Dr. Christine LeBlanc, Columbia College

Dr. Christine LeBlanc's educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Educational Administration, and a M.Ed. and B.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina. She serves as an assistant professor of education at Columbia College and Chair of the Early Childhood Program. She enjoys teaching a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate classes in early childhood, literacy, women leadership, social justice, divergent learning, and educational administration. Prior to joining the Columbia College faculty in 2017, she worked in Richland County School District One in various roles including most recently as an elementary school principal. She also served as the district's Early Childhood Coordinator, Response to Intervention Coordinator, Title I Consultant, curriculum resource teacher, and classroom teacher. Dr. LeBlanc serves on the board of Richland County First Steps. One of her proudest moments was being recognized by the Columbia College student body as the 2019-2020 Student Choice Faculty Award Recipient.

Dr. Judith Collazo, USC Aiken

Dr. Collazo is an Assistant Professor and the Accreditation and Elementary Program Coordinator for the School of Education at University of South Carolina, Aiken.

Dr. Collazo has taught courses in critical multicultural education, teaching diverse learners, content literacy, ESL, children’s literature, and classroom-based assessment. She earned her Ph.D. at George Mason University in Multilingual/Multicultural Education and Educational Leadership.

Her research interests include teacher candidates’ perspectives of, and pedagogy for diverse students, equitable educational practices, critical race theory, critical discourse analysis, culturally responsive instruction, and improving evaluations of teacher educators. She has extensive classroom and ESL teaching experience in a highly diverse suburban Title I (low SES) public schools. Dr. Collazo also has international experience as an elementary administrator (Headmistress/principal) of English at New Model International School in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She brings her multiple lenses and diverse experiences to guide pre-service and practicing teachers to endeavor toward creating equitable learning experiences for diverse learners in low- socioeconomic areas (specifically culturally and linguistically diverse learners) and to advocate for social justice.

Dr. Tim Lintner, USC Aiken

Tim Lintner is Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Carolina Professor of Education at the University of South Carolina Aiken. He taught high school social studies in Los Angeles before joining the USC Aiken School of Education faculty in 2003. His current research interest explores the intersection between social studies, students with learning disabilities, and literacy.