Conference Organization Committee

Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo (smastran@lakeheadu.ca) is a Full Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead (Orillia). She is the Director of Research for the Applied Self-Regulation Knowledge Network ( https://self-reg.ca/applied-self-reg-knowledge-research-network/) and is chief editor of the Journal of Applied Self-Regulation (https://jasr.lakeheadu.ca/).  Her areas of research include: self-regulation, mental health, special and inclusive education with a focus on autism spectrum disorders, and cognitive-developmental systems theory. Dr. Mastrangelo is working on several federally funded projects, including developing employment and entrepreneurial pathways for youth and adults with neurodivergences.  She is currently conducting a study on promoting self-regulation and well-being in university students and has recently completed an Educational Psychology textbook alongside her colleagues. Dr. Mastrangelo frequently travels nationally and internationally, engaging audiences about research and practice related to interventions for children and youth on the autism spectrum. She is also a certified Miller Method clinician. Further information about her research can be found here:  https://www.lakeheadu.ca/users/M/smastran.

Susan Michaud has had two decades of experience in the classroom, supporting learners across a broad developmental spectrum, from birth through age 14. Currently, she serves as the Chair of the Teacher Education Liaison Committee at Lakehead University, where she advocates for strong connections between theory and practice in teacher preparation. As a Master of Education student, Susan's research is focused specifically on initial teacher education, exploring how to best prepare the next generation of educators for the complexities of the modern classroom. Her work is deeply informed by a specialized focus on Special Education, early years Mathematics, and the unique, play-based world of Kindergarten. Susan is passionate about mentorship and the evolution of pedagogy, always seeking new ways to bridge the gap between expertise, research, and the fresh perspectives of emerging educators.

Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston is a Professor, Chair of Graduate Studies and Research in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, Ontario, Canada, and a certified teacher (Alberta, Canada) since 1999. Dr. Lovell-Johnston earned her PhD in Education from the University of Alberta in 2014, specializing in Language and Literacy Education. Her current research areas include early reading and writing development, pedagogy, assessment, and educational technology. Dr. Lovell-Johnston has been a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (CI) for six external and four internal research grants. These projects include a 2018 SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant (PI) with the Simcoe County District School Board and a 2019 SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (CI) with the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre and the Self-Regulation Institute/Mehrit Centre. She has also helped secure SSHRC Connection Grants for developing conferences, such as the Applied Self-Regulation Knowledge Conference (2022). Dr. Lovell-Johnston actively supports graduate students and has supported an international visiting scholar and two post-doctoral researchers. Meridith is a member of the Language and Literacy Researchers of Canada (LLRC), the International Literacy Association (ILA), and the Literacy Research Association (LRC). She actively contributes to publications and presentations, and is an editor on the LLRC’s open access, peer-reviewed journal on Language and Literacy.

Julie Howell is an education administration professional with more than 18 years of experience at Lakehead University’s Faculty of Education, where she has supported academic programming, teacher candidates, and field placement operations. She brings over 10 years of experience developing and managing province-wide K–12 placement networks and coordinated more than 300 practice teaching placements annually in 55+ school boards and across multiple placement blocks.  Julie has extensive knowledge of Ontario’s K–12 education sector, school board operations, and Ontario College of Teachers regulations, along with strong expertise in stakeholder relations and partnership development.  Julie is passionate about fostering strong relationships between teacher candidates, associate teachers, schools, and faculties of education to support meaningful and successful teaching experiences.

Dr. Joan Chambers is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay campus. Her teaching centres on elementary science, technology, and environmental education in the BEd program. Dr. Chambers earned her PhD in Education from the University of Alberta in 2007. Dr. Chambers teaches Science, Technology, Society and
Environment (STSE), Science Curriculum, and Introductory and Qualitative Research Methodology in the graduate program. Her research areas are varied and include robotics, coding, and computational thinking; elementary science and environmental education; critical literacy, including reading the environment as a form of text; and climate change education.