Speakers

“The Role of School Leadership in Crises.”

Dr. Megan Rauch Griffard is an assistant professor in the Educational Policy and Leadership program at UNLV and the associate faculty director of the Center for Research, Evaluation, and Assessment. Her research focuses on educational policy, school leadership, and how schools respond to major disruptions and crises.

Through her work, Dr. Griffard examines issues such as K–12 public school finance, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters, and the impact of student hospitalizations on learning and school systems. Her research aims to help educators and policymakers make informed, data-driven decisions that better support students, schools, and communities during times of uncertainty.

How the Foster Care System Shapes the Educational Pathways of Young People."

Dr. Kenyon Whitman is a scholar-practitioner and researcher in higher education whose work focuses on the experiences of underrepresented students, particularly foster youth navigating college and university systems. Drawing from both professional and personal experience, his research explores the racialized college-going experiences of foster youth and the barriers and supports that shape student success in higher education.

Dr. Whitman directed the Office of Foster Youth Support Services/Guardian Scholars Program at the University of California Riverside for six years. His research uses community-engaged and critical approaches to better understand how higher education institutions can create more equitable and supportive environments for students.

"Seeing Motivation as a Dynamic Network of Experiences."

Dr. Sarah Wolff is an assistant professor-in-residence in the Department of Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education at UNLV, where she specializes in educational psychology and research methods. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focused on research design, statistical analysis, and critical thinking, and supports faculty research and student success initiatives through her work with the Office of Learning Analytics.

Dr. Wolff’s research focuses on self-regulation, motivation, measurement, and mindfulness in educational settings. She is particularly interested in understanding how learning and motivation change over time, as well as the research methods and analytical approaches used to study those processes.

Nicole J. Thomas, Ph.D., is the Director of Education Policy at the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities. She brings a strong background of mixed methods research and programmatic experience, having served for over a decade in various roles at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and working within the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Dr. Thomas's research expertise resides at the intersection of education and psychology, and her work focuses on how complex systems within social-ecological contexts shape student learning and identity formation. Her research has garnered national and international recognition, including a Woman in STEM award from Senator Jacky Rosen’s office, the Sam Lieberman Regents’ Award for Student Scholarship, and two Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium Fellowships.

Dr. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, and a B.S. in Biology, all from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 

At Research in Action, Dr. Thomas will discuss her career trajectory post graduation and what she is working on now.

Johnny Dominguez, M.Ed., is Executive Director of Improve Your Tomorrow–Nevada, where he leads the statewide expansion of a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to increasing college access, persistence, and completion for young men of color. He oversees regional strategy, organizational development, fundraising, and partnerships with K–12 schools, higher education institutions, and community organizations.

A first-generation college graduate and East Las Vegas native, Johnny has spent more than a decade advancing educational equity. His work bridges research and practice by translating findings on mentorship, belonging, college access, and student success into programs for historically underserved students. He earned a B.A. in Political Science, an M.Ed. in Higher Education, and a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from UNLV. His honors include the Las Vegas Raiders’ Inspire Change Changemaker Award, Vegas Inc.’s 40 Under 40, Leadership Las Vegas, and SURGE Academy Las Vegas.

At Research in Action, Mr. Dominguez will discuss how he is expanding college opportunity for young men of color.