SHERRIL SOMAN, DEAN

Dr. Sherril Soman is the founding Dean of the College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI) at Grand Valley State University (GVSU).  Dean Soman joined GVSU’s Chemistry Department in 2000. She earned a doctorate in chemistry from Purdue University in 2000 and a B.S. in chemistry from Prairie View A&M University.  

Dr. Soman has several years of progressive leadership experience at GVSU, serving most recently as the dean of the college of education from 2018 until the merger which created the CECI in 2021.  She has also served associate vice president for Enrollment Development and university registrar, director of Financial Aid, interim assistant vice president for Academic Affairs, and interim associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her unique professional path has the resulted in an understanding of the university experience through a variety of lenses and ability to facilitate broad collaborations.

Dean Soman has extensive expertise in curriculum development, assessment and strategic planning. She also serves as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.

CHASITY BAILEY-FAKHOURY, ASSOCIATE DEAN

Dr. Chasity Bailey-Fakhoury is an Associate Dean within the College of Education and Community Innovation.  She is also an Associate Professor of Educational Foundations.  Dr. Bailey-Fakhoury joined Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in 2013 after serving for 15 years as a Detroit Public Schools teacher.  As a King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellow, Dr. Bailey-Fakhoury received her Ph.D. in sociology from Wayne State University, as well as her M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies Education.  She earned her BA in sociology from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Bailey-Fakhoury has served in many leadership roles including as the Director of Engagement for Educational and Community Innovation in the GV NextEd Co-Lab, program coordinator for Educational Foundations, and chair of the Equity and Inclusion Committee (EIC) of UAS.  In 2021, she served as the Presidential Fellow for Strategy Development and Outreach with a special emphasis on supporting faculty innovation as the faculty lead for the Innovation Fund planning and review team.  Dr. Bailey-Fakhoury also served as a member of the Reach Higher 2025 Steering Committee.  Her community engagement efforts include building university partnerships with local schools/districts and community organizations such as KConnect, the Grand Rapids Urban League, and the Hispanic Center of West Michigan.

Dr. Bailey-Fakhoury has received several honors and awards including the 2018 Burch, Jacobs and Moore Diversity Teaching Excellence Award, the 2019 Family and Community Engagement Award from Grand Rapids Public Schools, the GVSU Women’s Commission 2023 Community Impact Award, and more recently the 2024 Arizona Cleaver Stemons Educator of the Year Award from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated Pi Rho Zeta Chapter.  Her scholarship has been published in journals such as Michigan Family Review, the Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, and The Urban Review. 

MARK HOFFMAN, ASSOCIATE DEAN

Dr. Mark C. Hoffman is an Associate Dean within the College of Education and Community Innovation and Associate Professor with the School of Community Leadership and Development (SCLD). Previously, he was Associate Dean of the College of Community and Public Service (2014-2021) and the director of School of Public Nonprofit and Health Administration (2007-2014). He has taught Change Management, Foundations of Public Service, GIS in Public Service, and Community Analysis courses. Since 2024, he has been teaching in the Professional Master of Arts in Social Innovation program.

Dr. Hoffman has also published in Administrative Theory & Praxis, Government Information Quarterly, Public Voices, Public Administration Review, Journal of Saemaulogy, and Informatization Policy Journal.  Dr. Hoffman was special issue co-editor of the October 2014 Social Science Computer Review. He received the 2002 William and Fredrick Mosher Award for best article by an academician appearing in Public Administration Review.

During his 2011-2012 sabbatical, Dr. Hoffman taught at Yeungnam University in South Korea and the Cracow University of Economics and Kielce University of Technology in Poland.

Dr. Hoffman was chair of the University-Wide Teaching Excellence Awards Committee (2006), and Chair of the Division/College Curriculum Committee (2001-02, 2004-05). He served on the editorial board of the Public Administration Review (2005-07) and on the conference planning committee for the URISA Public Participation GIS Conference (2003-05). 

Prior to joining the faculty at GVSU in 1999, Dr. Hoffman was a research associate with the Urban Center at Cleveland State University (CSU). He received his Ph.D. and master’s in urban studies from CSU and his BA in Political Science from the College of Wooster.

KARYN RABOURN, ASSOCIATE DEAN

Dr. Rabourn joined the CECI Dean's Office as an Associate Dean in August 2026. She is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Counseling and has been a member of the Grand Valley State University community since 2015. She brings extensive experience in academic leadership, faculty governance, program development, and university service, as well as a strong commitment to collaborative and transparent leadership.

Most recently, Dr. Rabourn has served as Strategic Lead in the Office of the Provost and previously as a Presidential Fellow, where she designed and facilitated professional development for academic unit heads. Her leadership at GVSU has also included serving as Co-Chair of the CECI Faculty Council, a member of the Executive Committee of the Senate and University Academic Senate, and Graduate Program Director for the M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration. Across these roles, Dr. Rabourn has built a strong record of working across units, developing partnerships, supporting academic leaders, and advancing initiatives related to shared governance, faculty development, equity, and institutional priorities.

As Associate Dean, Dr. Rabourn will work closely with faculty, staff, unit leaders, students, and community partners to support CECI’s academic programs and strategic priorities. Her experience in program and curriculum development, assessment, leadership development, and community engagement will be particularly valuable as we continue to strengthen our programs and partnerships and advance the College’s mission.

Dr. Rabourn earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University, with a minor in Public Finance, as well as a Certificate in Public Budgeting and Financial Management. She also holds an M.A. in Student Affairs Administration and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Michigan State University.

DAISY FREDRICKS, ASSISTANT DEAN AND DIRECTOR OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Dr. Daisy Fredricks is an Assistant Dean, Associate Professor, and the Director of Teacher Education at Grand Valley State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from Arizona State University in 2013. Her current research focuses on the daily instructional practices that teachers utilize with multilingual learners—and how learners respond to such practices. She has published in Theory Into Practice, Action in Teacher Education, Bilingual Research Journal, International Multilingual Research Journal, CATESOL Journal, and several peer-reviewed book collections. She served as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher in Michigan, Texas, and Arizona.

Degrees

• Ph.D., Arizona State University (Applied Linguistics)
• M.Ed., Arizona State University (Curriculum and Instruction, Bilingual & ESL Education)
• B.A., Grand Valley State University (Spanish & Elementary Education)

Academic & Professional Activities

• American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
• American Anthropological Association (AAA)
• American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• Alpha Upsilon Alpha (AUA)
• International Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• Kappa Delta Pi (KDP)

Scholarly Interests & Research

• English Learner Education
• Refugee-Background Learners in PK-12 Contexts
• Pre-Service Teacher Education
• Restrictive Language Ideology, Policy, and Practice
• Qualitative Research:  Ethnography, Interview Methodologies, and Action Research

Teaching Areas

• EDI 310: Organizing and Managing the Classroom Environment
• EDI 635: Development and Needs of Students
• EDR 635: Sociolinguistics:  Language, Society, and Schooling

KATIE HUMPHREY, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR BUDGET AND STAFF AFFAIRS

Katie Humphrey is the Administrative Associate Dean for Budget and Staff Affairs for the College of Education and Community Innovation (CECI) and has worked in higher education for 21 years. Her experience within higher education includes: finance and accounting; grants and special project administration; contracts; personnel and resource management; community and alumni relations; and database management.

A proud Laker alumna, Katie first joined Grand Valley State University in the fall of 2003 as a part of the Alumni Relations office (2003-2005) and was later an executive assistant for the Office of the President, where she supported special projects, events, and community relations efforts (2005-2012). Katie served as an assistant to the Dean of the former College of Community and Public Service (2012-2017) before being appointed Assistant Dean of the College of Education (2017-2021), then Assistant Dean for Finance for CECI (2021-2025)

Effective Fall 2025, Katie is now the Administrative Associate Dean for Budget and Staff Affairs for CECI, and remains responsible for overall fiscal operations, personnel and resource management for the college.

Degrees

• B.A., Grand Valley State University, Frederik Meijer Honors College Graduate, Cum Laude
• M.Ed., Grand Valley State University, Adult and Higher Education (in progress)
   

Academic & Professional Activities

• Grand Valley State University Inclusion Advocate
• The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
• Psi Chi International Honor Society
• College of Education and Community Innovation Dean’s Leadership Team

SHAWN EVANS, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Shawn Evans is the administrative assistant for the College of Education and Community Innovation Dean’s Office effective July 1, 2021. He began his career at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) as a student employee in the Graduate Studies in Education office (2000-2002) and has served the College of Education in a variety of professional capacities: secretary and database coordinator for the Student Information and Services Center (2002-2005), academic department coordinator for Leadership and Learning (2005-2013), and administrative assistant for the College of Education Dean’s Office (2013-2021).

Shawn represents the institution’s professional support staff on the GVSU Benefits Committee (2014-present) and is the chairperson of the Bargaining Committee for the Alliance of Professional Support Staff (2020-present). Shawn volunteers his time as coach for AYSO United (2017-present), a local travel soccer club, and holds the U.S. Soccer Federation Grassroots and national D coaching licenses. He is Pure Michigan and loves spending time outdoors with his sons and friends, coaching and playing soccer, camping, hiking, and swimming. An avid nerd, Shawn also enjoys collecting and playing the trading card game Magic: the Gathering™, playing chess, sudoku, and other strategy apps and board games. It remains noteworthy, Shawn and Batman have never been seen in the same room at the same time.

Degree

• B.A., Grand Valley State University, Philosophy

Professional Activities

• Alliance of Professional Support Staff:
  • Bargaining Committee, Chairperson
  • GVSU Benefits Committee
• GVSU Inclusion Advocate

RITA COOPER, OFFICE ASSISTANT

In 1987, Rita began GVSU as the secretary in Alumni Relations and later became the office coordinator.  Over her years at GVSU, she has served as secretary for the Chemistry Department and Regional Math and Science Center; the academic department coordinator for the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department before assuming her position as the College of Community and Public Service Office Assistant.

Rita enjoys spending time golfing, snowmobiling, and being with family and friends. 

Professional Activities

• Michigan Cares for Tourism Board Member and Finance Administrator

Professional Awards

• 2026 College of Education and Community Innovation Professional Support Staff Commendation
• 2015 College of Community and Public Service Dean's Professional Support Staff Commendation

VICTORIA STUBBS, OFFICE ASSISTANT

Victoria Stubbs joined the CECI Dean’s Office as an Office Assistant in December 2024. Victoria began her career at GVSU as a student employee in the Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) Department from 2007-2010. After graduating from GVSU in August of 2010, she was asked to return to the HTM Department a few months later in the spring of 2011 to serve as a temporary clerical worker, then was hired as a full-time Secretary for the department in November of the same year. Victoria served as the HTM Department Secretary from 2011-2021. In November 2021, Victoria became the Academic Department Coordinator for the Department of Teaching and Learning, supporting Instruction and Curriculum and Special Education faculty at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

During Victoria’s time with HTM, she became involved with Michigan Cares for Tourism (MC4T) (founded by HTM faculty) and served as the Social Media Coordinator and on the Board of Directors from 2013-2023. She remains involved with MC4T, but only in a volunteer and donor capacity now.

Victoria enjoys spending time at her family’s cottages on Harsens Island, MI, visiting her young nephews in Chicago, and is a lover of dogs, Boxers in particular (currently has two in the family).

Degree

• B.S., Grand Valley State University, History

Professional Awards

• 2024 College of Education and Community Innovation Professional Support Staff (PSS) Commendation
• 2019 College of Community and Public Service (CCPS) Dean's Professional Support Staff (PSS) Commendation