Presenter Bios

Ryan Belew ... 

Drew Bergerson....

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 

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 multilingual and multicultural education, transnational teachers, as well as the roles of teachers in serving diverse children and families. These interests stem from her own experiences as a racially, culturally, and linguistically marginalized student, teacher, and parent.

Her goal as a teacher educator is to have a realistic and tangible impact on future teachers. She aims to help them appreciate all children and families, focusing on their strengths and the positive impact they bring to society as a whole.

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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.

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.

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.

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Rumpasri Sukonthaman...

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.

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.

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