Dr. Benjamin Parker is an Assistant Professor of Educational Studies in the Spadoni College of Education and Social Sciences at Coastal Carolina University. Dr. Parker served as a public school Social Studies and Gifted Education teacher in his home state of Pennsylvania before earning his PhD in Educational Theory & Practice from the University of Georgia. His research examines how identity, place, and history impact educational access and opportunities. Dr. Parker has served in a leadership role in Division G (Social Contexts of Education) of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) for the past 5 years as both a section and program co-chair.

Dr. Friggita Johnson serves as Assistant Professor of Education at Claflin University with a research emphasis on mathematics interventions, technology-based interventions, and teacher education. Dr. Johnson teaches early intervention, special education, early childhood, and honors thesis seminar courses and has worked closely with teacher candidates mentoring and supervising them in clinical settings. She is a South Carolina Evaluator certified by the NIET. Dr. Johnson holds her SC Teaching Licensure in learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, elementary education, and gifted and talented endorsement. She taught students with special needs for ten years in a K-12 public setting before earning her PhD in Special Education from Clemson University. Her educational background includes a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Science and Special Education and postgraduate degrees in Public Relations and Human Resource Management. Dr. Johnson is the PI of a U.S. Department of Education OSEP grant of $750,000 to address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education for personnel attending Minority Serving Institutions to work with children with disabilities. 

Dr. Sinéad Brien is an assistant professor of middle level/secondary science education at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She has a PhD in Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education from the Michigan State University. Prior to earing her PhD, Dr. Brien taught high school science in California and Mozambique.  

Nominations are Open 

Becky Hubbard, is a native of Conway, SC, where she lives with her husband, Shane. They have two adult children. Becky earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Coastal Carolina University. She began her career as a public-school teacher and taught high school English for twelve years before becoming a Teacher Specialist for the SC Department of Education. Currently, she is the Department Chair of Teacher Education at Horry-Georgetown Technical College, where she has worked for over 18 years.

During her tenure at HGTC, Hubbard has held the positions of Professor of English, Professor of Education, Director of Dual Enrollment, and Assistant Department Chair of Education. For the past six years, Hubbard has served as Department Chair of the Teacher Education Department, which includes Early Care and Education.