EPL doctoral students
There are currently more than 40 doctoral students enrolled in our EPL programs, and more than 200 across our department.
Janey Atchison Janey Atchison
- Doctoral Student, EPL
- she, her, hers
- atchi030@umn.edu
I am interested in education funding systems, how public policy is shaped, and how political divides at the state level affect both.

Cherise Ayers Cherise Ayers
- Doctoral Student, EPL (Executive Cohort)
- she, her, hers
- ayers041@umn.edu
I am an educator by trade and worked in all levels of K-12 public education. I am currently serving in a district level equity role. I love my work. I am also a wife of one and a mother of three.

Amie Bergersen Amie Bergersen
- Doctoral Student, EPL
- she, her, hers
- berg2939@umn.edu
My current research interests live at the intersection of educator well-being, emotions, school leadership, and school culture.

Ashley Karlsson Ashley Karlsson
- Alumni, EPL (Executive Cohort), 2021
- she, her, hers
- karl0173@umn.edu
I work with the policies and practices that impact the education of multilingual students in K-12 settings.

Demetria M. Poe Demetria M. Poe
- Doctoral Student, EPL
- poexx024@umn.edu
Maya Angelou said, “I come as one but I stand as 10,000." I carry this quote in my heart and it has guided me throughout my life.

Brittany Stahlman Brittany Stahlman
- Doctoral Student, EPL
- she/her
- stah0122@umn.edu
After a decade of teaching high school English, the moments that transformed my teaching into being more inclusive and equitable were not the professional development sessions.

Alul Yesak Alul Yesak
- Doctoral Candidate, EPL
- she, her, hers
- yesak001@umn.edu
I am a first-generation college graduate, and immigrant from Ethiopia studying the identity development of second-generation Ethiopian American students in the K-12 space.
