Dr. Martha Ahrendt | Education PhD Program Lead
Martha’s experience is rooted in philanthropy, non-profits, and community engagement, in roles such as the Vice President for Community Engagement at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, Executive Director of Connections for Mental Wellness, and consultant assisting non-profits and foundations. She has helped a variety of stakeholders come together and navigate through complex processes and organizational systems. She has a doctorate in Art History from Washington University, St. Louis; a Master’s from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; and a Bachelor’s from Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota. She loves cooking food from around the world, and is looking forward to working with everyone in the College.
Dr. Becky Crandall | Adult & Higher Education Associate Professor of Practice
Biography: Hello! My name is Dr. Becky Crandall, and I am the new AHE Associate Professor of Practice. I have worked in college and university settings for nearly two decades, including my most recent position as a faculty member in the Higher Education and Student Affairs Program at The Ohio State University. I look forward to getting to know you all; in the meantime, feel free to learn more about me at www.beckycrandall.com.
Fun fact/hobby about me: While I consider myself a junk food connoisseur, I am also part of the CrossFit community. I promise not to talk about it all the time though!
Why I’m excited to work at CoEd/OSU: I am Dam Proud to be part of the College and its legacy of preparing social-justice-focused change agents. I am also thrilled to finally plant my life in the state that long ago captured my heart.
Niki Weight | Head Advisor
Biography: My passion is making a difference through hearing students’ stories about who they are and where they want to go and helping them achieve their goals. This led me to earn my Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Brigham Young University and a Master of Science in Academic Advising from Kansas State University. I began advising 10 years ago as an Exploratory advisor and then moved to Oregon three years ago to serve as the Director of Student Success and Advising at Western Oregon University before joining the OSU family.
Fun fact/hobby about me: One of my favorite places in the world is the Oregon coast. I didn’t see the beach for the first time until I was in college and now I go as often as I can, even in the winters. I was definitely born in the wrong state and love my Oregon home!
Why I’m excited to work at CoEd/OSU: As someone who was born and raised in a rural community, I love the feel and values of a land grant institution like Oregon State University. The value of education and the impact it can have on a person’s future has been a core value throughout my entire career. These are some of the reasons I am so excited to join the College of Education at OSU to combine my experience as a leader and advisor to help students reach their goal of becoming an educator.
Ana Ramirez | Teaching B.S – CBEE Instructor
Biography:
Ana comes to the College with many years of experience teaching at the K12 and university level, most recently as the ELL Program Coordinator and Teacher in Sutherlin School District and as an instructor for Pacific University and Umpqua Community College. She brings expertise in linguistically and culturally sustaining pedagogy in elementary classrooms, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in teacher education.
Fun fact/hobby about me:
A fun fact about me is that I have hosted eight exchange students from different countries for one year over different times during the past 18 years. A hobby I have is reading and binge-watching Netflix Shows and the Hallmark Channel.
Why I’m excited to work at CoEd/OSU: I am really excited about working at the College of Ed at OSU because it is a realization of a lifelong dream to become a Higher Education Instructor. , I have worked diligently throughout my career to incorporate anti-racist pedagogy into my teaching. I understand the barriers faced by under-represented or marginalized groups of students, as well as my own experiences meeting the needs of a diverse population of students, staff, and peers. I know I would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at Oregon State University through my teaching, research, and service. One way I would like to continue this is by continuing to evaluate programs, curricula, and teaching strategies designed to enhance participation of under-represented students in higher education.
