American Educator Peer Review Board

Since 1977, American Educator has published the highest-quality research and ideas related to preK–12 public education. Committed to educational equity from early childhood to adulthood, American Educator expanded to include higher education in 2020. Our peer review process is crucial for informing and strengthening the articles we publish. If you would like to become a peer reviewer, please visit our application page.

Board Members

Chandra Hayes

Chandra Hayes is an educator with over 20 years of experience as teacher, virtual instructor, migrant education program specialist, school counselor and referral coordinator. Chandra earned both her BS in Elementary Education and her MS in Guidance and Counseling from Florida A&M University. She also earned a Certificate in Educational Leadership for the University of South Florida and a Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of West Florida. Chandra currently works as an elementary school counselor and referral coordinator.  She is a member of the Florida School Counselor Association and the American School Counselor Association. Outside of her professional life, Chandra enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching football, playing with her dog and traveling to new destinations.

Michele Jones

Dr. Michele Jones earned her undergraduate degree at Penn State University, her masters degree from Point Park University and her doctoral degree from Point Park University. She recently retired from 16 years of teaching middle and high school English. She is now working as a book editor and as a professor at both Duquesne and Point Park University. Michele has one son, Charlie, who is two years old and full of energy.

Emily Mulvilhill

Dr. Emily Mulvihill holds an Ed.D. degree in educational leadership, two M.Ed. degrees and a B.A. in psychology and education. Emily is a former principal, assistant principal, elementary educator and English teacher. She has worked at all levels of K-12 education and now holds a tenure track position as assistant professor at Colorado State University Pueblo, where she is in charge of the principal licensure program in the School of Education.

Louis Olander

Dr. Louis Olander is an inclusive educator based in New York. He has taught grades 6 through college over the last 16 years and has consulted widely in the New York area. His doctoral studies addressed meeting the needs of students of color placed in special education classrooms in urban schools.

Trudi Perkins

Dr. Trudi L. Perkins is the founder and CEO of Momentum Consulting Firm, a Los Angeles-based company that specializes in designing and curriculum and qualitative research projects for educational and corporate organizations. She has extensive experience in education, corporate and nonprofit sectors, which she uses to bridge this broad background of experience with knowledge of teacher education and creative strategies. In her present work with pedagogy and curriculum, she employs innovative methods to address the challenge of shifting paradigms around scholarship, pedagogy and practice of anti-racism education and personal growth.

Margaret Phillips

Until her retirement in 2023, Margaret Phillips served as a librarian at UC Berkeley for 32 years, most recently as the librarian for education, gender and women’s studies, and psychology. She has published on issues related to the public availability of educational research as well as a case study on the democratization of the union at the University of California. Phillips served many roles in the Berkeley chapter of the University Council-American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT), including as grievance steward, statewide representative and member of the librarian organizing committee.

Rebeca Porter

Dr. Rebeca Porter has been in education since 1998, teaching every grade from kindergarten to graduate school in English, ESL and reading. She has been in educational leadership since 2020 at both a middle school and for the Department of Juvenile Justice. She is currently a Guidance Service Professional in Brevard County, FL.

Rialda Shulman

Rialda Shulman is an Associate Professor of English and has been in education for the last 14 years. She taught English and Humanities courses at Mohawk Valley Community College for 13 years. She is currently teaching English in The School District of Philadelphia. In addition to teaching, she recently published two poems in poetry magazines Doubly Mad and Glimpse.

Christine Steinmuller

Christine Steinmuller is a retired educator from the Harborfields Central School District. Her focus as a classroom teacher and literacy coach was to help elevate teaching and learning in primary classrooms. As a dedicated professional, her goal has always been to make a difference in education, whether working with students or adult learners or with actions that bring about a transformative influence within a school community. Christine has been a member of our peer review board since 2021.