Challenges Facing Female Department Chairs in Contemporary Higher Education: Emerging Research and Opportunities

Heidi L. Schnackenberg , Ph.D., is a Professor in Teacher Education at SUNY Plattsburgh in Plattsburgh, NY. Specializing in educational technology, she currently teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes on the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning in the P-12 classroom. Her various research interests include the integration of technology into pedagogical practices and the complexities of leadership in higher education. She has also published numerous articles on educational technology, and co-edited Best Practices for Education Professionals, Best Practices for Education Professionals Volume 2, and The Ethics of Cultural Competence in Higher Education. Dr. Schnackenberg began her education career as an elementary music teacher. Denise Simard , Ph.D., is presently an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, in Plattsburgh NY. She began her professional journey as a special education teacher. She then began collaborating with children and families to access technology devices and services to empower them to be more independent in their daily lives. She used those experiences to become an advocate for change and subsequently managed local and state professional development initiatives related to the infusion of technology into instructional practices to improve learning outcomes for all students, especially those with special needs. She also supported the strategic planning process, facilitation, and evaluation of online learning communities for education organizations on a local, state, and national level. Currently she teaches undergraduate classes in the childhood education program and graduate classes in special education, and serves as Department Chair in the Teacher Education Unit. Her areas of interest and research include multiculturalism, special education, assistive technology, online learning, and communities of practice. Through her various roles in higher education, she has had the wonderful opportunity to examine aspects of leadership and the nuances and intricacies involved.