About the Researchers

Joette Stefl-Mabry, PhD is an Professor and a tenured faculty member in the Department of Information Science; an Research Professor in the School of Education and the Director of the School Library Program at the University at Albany. Dr. Stefl-Mabry’s area of research is educational assessment and evaluation. She focuses on documenting evidence of practice by understanding the attainment of student learning outcomes (objectives) at a granular level – actual classrooms. Currently she is the PI on an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) funded research project: The School Librarian Effect on Student Academic Achievement in New York State (award number RE-04-15-0081-15). This three-year longitudinal research project (2015-18) examines the effect of school librarians on academic achievement in all public schools in New York State. The project investigates how school library variables, and combinations of those variables effect student achievement while taking into account prior achievement, student demographic variables, and building level characteristics. Dr. Stefl-Mabry is also a program evaluator (K-12 through higher education) and works with educators, librarians and educational programmers on issues related to curriculum, instruction and assessment and its effect on student achievement.

Stefl-Mabry earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Language Arts & Education from Hunter College, City University of New York and her Master of Arts in Psychology/Psychology of Education at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Her master’s thesis was Women’s Avoidance of Success. She is a Certified Developmental Education Specialist (Appalachia State University Kellogg Institute, Boone, North Carolina) and her practicum for that certification was: An Assessment of the Southampton College Developmental Program. She earned her Interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Information Studies & Educational Technology from the Palmer School of Library & Information Science, Long Island University. Her thesis was Satisfaction and Information Source Preferences among Professionals: A Hypothesis-Generating Exploratory Study.

Stefl-Mabry was selected as one of 50 researchers nationally to participate in the American Association of School Librarians research summit—CLASS Causality: School Libraries and Student Success. Chicago, IL, April 2014, as well the CLASS II in Washington, D.C. April 2016. Most recently she was selected to serve on the United University Professionals Education Taskforce, and has served on the edTPA Special Regents Task Force (New York State Education Department), since 2016.

She has served as the Chair of the University at Albany’s Governance Council in 2013-14, Vice-Chair of the Faculty Senate in 2014-15, and Chair of the Faculty Senate of the University at Albany from 2015-16.

Dr. Michael Radlick is the President and CEO of Learning Technology Visions, LLC. Albany, NY, providing research and evaluation consulting services under contract to schools and other public sector organizations. He is a seasoned educational consultant and former Director of Planning, Evaluation and Technology for the NewYork State Education Department for 16 years. Radlick is an educational researcher and program evaluator with decades of successful state, national and international-level experience working with schools, libraries, universities, pubic agencies and other public-sector organizations on assessment and the evaluation of teaching and learning programs. He is a demonstrated leader with vision and career commitment to the transformation of teaching and learning, especially through the use of evidence-based decision-making, statistics, data visualization and more effective uses of information and technology for learning.

Radlick earned a Bachelor of Arts from Sacred Heart College, Detroit, MI. He went on to earn his Master of Arts in Teaching from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, with a specialization in Educational Counseling and Technology. His thesis was Measuring Willingness to Change Education in Principals and Counselors. Radlick earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Communications Theory from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY in 1980. His specialization was in Information theory measurement, statistics, mathematical modeling, time and frequency domain statistical analyses and their application in neurophysiology. His thesis was The Processing Demands of Television--Neurophysiological Correlates of Television Viewing.

Radlick was selected as one of 50 researchers nationally to participate in the American Association of School Librarians research summit—CLASS Causality: School Libraries and Student Success. Chicago, IL, April 2014, as well the CLASS II in Washington, D.C. April 2016.

Shannon Mersand is currently enrolled at the University at Albany, State University of New York in the Information Science PhD Program, with the intent to study Makerspaces and their perceived effects on users. She is also the Assistant Director of the Information Science School Library program at the University at Albany, as well as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin - Stout in the School of Education in the College of Education, Hospitality, Health and Human Sciences. Shannon previously worked as a School Media Specialist at Yorktown High School in Yorktown Heights, NY, Pawling High School in Pawling, NY, and New Lebanon Jr/Sr High School in New Lebanon, NY, and as the Director of the Philmont Public Library in Philmont, NY.

Mersand earned a Music Performance Certificate from Dutchess Community College. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Information Science and Policy, with minors in English and General Education Studies, a Master's of Library Science with a concentration in School Media, and a Master's of Science in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology with a concentration in Instructional Technology, all from the University at Albany, State University of New York. She also holds a certificate in eLearning and Online Teaching from the University of Wisconsin - Stout.

Billie Gallo is currently enrolled at the University at Albany, State University of New York in the Information Science School Library program. Prior to joining the research team, she worked for nearly a decade in corporate communications at utilities throughout the Hudson Valley.

Gallo earned an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Humanities from SUNY Ulster, a Bachelor’s Degree in English from SUNY New Paltz, and a Master’s Degree in Communication from Marist College, before deciding to pursue a Master’s Degree in Information Science School Library.

Yenisel Gulatee is currently enrolled at the University at Albany, State University of New York in the Information Science PhD Program. Prior to joining the research team she worked as an Academic and Administrative Coordinator for the School of Education –Educational and Counseling Psychology Department Human Development Program at the University at Albany.

Gulatee was born in Cuba. She is a graduate of Miami Dade College where she completed an Associates Degree in International Relations. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a concentration in social and cultural studies from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL., as well as study certificates in Women's Studies and Ethnic Studies.

In addition, she obtained a Diplome of Proficiency in French from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, and a Master of Arts in Political Science, specializing in Futures Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI. She is a former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and currently sits on the board of Service for Peace.