Alumni Accolades – Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

Alumni Accolades, October 2025

Ricardo Valencia, IRT ’06
The Santa Maria-Bonita School District‘s school board and superintendent have been awarded the 2025 LEAD Award at the California Latino School Board’s Association Unity Conference in San Diego. Valencia is one of the school board members who was recognized for our leadership work.

Ricardo Valencia, IRT ’06 (second in from left)

Gabriel Peoples, IRT ’07
Gabriel’s new book, Goin’ Viral: Uncontrollable Black Performance, was published in the University of Illinois Press’ prestigious New Black Studies series in July. In it, Gabriel grapples with how Black people (as well as Black representations) have been going viral since before the Internet and after it. In each chapter, Gabriel focuses on a performance, considering its past, present, and future, and offers insight into how it went viral and continues to do so.

Alumni Accolades, June 2025

Reena Goldthree, IRT ’02
Congratulations to Dr. Reena Goldthree, who earned tenure at Princeton University. She is an Associate Professor of African American Studies.

Wilson Okello, IRT ’08
Congratulations to Dr. Wilson Okello, who earned tenure at Penn State University. He is an Associate Professor of Education (HIED) and Research Associate (Center for the Study of Higher Education).

Mariahadessa Tallie, IRT ’17
Mariahadessa earned her Ph.D. in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies from Brown University. Mariahadessa is a poet, artist, and scholar. Congratulations and best wishes are also extended to her daughter Joy-Shanti Sindayiganza, who graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover, class of 2025.

Courtney Murray Ross, IRT ’18
Murray earned her Ph.D. in English and African American Studies from Pennsylvania State University.

Gerald Jae Sevillano, IRT ’18
Sevillano earned his Ph.D. in American Studies from The George Washington University.

Joe Baez, IRT ’18
Baez earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from The George Washington University.

Let us know if you recently received your Ph.D. We would love to share your accomplishment in the IRT Newsletter!

Alumni Accolades, April 2025

Délice Williams, IRT ‘96
Williams has a new article in the winter issue of the journal Modern Language Studies, which was published on Jan 31, 2025. Williams is an associate professor in the English Department at the University of Delaware.

Tiffany Joseph, IRT ’03
The release of Joseph’s newest book Not All In: Race, Immigration, and Health Care Exclusion in the Age of Obamacare is available via Hopkins Press, March 2025. Tiffany D. Joseph is an associate professor of sociology and international affairs at Northeastern University.

Read author commentary by Dr. Joseph.

Alumni Accolades, February 2025

We are so proud of all of our alumni accomplishments! If you are an IRT alum and would like to share your news in an upcoming post or if you are an alumni author and would like to have your book posted on our alumni publications page, please reach out!

Omar Galárraga, IRT ’00
Congratulations to Omar recently awarded tenure and is the Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice, and Director of the International Health Institute at Brown University.

Photo: Brown University

Alumni Accolades, October 2024

Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 and Ain Ealy, IRT ’21 met up at a week-long Summer Institute titled Towards a More Equitable and Inclusive Digital World in Latin America, sponsored by the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies at Vanderbilt University and in collaboration with Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies and Arizona’s Center for Latin American Studies. Read more on Leislie’s experience.

(L-R) Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 and Ain Ealy, IRT ’21

Angela Batista, IRT ’96
Batista was honored by the University of Vermont (UVM) during their annual Andrew Harris Legacy Reception. This annual event honors the legacy and work of UVM community members who have inspired and strengthened diversity, equity, and inclusion.