People profiles

Donna Ellis

Director

Email: donnae@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 35713
Office: EC3 2017
Pronouns: she/her/hers

Since 1994, Dr. Donna Ellis has supported teaching development for Waterloo’s instructors and promoted the importance of teaching and learning at our institution.

In her role as Director, she oversees the strategic direction of the Centre's work which includes individual faculty consultations; events directed at instructors at all levels regarding face-to-face teaching, blended learning, emerging technologies, and integrative and experiential learning; online resources; curriculum and program review consultations; and research and evaluation. She also engages in both research and institutional-level projects about teaching and learning. In March 2019, she became the President Elect for the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education, which is based in the United States.

Trevor Holmes

Associate Director

Email: tholmes@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33408
Office: EC3 2009

As Associate Director, Dr. Trevor Holmes oversees the Senior Educational Developers at the Centre for Teaching Excellence. His focus is on our strategic priorities and overall approach to supporting teaching at Waterloo.

Prior to joining CTE, Trevor worked at a variety of universities teaching courses, supporting faculty and teaching assistants through educational development offices, and advising undergraduates. Trevor earned a PhD (English, York University) with the dissertation "Goth Rhizomes: Queer Difference in Minor Gothic Literature." A popular workshop facilitator at the national and international levels, Trevor is also interested in questions of identity in teaching and teaching development. Since 2015, he has taught an introductory course in the Gender and Social Justice program (formerly Women’s Studies).

Veronica Brown

Sr. Educational Developer, Curriculum & Quality Enhancement

Email: veronica.brown@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 31096
Office: EC3 2023B
Pronouns: she/her/hers

As Senior Educational Developer, Curriculum & Quality Enhancement, Veronica Brown provides oversight and facilitative support for departmental and Faculty-wide curriculum planning initiatives. She also leads the development and implementation of the Centre’s assessment plan for understanding the impact and quality of our work. Veronica works closely with colleagues across campus who support program development and review, including members of the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic, the Quality Assurance Office, and the Graduate Studies Office.

Katherine Lithgow

Sr. Educational Developer, Integrative & Experiential Learning

Email: klithgow@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 37076
Office: EC3 2023A

As Senior Educational Developer, Integrative & Experiential Learning, Katherine Lithgow facilitates e-portfolio and integrative learning initiatives, supporting instructors across campus with the design and implementation of activities that help students integrate learning in academic, workplace, community and social environments.

Mark Morton

Sr. Educational Developer, Inquiry & Communications

Email: mmorton@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 37765
Skype: mmorton@uwaterloo.ca
Office: EC3 2023C
Pronouns: he/him/his

As Senior Educational Developer, Inquiry & Communications, Dr. Mark Morton helps instructors and staff discover and use new learning technologies in pedagogically effective ways.

Mary Power

Sr. Educational Developer, Faculty Programs

Email: m2power@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 35931
Office: EC3 2023D

As Senior Educational Developer, Faculty Programs, Mary Power develops programming that promotes the effective use of the online environment in on-campus courses.

Svitlana Taraban-Gordon

Sr. Educational Developer, Graduate Programs & Internationalization

Email: staraban@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 37110
Office: EC3 2011
Pronouns: she/her/hers

As Senior Educational Developer, Graduate Programs & Internationalization, Dr. Svitlana Taraban-Gordon works with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and supervises graduate-student staff who contribute to the work of CTE. Her primary role is coordinating teaching certificate programs for graduate students, including the Fundamentals of University Teaching and the Certificate in University Teaching.

Kyle Scholz

Educational Developer, Research and Consulting

Email: kwscholz@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 31240
Office: EC3 2012C

As Educational Developer, Research and Consulting, Dr. Kyle Scholz consults with and supports faculty and staff on the design and implementation of pedagogical research. He also chairs the annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference, and administers the Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement (LITE) grant program.

Kristen Archbell

Educational Research Associate

Email: kristen.archbell@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33771
Pronouns: she/her/hers

As the Educational Research Associate, Dr. Kristen Archbell supports the development, implementation, and dissemination of educational research at Waterloo. She supports the academic content of the annual conference program and the Learning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement (LITE) grant program. Additionally, Kristen is actively involved in the CTE's assessment plan, evaluating the efficacy of the Centre's programming.

David Thiessen

Educational Developer, Curriculum & Quality Enhancement

As Educational Developer, Curriculum & Quality Enhancement, Dr. David Thiessen provides support for departmental and Faculty-wide curriculum initiatives, with an emphasis on quality enhancement through support of program review, accreditation, and new program proposals.

Prior to joining CTE, David taught courses on Tolkien, Arthurian Legend, and writing for the Academy at Wilfrid Laurier and the University of Waterloo. David holds a PhD in English Literature and his research focuses on the intersections between linguistics and the interpretative role of the body in late Middle English Literature.

Monica Vesely

Educational Developer, Faculty Programs and Consulting

Email: mvesely@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 31721
Office: EC3 2012K

As Educational Developer, Faculty Programs and Consulting, Monica Vesely designs and delivers instructional development programs and provides confidential consultations for faculty members and staff instructors in course design, instructional skills and evaluation. She also provides support to individual faculty members and instructional staff through consultations, teaching observations, teaching retreats, and Centre for Teaching Excellence workshops.

Kristin Brown

Educational Developer, TA Training and Writing Support

Email: kristin.brown@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 32940
Office: EC3 2027A
Pronouns: she/her/hers

As Educational Developer, TA Training and Writing Support, Dr. Kristin Brown supports graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in their teaching development as well as instructors integrating writing into their courses and curriculum. Kristin facilitates the Certificate in University Teaching program and supports the Fundamentals of University Teaching program. She also supervises CTE's six TA Workshop Facilitators.

Alisa Sivak

Communications Associate

Email: amsivak@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 31737
Office: EC3 2012L

As Communications Associate, Alisa Sivak provides guidance on the development of faculty nomination dossiers for external teaching awards. She also supports CTE’s communications, manages the Centre’s online presence, and supports initiatives to help promote the excellent teaching happening across campus at Waterloo.

Scott Anderson

Faculty Liaison: Environment; Accounting & Finance; Political Science; Economics

Email: scott.anderson@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 32509
Office: EV2 1016

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison, Scott Anderson helps instructors in the faculties of Arts and Environment integrate technology into their teaching through innovative learning activities.

Victoria Feth

Faculty Liaison: Arts

Email: victoria.feth@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519 888 4567 ext. 33851
Office: PAS 1234

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison for the Faculty of Arts and Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo (AFIW), Victoria Feth supports instructors with teaching and learning and the effective integration of technology in their courses. She also serves as a guide for instructors to access other CTE resources.

Paul Kates

Faculty Liaison: Mathematics

Email: pkates@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 37047
Office: MC 3044

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison, Paul Kates helps instructors in the Faculty of Mathematics integrate technology into their teaching through innovative learning activities.

Richard Li

Faculty Liaison: Engineering

Email: r68li@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 Ext. 35902
Office: E7 2452

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison, Richard Li supports instructors in the Faculty of Engineering with teaching strategies, learning activities, course design, assessment methods, instructional innovations, as well as effective integration of educational technologies. He also serves as a guide for instructors to access other CTE resources.

Jason Thompson

Faculty Liaison: Science

Email: jason.thompson@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33225
Office: B2-358D

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison, Jason Thompson supports instructors in the Faculty of Science with teaching and learning and the effective use of technology in their courses.

Christine Zaza

Faculty Liaison: Applied Health Sciences, Psychology, Sociology & Legal Studies, and Support Units (on leave until Aug. 12, 2020)

Email: zaza@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567
Office: EC3 CEL

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence Faculty Liaison for the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (AHS), Arts (Psychology, Sociology, and Legal Studies), and Support Units, Dr. Christine Zaza facilitates the uptake of teaching and learning initiatives established by CTE, emphasizing blended learning, learning technologies and course design.

Jordan Rettinger

Faculty Liaison: Applied Health Sciences, Psychology, Sociology & Legal Studies, and Support Units

Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 37808
Office: LHS 1631

As a Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Faculty Liaison, Jordan Rettinger supports instructors in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Psychology, Sociology & Legal Studies, and Support Units with teaching and learning initiatives established by the CTE, emphasizing blended learning, learning technologies and course design. Jordan helps instructors integrate technology into their teaching through innovative learning activities in our learning management system (LEARN). She also serves as a guide for instructors who wish to access other CTE resources.

Verna Keller

Program Coordinator, Faculty Programs

Email: vkeller@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33857
Office: EC3 2012A

As Program Coordinator, Verna Keller provides support to the instructional development staff in the Centre for Teaching Excellence. She co-ordinates the University’s Distinguished Teacher Award program as well as the Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student Award program.

Monika Soczewinski

Program Coordinator, Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs

Email: m2soczewinski@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33132
Office: EC3 2027A
Pronouns: she/her/hers

As Program Coordinator, Monika Soczewinski works with the Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs at the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Maris Weiss

Administrative Assistant

Email: maris.weiss@uwaterloo.ca
Phone: 519-888-4567 ext. 33153
Office: EC3 2012J

As Administrative Assistant, Maris provides a wide range of departmental support, including administrative support, financial management, human resource management, technical support, safety planning, and support to the Director.