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.  He is also an Associate Professor with the School of Public, Nonprofit and Health Administration (SPNHA). He was the director of SPNHA from 2007 to 2014. He has taught graduate classes, including Change Management, Foundations of Public Service, and GIS in Public Service, and undergraduate classes, including Public Policy, Public Sector Information Technology, and Community Analysis. 

Dr. Hoffman is special issue co-editor of the October 2014 Social Science Computer Review, featuring research on social media use in public, nonprofit, education, and healthcare organizations. He has also published in Administrative Theory & Praxis, Government Information Quarterly, Public Voices, and Public Administration Review. He received the 2002 William and Fredrick Mosher Award for best article by an academician appearing in Public Administration Review. With Jeremy Pyne, he co-authored an article in Sustaining Michigan: Metropolitan Policies and Strategies and two volumes of the Ethnic Atlas of West Michigan.

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 has served on Graduate Council (2014), 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 the conference planning committee for the  URISA Public Participation GIS Conference (2003-05). 

Dr. Hoffman has received a 2014 Service Award from the College of Community and Public Service, a 2011 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the GVSU Graduate and Professional Student Association, and a 1999 Cleveland State Student Choice Award for Excellence in Teaching.

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. from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at CSU. He has a Masters in Urban Studies from CSU and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the College of Wooster.

AMY SCHELLING, ASSOCIATE DEAN

Dr. Amy Schelling is an Associate Dean within the College of Education and Community Innovation.  She is also a Professor of Special Education.  Dr. Schelling joined Grand Valley State University in 2007, after an 18 year career in PK-12 public education.  In her faculty role at GVSU, she has served as the Special Education Graduate Program Director, Assistant Unit Head, and Director of Teacher Education as well as teaching a number of undergraduate and graduate special education courses.

She has served on the University Curriculum Committee (2013-2016), Online Education and Microcredential Council (2012-2020, Chair 2019-2020), as Faculty Associate in the Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center (2016-2020), as Faculty Advisor to the Council for Exceptional Children student chapter (2009-2015), and FTLC Personnel Portfolio Workshop mentor (2017-2019).  Dr. Schelling’s professional service includes serving on the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Diversity and Equity in the Education Workforce Advisory Group (2021), MDE Special Education Advisory Committee (2015-2019), as a Council for Exceptional Children Program reviewer/auditor (2017-2020), and Camp Sunshine Board Member (2013-2018, President 2016-2018).

Dr. Schelling is the recipient of the GVSU University Service Award (2016), the GVSU Graduate Association Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award (2014), the GVSU Pew Teaching with Technology Award (2012), and the Glenn A. Niemeyer Award (2022).  Dr. Schelling has published in the Field Experience Journal, Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, and the Journal of Intellectual Disabilities.

In 2018, she was selected by the university to attend the HERS Institute of Leadership Development for Women in Higher Education. She holds a doctorate in Special Education from Western Michigan University and both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in special education from GVSU – a Laker for a Lifetime.

KATIE HUMPHREY, ASSISTANT DEAN

Katie Humphrey is the Assistant Dean for the College of Education and Community Innovation and has worked in higher education for 18 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).

Effective July 1, 2021, Katie continues in her role as Assistant Dean for Finance for the newly established College of Education and Community Innovation, 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.

As of July 1, 2021, she remains an office assistant under the newly established College of Education and Community Innovation.

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

Professional Activities

• Michigan Cares for Tourism Board Member and Finance Administrator

RAFAEL JUAREZ-YUEN, OFFICE ASSISTANT

Rafael Juarez-Yuen began at Grand Valley State University in 2015 at the Registrar's Office as a Records Assistant. Over the course of his career at GVSU, he has been an Office Coordinator/First Year Advising & Registration Admin Support at the Student Academic Success Center, Office Assistant in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences' Dean's Office, and Administrative Assistant to the Dean in the Kirkhof College of Nursing's Dean's Office. As of July 24, 2023, he joined the College of Education & Community Innovation as an Office Assistant. Over the past 13 years, his career has always been working in Higher Education Support, beginning at Lansing Community College and then moving to Grand Rapids at Western Michigan University's Beltline Location.

Originally a Lansing native, he moved over to Grand Rapids in 2013, where he currently resides in the NW side with his wife and two daughters, a teenager, and his first born, who is almost 3-years-old. He has a passion working with technology and computers - which he does his best to intertwine with his position. During his off time, he enjoys photography, plane watching, and traveling to Lake Michigan.