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CETL Staff
Cathy Pohan
Executive Director
Memorial Hall 212L
714-516-5815
pohan@chapman.edu
Dr. Cathy Pohan is a passionate educator who brings with her more than 30 years of experience working with students and faculty in higher education. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychological and Cultural Studies with an emphasis in Cognition and Learning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cathy joins us from UC Merced where for the past four years she served as Associate Director of their Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning. Preceding this position, Cathy was a Professor in Colleges of Education at the University of Northern Colorado, San Diego State University, Texas A & M University- Corpus Christi and National University. For 10 years Dr. Pohan served as the Center Lead for National University’s School of Education at the Fresno Campus, supporting PK-12 educators and educational institutions throughout the Central Valley in California. As a Fulbright Scholar in 2015, Cathy had the honor of providing professional development to University and PK-12 Educators working with vulnerable populations throughout Chile, South America. She is highly committed to helping Chapman continue to increase its reach and success with underrepresented and first-generation students.
Dr. Pohan has extensive experience teaching and developing curriculum for in-person, hybrid, and online instruction. She is co-author of UC Merced’s Faculty Guide for the Development of Online/Hybrid Courses (2022) and collaborated to offer the Faculty Institute for Emergency Remote Instruction for two years during the pandemic. Over the years, Cathy has conducted a myriad of workshops designed to help faculty and graduate teaching assistants increase student success.
Melissa Samaniego
Assistant Director and Instructional Designer
Memorial Hall 212K
714-516-5814
msamaniego@chapman.edu
Dr. Samaniego holds an Ed.D. in Higher and Postsecondary Education, and has been working in higher education for almost 20 years. She has a wide range of experience and specializes in faculty development and training, online and blended instruction, instructional design, and learning management systems. She has initiated and led faculty development programs at various institutions, including onboarding and mentorship programs for new faculty, and faculty conferences and workshops on a range of topics related to pedagogy and educational technology. At a previous institution, she authored a Faculty Mentorship Program Guide and a New Faculty Onboarding Guide, and has written faculty development courses on blended learning, mentorship, and assessment. Her research interests lie in the areas of blended and flipped teaching and learning and the impact of faculty development on faculty and student success. As a Chapman alumna, she is very excited to support Chapman faculty in this position.