Meet Our Doctoral Students
Trevor Baisden
Ph.D. Student, Education Policy
Research Discipline/Bio
Trevor Baisden is a Ph.D. student in Education Policy (K-12) at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also helps lead the annual Washington, D.C.-based Federal Policy Institute. His research interests include the institutional and organizational dynamics of school change and policy implementation, federal K-12 policy, and issues in both private and public school choice, especially charter schools. Trevor began his career as a teacher, and later founded and led the History program at a New York City-based charter school network. He has since led consulting projects focused on school design, innovation, and instructional improvement in over 50 charter and district systems across more than a dozen states and Washington, D.C.
Educational Background
Master of Arts, Sociology and Education, Teachers College, 2022
Master of Arts in Teaching, Childhood Education (106), Relay Graduate School of Education, 2014
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of Rochester, 2012
Honors/Awards
LGBTQ+ Community Group Co-Chair, Association for Education Finance & Policy (AEFP), 2024;
Mentorship Co-Chair, American Educational Research Association (AERA)'s Organizational Theory Special Interest Group, 2024;
Provost’s Grant for Conference Presentation & Professional Development, Teachers College, 2024;
Graduate Student Travel Award, American Educational Research Association (AERA)'s Organizational Theory Special Interest Group, 2024
Publications/Exhibitions
Huerta, L. A., Koutsavlis, S. J., & Baisden, T. W. (2025, February). Evolving tax credit scholarship and education savings account policies in the United States: The path to universal private school choice programs. In A. Zancajo, C. Fontdevila, H. Jabbar & A. Verger (Eds.). Research Handbook on Education Privatization and Marketization [Forthcoming].
Huerta, L. A. & Baisden, T. W. (2024, September). Strengthening oversight of education savings account (ESA) funding for private and at-home schooling. National Education Policy Center. Boulder, CO.
Baisden, T. W. (2024, May). None of the above: Reimagining student and school assessment and crafting a new narrative to lead school-based change. Paper presented at the 2024 Equity Now Conference, Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of School, New York University, New York, NY.
Baisden, T. W. (2024, March). Who calls the shots in urban charter schools?: A comparative case study of influence over school leaders’ decision-making. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance and Policy, Baltimore, MD.
Last Updated: Oct 28, 2024
Alejandra Campos Quintero
Ph.D. Student, Economics and Education
Research Discipline/Bio
I am a PhD student in Economics and Education, focusing on the intersection of early childhood development, neuroeconomics, and development economics. My research explores the neurobiological effects of poverty on skill development, how these factors may bias the measurement of educational outcomes, and their impact on the allocation of talent. Before joining Teachers College, I worked at the Center for the Economics of Human Development, where I contributed to evidence-based studies on inequality, development, and investments in lifelong skill-building.
Educational Background
Pre-Doctoral Fellow -Center for the Economics of Human Development–The University of Chicago. (2022)
M.A. in Economics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia. (2017)
Honors/Awards
The CDEP Student Research Grant Program -SIPA, Columbia University. 2024
Student research grant, Economics and Education Doctoral Students Award- Teachers College, Columbia University. 2021
Teachers College Doctoral Research Fellowship. Columbia University. New York. 2022
Nominated to Juan Luis Londoño Award, Economics Department, Universidad de los Andes. Colombia. 2017
Publications/Exhibitions
Interactions: Do Teacher Behaviors Predict Achievement, Executive Function, and Non-Cognitive Outcomes in Elementary School? - with Schady, Norbert & Carneiro, Pedro & Cruz-Aguayo, Yyannu . Revised and Resubmitted to The Journal of Political Economy (JPE) August 2020.
Master ́s Thesis: Vías para la educación: efecto de la infraestructura vial en los resultados educativos (2005 – 2015). Roads to education: Impact of Road Infrastructure on Education (2005 – 2015)). Documento CEDE , Department of Economics, University of the Andes, January 2017.
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Alicia Elias Caballero (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, Sociology and Education
As an undergraduate student, she was an advocate for students’ voices representation in education policies, which translated later to her academic interest in participation and the politics of educational policymaking. Her work as a community educator and researcher brought her close to adaptable pedagogical experiences in nondominant communities that despite adversities achieve transformative outcomes: these experiences are models of community-based pedagogy that inform her research and teaching philosophy.
Her academic interests evolve around community-school relations and the experiences of grassroot organizations innovating in education. Alicia is a Fulbright alum, and she is serving as a student representative for the EPSA department.
Research Discipline/Bio
Alicia is a PhD student at the Sociology and Education program at TC. She is a Paraguayan educator, activist, and dancer. She has worked as schoolteacher, and as an educator and researcher with activist communities in Asunción, Paraguay.
As an undergraduate student, she was an advocate for students’ voices representation in education policies, which translated later to her academic interest in participation and the politics of educational policymaking. Her work as a community educator and researcher brought her close to adaptable pedagogical experiences in nondominant communities that despite adversities achieve transformative outcomes: these experiences are models of community-based pedagogy that inform her research and teaching philosophy.
Her academic interests evolve around community-school relations and the experiences of grassroot organizations innovating in education. Alicia is a Fulbright alum, and she is serving as a student representative for the EPSA department.
Educational Background
-Master of Arts, Sociology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2023
-Licenciatura, Sociology, Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion - Paraguay, 2019
Honors/Awards
Fulbright grantee, Fulbright Association, 2021-2023; BECAL grantee, Ministry of Economy, Paraguay, 2021-2023; Outstanding Student Award, Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, 2019.
Publications/Exhibitions
-Corvalan, C., & Elias, A. (2022) Social gender relations at the Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios del Paraguay (FEUP): analysis of female leaders perspectives. REVICSO. Vol 5, Num 10. Asuncion, Paraguay
-Elias, A.; Elias, R.; Rodas, C.; Rodas N. & Villanueva, L. (2022) Teaching experiences during the covid pandemic. Revista Paraguaya de Educación. Vol 10, Num 2. Asunción – Paraguay
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Melissa Herman
Ph.D. Student, Education Policy
Prior to Graduate NYC, Herman was the associate director for partnership support at PENCIL, overseeing a team of partnership managers and developing the organization’s college and career readiness programming. During her tenure at PENCIL, she worked extensively within the New York City public school system on strategic partnership development, as well as college readiness and project-based learning programming for students.
Research Discipline/Bio
Melissa Herman is a PhD student in the education policy program at Teachers College and a senior research assistant at the CCRC, where she is engaged in research on first-generation college students. She also conducts qualitative and quantitative research on college access, transition, and persistence within large public higher education systems. Prior to enrolling at TC, she was the director of Graduate NYC, a college access and completion initiative housed at the City University of New York.
Prior to Graduate NYC, Herman was the associate director for partnership support at PENCIL, overseeing a team of partnership managers and developing the organization’s college and career readiness programming. During her tenure at PENCIL, she worked extensively within the New York City public school system on strategic partnership development, as well as college readiness and project-based learning programming for students.
Educational Background
Master of Public Administration, New York University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and History, University of Pennsylvania
Honors/Awards
Postsecondary Education Applied Research (PEAR) Fellow (2021-Present)
Publications/Exhibitions
Salazar, A. L., Santikian, H. & Herman, M. (2024). Understanding the Personal Support Networks of First-generation College Students from Immigrant Backgrounds. Supporting College Students of Immigrant Origin: New Insights from Research, Policy, and Practice, 310. Cambridge University Press.
Last Updated: Oct 29, 2024
Sierra McCormick (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, Education Policy
Research Discipline/Bio
Sierra McCormick is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Education Policy and Social Analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University and a Research Assistant at the Consortium of Policy Research in Education (CPRE). She is interested in examining the intersecting roles of race, class, and place to understand how school segregation and desegregation, school choice, and neighborhood change shape and constrain opportunities for historically marginalized students. Prior to joining CPRE, Sierra worked as a Research Associate at WestEd and the Regional Education Laboratory, Northwest, contributing to all aspects of research, technical assistance, and evaluation projects.
Educational Background
Masters of Arts, Education Policy, Teachers College, 2022
Bachelor of Arts, History, Scripps College, 2016
Honors/Awards
Staff Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Field, WestEd, 2022
Edward A. White Award in American Studies, Scripps College, 2016
History Senior Thesis Award, Scripps College, 2016
Publications/Exhibitions
Shmoys, R. J., McCormick, S., & Ready, D. D. (under review). Constrained agency and the architecture of educational choice: Evidence from New York City. Available at Annenberg Institute at Brown University EdWorking Papers: https://edworkingpapers.com/ai24-922
Ready, D. D., McCormick, S. G., & Shmoys, R. J. (under review). The effects of in-school virtual tutoring on student reading development: Evidence from a short-cycle randomized controlled trial. Available at Annenberg Institute at Brown University EdWorking Papers: https://doi.org/10.26300/569p-wz78
McCormick, S., Davenport, J., Rafferty, A., Raysor, S., Powers, J., & Yaron, D. (2023). ChemVLab+: Integrating Next Generation Science Standards Practices with Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education 100(6), 2116-2131. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c01106 *Selected as American Chemical Society’s Editors’ Choice.
McCormick, S. (2019). Brutal justifications: Media narratives of twentieth century lynchings and twenty-first century police executions. Critical Theory and Social Justice Journal, 8(1), 49.
Last Updated: Oct 22, 2024
Tia Monahan
Ph.D. Student, Economics and Education
Research Discipline/Bio
I am a PhD student in Economics and Education. I specializes in the intersections between higher education, public policy, and labor markets in the U.S., focusing on the many economic and social factors that impact college student decision-making and institutions’ abilities to better serve their students. Through my research, I strive to address factors that limit students’ access to and success in postsecondary education — especially for underserved and underrepresented student groups — in order to improve learning and career opportunities for individuals across the country.
Educational Background
M.A. in Economics, Columbia University, 2021
B.S. in Economics, University of Oregon Clark Honors College, 2017
Honors/Awards
Student Research Grant, Economics and Education Doctoral Student Award, Teachers College Columbia University, 2025
Postsecondary Education Applied Research (PEAR) Fellowship, 2022 - present
“Best Individual Honors Thesis,” University of Oregon Economics Departmental Award, 2017
Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society, Inducted 2017
Publications/Exhibitions
Klempin, S. C., Griffin, S., Monahan, T. J., Anderson, M. N., & Brock, T. (2024). Pandemic relief spending and recovery strategies: Findings From a survey of community colleges in six states. Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges Network and Community College Research Center.
Daniels Sarica, H., Monahan, T., & Anderson, M. (2024). An analysis of federal pandemic relief funding at community colleges. Accelerating Recovery in Community Colleges Network and Community College Research Center.
Last Updated: Feb 10, 2025
Victor Sanchez (He/Him/His)
Ph.D. Student, Economics and Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Victor is a second-year PhD student in Economics and Education and a research assistant at the Community College Research Center (CCRC). He is broadly interested in international education development, with a specific focus on the Philippines. His research agenda is developing around international teacher labor markets, teacher supply in the Philippines, and remote information interventions at scale. As a Postsecondary Education Applied Research (PEAR) fellow and CCRC research assistant, Victor on an Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Northwest efficacy evaluation of the What Works Clearinghouse's toolkit "Using Technology to Support Postsecondary Student Learning."
Educational Background
Master of Public Policy, Batten, University of Virginia, 2023.
Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration and Public Policy, BYU-Idaho, 2020
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Rebecca Shmoys
Ph.D. Student, Education Policy
Prior to TC, Rebecca worked as an Assistant Principal at Valor Collegiate Academies. She previously taught middle school math and algebra in Nashville, Tennessee. She has also served as a Federal Analyst at Deloitte Consulting.
Research Discipline/Bio
Rebecca Shmoys is a Ph.D. student in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Researcher at the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE). Her research interests include examining how policies and practices intended to address inequity, both in the K-12 setting and postsecondary transition, impact student outcomes, with a particular interest in intentionally diverse schools and school choice.
Prior to TC, Rebecca worked as an Assistant Principal at Valor Collegiate Academies. She previously taught middle school math and algebra in Nashville, Tennessee. She has also served as a Federal Analyst at Deloitte Consulting.
Educational Background
A.B. Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, 2013
M.Ed. Instructional Practice, Lipscomb University, 2017
Honors/Awards
Pilot Study Grantee, Charter School Research Collaborative, Blueprint Labs at MIT, 2024
Publications/Exhibitions
Shmoys, R.J., McCormick, S.G, & Ready, D.D. (in press). Constrained agency and the structures of educational choice: Evidence from New York City. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.
Ready, D.D., McCormick, S.G., & Shmoys, R.J. (2024). The effects of in-school virtual tutoring on student reading development: Evidence from a short-cycle randomized controlled trial (EdWorkingPaper: 24-942). Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/569p-wz78
Ready, D.D. & Shmoys, R.J. (2023). Historic and Contemporary Patterns in New York City Public and Private School Segregation. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Sophia Vazquez (She/Her/Hers)
Ph.D. Student, Sociology and Education
Previously, I’ve taught elementary school and actively engaged in anti-racist educator initiatives, contributing to summer programs to foster inclusive and equitable teaching practices. My academic journey includes research on ethnic studies in higher education and critical whiteness studies, where I analyze the role of education in shaping racial (critical)consciousness and dismantling hegemonic whiteness.
Research Discipline/Bio
I am a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Education, dedicated to exploring the intersections of race, revolution, and education. My research interests focus on teacher experiences in pre- and post-revolutionary Cuba, examined through the field of historical sociology and oral histories. With a particular emphasis on race and inequality, my work aims to understand how revolutionary ideals shape educational landscapes and teacher experiences in Cuba past-and-present.
Previously, I’ve taught elementary school and actively engaged in anti-racist educator initiatives, contributing to summer programs to foster inclusive and equitable teaching practices. My academic journey includes research on ethnic studies in higher education and critical whiteness studies, where I analyze the role of education in shaping racial (critical)consciousness and dismantling hegemonic whiteness.
Educational Background
• Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Sociology, Minor in Hispanic Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Master of Teaching in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), RelayGSE
• Master of Education in Sociology and Education, Teachers College
Honors/Awards
TC Scholarship 2022-2023
Department Diversity Scholarship, Spring 2023
EPSA Research Award, Spring 2023, Fall 2024
Institute for Urban and Minority Education Scholarship, Fall 2023
TC Doctoral Fellowship, 2024-2025
Carole Sleeper Endowed Scholarship, 2024-2025
Last Updated: Oct 28, 2024
Mel Yeung
Ph.D. Student, Sociology and Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Mel Yeung is a PhD student in Sociology and Education, and a research assistant in the Education Policy & Social Analysis Department. Mel's research interests include investigating the ways in which young people shape their civic and political identities, and the ways in which civic and political discourse is shaped by and filtered through schools, communities and policy/policy discourse. Mel is particularly interested in thinking about the generative potential of using a comparative sociological lens within education research.
Educational Background
Master of Arts, Social Science (concentration in Political Theory), University of Chicago, 2022
Bachelor of Arts, Politics & Philosophy, Durham University, 2020
Publications/Exhibitions
Yeung, M. P. Y. (2022). Teaching civics: lessons from a project in civic education at a UK primary school. Education 3-13, 52(5), 745–760. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2022.2126725
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
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