Committees
The International Transformative Learning Conference is organized by the collective ideas, energies and efforts of members of the wider transformative learning community. We invite you to learn more about the people serving on the committees for ITLC 2022 below.
We’ll continue to update this page as committees form and begin their work. If you are intersted in volunteering to serve on a committee, more information on how to join us is also provided below.
ITLC 2022 Steering Committee
Frank Conner, PhD
Frank Conner, PhD is professor of psychology and chair of the psychology department at Grand Rapids Community College. As a Cognitive Scientist, Dr. Conner brings a sociocultural framework to his research and understanding of the ways in which human beings construct meaning. A constant thread in his work has been a whole-systems approach to organizational and community change, believing all people should have a voice in the construction of their world. Dr. Conner began his career as a consultant in the training and implementation of technology. With a focus on the application of Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing, he authored or co-authored a dozen books on this subject.
Grand Rapids Community College
Conference Co-Chair
John Dirkx, PhD
John Dirkx is Professor and Mildred B. Erickson Distinguished Chair (Emeritus) in Higher and Adult Education at Michigan State University. He received his doctorate from UW – Madison in 1987 with a focus on transformative learning. He is a former editor of the Journal of Transformative Education, and author of A Guide to Planning and Implementing Instruction for Adults, and numerous book chapters and journal articles on adult learning.
Michigan State University
Conference Co-Chair
Aliki Nicolaides, EdD
Aliki Nicolaides is Associate Professor of Adult Learning and Leadership at the University of Georgia. Dr. Nicolaides seeks to optimize vital developmental conditions for the evolution of self and society. Her research has led to the development of Generative Knowing: Ways of being and becoming. Specifically, her work suggests that under certain conditions and with intentional scaffolding, encounters with ambiguity and complexity can evoke deep learning and reveal hidden potential that generates response-ability. Dr. Nicolaides is a founding steward and current Director of the International Transformative Learning Association.
University of Georgia
Marguerite Welch, PhD
Marguerite Welch is the Program Director for the MA in Leadership Program at Saint Mary’s College of California (SMC). She designs and facilitates innovative and transformative learning experiences for working professionals in the areas of building cross-cultural capacity, online learning, leadership, and action research. Her scholarship focuses on developing capacity in white people to thrive in multicultural environments.
Saint Mary’s College of California
Victoria Marsick, PhD
Victoria J. Marsick is Professor of Adult Learning & Leadership at Columbia University, Teachers College. She holds a Ph.D. in Adult Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Victoria’s publications have reported on informal and incidental learning, team learning, and organizational learning (system dynamics, learning organization, and learning cultures).
Teachers College, Columbia University
Pierre Faller, EdD
Pierre Faller is a lecturer and faculty member in Columbia Teachers College Department of Organization and Leadership. He has authored several book and journal articles about the role of reflection and sense-making in workplace learning. He holds an EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University, an MBA from Darden Graduate Business School, University of Virginia and is certified from the Columbia Coaching Certification Program.
Teachers College, Columbia University
Chair, Scientific Committee
Kristen Del Simone
Kristen Del Simone is an adjunct Assistant Professor at Saint Mary’s College of California (SMC), where she teaches in the MA in Leadership program and develops, facilitates, and coaches in organizational executive leadership programs through the SMC Leadership Center. Her research and practice interests are centered around developing individual and group meaning-making processes that cultivate wisdom, connection, and collective intelligence.
Saint Mary’s College of California
Co-Chair, Scientific Committee
Zhenyang Xu
Zhenyang Xu is a Ph.D. student in Higher, Adult and Lifelong Education and Research Assistant in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University. His research interests lie in critical internationalization studies in higher education, with particular focuses on international students, international branch campuses, and Chinese higher education.
Michigan State University
Scientific Committee
The Scientific Committee is responsible for designing and facilitating the proposal submission and review process for the conference. For ITLC 2022, we are innovating on our process by organizing a team of nearly 60 volunteer reviewers into one of seven “Review Pods” led by members of the Scientific Committee, below.
Grace Alcid – Teachers College, Columbia University
Francesca Bracci – University of Florence
Kristen Del Simone, Co-Chair – Saint Mary’s College of California
Urusa Fahim – Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore
Pierre Faller, Chair – Teachers College, Columbia University
Ted Fleming – Teachers College, Columbia University
Elizabeth Kasl – Independent Scholar
Randee Lawrence – Teachers College, Columbia University
Alessandra Romano – University of Siena
Victoria Marsick – Teachers College, Columbia University
Marguerite Welch – Saint Mary’s College of California
Award Review Committees
Jack Mezirow Living Theory of Transformative Learning Award Review Committee
Tetyana Hoggan-Kloubert
Cheryl Baldwin
Felix Dike
Maura Striano
Kaisu Mälkki
Sarah Stanlick
Patricia Cranton Distinguised Dissertation Award Review Committee
Thank you to our team of Stage Managers!
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Grace Alcid
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Trish Barefield
University of Georgia, USA
BriYana Butler
Saint Mary’s College of California, USA
Ruohao Chen
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Desantila Gjata
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Michelle Guo
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Pamela Gutman
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Weixin He
University of Georgia, USA
RocQuel Johnson
Saint Mary’s College of California, USA
Ahreum Lim
University of Georgia, USA
Karen Kirsch Page
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Shannon Perry
University of Georgia, USA
Kartika A Putri
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA
Salomon Rodezno
Michigan State University, USA
Eunbi Sim
University of Georgia, USA
Zhenyang Xu
Michigan State University, USA
Junyi Yu
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA