CTLs in the Age of Transformation Presenters, Panelists, and Facilitators
Presenters, Panelists & Facilitators
Joseph Baumgartner, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Biology | Co-Director of the Learning and Teaching Center
University of Cincinnati
Joseph Baumgartner is an Associate Professor of Biology and Co-Director of the Learning + Teaching Center (L+TC) at UC Blue Ash College. In the classroom, he focuses on student experience, belonging, and metacognition. As an Co-Director, Joseph has worked on relationship building among new hires and contingent faculty.
Kevin Coghlan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology & Sociology | Social Science Coordinator
Edison State Community College
Dr. Kevin Patrick Coghlan is an associate professor of psychology and sociology and the social science coordinator at Edison State Community College. Dr. Coghlan recently published a book called Rethinking Race: Deconstructing the Categories Behind Power and Prejudice. https://indigoriverpublishing.com/books/rethinking-race/
Victoria DeSensi, Psy.D.
Professor of Psychology | Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence
Wilmington College
Dr. Victoria DeSensi, Professor of Psychology, has taught nearly two dozen distinct courses in psychology since joining the Wilmington College faculty in 2010. She has also served in many prominent faculty governance roles.
Vicky earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami University and a doctoral degree in psychology from Indiana University (Bloomington campus). She loves learning so much that she voluntarily took on the challenge of another round of graduate school. In 2023, she earned her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati. This degree helped her fulfill her aspiration of starting a Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at WC. Vicky currently serves as the inaugural Director of the Wilmington College CTE.
Romena Garrett Holbert, Ph.D.
Professor, Teacher Education
Wright State University
Ryan Liming
Project Manager, Center for Teaching & Learning
Cedarville University
Jessica McKinley, Ph.D.
Center for Teaching & Learning Director
Sinclair College
Jared Pyles, Ed.D.
Instructional Designer, Center for Teaching & Learning
Cedarville University
Brenda Refaei, Ed.D.
Professor, English & Communications | Co-Director of the UCBA Learning and Teaching Center
University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College
Rita R. Thomas,
Director, Center for Teaching & Learning
Central State University
Rita R. Thomas is Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning at Central State University, where she leads faculty development programming, instructional design, and technology-integrated learning initiatives. Her work centers on empowering faculty through research-based professional development, course quality review, and the innovative application of emerging pedagogical tools to serve diverse learner populations.
Holding a Master of Science in Instructional Design from Western Kentucky University, she brings both scholarly grounding and practical expertise to her work. A certified Association for Talent Development Master Trainer and Quality Matters practitioner, Rita has over a decade of experience designing and delivering professional development programming, supporting faculty excellence, and advancing online learning across higher education institutions in Kentucky and Ohio.
A longstanding member of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network, Rita has presented at regional and national conferences on topics including andragogy, course accessibility, and faculty motivation for development. Her commitment to inclusive, innovative, and equity-centered teaching and learning makes her a compelling voice in conversations shaping the future of faculty development in higher education.
Gregg Wentzell, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Center for Teaching Excellence
Miami University
Gregg W. Wentzell, Ph.D., is Assistant Director of the Miami University (Ohio) Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). In addition to being Director of the Original Lilly Conference on College Teaching, a forum for 2- and 4-year college teachers to share evidence-based practices, Gregg does faculty consulting on teaching, plans and facilitates the CTE’s seminar programming, and coordinates administration of midcourse evaluation for the University. He is Editor-in Chief of the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, a peer-reviewed journal of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), and he has presented widely on teaching and learning, faculty development, and SoTL at U.S. and international venues.
Ellen J. Yezierski, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry, ACS Fellow | Director, Center for Teaching Excellence
Miami University
Ellen Yezierski is the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Director and a Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Miami University. As CTE Director, Ellen networks with faculty and programs across campus to fulfill the Center’s mission and support student learning through faculty development and innovation in teaching. She has been recognized with multiple awards in teaching and scholarship. Her research group focuses on improving conceptual understanding of chemistry by examining the dynamics of teaching and teacher change. She currently leads VisChem, an internationally recognized NSF-funded initiative. Ellen is the 2026 recipient of the American Chemical Society Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry and a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.