Affiliate Faculty
Violet Henderson, Ph.D.
Dr. Violet Henderson is a College Assistant Professor and the Clinical Director of the Early Childhood Education Program in the School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership. Dr. Henderson collaborates with preservice and in-service teachers within the Teacher Education Program, the Bilingual Education/TESOL Program, and the Language, Literacy, and Culture Program. She is multilingual (i.e., Spanish, English) with fluency in speaking, writing, and reading. Her teaching and research interests include literacy portraiture, multiliteracies, family literacy, community cultural wealth, funds of knowledge, and translanguaging. She has published in The Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and other academic journals. She will assist with placing scholars in the EI practicum and teach a Project E2 course.
Susana Ibarra Johnson, Ph.D.
Dr. Susana Ibarra Johnson is an assistant professor in bilingual/TESOL education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at New Mexico State University. Dr. Ibarra Johnson is one of the co-authors of The Translanguaging Classroom: Leveraging Student Bilingualism for Learning. Her commitment to improving the education of bilingual students is grounded in her experience as a bilingual learner and teacher. Her research focuses on biliteracy and translanguaging pedagogy in bilingual education and English language development contexts. She will assist with planning colloquiums with her expertise in translanguaging using Spanish and English. In addition, she will assist with the development of students’ expertise in Spanish.
Angela Owens, Ph.D.
Dr. Angela Owens holds a dual Master’s Degree as an Instructional Specialist in Early Childhood and Educational Administration and a Ph.D. in Literacy/Biliteracy from The University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Owens identifies as Afro-Latina, neurodivergent, and LGBTQ+. She is multilingual (i.e., Spanish, English) with fluency in speaking, writing, and reading. She works as the Director of the Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies and with early childhood and special education teacher candidates at New Mexico State University. Her research interests include caregiver experiences with the special education process, early childhood education, and inclusivity for all children. Her experiences range from teaching in K-12 and special education settings to being a professional development consultant, liaison for families with special needs children, and campus administrator.
Sarah Wiegand, Ph.D.
Dr. Sarah Wiegand is an assistant professor of early childhood and special education at New Mexico State University. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Dr. Wiegand worked as an early intervention provider and autism specialist for children birth to three and their families. Dr. Wiegand completed her PhD at the University of Georgia, where she studied special education with areas of emphasis in autism, early intervention, and professional development. Dr. Wiegand’s research centers around improving policies and practices and promoting equity in Part C early intervention through professional development and personnel preparation. She will teach within the Project E2 sequence.