Bryan Best is the Senior Instructional Technologist for the LaFetra College of Education. He has over 20 years of experience in educational technologies. He serves on the governing boards and committees of state and national professional organizations, including DET/CHE (Drivers of Educational Technology, California Higher Education) and ACHE (Association for Continuing Higher Education). Some of his areas of focus are classroom design, faculty support and training, platform administration, and emerging educational technology. His absolute favorite thing is watching someone try something new!
Bryan has a passion for audiobooks, comic books, anime, console and pc gaming, movies, theater, and live music. Gummi bears are his kryptonite.
Sylvia Mac is an Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Center for Learning Innovation at the University of La Verne. She earned her Ph.D. in Education (Social Foundations) at Oklahoma State University, in addition to a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Disability Studies from Syracuse University. Her research examines how educational processes can promote a more equitable and inclusive educational system for historically marginalized students, as well as understanding how influences, such as neoliberalism, factor into their access to quality education. She is the author of Neoliberalism and Inclusive Education: Students with Disabilities in the Education Marketplace.
An expert in diversity, equity, and inclusion, she created the Syllabus and Course Curriculum Self-Assessment and Audit Tool that has helped university faculty across the nation in creating more inclusive curriculum and classroom environments. She has been invited to facilitate numerous faculty development workshops on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), neurodiversity, culturally sustaining practices, race- and gender-based microaggressions, creating positive classroom climates, and decolonizing course curriculum.