Alexandra discovered her passion for teaching in 1998 as a graduate student instructor. She has been teaching ever since. She joined the Center for Teaching Excellence in 2015. Since then, she has worked closely to support excellence in teaching and learning across the University of Florida. She works on a wide variety of initiatives and projects including the Passport to Great Teaching, Pathways to Online Teaching Excellence, Interface, First Year Faculty Teaching Academy, Faculty Learning Communities, the Teaching Beyond the Podium Podcast Series, and the Inspired Teaching Newsletter. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Florida in Higher Education Administration, her M.A. in Romance Language Linguistics from the University of Florida, her M.S from Florida State University in Information and Library Science, and her B.A. in History and Anthropology from the University of Florida. Alexandra loves spending time with her family and friends, especially when cooking and sharing a great meal around the kitchen table. She also enjoys spending time soaking in nature while gardening, hiking, kayaking, or doing yoga. For Pathways to Online Teaching Excellence and Teaching Beyond the Podium podcast questions, or to schedule a teaching consultation, contact Alexandra.

Michael was thrilled to join the team at the Center for Teaching Excellence at UF in 2022. He is passionate about learning and teaching, and loves the synergy that he feels when a group gathers to discuss how to improve as learners and teachers. With over 25 years of teaching experience in higher education and a doctorate degree in educational psychology, Michael is always excited to share things he’s learning. He is on a mission to dismantle the paradigms that have made learning and teaching feel artificial and institutional rather than instinctive, social, experiential, and fun. Outside of work, he enjoys baking, DIY projects, and spending time with his family. For questions about faculty development or to schedule a teaching consultation, contact Michael.

As a member of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Dr. Jordi is responsible for supporting university initiatives by overseeing the GatorEvals course evaluations, as well as developing and implementing projects related to learning analytics. When not at work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He also enjoys playing tennis and golf. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida, a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of North Florida, and his B.A. in History from the Pennsylvania State University. For student evaluation questions, contact John.

Dr. Zaina Sheets is responsible for the coordination, creation and delivery of face-to-face and online workshops and materials for faculty and teaching assistant development. She also assists in the development and management of the center’s budget, hiring processes, project management, and marketing. During her free time, Zaina enjoys spending time outdoors fishing, hunting, or just being around the water. She also loves to dance, read a good novel or attend an athletic event, like Gator Football, Go Gators! Zaina earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Florida State University, her M.A.E. in Educational Technology from the University of Florida, and her B.F.A. in Creative Photography from the University of Florida. For event, workshop, and Passport to Great Teaching questions, contact Zaina.

Lupita Eyde-Tucker is the Faculty Academic Support Coordinator at the Center for Teaching Excellence, where she works as the project manager and lead facilitator for CTE’s Great Online Course Series. Lupita also manages the annual CTE Awards series, coordinates CTE’s Academic Integrity initiatives, and is a facilitator for the Faculty Learning Community, “Promoting Well-Being through Learner-Centered Education.” Lupita holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Florida, and a B.A. in Business Economics from the University of South Carolina. In addition to her role at CTE, Lupita teaches Professional Business Writing for the Warrington College of Business. A life-long writer and educator, she has taught English and writing at every level from elementary to undergrad, in the US and abroad, both online and face to face since 1996. Lupita is an award-winning poet and translator, and when she is not thinking about Backward Design, she spends as much time as possible outside enjoying Florida and practicing black and white portrait photography with her 50-year-old Nikon FTN film cameras Contact Lupita.

Jennifer is the Faculty Professional Development Coordinator in UF’s Center for Teaching Excellence. With over 30 years of experience in PK20 education, Jennifer has been a classroom teacher, librarian, central office administrator, and county-wide consultant for educational technology and school data and improvement. Her credentials include teaching in the Masters of Learning, Design, and Technology program, facilitating Adaptive Schools and Cognitive Coaching, and consulting on ISTE Educator Certification. She has spent the last 15 years as the statewide facilitator of workshops that teach educators how to scale up teaching strategies and use data to inform instruction. Jennifer is excited to share her expertise in interactive online learning, instructional coaching, data and assessment, and best practice instructional strategies for digital age teaching and learning. She is passionate about helping teachers grow their professional practice and recently co-authored the book, “Making the Move with EdTech: 10 Strategies to Scale Up Your In-Person, Hybrid, and Remote Learning”. To schedule a teaching consultation, contact Jennifer.

Kexuan is the Graduate Student Coordinator at the Center for Teaching Excellence, where she presents and facilitates courses and workshops to help graduate students, postdocs, and teaching assistants expand their teaching practices and utilize resources for professional development. She has teaching experience in both K-12 and college settings in the U.S. and abroad, and she is currently a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Oklahoma. Her teaching philosophy follows a learner-centered approach, emphasizing students’ interests and supporting individual growth. She loves compiling multimedia teaching resources, designing various class activities using technology, and integrating authentic materials to engage students and make learning relevant. Outside of school and work, she enjoys traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with her family. Meet with Kexuan.

Ryan joined the Center for Teaching Excellence in late 2024. His passion for teaching began in middle school when he presented to computer clubs about creating websites, and this enthusiasm has never wavered since. As a proud triple Gator—earning his B.S. in Psychology, M.A.E. in Educational Technology, and currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Educational Technology at the University of Florida—Ryan is deeply connected to the university community. He holds a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) certification from the Association for Talent Development, which underscores his commitment to effective teaching practices.
His professional interests include leveraging technological tools such as AI to advance the development and dissemination of open educational resources (OER). He is dedicated to improving student learning outcomes through affordability initiatives and exploring methods to enhance the quality of OER. Outside of work and research, Ryan enjoys playing cozy video games and reading speculative fiction. For textbook affordability questions, contact Ryan.

Funke serves as a staff member at the University of Florida’s Center for Teaching Excellence, where she collaborates with John Jordi to oversee the GatorEvals course evaluation system and works with Ryan Rushing on textbook adoption, compliance, and affordability initiatives. Funke is a doctoral candidate in the Methodology, Measurement, & Analysis program at the University of Central Florida. She has earned a Certificate in Advanced Quantitative Methodology in Educational and Human Sciences from UCF, in addition to a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in Tests and Measurement and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Mathematics/Integrated Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Funke possesses expertise in teaching mathematics, statistics, and data analysis, and is committed to ongoing learning and professional development. Her hobbies and interests include keyboard playing, watching educational videos, and cooking. To schedule a consultation, contact Funke.

Paul is the newest member of the Center for Teaching Excellence at UF. Over the last decade he has worked as an arts administrator, teaching artist, and New Media art professor. Paul maintains the teach.edu website, designs publications and graphics, and produces the Teaching Beyond the Podium Podcast. He has a BFA in painting from the Kansas City Arts Institute and an MFA in New Media art from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Outside of CTE, he is an accomplished artist focused on artist made books, videos and signs. For issues or questions with the website please contact Paul.