Center for Academic Innovation

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Dr. Diane Gavin serves as Executive Director of the Center for Academic Innovation at Texas A&M University-San Antonio and as Director of the University QEP. Dr. Gavin holds a PhD in American Literature/Composition & Cultural Rhetoric from Syracuse University, where she also earned an MA in Linguistics specializing in syntax and morphosyntax. Her academic credentials include an MS in Higher Education Administration & Management from Drexel University, an MEd in Secondary English Education from SUNY Oswego, and a BS in Media/Communication from Medaille College. She holds multiple certifications in Strategic Planning focused on Blue Ocean and Future Thinking, a Green Belt in Project Management, and certification in Creativity and Innovation from Duke University. She has been a SACSCOC accreditation liaison, MSHE accreditation lead, HLC accreditation team lead, CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG) lead, and reviewer for several accreditation organizations.

A researcher and author in the field of writing studies, writing assessment, linguistics, popular culture, media studies, media literacy, and technology, Dr. Gavin has published six books, 37 articles, and 20 book chapters. Her work has gained recognition through 15 national and international presentations. Her expertise in securing external funding is evidenced by her successful management of federal grants ranging from $5,000 to $16.1 million and private grants from $1,500 to $45,000, supporting innovative educational initiatives and research.

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As Manager of Instructional Design and Faculty Development at A&M-San Antonio, Sha brings over 17 years of collegiate teaching experience and expertise in communication studies, along with a diverse background in training and development across higher ed, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. With a coffee in hand, Sha infuses learning with creativity, serving smiles with every solution. Passion, strategy, and joy drive Sha’s unique approach to design, crafting transformative learning experiences that empower faculty and foster student success.

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Ben Gerhardt is a part-time Instructional Designer III for Texas A&M-SA. His focus is on supporting faculty in course development, course support, utilizing educational technology, and curriculum alignment. Ben continuously strives to make courses more accessible, equitable, and universally designed so that all potential audiences can be included. His entire outlook on life is from a research and global perspective, and he wants to continue engaging with impactful institutions to create lasting social change.

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Adrienne Wilson is a part-time Instructional Designer III for Texas A&M-SA. Adrienne Wilson has worked in higher education for 12 years with a focus in online education for the last 10. She has developed academic and non-academic courses, compliance training, micro-credentials, and faculty resources. She can provide support in course development, educational technology, accessibility, and LMS support. Adrienne has a master's degree in Adult & Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma and holds the Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) certification.

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Jenny Moore serves as the Senior Fellow for the Center for Academic Innovation. Her 2024 fellowship included writing a needs assessment on Faculty Fellowships that was submitted as part of the Center’s strategic plan.  As the co-chair for the Faculty Advisory Council, she participates in the regular strategic planning initiatives to support faculty development. Jenny is a Faculty Success Coach (ACC, ICF), offering one-to-one and group coaching facilitation for Faculty Fellows across campus. Jenny is one of the founding faculty members at TAMU-San Antonio. She is a Full Clinical Professor of Communication with 20 years’ media instruction, strategic planning and program development experience.

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Dr. Emily Naasz is a Quantitative Reasoning (QR) fellow with the Center. As a Political Science faculty member with a background in data analysis, Emily helps support students in developing quantitative reasoning and literacy skills. Through workshops and presentations, Emily has focused on demonstrating the ways that QR can (and should!) be integrated into social science courses. Emily is passionate about making QR accessible to both students and faculty and is dedicated to fostering academic curiosity, growth, and confidence.

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Dr. Caitlin S. Ducate is an Assistant Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice and a Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Fellow at the Center for Academic Innovation. With her unusual passion for statistics, she integrates quantitative reasoning and literacy into her courses, exposing all students to these essential skills--even those without a strong math background. In her role as a QR Fellow, Dr. Ducate is dedicated to helping fellow faculty incorporate numeracy into even the most humanities-oriented classes. Her mission is to transform quantitative reasoning and literacy from subjects that students (and some faculty) fear into ones they embrace with confidence and enthusiasm.