Faculty, Education at Mesa Community College

Dr. Beth Alsen is an Education faculty member at Mesa Community College, where she prepares preservice teachers to build inclusive, student-centered classrooms. With a focus on culturally and linguistically responsive teaching, she integrates technology to support diverse learners. At the AI Summit, Dr. Alsen will explore AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Magic School, Gemini, etc.) and demonstrate how she integrates them responsibly into her curriculum to promote critical thinking. She is passionate about making learning accessible and engaging through innovative, tech-enhanced approaches and empowering educators to design meaningful content that meets the needs of all students.

Melissa Araujo attended the University of Arizona where she graduated with a Bachelor of science in speech, language and hearing science. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy from Argosy University. Melissa is currently a Residential Counseling Faculty at Mesa Community College Red Mountain campus where she teaches and provides counseling services to students. She is also a licensed in the state of Arizona as Marriage and Family Therapist and works at a private practice part-time. Prior to coming to MCC, Melissa worked in the field of social work for 14 years where she was dedicated to helping the underserved population, which included homeless families and youth, the elderly and individuals with developmental disabilities.  Melissa feels her passion in life is to help those who are facing challenges to recognize their strengths and abilities. She enjoys providing guidance and support so they can reach their best quality of life. 

Director of eLearning at Mesa Community College

Laura Ballard has been at the forefront of integrating technology into education for over two decades. From her early work with the PT3 grant at ASU to her current role leading online education at Mesa Community College, she has consistently focused on designing effective learning experiences. Her expertise includes instructional design, faculty development, and the implementation of innovative technologies in diverse learning environments. She holds a Master's degree in Learning & Instructional Technology from Arizona State University and a Bachelor's in English Language Arts from Washington State University. She also teaches online college success courses part-time for MCC.

Faculty, Computer Information Systems, South Mountain Community College

L. Andrea Brownlee, Ph. D. is an educator who has taught in K-12 schools, Community Colleges, and Universities for over a decade. Before becoming an educator, he worked 8 years as an engineer; starting his career as a Civil/Mechanical Engineer designing and building infrastructure projects and systems. Currently, at South Mountain Community College he teaches courses in Computer Information Systems (CIS), Education Studies, and at Estrella Mountain Community College and Arizona State University, as adjunct faculty, he teaches courses in African American studies and Ethnic studies. He has attended and graduated from all three State schools, finally completing his Doctorate from the University of Arizona. An avid coffee drinker, originally from Atlanta Georgia, he is the father of two beautiful children, Athelyn A. Brownlee, and Phoenix L. Brownlee.

Faculty, Digital Media Arts, Glendale Community College

Michelle Blomberg is Residential Faculty in Digital Media Arts at Glendale Community College, where she teaches graphic design, UX, and capstone career readiness. Her background includes software product management at an EdTech startup, instructional technology leadership at GCC, and decades of course design in higher education. Her 2017 MEd research in connectivism and personal learning environments is the theoretical foundation for the student career dashboard featured in this session. She is co-chair of Student Support and Success domain on the Maricopa Community Colleges District AI Resource Center.

Faculty, Computer Information Systems, Mesa Community College

Jared Bodine is the Executive Director of AZ StRUT (Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology), bringing extensive experience in IT utilization, instruction, leadership, and entrepreneurship. After seven years teaching computer repair as a dual enrollment instructor at EVIT, he transitioned to Mesa Community College, where he now teaches multiple technology courses as an adjunct professor.

Faculty, English, Department Chair,  Mesa Community College

Dr. Micheal Callaway has been teaching First-Year Writing courses for 25 years and currently serves as the English Department Chair, at Mesa Community College. He holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition from Arizona State University. Over the course of his career, he has maintained a sustained interest in how digital environments shape writing, teaching, and learning. More recently, that work has expanded into exploring how artificial intelligence can be thoughtfully integrated into writing pedagogy in ways that continue to center students as critical, reflective agents in their own learning and writing processes.

Associate Teaching Professor, Arizona State University

Dr. Hannah Cheloha is a linguist, ASL educator, and ASL program coordinator at Arizona State University specializing in applied American Sign Language and scalable online learning systems. In her presentation, Using NotebookLM for Scalable Learning Environments, she demonstrates how AI can be used to design structured, repeatable systems that enhance feedback, streamline instructional workflows, and support student success at scale. Her work bridges language, technology, and pedagogy to create practical, adaptable solutions for modern education.

Training and Development Coordinator,  Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Juliet holds a Master of Science in Business Analytics and is a Training and Development Consultant at CGCC, where she supports faculty in assessment, digital accessibility, and the practical integration of artificial intelligence. She also serves as adjunct faculty in the CIS Data Analytics program at MCC. Her work focuses on accessible course design, leveraging generative AI to improve efficiency and support alignment with Universal Design for Learning and WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Residential Faculty, Instructional Design at Mesa Community College

Dr. Megan Garvy is education faculty at Mesa Community College, where she supports faculty in course design, assessment, and teaching with AI through the Center for Teaching and Learning. She also teaches graduate-level courses, guiding action research and data-informed decision making. Her work centers on helping educators translate data into meaningful improvements in student outcomes.

Instructional Designer,  Maricopa Center for Learning and Innovation (MCLI)

Dr. Carla Ghanem is an Instructional Designer at the Maricopa Center for Learning and Innovation, where she specializes in learner-centered course design and the integration of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence. With a Ph.D. from UT Austin and a diverse academic background spanning six advanced degrees, she facilitates district-wide professional development on modern pedagogy across all instructional modalities. Her work is deeply rooted in bridging the gap between instructor identity and innovative teaching practices through global collaboration.

Faculty, Education Studies, Mesa Community College

Dr. Tawn Hauptli is a teacher educator at Mesa Community College with over two decades of experience preparing future educators and building strong partnerships with local school districts. A former high school English teacher, she brings a deep commitment to equity, service-learning, and community engagement into her work. Her current teaching dilemma centers on how to thoughtfully integrate AI into her own practice while also preparing preservice teachers to use AI responsibly in their coursework and future classrooms.

Co-Chair ARC | Instructional Services Manager | STEM Initiatives

Gordon Inman lives by a simple motto: Explore, learn, and make the world around you. Whether he is at a workbench woodworking, 3D printing, or designing immersive AI workshops, Gordon is a builder at heart. As the Tri-Chair of the MCCCD AI Resource Center (ARC) and STEM Initiatives Manager at Rio Salado College, he has spent the last year helping faculty and staff transition from AI-anxiety to AI-exploration through hands-on "plAI dates."

Faculty, English, Mesa Community College

Dr. Craig Jacobsen is MCC English faculty, and has been following natural language processing, chatbots and AI since before the turn of the century, a connecting point between his longtime scholarly interest in science fiction studies and his teaching of First-Year Composition, Literature and Film. He has, with Jennifer Strickland, co-facilitated two Communities of Practice spurred by the emergence of the latest generation of LLM models.

Faculty, Exercise Science, Mesa Community College

Faculty, Mathematics, Mesa Community College

Theresa Killebrew began her teaching career as math faculty at MCC's Red Mountain campus in 2007, teaching courses from Basic Arithmetic through Calculus 3. In 2015, she moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where she earned a second Master's degree in Applied Statistics and spent several years teaching at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, focusing on applied courses like Statistics for Life Sciences and Linear Algebra. After returning to Arizona in 2021, she taught Business Calculus at ASU and worked as a data scientist for the Phoenix Suns before coming home to MCC in Fall 2024. She currently teaches College Algebra, Discrete Math, and Calculus courses, and serves as the Discipline Assessment Coordinator for the Mathematics and Computer Science Department.

Instructional Developer, Mesa Community College

Andrew Kasian has worked in the Center for Teaching & Learning at Mesa Community College since 2011.  Over that time he has specialized in supporting faculty with video production, photography and multimedia design while also providing Canvas LMS support and administration.  As AI evolves, he aims to help faculty master its capabilities to elevate the classroom experience.

Advisor | Faculty, Counseling, Mesa Community College

Ms. Moreland is a higher education professional and adjunct faculty member with over 10 years of experience supporting student success through teaching and advising. She teaches online courses and focus on creating engaging, accessible learning experiences. Ms. Moreland's goal is to help students stay motivated, build critical thinking skills, and succeed both in and beyond the classroom.

Brand Designer | Faculty, Art, Mesa Community College

Michael Mondragon is a UX Designer, brand strategist, and educator with over 30 years of experience in graphic design and digital media. He is an Adobe Community Expert and has led training for educators and students on creative tools and workflows nationwide. Michael currently teaches design and focuses on helping others integrate AI into the creative process without losing critical thinking and craft.

Faculty, Computer Information Systems, Mesa Community College

Denise Scholten is a student-centered community college instructor and experienced business technology consultant with over 30 years of industry leadership, including early work as one of the first Microsoft Consulting Services consultants. She designs and teaches project management courses across modalities, authoring and developing curriculum such as CIS224 and CIS324, while helping students connect technology concepts to real world careers through applied, workforce relevant learning. With a strong background in analytics, data systems, and mentoring, she is committed to building student confidence, supporting diverse learners, and continuously improving instruction through feedback and professional development.

Faculty, English at Mesa Community College

Paulette Stevenson is a Residential English Faculty member, First-Year Writing Programs Coordinator, and Faculty Senate President-Elect. She enjoys tackling complex challenges, especially exploring the ethical and strategic integration of Generative AI into academic workflows.

eLearning Manager at Mesa Community College

Stephanie Williams is a higher education professional with over 20 years of experience, including 15 years in instructional design, learning technologies, and curriculum development. She specializes in creating innovative, evidence-based learning experiences that support student success in online and technology-enhanced environments. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration and two Master of Arts in Education degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Adult Education and Training.