General Information
Biography
Dr. Pearson earned her teaching degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, and both her Master's Degree and Ed.D from UNO. She taught English and Reading at Omaha South High School and was a talent advisor for the Avenue Scholars Foundation at Ralston High School. She has been teaching full time at UNO since 2013. She has earned three national and several local awards for her work in education and social justice, including the Kennedy Center's Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher award. She is the founder of the Secret Kindness Agents Project, which is the subject of two published books, her dissertation, and a TEDx Talk. The project is in over 500 K-16 schools worldwide and has been highlighted by Hallmark, Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, Parents Magazine, Medium, Midwest Living, and SPLC'S Learning for Justice Magazine.
Teaching Interests
Recruitment and Retention of Teachers from Minoritized CommunitiesCulturally Responsive and Critical PedagogyTeacher Education Methods/Effective PracticesMulticultural EducationMulticultural Literature for Children and YouthTrauma-Informed Education
Research Interests
Culturally Responsive TeachingSocial Emotional Learning, Mindfulness, and Kindness EducationTrauma Informed EducationRecruitment and retention of BIPOC, queer, nonbinary, and transgender teachers
Service Summary
Co-Chair Queer and Trans Sub-Committee- Chancellor's Commission on the Status of Gender EquityCommittee Member - Civil, Safe, and Inclusive Classrooms, Center for Faculty Excellence at UNOTrainer: Microaggressions Awareness Program, Center for Faculty Excellence at UNOMember - UNO CEHHS Diversity CommitteeCo-Founder and Sponsor - Teacher Education Diversity OrganizationBoard of Directors - Nebraska Writers Collective (President)Board of Directors - Stand for Schools (Treasurer)Co-Founder - Open Arms Transgender Social GroupCommittee Member and Chaperone - Pride Prom