Caitie Finlayson, Faculty Director & Associate Professor-Geography
Caitie became Faculty Director of the Center for Teaching in October 2018. She supervises faculty programming and works with the Center for Teaching staff to meet faculty needs. She also interacts with faculty one-on-one, serving as a sounding board, resource connection, or to assist navigating a difficult teaching challenge. Above all, Caitie approaches faculty development holistically; she offers support for faculty as educators, advisors, researchers, and campus leaders. Caitie’s instructional interests include team-based learning, open educational resources, and evidence-based active learning techniques.
Victoria Russell, Associate Director & Associate Professor-Education
In June 2019, Victoria became Associate Director of the Center for Teaching. She manages the day-to-day operations of the Center for Teaching. She wants to support faculty across the career span and also leverage the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to promote teaching excellence. Victoria’s instructional interests focus primarily on accessibility through Universal Design for Learning as well as assessment design, effective engagement strategies, and promotion of student creativity and analytical thinking.
Melissa Wells, Faculty Fellow & Assistant Professor-Education
Melissa joined the Center for Teaching as a Faculty Fellow in August 2019. She is excited to be a sounding board to work through ideas for instructional innovation. Sharing these ideas with a wider audience via the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning is another area in which she is ready to support faculty. Melissa’s instructional interests include equity and access issues, inquiry-driven learning, choice-based assessments, arts integration, and instructional technology.