Dr. Kathleen Gallagher | MPA Regional Sites Coordinator & Professor of Practice in the Dept. of Political Science at Texas Tech University
B. Kathleen Gallagher is the MPA Regional Sites Coordinator and a Professor of Practice in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University. She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver (2014). Gallagher's research interests are broadly focused on mapping sub-national policy and exploring the impact of local ecology and sustainability for nonprofit and public organizations. Her research is published in The Policy Studies Journal, Public Performance and Management Review, The Journal of Rural and Community Development, The International Journal of Arts Management, The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, Artivate, and The Journal of Emergency Management, as well as several book chapters in edited volumes.
Gallagher teaches graduate MPA courses in public administration and nonprofit management and an undergraduate course in public policy.
Gallagher has applied for internal and external funding to support her research and work in the classroom. The grants she’s been awarded have varied from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars.
Caitlin Sullivan | Director of Outreach & Equity Programs at Society for Science
Caitlin Sullivan serves as Director of Outreach & Equity Programs at Society for Science. At this 100-year-old non-profit, she built and oversees four programs, including two Research Teachers Conferences, the Advocate Program, and STEM Research Grants. These programs provide professional development, stipends, lab equipment, and grants to educators who are supporting students in independent STEM research projects. Through these initiatives, Caitlin strives to build teacher-leaders in the student research community to help expand opportunities to new geographic areas, low-income populations, and students underrepresented in STEM.
Caitlin got her start in the classroom, teaching high school Chemistry and Physics for seven years in Montgomery County, Maryland. She joined Society for Science in 2009 as Program Manager for the Intel Science Talent Search. She has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a master’s degree in Education from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Leola Rutherford | Middle School Science Teacher in Girdwood, Alaska
Leola Rutherford is a Middle School Teacher in Girdwood, Alaska with a passion for infusing technology in education to promote engagement and develop 21st Century Skills. Leola is a Smithsonian NASM Teacher Innovator Institute Scholar, Code.org CS Discoveries Facilitator/Trainer, Pear Deck Certified Coach, and Donors Choose Ambassador.
Leola has applied for and won a number of grants and has completed several DonorsChoose projects to equip her middle school science classroom with a variety of tools and resources.
