Meet Our Doctoral Students
Ruth Aguirre
Ed.D. Student, Music and Music Education
Dissertation Advisor: Lori Custodero
Latinx Students in Higher Education
Diversity, Anti-Racism, Social Justice
Student Advocacy
University Music Teacher Education
Elementary Music Education
Instrumental Music Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Latinx Faculty in Higher Education
Latinx Students in Higher Education
Diversity, Anti-Racism, Social Justice
Student Advocacy
University Music Teacher Education
Elementary Music Education
Instrumental Music Education
Educational Background
Doctor of Education, Music and Music Education, Teachers College, Expected 2024
Master of Education, Music and Music Education, Teachers College, 2024
Master of Music, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 2007
Bachelor of Music, Texas State University, 1999
Honors/Awards
Evalyn Edwards Milman Music Fellowship, Teachers College, 2024; Key Woman in Education Award, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International - Beta Chapter, 2021; SphinxConnect Fellowship Recipient, The Sphinx Organization, 2020; Provost’s Grant for Conference Presentation & Professional Development, Teachers College, 2019; Graduate Student Scholarship, Mountain Lake Colloquium, 2019; Diversity Grant, Teachers College 2017-2018
Florence K. Geffen Fellowship, Teachers College, 2016-2019.
Publications/Exhibitions
Aguirre, R. (2025) - Music Educators Journal (in press)
Article: “Building Cross-Linguistic Connections in la Clase de Música”
Last Updated: Oct 31, 2024
Contact Information:
Educational Background
Certificate in Learning Design, School of Professional Studies, New York University, 2022
Master of Fine Arts, Studio Art, Hunter College, City University of New York, 2019
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fine Arts, Ringling College of Art + Design, 2015
Last Updated: Feb 25, 2025
Denise Apodaca
Ed.D.C.T. Student, Music and Music Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Denise Favela Apodaca is an Instructor at Teachers College, Columbia University and a Master Instructor at Colorado State University and has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across the United States. Showcasing her expertise in Latin American music, she has given numerous concerts in both Mexico and the U.S. She has also served as an adjudicator for various regional music teachers' associations and has led workshops on topics such as piano technology, pedagogy, performance, and early childhood music. Her research interests focus on healing-centered education, trauma-informed teaching, as well as First Generation and Chicana studies.
Educational Background
Denise Apodaca earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of California and holds two Master of Music degrees—one in Piano Performance and another in Piano Pedagogy—from Northwestern University. Additionally, she has a Master of Education in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. As a first-generation student, she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in College Teaching, Music and Music at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Honors/Awards
Denise Apodaca was awarded the Best Teacher of the Year Award in 2016 and nominated for a GRAMMY Music Educator Award. She received the College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award and the Colorado State University Honors Professor of the Year title. Additionally, she earned the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Service Award, is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM), and is a Distinguished Honorary Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).
Last Updated: Oct 13, 2024
Marcus Artigliere
Ed.D. Student, Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Research Discipline/Bio
Marcus Artigliere has served in a variety of roles in the K-12 and higher education contexts. He is currently a full-time, tenured faculty member and Clinical Lecturer at Hunter College as well as a doctoral candidate in TESOL at Teachers College. Prior to these positions, he was a Teacher Team Leader, Instructional Coach, and middle school ENL teacher supporting TESOL K-12 teachers and Multilingual Language Learners across New York City. Marcus’ work has earned multiple awards and grants including the New York City District 20 Teacher of the Year award, a Fulbright-Hays grant to study language and literacy in Mexico and Columbia and the Hunter Presidential Award for Excellence and Teaching. His current research interests include technology, artificial intelligence, human development, and the integration of these areas into second language learning in the K-12 context.
Honors/Awards
Swiss Benevolent Society Merit Scholarship Recipient for Doctoral Studies, 2022, 2023
Faculty Innovation in Teaching with Technology (FITT) Award Recipient, 2022
Hunter College Presidential Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching,
Institution-wide award for instruction, Hunter College, 2013
Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad Grant,
Beyond the Headlines: Mexico and Colombia, summer 2012
Senator Martin J. Golden, Teacher of the Year Award, 2011
Publications/Exhibitions
Artigliere, M. (2019). The Proficiency, Instructional and Affective Domains of Long-Term English Language Learners. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, 21(1). http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume23/ej89/ej89a3/
Artigliere, M. & Baecher, L. (2017). Moving Beyond Sink or Swim: Aligning Training With Classroom Reality in ESL Coteaching. In T. Farrell and T. Stewart (Eds.) TESOL Voices: Preservice Teacher Education. In T. Farrell and T. Stewart (Eds.), Voices from the TESOL Classroom (pp. 43-50). Alexandria, VA: TESOL Press
Baecher, L., Artigliere, M., & Bruno, T. (2017). Leveraging the Demands of edTPA to Foster Language Instruction for English Learners in Content Classrooms. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 7(1), 9
Artigliere, M. & Baecher, L. (2016). Complexity and hybridity in coaching for English Language Learners: A self-study of role relationships. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. 14, (2), 66 – 86
Artigliere, M. (spring 2016). Leveraging Technology in the Classroom: Using Comic Life Software to Support Literacy. Journal of Teacher Action Research.
2 (2), 92 – 98. Retrieved from http://www.practicalteacherresearch.com/uploads/5/6/2/4/56249715/artigliere91-97.pdf
Artigliere, M. (2014). Materials review: Comic Life. NYS TESOL Journal, 1(1).
**Baecher, L., Artigliere, M., Patterson, D. & Spatzer A. (2012) Differentiated instruction as a “Variation on a Theme”. English Language learners in the middle school. Middle School Journal, 43 (3), 14-21. **Highlighted in the Marshall Memo
Last Updated: Oct 28, 2024
David Beauzil
Ph.D. Student, English Education
In 2023, David received the NYC Men Teach Role Model Award, recognizing his commitment to education and mentorship. As a Ph.D. candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, he aims to leverage his diverse experiences to create equitable opportunities for students in urban schools. His passion for education stems from witnessing students grow intellectually and emotionally, and he is dedicated to empowering them through essential skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In his free time, David enjoys personal training, playing the piano, and traveling the world.
Research Discipline/Bio
David O. Beauzil is currently an ELA teacher with the NYCDOE and an Adjunct Professor at CUNY Queens College, Teachers College, Columbia University, and New York University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from St. John’s University in 2014 and his Master of Arts in Teaching from CUNY Queens College in 2019.
In 2023, David received the NYC Men Teach Role Model Award, recognizing his commitment to education and mentorship. As a Ph.D. candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, he aims to leverage his diverse experiences to create equitable opportunities for students in urban schools. His passion for education stems from witnessing students grow intellectually and emotionally, and he is dedicated to empowering them through essential skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In his free time, David enjoys personal training, playing the piano, and traveling the world.
Educational Background
Teachers College, Columbia University - Doctorate of English Education - May 2025
CUNY Queens College - Masters of Teaching of English - May 2019
St. John’s University - Bachelors of Arts - English - May 2014
Honors/Awards
Institute for Teachers of Color Fellow 2022-2023
NYC Men Teach Role Model Award 2023
New Prep Teacher of the Year 2022-2023
Teachers College, Columbia University Department Minority Scholar 2020-2021
Kappa Delta Pi Honors 2019
Publications/Exhibitions
Liu, D., Beauzil, D., & Sealey-Ruiz, Y.. Our Identities as Academic Writers: An Autoethnographic Approach Toward Linguistic Solidarity. Multicultural Perspectives Journal.
Beauzil, D., Liu, D., Sealey-Ruiz, Y., & Yu, J. (in process). Bridging Communities: Fostering Black and Asian Solidarity for Collective Empowerment. Theory Into Practice themed issue.
Last Updated: Oct 10, 2024
Dillon Beede
Ed.D.C.T. Student, Music and Music Education
His current research focuses on the intersections of pedagogy, policy, and identity in trans and gender-expansive choral spaces. He has presented his research at the Pennsylvania Music Education Association Conference, College Music Society Northeast Chapter Conference, the 5th Symposium for LGBTQ Studies & Music Education, and at the 9th Social Impact of Music Making Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Research Discipline/Bio
Dillon Beede currently serves as Director of Choirs at Wilson College and Artistic Director of the Harrisburg Gay Men's Chorus. He earned a BM from Hastings College and an MM in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College. While at Westminster, Dillon performed with the Westminster Symphonic Choir and studied voice with the late Julian Rodescu and Dr. Christopher Arneson. His graduate voice research studied the effects of musical exercises in combination with Stemple’s vocal function exercises for voice feminization.
His current research focuses on the intersections of pedagogy, policy, and identity in trans and gender-expansive choral spaces. He has presented his research at the Pennsylvania Music Education Association Conference, College Music Society Northeast Chapter Conference, the 5th Symposium for LGBTQ Studies & Music Education, and at the 9th Social Impact of Music Making Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Educational Background
Master of Education, Music and Music Education, Teachers College, 2024
Master of Music, Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, 2014
Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance, Hastings College, 2011
Honors/Awards
Dr. Beate A. Schiwek Memorial Prize, Research Stipend, Wilson College
Florence K Gelfen Scholarship, Teachers College
RM Burrows Memorial Scholarship, Teachers College
Last Updated: Sep 30, 2024
Nina Bellisio
Ed.D.C.T. Student, Art and Art Education
Her area of research is the integration of technology into learning and the incorporation of design thinking practices into interdisciplinary curriculum. She has presented her research in these areas at ISTE, CAA, SECAC, FATE, and AIGA Design Educators conferences. In addition to her teaching, she is the Vice President of Integrative Teaching International and assists in the planning and implementation of ThinkTank and ThinkCatalyst.
Research Discipline/Bio
Nina Bellisio is a Professor of Graphic Design and Assistant Dean of Curricular Innovation and Evaluation at St. Thomas Aquinas College in New York.
Her area of research is the integration of technology into learning and the incorporation of design thinking practices into interdisciplinary curriculum. She has presented her research in these areas at ISTE, CAA, SECAC, FATE, and AIGA Design Educators conferences. In addition to her teaching, she is the Vice President of Integrative Teaching International and assists in the planning and implementation of ThinkTank and ThinkCatalyst.
Educational Background
Master of Fine Art, Art Practice, University of California Berkeley, 1999
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Cornell Univerity, 1996
Last Updated: Oct 9, 2024
Maya Berrol-Young (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, Teaching of Social Studies
Research Discipline/Bio
Maya Berrol-Young is a PhD student in the Teaching of Social Studies program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research centers on the intersections of civic education, disability studies, and student agency. Currently, she collaborates on the Civically Engaged Districts Project, providing expertise on enhancing the accessibility of civic action research and learning in K-12 educational settings. In addition, Maya is affiliated with the Center for Educational Equity, where she conducts research on the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness. She is also consults on the Decision-Making Curriculum project in collaboration with Hunter College and the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. Her professional experience includes serving as a Fulbright Teaching Fellow in Thailand, a Global Writing and Speaking Fellow at NYU Shanghai, and most recently, as a special education teacher in New York Public Schools.
Educational Background
Master of Science, Special Education, Hunter College, 2023
Bachelor of Arts, Art and Politics, Bryn Mawr College, 2017
Honors/Awards
Outstanding Performance Award in an Alternative Certification Program - Hunter College School of Education (2023)
Last Updated: Oct 14, 2024
Lisette Boer (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, English Education
Her teaching experience includes but is not limited to leading creative writing workshops through Milk Press Virtual Workshops, serving as a teaching assistant at Maplewood Headstart, and facilitating a literacy mentorship program at Mitchell Elementary. Professionally, Lisette has served as a Research Assistant to The New School's Creative Writing Director. She has also worked with various literary organizations in marketing roles such as The Poetry Society of New York, The New School, and The National Book Critics Circle, playing a key role in organizing events like the National Book Critics Circle Ceremony, the PEN World Voices Festival, and The NYC Poetry Festival.
Research Discipline/Bio
Lisette Boer is a current PhD student in English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing with concentrations in poetry and fiction, alongside graduate minors in Social Entrepreneurship and Digital Storytelling from The New School.
Her teaching experience includes but is not limited to leading creative writing workshops through Milk Press Virtual Workshops, serving as a teaching assistant at Maplewood Headstart, and facilitating a literacy mentorship program at Mitchell Elementary. Professionally, Lisette has served as a Research Assistant to The New School's Creative Writing Director. She has also worked with various literary organizations in marketing roles such as The Poetry Society of New York, The New School, and The National Book Critics Circle, playing a key role in organizing events like the National Book Critics Circle Ceremony, the PEN World Voices Festival, and The NYC Poetry Festival.
Educational Background
Doctor of Philosophy, English Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2028.
Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing, The New School, 2023.
Bachelor of Arts, English - Creative Writing, Hope College, 2019.
Honors/Awards
Distinguished Scholar Award, Hope College English Department, 2019; Communications Award, Pen Parentis, 2024.
Publications/Exhibitions
Boer, L. (2024). “International Women’s Day - A Collective Poem.” The Disoriental.
Boer, L. (2023). “Call Me Space Cowgirl.” LEVITATE, issue 7.
Boer, L. (2023). “Eve’s Incantation.” Folio, vol. 38.
Boer, L. (2021). “Collaborative Poems.” May Day 2021.
Boer, L. (2020). “An Existence That Keeps Offering.” Pandemic Poems.
Last Updated: Oct 4, 2024
Yami Cao (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, English Education
I hold an MA in International Educational Development from Teachers College. I am the founder and president of the TC Hub of Dancers, facilitating dance events for Teachers College and the larger Columbia community since 2022. I won the Shirley Chisholm Award in 2023. I also have experience in culturally responsive teaching, having worked as a Mandarin and dance instructor in China, Mexico, Pakistan, and the USA
Research Discipline/Bio
I am a first-year PhD student in the English Education program, and my research interests are hip-hop literacies, racial literacies, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Currently, I serve as a graduate research assistant to Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, where I support projects under the Racial Literacy Project at TC. I also work as a teaching assistant in Columbia University's Asian Languages and Cultures department. My research will explore the intersection of hip-hop, art, culture, language, and education across global contexts.
I hold an MA in International Educational Development from Teachers College. I am the founder and president of the TC Hub of Dancers, facilitating dance events for Teachers College and the larger Columbia community since 2022. I won the Shirley Chisholm Award in 2023. I also have experience in culturally responsive teaching, having worked as a Mandarin and dance instructor in China, Mexico, Pakistan, and the USA
Educational Background
M.A., International Educational Development, Teachers College, 2023
B.A., German, Ocean University of China, 2017
Honors/Awards
Shirley Chisholm Trailblazer Award, GSLD, 2023
Last Updated: Oct 8, 2024
Menn Chaiyarat
Ph.D. Student, Teaching of Social Studies
Research Discipline/Bio
I am a Ph.D. student and instructor in the Social Studies Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. My research focuses on democracy, education, and teacher agency, particularly within repressive social and educational contexts. Born and educated in Thailand, I bring a global perspective to enrich scholarly discussions on social studies and civic education. Previously, I taught social studies, history, and civics in secondary schools and worked as a lecturer and field supervisor for a university in Bangkok. At Teachers College, I teach the Student Teaching Seminar course and supervise social studies student teachers during their placements in NYC schools, helping them develop into reflective, culturally relevant, and critical social studies educators.
Educational Background
Master of Education, Educational Research Methodology, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, 2021
Bachelor of Education, Secondary Social Studies Education (with first class honors), Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, 2017
Honors/Awards
2024 - Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF), Weatherhead East Asia Institute, Columbia University
2024 - Dean’s Grant for Student Research, Teachers College, Columbia University
2022-2025 - Teachers College, Columbia University Doctoral Fellowship
2022 - Teaching Excellence Award for Young Lecturers, Chulalongkorn University
2021 - Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award in Social Science , Chulalongkorn University
2020 - National Research Council of Thailand Graduate Thesis Scholarship
Publications/Exhibitions
Chaiyarat, K. (2024). Enhancing creative problem solving and learning motivation in social studies classrooms with gamified cooperative learning. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 101616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101616
Chaiyarat, K., Wongwanich, S., & Piromsombat, C. (2020). How teachers facilitate civic discourse to enhance students’ citizenship: A qualitative study of Thai secondary social studies classrooms. Journal of Education and Innovation 23(4), 107-121. [in Thai]. Retrieved from https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/edujournal_nu/article/view/241745
Chaiyarat, K. (2019). Research and development of a mobile application for supporting teachers to use civic discourse analysis in enhancing students’ citizenship. Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD). [in Thai]. https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/chulaetd/9546
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Filippa Christofalou
Ed.D. Student, Art and Art Education
Dissertation Advisor: Olga Marta Hubard Orvananos
Contact Information:
Research Discipline/Bio
Filippa is dedicated to advancing public engagement, museum education, and participatory practices, with 20 years of experience in the field. Her work includes collaborations with prominent institutions worldwide, such as the Saatchi Gallery, National Maritime Museum in London, Art Institute of Chicago, Whitney Museum, MCA Chicago, National Archaeological Museum of Athens, and Hauser & Wirth. As a doctoral candidate in Museum Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, Filippa’s research bridges museum education, visitor studies, museum studies, and somatic practices. She investigates how body-based pedagogies in museum spaces can disrupt institutional violence, recalibrate epistemological imbalances, and foster more inclusive learning. With a multidisciplinary background in art and science, Filippa is also a performance artist and founder of *The Drama Science Lab*, a project series that uses the body as a medium to explore the intersections of art and science.
Educational Background
Master of Education, Physical Sciences & Technologies in Education, Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2013
Art History Diploma, Kapodistrian University of Athens & ONASSIS Foundation, 2010
Drama in Education Diploma, Porta Theatre, 2009
Bachelor of Science, Geology & Environmental Studies, Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2008
Honors/Awards
Teachers College Scholarship Award, Teachers College, 2019-2023; K & A Zankel Scholarship, Teachers College, 2021-2022; Whitney Fellowship, Teachers College, 2019-2020; Award in Economics & Business Plan (Micro-Economics), 1st Place, 2002.
Publications/Exhibitions
Christofalou, F., & Terk, M. (2024). Bodies and spaces: Mapping acts of disembodiment and design. In Disaster Conference 2024: Power in Transformation. Oekom.
Christofalou, F. (2024, forthcoming). Museum Visitors’ Embodied Experiences: Methodologies on the Move. Yale School of Architecture, CCAM.
Christofalou, F. (2022). Facilitating body-based pedagogies in museum spaces: The significance of addressing social location and positionality. Viewfinder.
Christofalou, F. (2021). Body-based pedagogy in museums. Roots & Routes. https://www.roots-routes.org/body-based-pedagogy-in-museums-by-filippa-christofalou
Christofalou, F. (2015). High school students’ misconceptions on time and deep time. Association for Education in Natural Sciences and Technology.
Last Updated: Oct 29, 2024
Joe Cimino (He/Him/His)
Ed.D.C.T. Student, Art and Art Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Joe Cimino is an artist, musician, educator, and a doctoral student in the Art & Art Education program. His artistic practice focuses on the entanglement between history, familial relationships, memory, and the environment and how they influence human perception. His doctoral research is influenced by his artistic and teaching practice and is focused on how uncertainty and anxiety from personal and external factors affect how art students develop their aesthetics and creative/artistic practices within higher education. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Studio Arts College International (SACI), located in Florence, Italy, and his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rowan University, and is the Meyers Media Art Studio fellow at Teachers College. Cimino has exhibited his works in the United States and internationally, with solo and group exhibitions located in Italy, South Korea, China, and Poland, as well as nationally in New York City, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Educational Background
Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Studio Arts College International (SACI), Florence, Italy, 2021.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Minor in Art History, Suma Cum Laude, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA, 2018
Honors/Awards
Myers Media Art Studio Fellowship, 2025.
Seward Johnson Travel Scholarship, 2017
Publications/Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2022 Ephemeral History: When Light Takes Form. Saint Kate AIR Space, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Group Exhibitions
2024 Homeward, co-curated group exhibition with Teleportal, Tulsa Artists Coalition, Tulsa, OK, USA.
2024 Dreams of Spring, Group exhibition curated by Double A Gallery, and juried by Ali Norman. Hosted by Art at 400, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.
2023 Teleportal: Munich Calling, co-curated group exhibition with Teleportal, DONNER, wie Blitz Fenstergalerie, Munich, Germany.
2023 Experimental Film Showcase, 2023, Curated by Daniel Zander, Lichtspieltheater Wundervoll, Roctstak, Germany.
2023 Yonder Crush, group exhibition at Satchel Projects, in New York City, NY.
2023 15 IN OUT Festival, Design / Moving Image, Gdansk, Poland.
Last Updated: Feb 24, 2025
Daniel Davis
Ph.D. Student, Philosophy and Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Daniel Romeyn Davis is a Ph.D. student in Philosophy and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Raised amidst the hills, lakes, and forests of the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire, Daniel strives to embody the live free or die ethos of his pastoral home. His decade of classroom experience includes each grade level from 5th to 12th as a humanities teacher at Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of Boston (Massachusetts). At Teachers College, Daniel aspires to conduct research on questions of rootedness with their application to curricular and pedagogical reform for the promotion of human flourishing.
Educational Background
Master of Education (M.Ed.), Secondary Education, Providence College (Rhode Island), 2017.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), History and Philosophy, Member of the Honors Program, Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio), 2013.
Honors/Awards
Summer Institute Scholarships for K-12 Teachers funded through the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): Disputatio and the Pursuit of Wisdom in the Humanities, Baylor University, July 2023; Rethinking the Gilded Age & Progressivisms, Loyola University Chicago, July 2019; Flu! The 1918 Spanish Influenza in American and World History, Virginia Tech, July 2018.
Last Updated: Sep 30, 2024
Educational Background
- Master of Science, Digital Imaging and Design, New York University.
- Bachelor of Arts, Multimedia Communications and Advertising, Rider University.
Last Updated: Oct 30, 2024
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