

demmanse@ualberta.ca

Carrie Demmans Epp is a Killam Fellow and Associate Professor in the Department of Computing Science at the º£½ÇÉçÇø, where she teaches courses on human-computer interaction, natural language processing, and the use of artificial intelligence in educational applications. She is also a fellow with the Alberta machine intelligence institute (Amii). Before moving to Alberta, Carrie held a joint postdoctoral researcher position with the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Learning Research and Development Center of the University of Pittsburgh.

Her core research has two streams. One focuses on using analytics and other methods to understand how people use educational technologies so that these technologies and their use can be improved. The other focuses on developing adaptive educational technologies and reporting systems to support learning across a variety of contexts.

Michelle Anderson-Draper, EdD, MA, MSc, BEd, CE

Instructional Designer, Active and Experiential Learning
michelle.andersondraper@ualberta.ca

Michelle is an experienced educational leader, credentialed evaluator, and adult educator with a strong record of creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments that connect academic learning with real-world experience.

She holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership from Western University, a Master of Science in Family Ecology and Practice from the º£½ÇÉçÇø, and a Master of Arts in Health Sciences Administration and Leadership from the University of Ottawa. She also holds a B.Ed. After Degree (Honours) from Concordia University of Edmonton and the professional designation of Credentialed Evaluator with the Canadian Evaluation Society.

Michelle has taught and designed courses at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Western University, MacEwan University, and the º£½ÇÉçÇø. Her work has included facilitating field placements, practicum reflections, and community-engaged assignments that align course content with applied learning. At the º£½ÇÉçÇø, she developed evaluation-focused experiential learning projects that paired students with community organizations and hosted events bridging theory and practice.

Currently an Instructional Designer at the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Michelle collaborates with instructors to develop experiential learning opportunities that connect academic learning with real-world experiences, aligning with the º£½ÇÉçÇø’s commitment to work-integrated learning, community-engaged learning, and research-based learning.

Abril Alvaro Munoz, MSc, BSc

Learning Design Support Specialist (Canvas)
alvaromu@ualberta.ca

Abril is deeply connected to the º£½ÇÉçÇø, both as a student and now as a professional contributor. She brings over a decade of experience in academic administration, project management, curriculum and program design, process improvement, and academic accreditations, with a strong focus on creating student-centred and service-oriented solutions. Most recently, she supported Mechanical Engineering’s transition to Canvas here at the º£½ÇÉçÇø. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at the Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, including Director of Academic Logistics and Study Abroad Programs and Manager of the Student Service Centre, where she oversaw student-focused administrative services across multiple campuses.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a Master of Science in Quality and Productivity from Tec de Monterrey, and she is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Engineering Management at the º£½ÇÉçÇø. Her contributions to teaching have been acknowledged with the Graduate Student Teaching Award and the Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship. Abril also brings professional certifications in Management Skills, Project Management, and Black Belt Certification in International Lean Six Sigma, further strengthening her expertise in strategic planning, continuous improvement, and change management. And a certificate on Learning Service, Transversal Citizenship, and Transversal Competences.

Velvalee Georges, PhD, MEd, BEd

Senior Consultant, Indigenous Pedagogies and Curricula 
velvalee@ualberta.ca

Velvalee Georges was born and raised in Ile-a-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan, a community with a significant Métis history. She is Métis and speaks some Northern Michif.   

Velvalee completed a Ph.D in Elementary Education with a focus on Language and Literacy at the º£½ÇÉçÇø.  Her specializations include Indigenous language revitalization, teacher education, inclusive education, educational assessment, decolonization and Indigenization. She was involved in three Indigenous language research projects, most recently the Supporting Indigenous Languages Revitalization (SILR) Project at the º£½ÇÉçÇø, where she collaborated with Elders and knowledge keepers to explore the role of language in promoting wellness and began developing educational resources to share that wisdom.

With over ten years of post-secondary teaching experience, Velvalee has taught in the areas of Indigenous education, Assessment, Inclusion, Multilingualism and Literacy. She has developed, expanded and refined courses to better prepare teachers theoretically and for the practical realities of contemporary classrooms.

Prior to consistent engagement at the post-secondary level, Velvalee had an extensive career that spanned over two decades in the Nursery to Grade 12 school system as a teacher, curriculum development support, administrator and education leader. Her approach to teaching, research, and learning has always been in service to broadening and illuminating pathways between disparate knowledge systems, benefiting both present and future generations.

Rukiyah Ghani, PhD (c), MA, BA

Instructional Designer for Accessibility
rukiyah@ualberta.ca

With a BA in Disability Studies and an MA in Critical Disability Studies, Rukiyah has expertise in accessible, inclusive, and adaptable education in the design and delivery of courses at the post-secondary level. As the Instructional Designer for Accessibility, Rukiyah supports equitable teaching and learning practices across diverse learning settings, bridging the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Student Success and Experience in making Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility principles tangible in the classroom.

Rukiyah collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to advance learner access in the primary stages of instructional design and delivery, particularly for those with diverse learning needs and disabilities. As an individual consultant to teaching staff and faculty, Rukiyah also facilitates professional development workshops, sharing the innovative and practical tools available to ensure all learning materials and teaching strategies meet the highest standards as the UDL and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Lori Ireland, BA

Educational Developer, Indigenous Curriculum and Pedagogy
lori.ireland@ualberta.ca

Abenanes - Greetings! Lori Ireland (she/they) is from the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation and grew up in Tŝilhqot'in and Secwepemc territory in the interior of what is now colonially known as British Columbia. The lands Lori calls home (Xeni Gwet’in) did not enter into Treaty negotiations, and their Aboriginal Title was federally acknowledged in 2014. Lori has been a guest on Treaty 6 territory and the homelands of the Métis peoples for more than 10 years. Lori has 15 years of experience working with various Indigenous peoples in numerous capacities, including building community and supporting and sustaining Indigenous ways of knowing, teaching, learning, and being. As an Educational Developer at the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Lori focuses on developing and integrating Indigenous ways of knowing into teaching resources, strategies, and academic, personal, and professional development of instructors and instructional teams at the º£½ÇÉçÇø.  Sechanalyagh - thank you.

Isabelle (Izzy) Laurin, MA, BA

Instructional Designer, Learning Design and Technology 
ilaurin@ualberta.ca

Isabelle (Izzy) Laurin brings over a decade of expertise in language education and teacher training, with a diverse background in teaching English and French across online and in-person platforms. She holds a diplôme d'études collégiales in Modern Languages (Cégep de Drummondville), a B.A. with a Specialization in Translation (English to French and certification in terminology) from Concordia University, and an M.A. in Linguistics with a focus on Language Didactics from Université Laval. She has earned multiple certificates in teaching, modern languages, and linguistics. During her time at Université Laval, Izzy contributed as a research and teaching assistant for courses in Sociolinguistics and Norms and Usages of French, and she also lectured on ESL Pedagogy.

Izzy relocated to Edmonton in 2020, drawn by its vibrant and diverse culture. Her professional focus lies in content development for Learning Management Systems (LMS), the design of pedagogical workshops, and adapting educational content for online platforms. She is particularly passionate about teaching beginners, ensuring that learning is engaging and accessible. Izzy thrives in collaborative environments, prioritizing excellence, human connections, and inclusivity.

Christopher Laursen

Senior Educational Developer (Curriculum Innovation)
christopher.laursen@ualberta.ca

Christopher brings 7+ years of pedagogical expertise specializing in accessibility, Generative AI, decolonization, and wellness. At the Centre for Teaching and Learning, he supports curriculum innovation to meet evolving student needs, to advance institutional commitments to truth and reconciliation, access, community, and belonging, and to respond to the opportunities and challenges integrating GenAI into curriculum.

After studying journalism at MacEwan University, he embarked on a 14-year career in print and broadcast media that took him from the Kootenays in B.C. to downtown Toronto. Christopher completed a BA at Carleton University, an MA at the University of Guelph, and a PhD at the University of British Columbia – all in History – studying how people explore the boundaries of what is known about the natural world and human consciousness.

He designed and taught in-person, online, and hybrid interdisciplinary humanities courses at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he received the 2018 Excellence in eLearning Award for innovative experiential course design. Returning to the University of Guelph in 2022 as an Educational Developer, he led the development of GenAI guidance for faculty and pedagogical wellness initiatives, and he organized the annual Teaching and Learning Innovations Conference. Born and raised in amiskwicay (Beaver Hills), he returned home in 2025 to support our º£½ÇÉçÇø campus community.

Amanda Magnan, BSc

Instructional Designer, UX and Programming
aschwank@ualberta.ca

In her 13 years at the º£½ÇÉçÇø, Amanda has played a vital role in optimizing the effective use of educational technology by developing instructional materials and workshops, as well as promoting the thoughtful adoption of new and emerging educational technologies across our university community. In her work with the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Amanda continues to support the creation of exceptional teaching and learning experiences at the º£½ÇÉçÇø through her involvement in CTL event planning and educational technology projects dedicated to furthering the CTL mission.

Olivia Murray, MEd

Instructional Designer, Multifaceted Evaluation of Teaching
omurray@ualberta.ca

Olivia Murray is an experienced educator and educational developer with a Bachelor of Education from the º£½ÇÉçÇø and a Master of Education from the University of Ottawa. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Adult, Community, and Higher Education and serves as a Principal Instructor in the Faculty of Education. She also holds certification from the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW).

With over 10 years of experience, Olivia has worked across K–12 and postsecondary contexts in teaching, curriculum development, and faculty support. She began her career with Edmonton Public Schools before joining the º£½ÇÉçÇø as Curriculum Coordinator for the Alberta School of Business. In that role, she led a team of 26 undergraduate teaching assistants, collaborated with instructors and subject matter experts to design new courses, developed learning outcomes and assessments, and implemented effective course management processes. She also conducted needs assessments and engaged stakeholders to guide curricular enhancements and professional development initiatives aligned with faculty and institutional priorities.

Currently an Instructional Designer at the Centre for Teaching and Learning, Olivia supports faculty in adopting a multifaceted approach to evaluating teaching and learning. Her work promotes a holistic understanding of teaching effectiveness by incorporating diverse forms of evidence, including student feedback, peer review, instructor reflection, and teaching artifacts. Central to her educational philosophy is the belief that meaningful teaching and learning emerge through sustained, intentional reflection. This perspective informs her collaborations with educators and her commitment to fostering reflective, growth-oriented evaluation practices.

Bradon Valgardson, MA
(on secondment)

Data Analyst

Bradon Valgardson (MA, University of Southern Mississippi) is a data analyst for the CTL. Bradon analyzes institutional data and prepares educational resources, documentation, and reports related to teaching and learning. His past work has focused on the influence of adverse conditions on health and well-being. His research has involved examining data from nationally representative samples and collecting data from various groups, including university students, prison inmates, correctional officers, and domestic violence service providers.

Laura L. Velazquez, PhD, MA, MA, BA

Instructional Designer, GenAI and Assessment 
lauralet@ualberta.ca

Dr. Laura Velazquez brings over 15 years of postsecondary teaching experience at institutions including the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Wuhan University, Central China Normal University, and the º£½ÇÉçÇø, where she earned her PhD in Modern Languages and Cultural Studies. Her career spans roles as an AI language specialist for a major American tech company and an educational developer for edtech companies and online schools, with a focus on gamification, digital strategy, and online and blended learning environments.

As Instructional Designer, GenAI  and Assessment at the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Laura supports instructors in developing inclusive, research-informed teaching practices and integrating emerging AI technologies into their assessment and instructional strategies. She specializes in translating complex pedagogical frameworks into practical applications that enhance teaching and learning. Laura is also a Canvas Certified Educator and played a key role in supporting the º£½ÇÉçÇø’s transition to Canvas, providing critical training, consultation, and resources to help instructors navigate the new learning management system. 

Laura’s technical expertise includes Python, ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Studio, and various AI platforms. She is fluent in Spanish and Chinese, offering a global perspective on culturally responsive pedagogy and developments in AI and education. In both her instructional design and scholarly work, Laura emphasizes ethical, student-centered, and accessible approaches to teaching and learning, helping instructors navigate the evolving higher education landscape with confidence.

Karen Seto-Wagg, BComm

Coordinator, Executive and Operations
setowagg@ualberta.ca

Karen Seto-Wagg (BComm, University of Saskatchewan) has lived in Edmonton since graduating from post-secondary education. She brings a strong knowledge of office administration and analyzing procedures to her role at CTL. Her love of learning combined with an approachable attitude contributes to a positive mark in roles that she takes on. Karen's current role at CTL is providing executive and operational support as well as assisting with CTL programming initiatives.

Hande Gür

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Canvas
gur@ualberta.ca

Hande is a PhD candidate in Anthropology at the º£½ÇÉçÇø, where her research explores spirituality, gender, and new social movements. She has been involved in the university’s teaching and learning community since 2021, beginning as a TA and student mentor coordinating the Anthropology Help program, and now serving as an Assistant Lecturer and member of the CTL team. 

Trained in pedagogy, course design, and community-engaged teaching, Hande’s work on combining community-based and research-based learning in university classrooms has been showcased at the 2024 Atlantic Universities’ Teaching Conference and the 2025 º£½ÇÉçÇø Teaching Festival. Her teaching philosophy centers on student well-being, equity, and agency. She values flexible course designs where students’ voices, identities, and experiences are recognized, and she approaches education as a means to foster agency rather than just convey knowledge. In recognition of her contributions, she received the 2025 Graduate Student Teaching Award and the 2024–2025 Faculty of Arts Graduate Student Teaching Award. 

As a researcher and educator, Hande focuses on engaging students and fostering learning that is meaningful, transformative, and inclusive.

Faizan Naeem

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Canvas
naeem3@ualberta.ca

Faizan brings over a decade of teaching experience across secondary and post-secondary education to his role with the CTL. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the º£½ÇÉçÇø and previously served as a lecturer in Pakistan. His teaching portfolio spans large lecture courses, laboratory instruction, curriculum development, and the supervision of undergraduate research projects.

At both the º£½ÇÉçÇø and Capital University of Science and Technology, Faizan effectively used learning management systems (eClass, Canvas, and Moodle) to design and deliver course content, assessments, and student engagement activities. He has completed all three levels of the Graduate Teaching and Learning Program at the º£½ÇÉçÇø, reflecting his commitment to inclusive and evidence-based pedagogy. With extensive experience in both in-person and online classrooms, he supports instructors in creating accessible, student-centred learning environments that foster engagement and academic success.

Anita Parker, MEd, BSc, BEd

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Canvas
aparker@ualberta.ca

Anita brings two decades of science teaching in in-person, online, and hybrid secondary and post-secondary classrooms to her portfolio at CTL. She is also experienced in leading professional development workshops and providing individual coaching for instructors, with a focus on maximizing student engagement through authentic activities and assessments. Since 2015, Anita has worked closely with instructor teams across the University with their blended and online learning resources and projects. This includes helping build course frameworks on eClass, planning student-centred learning experiences, and storyboard creation for pre-recorded lecture video content.

Anita enjoys being part of a team that supports teaching and learning excellence in online, hybrid, blended, and face-to-face environments.