PRESIDENT
Presiding the 2020 Conference in Birmingham, AL
Nicola A. Alexander is Associate Professor in the Education Policy and Leadership program in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota. She is particularly interested in notions of fairness, including issues of adequacy, equity, and productivity as they relate to PK-12 education. She has extensive research and teaching experience in policy analysis and in the economics and fiscal aspects of elementary and secondary education, including courses in education policy analysis, politics of education, comparative budgeting and strategic financial management. Dr. Alexander has published in books, monographs, and journals, including American Educational Research Journal, Educational Policy, Journal of School Business Management, and Journal of Education Finance. She is author of Policy Analysis for Educational Leaders: A Step by Step Approach with Pearson Publishers. She earned a PhD in Public Administration with a focus on public finance from the University at Albany.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Presiding the 2021 Conference
Rob Knoeppel serves as Professor and Dean of the College of Education at the University of South Florida. His research interests include the intersection of school finance and education accountability policy. Dr. Knoeppel has authored over 100 refereed journal publications, book chapters, technical reports and conference papers in the field of education finance, education reform, and educational leadership. His work has been regularly published in the Journal of Education Finance and Educational Considerations, two of the top-tiered journals in the field of education finance. Dr. Knoeppel serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Education Finance Academy where he was awarded the Scholarly Paper of the Year Award for the three consecutive years. Previously, he was elected chair of the Fiscal Issues, Policy and Education Finance Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Knoeppel has previously held an academic appointment at the University of Kentucky and worked for several years in the public schools of Virginia as a school counselor, building level administrator, and coach. In May 2018, he will begin an appointment as Dean of the College of Education at the University of South Florida.
VICE PRESIDENT
Presiding the 2022 Conference
Spencer C. Weiler is the department chair for and a professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Northern Colorado (however, Spence will be moving to Brigham Young University in the fall). Spence primarily teaches school finance and school law courses and his current research interests include examining the impact of school finance litigation on funding for public education, the role of school facilities in school finance litigation, and the legal implications of arming school district employees as a way of increasing school safety. He has over 40 publications to his credit, including three co-authored books, seven book chapters, and 31 peer-reviewed studies that have been published in the following journals: Journal of Education Finance, West’s Education Law Reporter, Journal of Law, Business, and Ethics, Equity & Excellence in Education, Journal of School Leadership, Planning and Change, NASSP Bulletin, and Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal. Spence currently serves on the Education Law Association board of directors. Spence has served the NEFA community in a number of ways, including serving as an original board member (from 2016-2018) and co-chairing (currently with Christine Kiracofe) since its inception in 2015.
PAST PRESIDENT
Lisa Driscoll is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee. Over three decades she has held faculty and administrative positions in pk-12 and higher education in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. She teaches graduate courses in educational law and finance, public education history, and human resources practice. Her research focuses on legal, financial and policy implications in providing equitable and adequate, free, universal systems of public education. In collaboration with others, she has prepared expert studies in public education finance for plaintiffs in Alaska and Missouri equity and adequacy litigation. She serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Education Finance. In 2011, she was named a Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow in Education Finance by the National Education Finance Conference. Dr. Driscoll earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in Education from Virginia Tech and a B.S. from Berry College (Georgia).
MEMBERS: THREE YEAR TERM (2017-2019)
Barbara Deluca, has a Ph.D. from THE Ohio State University in Economics and Consumer Economics. Dr. Deluca taught at the University of Dayton for 20 years in the College of Arts & Sciences. In 1995, she moved to the School of Education and Health Sciences where she has taught School Finance (both p-12 and higher ed) and currently teaches primarily Research Design, Dissertation Seminar, and Statistics in the Ph.D. program. She recently spent four years as Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research. In years past, Dr. Deluca was Founder and Director of the First-Year Experience Program at the University of Dayton, as well as Associate Director of the Honors and Scholars Programs. She is currently in her 42nd year at UD. Prior to her Higher education career, she taught junior high school for four years. Dr. Deluca’s research focuses on school finance. She has also co-authored a book on faculty bullying, Faculty Incivility: The Rise of the Academic Bully Culture and What to Do About It.
William A. Owings, is a professor of educational leadership at Old Dominion University, has been a middle school English teacher in Baltimore County, MD, and an elementary and high school principal, an assistant superintendent, and a superintendent in Virginia. In 1999, he moved into the professorate, first at Longwood University and in 2002, to Old Dominion University. He is married to Leslie S. Kaplan, Ed.D., a retired school administrator and his frequent collaborator. Bill’s professional interests focus on education finance, principal quality, and teacher quality as they relate to school improvement and student achievement. His scholarly writings, co-authored with Leslie S. Kaplan, appear in journals including the Journal of Education Finance, Phi Delta Kappan, Teachers College Record, Journal of School Leadership, NASSP Bulletin, The Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics, and the European Journal of Economic and Political Studies. The World Bank cites his work on education as an investment in human capital, and his text, American Public School Finance. He has also co-authored Organizational Behavior for School Leaders: Leveraging Your School for Success, Leadership and Organizational Behavior in Education, Introduction to the Principalship: Theory to Practice, Culture Re-Boot: Reinvigorating School Culture to Improve Student Outcomes, Educational Foundations (2nd ed.), and The Effective Schools Movement: History, Analysis, and Application. He serves on the Journal of Education Finance Advisory Board. In 2008, the Virginia Educational Research Association presented Bill with the Charles Edgar Clear Research Award for “consistent and substantial contributions to educational research and scholarship,” and in 2014, NEFA named him as Distinguished Fellow of Research and Practice. In 2016, Bill donated a 25-year school finance database to the NEFA, opening up a new area of research for professors and graduate students
Gabriel R. Serna is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. He has nearly 15 years of experience in higher education including as director of programming at New Mexico State University, assistant director of admissions at the University of Kentucky, associate instructor at Indiana University Bloomington, and most recently as assistant professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership program at the University of Northern Colorado. His research interests lie in the areas of higher education economics, finance, and policy. He is particularly interested in the economic relationships between the states and their public institutions, student price-response, college and university fiscal administration, undocumented student populations, and enrollment management. Some of his published work can be seen or is forthcoming in the Journal of Education Finance, Education Policy Analysis Archives, the Journal of Higher Education Management, the Planning for Higher Education Journal, The Handbook of Strategic Enrollment Management, and The Encyclopedia of Education Economics & Finance. Dr. Serna’s research was nationally recognized by the Journal of Education Finance and the National Education Finance Academy with the “Outstanding Article of the Year” award in 2014. He is the co-author of two recent education finance textbooks (Rowman & Littlefield) with Spencer Weiler. Dr. Serna currently serves or has served on the Board of Advisors of the National Education Finance Academy and the Association for Institutional Research’s Forum Advisory Board. In addition, he serves on the Editorial Boards of the ASHE Report Series, Research in Higher Education, and the Journal of College & Character. Dr. Serna holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Indiana University Bloomington (2012); a Master of Public Policy in Public Finance & Budgeting from the Martin School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Kentucky (2008); and a BBA in Economics as well as a BA in German from New Mexico State University (2006).
William A. Owings, is a professor of educational leadership at Old Dominion University, has been a middle school English teacher in Baltimore County, MD, and an elementary and high school principal, an assistant superintendent, and a superintendent in Virginia. In 1999, he moved into the professorate, first at Longwood University and in 2002, to Old Dominion University. He is married to Leslie S. Kaplan, Ed.D., a retired school administrator and his frequent collaborator. Bill’s professional interests focus on education finance, principal quality, and teacher quality as they relate to school improvement and student achievement. His scholarly writings, co-authored with Leslie S. Kaplan, appear in journals including the Journal of Education Finance, Phi Delta Kappan, Teachers College Record, Journal of School Leadership, NASSP Bulletin, The Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics, and the European Journal of Economic and Political Studies. The World Bank cites his work on education as an investment in human capital, and his text, American Public School Finance. He has also co-authored Organizational Behavior for School Leaders: Leveraging Your School for Success, Leadership and Organizational Behavior in Education, Introduction to the Principalship: Theory to Practice, Culture Re-Boot: Reinvigorating School Culture to Improve Student Outcomes, Educational Foundations (2nd ed.), and The Effective Schools Movement: History, Analysis, and Application. He serves on the Journal of Education Finance Advisory Board. In 2008, the Virginia Educational Research Association presented Bill with the Charles Edgar Clear Research Award for “consistent and substantial contributions to educational research and scholarship,” and in 2014, NEFA named him as Distinguished Fellow of Research and Practice. In 2016, Bill donated a 25-year school finance database to the NEFA, opening up a new area of research for professors and graduate students
Gabriel R. Serna is an assistant professor at Michigan State University. He has nearly 15 years of experience in higher education including as director of programming at New Mexico State University, assistant director of admissions at the University of Kentucky, associate instructor at Indiana University Bloomington, and most recently as assistant professor in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership program at the University of Northern Colorado. His research interests lie in the areas of higher education economics, finance, and policy. He is particularly interested in the economic relationships between the states and their public institutions, student price-response, college and university fiscal administration, undocumented student populations, and enrollment management. Some of his published work can be seen or is forthcoming in the Journal of Education Finance, Education Policy Analysis Archives, the Journal of Higher Education Management, the Planning for Higher Education Journal, The Handbook of Strategic Enrollment Management, and The Encyclopedia of Education Economics & Finance. Dr. Serna’s research was nationally recognized by the Journal of Education Finance and the National Education Finance Academy with the “Outstanding Article of the Year” award in 2014. He is the co-author of two recent education finance textbooks (Rowman & Littlefield) with Spencer Weiler. Dr. Serna currently serves or has served on the Board of Advisors of the National Education Finance Academy and the Association for Institutional Research’s Forum Advisory Board. In addition, he serves on the Editorial Boards of the ASHE Report Series, Research in Higher Education, and the Journal of College & Character. Dr. Serna holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Indiana University Bloomington (2012); a Master of Public Policy in Public Finance & Budgeting from the Martin School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Kentucky (2008); and a BBA in Economics as well as a BA in German from New Mexico State University (2006).
MEMBERS: THREE YEAR TERM (2018-2020)
Eric Houck is an Associate Professor of Leadership and Policy in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University in 2006, a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 and a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992.
His current research focuses on the equitable and efficient allocation of resources through school finance mechanisms, including how these mechanisms address funding across student, district and sector characteristics. He is a coauthor of one of the leading school finance textbooks on the market and his research has appeared in publications such as the Journal of Education Finance, the Peabody Journal of Education, Education and Urban Society, and Leadership and Policy in Schools. A former public school teacher and central office administrator, Eric utilizes political, educational and administrative frameworks to understand how context and politics drive seemingly irrational policy decisions.
Among other honors and accolades, Eric was recognized as a Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow by the NEFA in 2012 and has served as an expert and consultant at the local, state, and national levels.
Lenford C. Sutton Sr. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University, where he has held an academic appointment for the last four years. Dr. Sutton’s research interests are focused on issues related to education funding, the privatization of public schools, the fiscal effects of educational reform, school desegregation, and education finance litigation. The results of his research have been published in a variety of journals, including Educational Considerations, International Journal of Education Reform and the Journal of Education Finance. He was selected as a Distinguished Research & Practice Fellow in 2014 by the National Education Finance Academy, serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Education Finance, and the Board of Directors of the Education Law Association.
Philip Westbrook served as a public school educator for 17 years including experience as an elementary teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent. He is currently Professor of Practice at The University of Alabama where he has taught in the educational leadership program for the past 11 years. He teaches courses in education finance, education law, supervision, and curriculum. He has also served as the Director of the Blackburn Institute, a leadership development organization on the campus of The University of Alabama, and taught public policy. Philip earned a B.S. from Birmingham-Southern College, a MA from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University.
His current research focuses on the equitable and efficient allocation of resources through school finance mechanisms, including how these mechanisms address funding across student, district and sector characteristics. He is a coauthor of one of the leading school finance textbooks on the market and his research has appeared in publications such as the Journal of Education Finance, the Peabody Journal of Education, Education and Urban Society, and Leadership and Policy in Schools. A former public school teacher and central office administrator, Eric utilizes political, educational and administrative frameworks to understand how context and politics drive seemingly irrational policy decisions.
Among other honors and accolades, Eric was recognized as a Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow by the NEFA in 2012 and has served as an expert and consultant at the local, state, and national levels.
Lenford C. Sutton Sr. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University, where he has held an academic appointment for the last four years. Dr. Sutton’s research interests are focused on issues related to education funding, the privatization of public schools, the fiscal effects of educational reform, school desegregation, and education finance litigation. The results of his research have been published in a variety of journals, including Educational Considerations, International Journal of Education Reform and the Journal of Education Finance. He was selected as a Distinguished Research & Practice Fellow in 2014 by the National Education Finance Academy, serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Education Finance, and the Board of Directors of the Education Law Association.
Philip Westbrook served as a public school educator for 17 years including experience as an elementary teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant superintendent. He is currently Professor of Practice at The University of Alabama where he has taught in the educational leadership program for the past 11 years. He teaches courses in education finance, education law, supervision, and curriculum. He has also served as the Director of the Blackburn Institute, a leadership development organization on the campus of The University of Alabama, and taught public policy. Philip earned a B.S. from Birmingham-Southern College, a MA from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University.
MEMBERS: THREE YEAR TERM (2019-2021)
Iris BenDavid-Hadar is a faculty member in the School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Israel. Dr. BenDavid-Hadar’s research foci are Education Finance Policy, and Economics of Education. She is the founder and previous chair of the Economics and Finance of Education SIG in the Comparative International Education Society (CIES), and a Member of the Board of the International Higher Education in Belt and Road Countries (IHE-B&R) at the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), China.
Her papers have been published in books and journals such as International Journal of Educational Development, Education Economics, and the Journal of Education Finance. Her book Education Finance, Equality, and Equity was recently published by Springer.
2014 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.
Christine Rienstra Kiracofe is an Associate Professor at Purdue University in Educational Leadership, Policy Studies, and Director of the Ph.D. in Higher Education. She teaches courses in education law, finance, and policy and her research interests lie at the intersection of how education law and finance impact both K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions.
She is the author or co-author of more than 40 scholarly publications, including two books. Christine is the co-editor of the journal Education Law Into Practice, and serves on the editorial boards of West’s Education Law Reporter, the Journal of Education Finance, and the Journal of Education Law & Policy Review. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Education Law Association. With Spencer Weiler, she co-authors the Supreme Court update each month for the Education Law Association’s School Law Reporter and co-coordinates the State of the States for NEFA. 2013 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.
Henry Tran is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policies. He studies issues related to education human resources (HR) and finance and has published numerous articles on the topics. He holds two national HR certifications, serves on the Board of Advisors for the National Education Finance Academy and is editor of the Journal of Education Human Resources. Dr. Tran has published in Educational Management Administration & Leadership, Leadership & Policy in Schools, Journal of Public School Relations, Journal of Student Financial Aid, Journal of Education Finance, Education Leadership Review, Management in Education, Journal of Educational Policy, Planning and Administration, and The Journal of Academic Administration in Higher Education. He is a member of the Journal of Education Finance Editorial Advisory Board. 2017 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.
Her papers have been published in books and journals such as International Journal of Educational Development, Education Economics, and the Journal of Education Finance. Her book Education Finance, Equality, and Equity was recently published by Springer.
2014 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.
Christine Rienstra Kiracofe is an Associate Professor at Purdue University in Educational Leadership, Policy Studies, and Director of the Ph.D. in Higher Education. She teaches courses in education law, finance, and policy and her research interests lie at the intersection of how education law and finance impact both K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions.
She is the author or co-author of more than 40 scholarly publications, including two books. Christine is the co-editor of the journal Education Law Into Practice, and serves on the editorial boards of West’s Education Law Reporter, the Journal of Education Finance, and the Journal of Education Law & Policy Review. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Education Law Association. With Spencer Weiler, she co-authors the Supreme Court update each month for the Education Law Association’s School Law Reporter and co-coordinates the State of the States for NEFA. 2013 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.
Henry Tran is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policies. He studies issues related to education human resources (HR) and finance and has published numerous articles on the topics. He holds two national HR certifications, serves on the Board of Advisors for the National Education Finance Academy and is editor of the Journal of Education Human Resources. Dr. Tran has published in Educational Management Administration & Leadership, Leadership & Policy in Schools, Journal of Public School Relations, Journal of Student Financial Aid, Journal of Education Finance, Education Leadership Review, Management in Education, Journal of Educational Policy, Planning and Administration, and The Journal of Academic Administration in Higher Education. He is a member of the Journal of Education Finance Editorial Advisory Board. 2017 Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow.