Rachel joined the CTSE team as Center Director in January 2024. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives for university-wide educational development and learning innovation while fostering partnerships to embed teaching excellence into Suffolk's institutional culture. Her areas of expertise center around adult learning, teaching and learning with technology, and the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning.

Prior to joining Suffolk, Rachel was an Associate Director in the Center for Advancing Teaching & Learning Through Research at Northeastern University. She holds an Ed.D. from Teachers College at Columbia University and a M.Ed. in Teaching, Learning, & Technology from Lehigh University. Rachel graduated from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and worked in hospitality sales and marketing before moving into higher education. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys spending time with her bulldogs – Mabel and Lulu.

Maya joined the CTSE team in March 2020. Her role focuses on promoting research-based, inclusive teaching practices through programming, consultations, and collaborations with Suffolk’s teaching community. Her interests include the science of learning, teaching practices that support equity and inclusion for diverse learners, and the role of technology in teaching and learning.

Prior to joining the CTSE, Maya served as an instructional designer, with a focus on developing online courses. In 2016, she earned her Ed.D. in Human Development and Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her experience includes teaching and academic advising at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Julianna joined the CTSE in the spring of 2023. She focuses on assisting faculty in the building and maintaining engaging coursework. Julianna’s design philosophy is based on practical, and sustainable learning solutions that leverage the unique talent, time constraints, and passion of instructors. She specializes in learner-centered design, accessibility strategies, DEI-informed pedagogy, the experience of English-language learners in the classroom, trauma-informed teaching, technology application, and remote best practices for engagement.

Prior to joining the CTSE, Julianna worked in the education technology industry to define and improve the student experience for several online institutions. Additionally, she worked with immigrant and refugee English-language learners during their acclimation to the United States and its classrooms. Julianna holds a Master of Professional Studies in Learning Experience Design & Technology from Northeastern University. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, the theatre, and cooking.

Elizabeth joined the CTSE team as a Teaching and Learning Specialist in November of 2023. Prior to this, she was an English professor for over a decade, teaching a broad range of literature and writing courses. She earned a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature at the University of Tulsa and an M.A. in the same at the University of Chicago. Her research interests revolved around representations of Indigenous women in fiction and historical documents. More recently, she guest curated an exhibit on homesteading women, juxtaposing historical and contemporary portraits.

 A year-long tenure as a Teaching Fellow at a Center for Teaching and Learning deepened her fascination with the art and science of teaching. She has become particularly interested in using contemplative as well as scientific practices to cultivate attention and awareness in the classroom. She also focuses on skill development in discussion leading, community building, and teaching and writing processes. Her meditation practice informs her humanistic approach to education development and her commitment to supporting faculty physical and emotional well-being.

Kolby joined the CTSE team in 2025, bringing a passion for organization, problem-solving, and fostering inclusive learning environments. They manage communications and operations, ensuring clear outreach, efficient processes, and engaging faculty programming.

Kolby earned their Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Women’s Studies from Plymouth State University. They are drawn to the power of storytelling—whether through writing, film, or community engagement. Their curiosity drives them to understand how systems work and how to make them better. Passionate about mental health advocacy, they approach their work with a human-centered mindset, blending creativity and strategy to build connections, streamline processes, and support inclusive growth.