Center for Educational Research and Technological Innovation (CERTI)

Taryn Myers, Ph.D.

Director of Academic Effectiveness and Associate Professor of Psychology, Virginia Wesleyan University

Dr. Taryn A. Myers earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Kent State University, where she served as a Teaching Fellow and Assistant Director of the Psychological Clinic. She received her B.A. in Psychology with an interdisciplinary minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from Kenyon College. A native Midwesterner, Dr. Myers completed her clinical residency at the Medical College of Georgia and the Charlie Norwood Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center prior to moving to Hampton Roads in 2010. She chose to come to Virginia Wesleyan because of her passion for teaching and the liberal arts. Dr. Myers’ research interests include risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. She enjoys integrating stories from her clinical work and findings from her research into her teaching to make the material come alive for students. She also engages in editorial activities for such journals as Body Image and Sex Roles. In addition, Dr. Myers enjoys sharing her research with students through independent projects and encourages them to present their work at state and national conferences. Dr. Myers is currently serving as Director of Academic Effectiveness for the University as well as Co-Chair of the Women’s Issues Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). She is the 2017 recipient of an Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, the 2018 recipient of the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching award from VWU, and the 2019 recipient of the ABCT Women’s Issues Special Interest Group Early Career Award.

Mindy Gumpert, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor of Education, Virginia Wesleyan University, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University

Dr. Mindy Gumpert has been an educator for over 24 years. She was a kindergarten through 12^th grade special education teacher for 18 years before resigning to pursue her doctoral degree. Dr. Gumpert has taught classes at the university level for the past six years.  Dr. Gumpert earned both her M.S. degree in Education and her PhD in Education with a Concentration in Special Education from Old Dominion University. Dr. Gumpert has leadership experience in several professional organizations. She is the President of the Virginia Council for Learning Disabilities (VCLD). VCLD designed and implemented a series of six free webinars for general educators, special educators, pre-service teachers, and university faculty across Virginia. The webinars provided professional development to over 800 educators in 2020-2021. Dr. Gumpert has presented at 27 national, state, and local conferences and has several publications and manuscripts in preparation. Dr. Gumpert is a member of the Norfolk Women Leaders and serves as a board member on the Virginia Wesleyan University Elementary Education Advisory Board, the Diversity Committee for the Virginia Council for Exceptional Children, the Special Needs Advisory Board for the National Science Teachers Association, and the Reading Enriches All Children Board of Directors. Dr. Gumpert conducted her dissertation research at Chesapeake Bay Academy and is excited for the opportunity to give back to CBA through her work on the CERTI Advisory Council. Also, Dr. Gumpert is the Principal Investigator for a research team examining the relationship between special education placement and student academic outcomes.

Mary Roberts, Ph.D., LPC-ACS, ATR-BC, ATCS

Associate Professor, Art Therapy and Counseling, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Dr. Mary Roberts began her appointment to the Graduate Art Therapy and Counseling Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) as Program Director and Assistant Professor on June 17, 2013 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2017. She is a graduate of Eastern Virginia Medical School, with a Master of Science degree in Art Therapy in 1997 and from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art in 1995, after completing studio art foundations and sculpture work at Virginia Commonwealth University from 1991-1993. In May 2013, Dr. Roberts completed her Education Specialist degree from the Curry School at the University of Virginia. She earned her doctoral degree in Counselor Education at Old Dominion University in 2018.

Linda Miller-Dunleavy

Master Lecturer, Old Dominion University (retired)

Linda Miller-Dunleavy is a newly retired Master Lecturer from the Communication Disorders & Special Education Dept. in the College of Education & Professional Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Linda began her journey in the special education field in 1978, when the laws were just beginning to embrace students with disabilities in the educational systems. Her teaching experiences were diverse, to include students with Intellectual Disabilities; Mild & Moderate to Severe and Profound (Multiple disabilities), students with Emotional and Behavioral disorders, and students with Severe Mental Illness. Linda’s background has spanned forty-two years as a special education professional in teaching K-8 & higher education, private business owner for individuals with disabilities requiring adaptive movement programs and opportunities to be included in dance and karate. She was also a Certified Supreme Court mediator and is a bilingual translator for parent meetings, to include IEPs. Linda’s expertise areas are in advocacy & special education law, content area expertise in High Leverage Practices for reading and math, and lastly development and implementation of IEPs. She spent 22 years at ODU facilitating special education teacher training. She also was a mentor for future special education leaders in pre-service and in-service High Leverage Practices. Linda has served on several Boards in advisory roles. She was reappointed for ten years to the ODU Board of Visitors as a Faculty Representative to the Student Engagement and Enhancement Committee. She is also an advisor for Hearts & Homes for the last 10 years. Hearts & Homes is a charitable organization dedicated to addressing the severe housing shortage for adults with developmental disabilities in Virginia Beach. Originally founded under the name BizNet, Inc., it is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors.  Since 2016, Linda has served on the Chesapeake Bay Academy Board of Trustees.

J.D. Ball, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School

Dr. J.D. Ball holds a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychologists. He served for 35 years as a neuropsychologist performing clinical services, teaching doctoral level clinical psychologists, mentoring and conducting clinical research, and assuming various administrative leadership roles. At the time of his retirement from EVMS, he was Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, having attained over a dozen local, state and national teaching awards and having mentored 24 doctoral dissertations.  Dr. Ball has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in professional journals, 5 book chapters, and an edited book; he was the principal investigator for 15 funded research projects, and he has given over 100 professional presentations.  He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal, Perceptual and Motor Skills and Vice Chair of the Virginia Board of Psychology.  He is continuing a service period on the Board of Trustees for Chesapeake Bay Academy that has spanned 30 years.

Derek S. Porter, Ed.D.

Teacher of History & Music, Center for the Study of Boys, Research Coordinator, St. Christopher's School

Dr. Derek S. Porter earned an Ed.D. in Educational Policy, Planning and Leadership in ’21 from the College of William & Mary. Dr. Porter began his time at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond as a middle school Global Thinking teacher. Over the last decade, he has built upon his work with students by serving as a faculty research coordinator with the Center for the Study of Boys in Richmond, VA. Through these experiences, he discovered a passion for professional learning models, making it the focus of his dissertation and subsequent conference presentations. Prior to teaching, Dr. Porter earned an M.A. from Yale University, where he partnered with Bridgeport Public Schools’ MAAX Program. He received his B.A. in Social Studies Secondary Education with a concentration in Political Science from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. Dr. Porter is an award-winning educator, a published thought leader, and a poet seeking to tell the new stories of our educational landscape with beauty and fidelity.