Leadership Team
Dr. Glenn Kleiman
Executive Director
Glenn Kleiman is Executive Director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the NC State University College of Education. A cognitive psychologist by background (Ph.D., Stanford, 1977), his work in education has spanned basic and applied research, curriculum development, software development, providing professional development for teachers and administrators, policy analyses, and consulting for school districts and state departments of education. Prior to joining NC State in July 2007, he was, since 1985, Vice President and Senior Research Scientist at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) in Newton MA, where he most recently directed the Center for Online Professional Education and was Co-Director of the Northeast and Islands Regional Education Lab. He was also on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education from 1995-2007 and was educational chair of the Harvard/EDC Leadership and the New Technologies Institutes.
Dr. Andy Overstreet
Director of Operations
Andy began at NC State in 2002 as Project Manager for the development of the Friday Institute at The College of Education. He also served as Visiting Professor in the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. He was appointed to Director of Operations at The Friday Institute in 2005. Prior to joining N C State, Andy worked for 34 years in the public schools of Virginia and North Carolina as a teacher, principal and superintendent. He also lectured at UVA and UNC and is co-leader of The Innovation Leaders Academy at the Friday Institute.
Phil Emer
Director of Technology
Phil Emer is the Technology Director at NC State University’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. Phil is also the program director for the N.C. School Connectivity Initiative to enhance education in every NC public school and economic development statewide, leading a collaboration among the NC General Assembly, the NC Department of Public Instruction, the NC University and Community College systems, and the NC Business Education Technology Alliance. Phil began his career at IBM and has dedicated nearly 20 years working at the intersection of computer networking, research and education.
Sammie Carter
Associate Director of Technology
Sammie Carter started at the Friday Institute in Summer of 2005 were he designed and built the Friday Institute's overall technology infrastructure. He currently serves as Associate Director of Technology were he manages IT Operations and specializes in security systems, systems engineering, integration, and interoperability, virtualization, grid, and HPC. Sammie holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Computer Science from the College of Engineering at N.C. State University. He also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Computer Science at N.C. State.
Dave Frye
Assistant Director of Operations
Dave Frye joined the Friday Institute team in 2003. In his current role as Assistant Director of Operations, Dave works with Friday institute staff, researchers and graduate students to develop and refine the Institute's operations processes and procedures to meet the changing needs of the Institute. Dave also supervises the FI front desk and event management staff, manages furniture and space needs for FI projects, coordinates building maintenance, repairs and redesign, and works closely with technology staff to keep the building up-to-date in its technology.
Dr. Jere Confrey
Senior Research Fellow and Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor
Dr. Jere Confrey is the Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education at North Carolina State University and a Senior Fellow at the William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation She is building diagnostic assessments on rational number reasoning using a learning trajectories approach and synthesizing the literature. She chaired the NRC Committee which produced "On Evaluating Curricular Effectiveness," and was a coauthor on the NRC’s "Scientific Research in Education." She was a co-founder of the UTEACH program at the University of Texas in Austin, and founded the SummerMath aand SummerMath for Teachers programs at Mount Holyoke College. She has taught school at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. She received a Ph.D. and M.A. in mathematics education from Cornell University, and B.A. from Duke University.
Dr. Hiller Spires
Senior Research Fellow and Professor
Dr. Spires was the founding director for the Friday Institute and now serves as Senior Research Fellow. She joined NC State University's College of Education in 1987 after receiving her Ph.D. in Literacy Education from the University of South Carolina. For her cumulative work in the area of literacy and technology, Dr. Spires received the International Reading Association Award for Outstanding Writing in the Field of College Reading in 1998. She received NC State's Outstanding Alumni Award in Outreach and Service for providing professional development seminars for teachers. Dr. Spires studies the integration of emerging technologies in order to illustrate research-based, best practices for digital literacy learning. She conducts research in the area of game-based literacies and learning on the NSF funded project,Crystal Island, and co-directs the Friday Institute’s New Literacies Collaborative (see newlit.org). See http://www.ced.ncsu.edu/ci/hiller/ to view Dr. Spires homepage.
Dr. Eric Wiebe
Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor
Dr. Eric Wiebe is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education at NC State University. Dr. Wiebe has focused much of his research on issues related to the use of technology in the instructional environment, with a particular emphasis on multimedia tools and techniques. Application in this research area includes: exploring the cognitive basis of 2-D and 3-D visual perception, evaluating technology used as a vehicle for communication and learning technical, engineering and scientific information; and promoting graphics literacy and the application of scientific visualization in secondary and post-secondary education. Past projects include a grant from the NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation to help develop cutting edge research techniques in K-12 STEM education and a 3-year NSF project developing curricula using scientific and technical visualization in middle and high school. Current work includes an NSF project focused on the use of graphics in elementary science education and a state funded project evaluating the impact of cloud computing technologies in high school and community college STEM courses. Dr. Wiebe is currently serving as a Senior Research Fellow at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State.
Dr. Alan Maloney
Senior Research Fellow and Extension Associate Professor
Dr. Alan Maloney joined NC State University in 2007 as Senior Research Fellow at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, and Extension Associate Professor of Mathematics Education. His educational background is in biological sciences, he has designed mathematics educational software (including Graphs N Glyphs) and has been conducting research in mathematics education for the past 8 years. His research interests include synthesis of research on and the design and implementation of diagnostic assessments for rational number reasoning, and the design of innovative technology for mathematics and science education. He is currently research coordinator for the Friday Institute’s DELTA math educational group, co-PI of the North Carolina Integrated Mathematics project, and coordinator of the Friday Institute’s Brown Bag and Voices of Innovation seminar series. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University.
Verna Lalbeharie
Senior Program Director
Dr. Jeni Corn
Senior Research Associate
Jeni Corn joined the Friday Institute in January of 2008. She serves as a co-PI (Principal Investigator) of evaluation and research studies around the implementation and impact of technology-enabled innovations in K-12 classrooms. Her primary responsibilities include managing the process and day-to-day operations of the evaluation of the NC 1:1 Learning Technology Initiative, as well as supporting work on the evaluation of the NC School Connectivity Initiative. Before joining the Friday Institute team, Jeni worked as Project Coordinator for the Technology in Learning Program at the SERVE Center at UNCG. Her work there involved providing technical assistance and authentic professional development in the areas of curriculum and instruction; leadership for technology; technology policy-making; and, planning and evaluation for local, regional, and state-level educators. Jeni completed her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology in May 2008 at North Carolina State University.
Chris Pfitzer
Communication Specialist
Chris Pfitzer joined the Friday Institute staff in April 2008 as the Communication Specialist. In this capacity, he directs and oversees information programs that promote the Friday Institute and it’s projects including the web presence, print publications, and media relations. For three years prior to his joining the Friday Institute, he held a similar position with NC State’s University Housing and Greek Life Departments. Before coming to work at NC State, he was the Lead Advertising Designer with the News and Observer and was a freelance marketing and design professional. He earned a BFA in 1995 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Jessica Guzzo
Business Officer
Jessica Guzzo joined the Friday Institute team in May of 2007. She manages and oversees the financial operations of the Institute. Ms. Guzzo began her career at NCSU in 2005 working as an Accounting Technician for the Agricultural & Extension Education Department in CALS. Prior to joining NCSU, Ms. Guzzo worked as an Accounting Assistant for the law firm of Glasser and Glasser, PLC in Norfolk, VA. She earned her B.A. from Old Dominion University in 2002.
Marjorie Santoro
Executive Assistant
Marjorie Santoro is a Troy State University alumna. She has been with NCSU since 2003 when she began her career in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Ms. Santoro expanded her university experience by working in CALS Personnel - Dean’s Office and then in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering as an Executive Assistant. Before joining the university, she worked with the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood, a private, non-profit program devoted to promoting the healthy emotional development of young children.