Presenter Bios

Dr. Ryan Belew’s interests lie at the intersection of providing more equitable access to educational resources for students with the goal of using research tools to provide accurate information to those trying to expand these resources.

He taught education courses to undergraduate students as well as teachers working on their master’s degrees while attending the University of Kansas. His experiences as a teacher and a student inform his belief that every student deserves a good start on their educational journey.

His current work at UMKC is an opportunity to contribute to the efforts of the ECIC to expand and improve early education and career options for Missouri families. He is principal investigator for a federal grant to investigate “Learning readiness effects of CCDF policies in four states: A secondary data analysis,” through March 2026.

Ryan holds a doctorate from the University of Kansas in Education Policy and a master’s degree in Education Policy from the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Professor Drew Bergerson is an historian of modern Germany with interest in the history of everyday life (Alltagsgeschichte), ethnographic/oral history, interdisciplinary German studies, digital and public humanities, and collaborative research and writing. 

He teaches a range of courses on modern German, modern European, and modern global history. He is an affiliate faculty member with UMKC's Center for Digital and Public Humanities. 

He is also the author of fantasy fiction, exploring storytelling through questions of role playing and collaboration.

Dr. Leila Borvayeh received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Physics from Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran, in 1999 and 2002, respectively, and her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, in 2009. She subsequently completed a one-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.

Currently, Dr. Borvayeh serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Physics Program within the Division of Energy, Matter, and Systems (EMS) in the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) at the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC). She has extensive experience and a strong passion for teaching, educational development, mentoring, and student engagement. 

Theresa Brown is a faculty member in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. She earned her PhD from the University of Kansas and holds active CHES and NBC-HWC certifications. Prior to joining UMKC, she held various roles in academia and health promotion, including Director of Student Wellness at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Director of Assessment at the University of Kansas, full-time faculty at the University of Kansas and Oklahoma State University, and trainer and researcher with TrestleTree, a health coaching company. Her research examines how supportive, welcoming climates influence physical activity, overall well-being in adults, and positive youth development. She is committed to making physical activity enjoyable and accessible for all.

Since 2022, Tamara Falicov has served as the inaugural Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. 

Falicov has worked with faculty to develop a scaffolded internship program for undergraduate students with the help of a five-year grant from the Mellon Foundation. She has emphasized the need for applied humanities and social sciences opportunities for students, particularly the infusion of career development content into course curricula across the school. Other enhancements to the student experience include expanded opportunities for community-engaged research and creative scholarship, the development of a study-away program that was initiated by students, the addition of a course to the Media, Art and Design curriculum that prepares students to earn a micro-credential as an Adobe Certified Professional, and the recent rollout of PhD programs in Economics and Humanities and undergraduate certificates in Podcasting and Museum Studies.

Falicov is involved in the international studies and health humanities spaces and her grant writing is focused on these areas. A native Spanish speaker, her intentions are to facilitate cultural and academic mobility for both faculty and students. She serves on the boards of the Kansas City International Relations Council, the KC Farm School, the Englewood Arts Center, and a2ru, a national interdisciplinary arts research alliance. Falicov has participated in leadership development programs through the HERS Leadership Institute, the International Council for Arts Deans, and the Kansas Leadership Institute. She has been a Fulbright Specialist in Portugal and a graduate student Fulbright Scholar to Argentina; has won multiple research grants; has trained young filmmakers in Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia; and is the author of two books, Latin American Film Industries and The Cinematic Tango: Contemporary Argentine Film, as well as a co-edited volume, Shaping Film Festivals in a Changing World: Practice and Methods.

She is the author of two books, Latin American Film Industries and The Cinematic Tango: Contemporary Argentine Film, as well as a co-edited volume, Shaping Film Festivals in a Changing World: Practice and Methods.

Izabel Galliera is an art historian, independent curator, and writer working at the intersection of art, activism, social movements, and politics in the contemporary period. She is the Dorothy and Dale Thompson Missouri Endowed Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Previously she was Associate Professor of Art History and Associate Director of the Center of Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania. She is the co-editor of the recently published anthology Pedagogical Art in Activist and Curatorial Practices (Routledge, 2025), author of Socially Engaged Art After Socialism: Art and Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe (first published in 2017 and re-published in 2022 by Bloomsbury Press). Her writing has appeared in numerous scholarly anthologies (e.g. The Routledge Companion to Art and Activism in the Twenty-First Century; Social Practice in Turbulent Times: The Revolution Will Be Live and Creative Collaboration in Art Practice, Research and Pedagogy) and journals (e.g. Art Inquiries, Journal of Curatorial Studies, ARTMargins, and FIELD: A Journal of Socially Engaged Art Criticism). At UMKC, Galliera teaches courses on socially engaged art, history of exhibitions, museum studies and art activism.

You can also hear Dr. Galliera speak in March 2026 at CAFE's Research Showcase!  She will present an overview of pedagogical art over the last two decades. You'll hear about examples from different geopolitical and cultural contexts that exemplify how a variety of art practices act as advocacy tools to advance social justice both inside and outside established institutional structures. The lecture will be followed by discussion on the possibilities and constraints of pedagogical art in our world.  

Dr. Ghim is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Originally from South Korea, she moved back and forth between South Korea and the United States, with this movement becoming a crucial part of her transnational identity. 

Her research interests include fostering multilingual and multicultural education, transnational teachers, as well as understanding the identities and teaching practices of transnational teachers, all with the goal of better serving children and families in urban areas.

Dr. Gotto works throughout the state of Missouri to conduct community-based research and training projects primarily related to health and wellness for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Gotto joined UMKC-IHD, Missouri's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), in 2009 and was named director in 2018. Gotto has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on more than 25 federal, state, and foundation grants and contracts primarily focusing on health and disability in the United States and Mexico. He has extensive experience with the development and management of communities of practice and has co-written and published a step-by-step guide to CoP development (Gotto, et al., 2008) along with a multitude of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, reports, and curricula in areas related to self-determination, community-based research, and health and wellness for people with disabilities. Dr. Gotto holds a joint appointment as a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics at the UMKC School of Medicine.

Andrew Granade is a Professor of Musicology and Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory. 

He is the author of Harry Partch: Hobo Composer, several articles on music and science fiction television and music history pedagogy, is currently co-editing a collection on Arkansas musicians for the University of Illinois Press, and is beginning a monograph on the wind band in American history. 

He also co-hosts the popular podcast “Hearing the Pulitzers” with theorist David Thurmaier.

Dr. Jessica Magaña is an Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Science and Engineering at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and teaches biology and scientific writing courses. They earned a doctorate in Integrative Biology at Oklahoma State University, a master’s degree in Biology from Emporia State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from Kansas State University.

Clancy Martin is professor of philosophy at UMKC. 

Martin's work on Rebind, in collaboration with John Dubuque and one of our keynote speakers, John Kaag, was included in Time magazine's Best Inventions of 2024 list.

His research covers the ethics of social and behavioral health, especially in the areas of suicide prevention and the treatment of addiction, and the use of storytelling as part of the therapeutic process. He has published more than 10 books on a variety of subjects, mostly philosophical, including two novels, and his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Ethics, Journal of the History of Philosophy, Harper’s (where he is a contributing editor), Vice (where he is a contributing editor) and dozens of other magazines, journals and newspapers. His work has been optioned for movies and television and has been translated into more than 30 languages, and he has won a Guggenheim Fellowship among other fellowships and awards.

As Director of the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE), Dr. Alexis Petri collaborates with the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and with faculty across campus to shape professional learning that meets UMKC’s evolving needs. She designs, facilitates, and evaluates development programs that strengthen teaching, research, service, and leadership.

Dr. Petri brings more than two decades of experience in community-engaged learning and service-learning, including course design, partnership development, faculty support, and program assessment. Her work has helped instructors build reciprocal relationships with community organizations, integrate civic contexts into coursework, and create learning experiences that are accessible, equitable, and sustainable. She focuses on helping faculty translate disciplinary expertise into community-connected teaching that supports student growth and contributes to the public good.

Brianna Portmann is the Curriculum and Academic Policy Specialist at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This role has oversight for academic planning and initiatives, including new degree and certificate programs; academic policies and procedures; curricular reviews, approvals of new programs and modifications to existing programs; submissions of new and revised programs to the University of Missouri System and Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD); academic catalog; simple syllabus; and other academic agreements. 

Brianna also plays a critical role in both the development and execution of strategic initiatives within the division of Curriculum and Assessment and across the university.

Dr. Tiffani Riggers-Piehl is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Program Coordinator for the Higher Education Masters and Doctorate (EDD) programs. Having previously served across multiple functional areas in academic and student affairs at Baylor (TX), UCLA, and Greenville University (IL), Dr. Riggers-Piehl focuses her efforts to help and understand students. She has focused her research on topics including spiritual and moral development, research and teaching, and gender differences in education. 

Dr. Riggers-Piehl’s research has been featured in the Teacher’s College Record, Research in Higher Education, and Religion and Education, among other journals. She is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of College and Character and Secretary/Treasurer for the Religion and Education SIG in the American Educational Research Association. Her professional passions include teaching and training, investigating the college student experience, and creating a collegial academic community.

Amy Robertson, PhD, MT-BC is the Director and Associate Professor of Music Therapy at the UMKC Conservatory. She is also a Fellow for the National Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy where she specializes in research and training to provide evidence-based music therapy interventions for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music therapy and has close to 20 partnerships with healthcare organizations in the Kansas City area where music therapy students complete their clinical training in a variety of settings such as medical, hospice, and mental health. She publishes and presents regionally, nationally, and internationally to music therapy, music education and medical audiences.

Matthew Robinson is the Director of the Center for Economic Information (CEI). At CEI, he leads three broad research agendas: fiscal and monetary policy operations, community-led economic development, and community health economics. Matthew holds a PhD in Economics from UMKC.

Karen Hsiao Savage (Juilliard: DMA, MM Collab Piano, MM Piano; UVic: BMus) is Professor of Collaborative Piano at UMKC Conservatory, where she created the new master’s degree program in Collaborative Piano. 

Karen received the UMKC Provost’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring and the Friends of the Conservatory Faculty Excellence Award. 

She leads the Healing and Harmony Concert Series, sending Conservatory students to bring live music to hospitals, hospice, and senior homes. 

Karen has performed in Carnegie’s Weill Hall, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Shanghai Grand Theatre and has been broadcast on internationally syndicated radio and televised programs. 

88SQUARED, Karen’s piano duo with husband Jeff, received critical praise from Gramophone and international journals for its international premieres and albums on Albany Records and Navonna/PARMA.

Seungchan Song is a local cellist in the Kansas City area, performing with the Graduate Fellowship String Quartet, an ensemble made up of four fellowship students.  

He is pursuing his doctoral degree in cello performance at the University of Missouri – Kansas City and is the Student Assistant Coordinator for the Conservatory’s Healing and Harmony Concert Series.

Rumpasri Sukonthaman is a senior research assistant for the Early Childhood Innovation Center at UMKC's Institute for Human Development.  She received a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Rumpasri is honored and excited to bring her previous work experience with young children, combined with her research background, to support the ECMHC project. She is looking forward to seeing an impact that our project could make to bridge the gap between research and the real-world practice.

Dr. Linwood Tauheed is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. His scholarship spans African-American political economy, community economic development, and institutional economics, and he brings his expertise to grassroots movements and public-policy debates in Kansas City and beyond.

Misty Vaughn is the Manager of Nationally Competitive Awards at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she supports students applying for awards such as Fulbright, Boren, Goldwater, and the NSF GRFP. She leads campus outreach, builds faculty partnerships, and coordinates dozens of programs each year to increase student engagement in nationally competitive opportunities. Misty is also developing UMKC’s new competitive awards course and expanding pipelines for underrepresented students, and she is completing her Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in urban policy.

Greg Vonnahme is an Associate Professor of Political Science.  His research and teaching focuses on elections, state and local politics, and civic engagement.  He has published in leading journals such as the Journal of Politics, Political Behavior, Public Choice, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties, and Election Law Journal.  He is currently the internship coordinator and faculty mentor for political science, and the GECUE faculty lead for UMKC Essentials.

Leslie Warlen is the Assistant Director of Health & Screening Services for Project Eagle, a program within the Institute for Community Engagement at the University of Kansas Medical Center. 

Leslie oversees Head Start enrollment and integrated health, mental health, and disabilities services. Leslie received a Master of Public Health degree in 1999 and is a Registered Nurse. 

Her work is informed by more than 25 years of experience in two-generation approaches that support young children and families.

Davin Watne is an artist based in Kansas City with an established record of professional achievement. 

He received his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1994 and his MFA at Maryland Institute College of Art in 2013. He has been awarded the Charlotte Street Foundation Award, ArtsKC Inspiration Grant, Avenue of Arts Municipal Arts Grant, Art in the Loop Public Arts Grant and a former resident of the Studios Inc. Residency Program. 

Davin is a father of three and an Assistant Professor at University of Missouri Kansas City, where he teaches Studio Art Foundations and is the head curator and director of the UMKC Gallery of Art.

Alysse Weigand is a PhD Candidate and Graduate Instructor in the Physics Program within the Division of Energy, Matter, and Systems (EMS) in the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) at UMKC. She has taught in the Physics Program since 2023, as well the Critical Thinking in the Natural and Physical Sciences courses. Alysse holds a Master of Science in Physics, a Bachelor of Arts in Physics, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, all from UMKC. She also holds a Certificate in College Teaching and Career Preparation.

Larry Wigger has served on full-time faculty at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, University of Missouri – Kansas City since 2015. His appointment is as Teaching Professor of Supply Chain Management, with a secondary appointment as Faculty Director of Accreditation, Assessment, and Data Reporting. Larry holds a PhD in Economics and a Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics from UMKC, a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management and a general MBA from Elmhurst University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from William Jewell College. His research agendas include automation impacts in the workplace, public policy options to mitigate workforce constraints, and blockchain use to improve supply chain visibility. Graduate studies in three tangential disciplines, combined with two decades of industry experience, have equipped Larry to contribute substantively to today's nexus of accelerating technological change, business innovation, and societal shifts.

Sydney earned her Master of Arts in Music Therapy from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and her Bachelor of Music Therapy from Drury University. 

Her expertise includes community-based practice, private practice development, and clinical protocol design. She works to support clinical administration for the UMKC Conservatory Academy. 

In addition to her clinical and academic work, Sydney currently serves on the boards of the Kansas City Metro Music Therapists and the Midwestern Region of the American Music Therapy Association. She is deeply committed to advancing music therapy advocacy and promoting visibility of the profession through leadership and service.