Advisory Board
Kurt Lazarof PhD
is a first-generation college graduate who identifies with the challenges of completing a degree as an adult. Aside from his academic credentials (B.A., Allegheny College; M.Ed. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. University of North Carolina - Greensboro) his educational experiences include course development, taking, teaching, and creating both face-to-face and online courses, teaching in k-12 public school systems. This combined experience has led to the belief that the difference in modality or school is not as important as the student's relationship with faculty and an understanding of the student's own learning. Dr. Lazaroff believes that risk is part of all learning, but this is offset by a personal vision of goals and positive outcomes. Dr. Lazaroff works at George Mason University as the BIS Academic Services Director.
Parfait Mwez Esq.
is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business (2007) and University of Southern California Gould School of Law (2010). He has been an attorney for 10 years with a legal practice focused in business, trademark, copyright, and entertainment. Mr. Mwez has found many mentors throughout his life and hopes to impart his knowledge to future generations of young students.
Summer Woodside PhD
completed her undergraduate degree at UNC Pembroke in Social Work, where she was treasurer for the Campus Association of Social Workers, and her graduate degree in Social Work at UNC Chapel Hill. She later earned her PhD at UNC Greensboro in Specialized Education Services. She is licensed in NC as a school social worker, school administrator, and clinical social worker. Dr. Woodside is currently serving on the Scotland County School Board and NC School Social Work Association Board. She is the Interim Associate Dean in the UNC Pembroke College of Health Sciences and an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work, where she serves as the MSW program director and licensure coordinator for the substance abuse and school social work programs. Her research interests include equity education and online practices in social work education.
Natsuko Takemae PhD
earned her PhD at UNC Greensboro in Specialized Education Services. Currently, she works with teacher candidates, K-12 teachers, and education professionals across disciplines at Central Connecticut State University. In a public school, she worked with students from diverse backgrounds in a secondary inclusive classroom. Her professional experience includes working with students with and without disabilities in inclusive educational settings, as well as working with teacher candidates and teachers in the special education major and the elementary and special education dual major programs. In a community-based setting, she worked with an equine-assisted therapy program designed for adult learners with disabilities and teacher candidates enrolled in the leadership and service-learning course for a multi-year project. Her research interests include Universal Design for Learning for inclusive education, professional collaboration in the field of education, and culturally responsive education.