2025-2026 OER Champions
Elisha Allen
Elisha Allen serves as the Director of Online Strategies and Academic Technologies at the University of New Mexico. With over 20 years’ experience in higher education, he holds an M.B.A. and is an alumnus of the Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning and the Educause Executive Leadership Academy. Elisha’s focus includes classroom technologies, effective pedagogies, online teaching and learning tools, emerging trends such as AI, curriculum development, and online academic program delivery. An advocate for lifelong learning, he is involved with statewide P-20 learning initiatives in New Mexico with a focus on digital inclusion, equity, and literacy.
Eric Barros
Eric Barros has been involved in the electrical industry since 1999 and started teaching after graduating from the JATC electrical apprenticeship program in 2004. Eric's professional experience includes 15 years working as an electrical foreman and project manager while teaching part time at the JATC. In 2013 Eric received his first associates degree and starting teaching full time for CNM. He later went on to graduate from UNM in 2022 with a bachelor in instructional technology and training.
Kim Berlat
Kim Berlat is a senior instructional consultant at CNM with over 30 years of experience in education. She specializes in curriculum design, innovative teaching strategies, and supporting faculty in creating engaging, learner‑centered experiences. Kim is passionate about helping educators grow and empowering students through well‑designed instruction.
Christine Goshorn
Christine Goshorn is the Executive Director of Innovation & Instructional Support. Her background encompasses professional experience in both public and private industry. Her career at CNM began in 2005 as an accountant. She has served as part-time and full-time faculty in accounting and business, the Chair of Competency-Based Education for the School of Business and was awarded a one-year Presidential Fellowship. In January 2019, Christine transitioned to the Director of CNM Online and later named the Executive Director of Innovation and Instructional Support. Christine's focus on Open Educational Resources began as a faculty member. CNM's Online College established a focus on Open Educational Resources. OERs are very important to Christine and she has helped to roeshape how they are used as CNM. Christine holds a Bachelor of Marketing Management and a Master of Business Administration.
Dr. K. Joseph Ho
Dr. K. Joseph Ho is Director of Chemical Education in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology at the University of New Mexico. He developed the ECURE (Expanded Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience) framework at UNM, transforming undergraduate curricula through active learning pedagogies and research-integrated courses. Dr. Ho has established innovative placement systems, developed research concept inventory assessments, and introduced research experiences in large enrollment General Chemistry labs. He regularly presents at national conferences and conducts educational research to improve STEM teaching and learning outcomes.
Jennifer Jordan
Jennifer Jordan is a writer and assistant professor in the University Libraries at the University of New Mexico. In her current job at UNM, Jennifer is an Open Educational Resource (OER) Librarian and the principal investigator on a federal open textbook grant focused on growing open education in New Mexico.
Dr. Steve Martinez
Dr. Martinez comes to SFCC with a background in Spanish Borderlands and New Mexico history. He was a visiting professor in the Chicano Studies Department at the University of New Mexico between 1997-2004. Currently he is an Assistant Professor of History at SFCC and is the Director of the Veterans Legacy Grant Program, and an adjunct for Central New Mexico College.
Aamna Nayyar
Aamna Nayyar holds dental practice license in good standing with Dental Board of California and Pakistan Medical & Dental Council. She has been serving as the Director of Department of Dental Health at SFCC since 2003. Previous to that she worked as the adjunct faculty and ran a private solo dental practice. She is a reviewer and an author of dental publications including, contribution to the dental textbooks, and CE courses. She is a presenter at various regional, state, national and international seminars and conferences.
Valerie Nye
Valerie Nye is the Library Director at Santa Fe Community College. She has worked in academic libraries for over 25 years and is dedicated to promoting OER to ensure students have equitable access to textbooks that reflect their life experiences. She has edited two books that share stories of librarians confronting intellectual freedom challenges, True Stories of Censorship Battles in America’s Libraries (ALA, 2012) and Intellectual Freedom Stories: From A Shifting Landscape (ALA, 2020). Valerie holds a BA Cornell College and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Beth Pouska
Beth Pouska, M.S., M.Ed., is currently a business instructor at Central New Mexico Community College. With extensive experience teaching business, career exploration, student success skills, and communication courses across multiple universities, she blends her subject matter expertise and instructional design practices to create engaging, student centered learning experiences. Drawing on her scholarly work and professional experiences serving in the Air Force and working in various public relations and marketing roles, she is passionate about guiding students in discovering and achieving their educational and professional goals.
Dr. Mary Rice
Dr. Mary Rice is an Associate Professor of Literacy in the Department of Language Literacy and Sociocultural Studies at the University of New Mexico. Her research and teaching critique relational aspects of designing and doing digital learning. Recent honors include: Divergent Award for Research Excellence from the Initiative for Literacy in a Digital Age (2021); National Technology Leadership Initiative Award from the Society for Information Technology in Education (2023); Diversity Equity and Inclusion Publication Award from Innovations in Special Education Technology—Council for Exceptional Children (2024); Publication of the Year (Honorable Mention) from the Narrative Special Interest Group—American Educational Research Association (2024); and National Open and Distance Learning Award—K12 from the Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia (2025). Mary has served as Managing Editor of Online Learning, Special Editor of Distance Education and Professional Development in Education, and Editor-in-chief of the Journal of Online Learning Research.
Martin Shulpa
With over 20 years of dedicated experience in library leadership and information science, Martin Shupla is a forward-thinking administrator currently serving as the Library Director at Northern New Mexico College. Throughout his career, Martin has specialized in managing complex, multi-site municipal systems and leveraging innovative technology to enhance patron services and streamline operations. A commitment to community advocacy and strategic growth defines Martin's leadership. During his tenure as Library Director for the City of Pasadena, TX, he successfully managed a budget exceeding $3M and oversaw a team of 40+ professionals. His notable achievements there included spearheading the renovation of the Central Branch during the pandemic and eliminating punitive late fees to increase library accessibility. He has a proven track record of expanding digital footprints, having previously served as a Digital Media Librarian, where he launched new e-services and established "Digital Ambassador" programs to modernize user engagement. In addition to his executive roles, Martin contributes to the broader community as a member of the Board of Commissioners for the Santa Clara Pueblo Housing Authority, where he assists in legislative and policy-making efforts. His background spans various specialized areas of librarianship, including: Strategic Planning: Aligning library vision with institutional missions to improve student and community learning outcomes. Process Improvement: Executing critical infrastructure migrations, including ILS servers and public internet networks. Community Partnership: Developing reciprocal borrowing agreements and collaborative e-resource programs with local school districts. Martin holds a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from New Mexico Highlands University. He is an expert in budget management, staff development, and relationship building, consistently striving to ensure that the library remains a vital, evolving resource for all patrons.
Alex de Sousa
Alex Sousa teaches Spanish and Portuguese at CNM. As an OER faculty champion he assists faculty in choosing whether to create, adapt, or adopt, and enhancing their materials with interactive h5p resources.
Dr. Joseph Ulibarri
As the Black Education Act Curriculum Specialist, Dr. Ulibarri is a passionate advocate for creating inclusive spaces where every individual's story is heard and valued. He is dedicated to fostering well-being and belonging for all, both in education and beyond. Dr. Ulibarri leads efforts at the New Mexico Public Education Department to integrate Black History within schools, support the recruitment and retention of Black educators in New Mexico, provide instructional supports and strategies for improving educational outcomes for Black students, and curate Open Educational Resources for use in K-12 classrooms. His research centers on culturally sustaining pedagogies in diverse classrooms.
Erica Wheeler
Erica Wheeler has worked as an educator in New Mexico for two decades. Currently, she is the Humanities Specialist with the New Mexico Public Education Department where she supports social studies instruction and fine arts programming. Ms. Wheeler helped write the New Mexico Social Studies Standards and the New Mexico Instructional Scope for Social Studies. With an eye toward uplifting the cultural assets that students bring to school, she is thrilled to serve the students, families, and teachers of New Mexico. She holds a BA in philosophy from Wellesley College and an MA in education in Curriculum and Instruction from Highlands University.
Laura Wight
Laura Wight has served as the Director of the Golden Library at ENMU since Fall 2020. She holds a BA in Political Science and International Studies, an MLS in Library Science and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in adult and higher education. Laura previously served as the Director of eLearning and Library Services at Great Falls College Montana State University from 2010-2020, and as a tenured associate professor and reference and information literacy librarian for South Dakota State University from 2000-2010. Laura has been trained in OER best practices and offering OER training workshops for faculty for over ten years. She also periodically teaches adjunct undergraduate and graduate courses in education, library science and web design. In her spare time, Laura volunteers doing advocacy work for women, racial equity, social justice and lgbtq+ issues.
