Who We Are
The CRUE center has assembled a team of experts in areas including family advocacy, instruction, special education and support services, building and district leadership, professional learning, culturally responsive practices, and systems change. Our associates are available for consulting and training in their areas of expertise.
Shelley Zion, Ph.D., is the Director of the Culturally Responsive Urban Education Center, and has worked for the
University of Colorado at Denver for the past six years, as the associate director of the National Center for Culturally Responsive
Educational Systems and the National Institute for Urban School Improvement, and as an instructor in the School of Education and Human
Development. As the associate director of NCCRESt/NIUSI, she has provided technical assistance and professional development at the
school, district, state, and university levels to assist organizations in developing culturally responsive educational systems that
meet the needs of diverse learners who are identified for special education services. Shelley has authored numerous practitioner briefs
and professional development modules for use with both pre- and in-service teachers. Prior to her current position, she worked on a
variety of research projects within the school of education, and has taught in the special education licensing program for the past
six years, including acting as a site coordinator in one of the partner schools. Dr. Zion is the education policy advisor for Urban
Learning Communities, which provides alternative educational settings for grades 6-12, and is a founding member of the Denver Juvenile
Court Psychological Services Board, ensuring the provision of appropriate mental health evaluations and services for adjudicated youth
with emotional and behavioral needs. She is a member of the Alternative Education Task for in DPS, and is a member of the National
Staff Development Council content planning committee.
Dr. Suzanne Arnold received her doctorate from the University of Colorado, Boulder in Research on Teaching and Teacher Education, specializing in Curriculum and Instruction in Content Areas. Her dissertation study analyzed the relationship between teacher beliefs, classroom milieu, subject matter, and enactment in bridging the language gap in the science classroom for English language learners; examining the extent to which teachers take on a dual role as teachers promoting English language and content proficiency. Dr. Arnold has more than 20 years of experience in education working as a high school science educator, professional development designer and facilitator, educational researcher and teacher educator. Her previous work with NCCRESt and NIUSI focused on providing technical assistance and professional development training to districts and state departments of education on culturally responsive educational systems, practices, and pedagogy. Her expertise is in instruction and curriculum in content areas and professional development. Her research interests include literacy and content integration, educational equity issues, and culturally responsive teaching and curriculum development.
Margarita Bianco received her doctorate degree in Exceptional Student Education
from Florida Atlantic University. She has nearly 20 years of classroom teaching experience, most of which was in urban settings,
working with students with disabilities and English language learners. Her research interests include gifted students from
underrepresented populations including twice-exceptional students and culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Dr. Bianco
received the 2004 Outstanding Researcher Award from the Council for Learning Disabilities for her research on the effects of disability
labels on teachers’ recommendations for gifted programs.
Dr. Bianco is currently working at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center.
Margarita.Bianco@cudenver.edu
Dr. Blanchett earned her Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University, and is currently the Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Outreach at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (UCDHSC). Prior to coming to UCDHSC in October 2006, Dr. Blanchett was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Urban Special Education, in the School of Education, at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Dr. Blanchett’s research focuses on issues of inequity including urban teacher preparation, issues of race, class, culture, and gender, disproportionate representation of students of color in special education, severe disabilities, and issues of sexuality for students with disabilities. Dr. Blanchett’s research has been published in journals such as the Educational Researcher, Teacher Education and Special Education (TESE), Remedial and Special Education (RASE), and Research and Practice in Severe Disabilities (RPSD). Dr. Blanchett is the current President of the National Association of Holmes Scholars Alumni (NAHSA) and a member of the Holmes Partnership (HP) Board of Directors. Additionally, Dr. Blanchett is the current President of the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Research Focus on Black Education Special Interest Group (SIG) and was recently appointed to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’s (AACTE) Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Dr. Dorothy F. Garrison-Wade is an Assistant Professor of
Administrative Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of
Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. She holds a Ph.D. in
Education and Human Resources with specialization in Educational
Leadership from Colorado State University. Dorothy’s professional
work includes experience in public and private schools as a principal
(high school & middle school), assistant principal, counselor, teacher
(secondary and postsecondary) and researcher.
Shana Ritter is coordinator of The Equity Project and spends much of her time working directly with schools and Local Equity Action Development (LEAD) teams. Shana has a wide array of educational experience including work in the area of cultural competence, classroom teaching, school reform, curriculum development, teacher education, and family involvement.
