Alumni News

Dr. Macias is the new editor for California English, the journal for the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE). She was also a co-keynote speaker for the 2026 CATE Annual Convention this past March. In addition, Dr. Macias was an award recipient of the 2025-26 CSU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Educational Innovations Challenge from the CSU Chancellor's Office, receiving a $21,650 award for her BeachTeach project, a chatbot designed to support student teachers' pedagogical, emotional, and academic development.

Krista received the Four-Year College and University Section Excellence in Teaching award from the National Association of Biology Teachers in 2024.

Jesse M. Bernal, Ph.D., a graduate of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, currently serves as the 10th president of Western Connecticut State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Education from Gevirtz. 

Natalie Wilkes (TEP, M.Ed. ‘11), a first-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary in Santa Barbara, has been named the 2026 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

Andrew Young Choi (CCSP, Ph.D. ‘19; Education, M.A. ‘18), assistant professor at Pace University in New York City, has earned a specialty board certification from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP).

Britt Andreatta (Education, Ph.D. ‘98), CEO of Brain Aware Training, has published a second edition of her book “Wired to Resist: The Brain Science of Why Change Fails and a New Model for Driving Success” (7th Mind Publishing, 2025).

Jacob Boone (TEP, ‘13), a special education teacher at Dos Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara, received the Special Education Teacher of the Year award from the Santa Barbara County Special Education Local Plan Area.

Jazzmyn Ward (CCSP, Clinical Psychology Ph.D. ‘23) received the 2025 Dissertation Award from the Trauma Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association.

Katie Eklund (CCSP, Ph.D. ‘11), professor of educational psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison, received the UW-Madison 2025 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

Kerry Kelly (Education, M.Ed. ‘93) has been elected vice chair of the board of directors for Jodi House in Santa Barbara.

Natalie Wilkes (TEP, M.Ed. ‘11), a first-grade teacher at Monte Vista Elementary in Santa Barbara, has been named the 2026 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

Nicole Caiazza (TEP, ’07), a social studies and AVID teacher at La Cumbre Junior High School in Santa Barbara, was named a 2026 Distinguished Mentor by the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

Rosemary Tafoya (TEP ‘18), a special education teacher at Cleveland Elementary in Santa Barbara, received a Special Education Teacher of the Year award from the Santa Barbara County Special Education Local Plan Area.

After committing their lives and careers to improving the lives of countless early learners through reading and language arts, a trio of Gevirtz Graduate School of Education experts have established philanthropic legacies that reflect their shared passion for education and pave the way for the future of literacy instruction and research. Their combined gifts total over $2 million. 

Teacher Education Program alumnus Greg Wolf (M.Ed., SST, '13), who teaches history, political science and psychology at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, was named a 2024 California Teacher of the Year, earning the highest state recognition a teacher can receive.