Dr. Stephanie Serriere

Executive Director

Stephanie Serriere (Ph.D. Indiana University, 2007) is a Professor of Education in the Division of Education at IU Columbus. Dr. Serriere is a former elementary classroom teacher who has taught in Italy, India, and in the U.S. Her interdisciplinary research interests are in the field of social studies education with a focus on youth civic engagement, investigating the ways in which youth, in and out of schools, are working to solve social, environmental, and economic challenges, engaging within civic and political arenas. Stephanie is over-the-moon about continuing the award-winning iEngage camp model to Columbus area youth!

Dr. Elizabeth R. Osborn

Co-Director

Elizabeth R. Osborn is the Director of Education at the Indiana University Center on Representative Government. She is a part of the team that created the award-winning free civics interactives Engaging Congress, Freedom Summer 1964, CitizIN and the Center’s latest project, Action Citizen. Dr. Osborn is responsible for the Center’s curriculum development, is the primary facilitator/presenter at workshops, and presents regularly at conferences. Dr. Osborn received her Ph.D. in U.S. History from Indiana University in 2004; her dissertation examines the influence of culture and gender on constitution-making in antebellum Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.  Before joining the Center, she was the creator of the Indiana Supreme Court’s nationally recognized education outreach program, “Courts in the Classroom.” In addition, she taught at several Indiana University locations (Bloomington, Columbus, and Indianapolis), served as a teaching consultant at Indiana University in Bloomington, and taught high school social studies in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Angela "Angie" Kirkham

Angie has lived in nine states and two countries. Her experiences as a biracial child and adult, living in various settings has developed her love of people, cultures, and travel.

She accepted the role of Multicultural Coordinator at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. Prior to that, she taught elementary grades for thirteen years, nine years at Clifty Creek Elementary. She has a dual license in ENL and is passionate about multicultural and social justice issues. Angie is a co-author of the chapter "Supporting 'Lived Civics'" in the book Real Classrooms, Real Teachers: The C3 Inquiry in Practice edited by Kristy Brugar and Kathryn Roberts. She was the Minority Affairs Chairperson for the Indiana State Teachers Association for two years and hosted Race & Unity: How can I be an Advocate for Racial Equity and continues to work with the state association by facilitating training on the topics of racial and social justice.

Greicy Patiño

Hola - I am a Dual Language Latina Educator, Instructional Coach, and a proud Mexican-American! It is my goal to empower each and everyone of our students to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. A fun fact about me is that I student taught in Spain for three months with 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders!

I am excited to embark on this fun journey with you!

Freddie King

In 2015, Freddie graduated with his Masters of Science in Education and Education Specialist degree in School Psychology from Indiana University Bloomington. He served as a School Psychologist for six years at Fairfax County Public Schools in northern Virginia. In this position, Freddie worked with youth K through 12 from predominantly Title 1 schools, serving students of all backgrounds and ethnicities. In August 2023, Freddie decided to move back home to Columbus, Indiana to be near his family and to serve youth within Bartholomew County. He currently works for the Council for Youth Development as the Youth Empowerment Program Coordinator. There he focuses on youth driven outreach initiatives that strengthen youth leadership skills, with an emphasis on equity in the community.

Dr. Karon LeCompte

Karon LeCompte, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Social Studies Education. Her research interests include civics education, technology and teacher preparation. She works with teacher education candidates and Texas teachers on civics education and law-related education and teaches classes in elementary social studies methods. In 2022, Dr. LeCompte and the iEngage team were awarded the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for the Advancement of Civic Education.

Michelle Willhoite

Hi! My name is Michelle Willhoite. I am the project management specialist for the VP office of University Relations at Indiana University, and I am part of the Support Staff for the iEngage civics summer youth camp; “camp mom.” I am originally from Southern California, a mother of three, we have a small farm with miniature animals and I love to paint. I am excited to have the opportunity to help our campers enjoy their week :)

“Everything is Figureoutable!”

Kyle O'Brien

Kyle O’Brien is a Ph.D. student and associate instructor at Indiana University. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, Kyle served as a social studies teacher, curriculum developer, and department chair for eight years in the U.S. and China. His research interests include investigating how various political contexts constrain or enable teacher agency, and how learning social studies can increase historical empathy and civic engagement. At Indiana University he teaches a foundations course in multicultural education and field experience seminars for pre-service teachers.

Dr. Tennisha Riley

I am a researcher for iEngage interested in youths’ civic identity and development. I am an Assistant Professor in the Counseling & Educational Psychology department with an appointment in Human Development. I received my Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Indiana University's Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society.

I am an adolescent researcher with a focuses on understanding the emotional development of Black youth, examining how Black youth’s social context (family, friends, school) influence emotion expression and emotion regulation, as well as the role emotion expression and emotion regulation play in Black youth’s decisions to engage in both risk-related and prosocial behaviors. My research seeks to expand our foundational knowledge of adolescent emotional development and situate that knowledge within a sociocultural context for Black youth.

Jazlyn Rowan

I am a fourth-year student and graduate research assistant in the School Psychology Doctoral Program at Indiana University, Bloomington. I received my BS in psychology from Indiana State University, where I studied civic leadership and served as the Public Policy Intern for Children’s Policy and Law Initiative of Indiana. In my roles as a graduate research assistant, I work with Black adolescents to understand their experiences with racial discrimination, emotion regulation, and social justice in education.

I am also a member of American Psychological Association’s Global Psychology Alliance, in which psychologists and world leaders from 65 various countries collaborate to address racial inequality and equitable access to mental health care. I have collaborated with globally recognized professionals to develop a plan addressing the United Nation's sustainable development goals involving climate change, reducing racial inequality, and health and wellness.

My research interests include social justice advocacy, cross-cultural adaptations, educational experiences of Black and Latinx youth, and policies, practices, and procedures impacting life trajectories of Black and Latinx students. My experience in schools includes academic and behavior interventions, cognitive assessment, bullying, social and emotional learning, grief counseling, and educational law and ethics. My career goal is to disrupt barriers by connecting with the diverse group of youth within their communities.

Maddison Brittain

I'm Maddison Brittain. I am currently a Senior at IU Columbus, I play softball here as well and my major is elementary education. I am from Brownstown.

Peyton Brock

I am currently majoring in Elementary Education at IU Columbus. I have had experience before in leadership roles. I have had the opportunity to be able to help and be in the classroom. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. A fun fact about me is that I am a big basketball fan.

Rebecca Dick

My name is Rebecca and I’m a Junior at IU Columbus, studying elementary education. When I’m not in school I love spending time with my family/friends and I’m also a middle school substitute. At home I have three fur-babies, two black labs and one little mutt mixed with four different breeds (pug, pomeranian, chihuahua, jack russell). I also love music, anything Disney, and hanging out with my best friend. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone!

Karol Espinoza

¡Hola! I am an IU Columbus graduate with a major in Elementary Education. I have a passion for embracing diverse cultures, therefore I decided to do my student teaching on the Navajo Reservation. This experience broadened my career and life perspectives.

I am a second-grade teacher in the Legado program at Clifty Creek Elementary. I enjoy seeing my students become bilingual and biliterate daily. I love what I do and am committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Hannah Lacey

My name is Hannah Lacey and I am a student at IU Columbus studying elementary education. Outside of school I am a dog groomer at Edinburgh Grooming and Doggy Daycare! I have always loved animals and plan to incorporate them into my future classroom! I have 4 dogs at home, but one of them is extra special to me. Reecie is an Australian Shepherd, and she was my very first dog. I raised her from a puppy, so we have a special bond. I also enjoy being outside and hanging out with my family! I can’t wait to get to know all of you!

Macy Margraf

Hi there! I'm Macy Margraf. I just graduated from IU Columbus with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and I'm thrilled to dive into my role as a sixth-grade teacher at Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation this August! I can't wait to share my love for language arts with my students and watch them grow throughout the year. When I'm not in the classroom, you can find me exploring nature through hiking and kayaking, getting lost in a good book, strumming my guitar, or simply enjoying the company of my wonderful dog and cat. My spouse and I call Columbus home, and I feel grateful every day for the opportunity to both teach and live in such a vibrant community.

I'm also excited to be working with the iEngage group, and I can't wait to meet you all! Let's embark on this journey together, creating engaging and enriching experiences for our students.

Yamileth Martinez

¡Hola! I am a graduate of IU Columbus where I studied elementary education. I have lived in Columbus, Indiana for most of my life and it is here where I met my husband and have chosen to build our family. I have a passion for learning and spreading awareness for cultural diversity and immigration policies. I have done various work and volunteered in various places (Project Stepping Stone mentor, L.O.V.E. president, United Way, BCSC, and more.) to support our Latinx community, specifically our Latinx student population.

Can’t wait to create positive change in our community with you! I am here to support not only students, but families too. We're all in this together! Fun fact: My husband and I were born in the same city in Mexico but it is here in the U.S. where we met! The world is so big but can appear so small sometimes.

Amy Warren

I am a sophomore in the pre-Education program. I have worked in elementary education for almost ten years, specifically as a teaching assistant for English Language Learning students. Working with students is always exciting and fun! I am looking forward to exploring iEngage camp and our civic community!

Jazzlynn Yeadon

Hi, y’all! My name is Jazzlynn Yeadon. I am 20 years old and I am from Brownstown, Indiana! I just finished my junior year in the education program and I will be starting Pre-Student Teaching this fall as I enter my last semester of the education program. I have always loved working with children and always found a way to do so! Whether it has been through babysitting, helping at our local daycare, or even within our church, I have always found joy in interacting with kiddos in all settings! I love spending my free time with my family, friends, and my doggos! I also enjoy camping, hiking, kayaking, reading, and cooking!

Lastly, a fun fact about me is that I am a very competitive person and always do my very best to ensure that everything I do is to the best of my ability. This is not only athletically but also academically!

Valerie Peña

Executive Director, IU Center on Representative Government

Valerie Peña is a decorated and certified senior executive with award-winning track record of driving non-profit and for-profit organizations to continually grow, thrive, and evolve as highly regarded brands, marketing and PR powerhouses, and pillars of local, national, and global communities.

Kirk White

Security Liaison

Kirk White is a member of the IU Center on Representative Government staff.

White joined IU’s professional staff in 1984 after completing his Bachelor of Science degree in the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs and serving as IU’s student body president. He has served IU in several external, alumni, and government relations assignments including vice provost for external relations.

A former elected official, White served eight years as a member of the Bloomington City Council and one term as Monroe County commissioner. He was appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court and served as a commissioner on the court’s attorney disciplinary commission.

Colonel White retired as a field artillery officer in the Indiana Army National Guard in 2020 after 30 years of service. He held command positions at the battery, battalion, brigade, and provisional task force levels, including three deployments to the Middle East.

White serves as president of the Hoosier Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America, and serves on the boards of the City of Bloomington Utilities Services Board, and United Way of South Central Indiana.  He and his wife Janice have two daughters, Reagan, (IU BS, ’20) and Jillian, (IU BA, ’24).

Felicia Garr

Felicia Garr recently relocated to Columbus, IN from Louisville, KY in October 2022. She is currently the Black and Biracial Youth Initiative Manager for Community Education Coalition.

Felicia attended Jefferson County Public Schools until ninth grade.  She acquired her high school diploma from Our Lady of Mercy Academy.  She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from Eastern Kentucky University.

Felicia’s work history is extensive.  However, her educational experiences include working for Jefferson County Public Schools as an Instructor III, Morehead State University’s Diversity Enrollment Specialist, Job Corps’ Business Community Liaison plus Goodwill’s Young Adult Job Developer. Her detailed work history is available on LinkedIn. 

Felicia takes great pride in mentoring and volunteering with youth.

Jodi Koors

Hello! My name is Jodi Koors and I am a graduate from IU Columbus. This year makes year 18 in the classroom. I have taught various grade levels; elementary through middle school in a wide variety of settings, from traditional, PBL, UDL, EL, and multi-age level. My current position is a 6^th, 7^th, & 8^th grade College & Careers Facilitator for Greensburg Junior High School. Go Pirates!

Although I have loved all the different grades and subjects, teaching students about their options for the future and providing real world experiences have always been an important part of my curriculum, making Exploring Colleges and Careers a perfect fit!