Faculty Mentors for Collaboratory

As part of the SJSU + Adobe Collaboratory, a select group of faculty from all colleges participated as faculty mentors. These faculty completed faculty mentor training in preparation to facilitate this program. Participants were guided by these faculty mentors who excel in asset-based, equity-minded, and culturally sustaining instruction.

• José Aguiñaga

  • Dr. José Aguiñaga has engaged with higher education in various roles. He received his MLS from the University of Arizona, his MPA from California State University, Long Beach, and his EdD from Northern Arizona University. He was a practicing academic librarian with over 28 years of experience. During his career, he served in various capacities: reference desk, instruction, online chat, electronic resources, assessment, usability, and grant writing. He was also involved in various shared governance roles: community college faculty senator and senate president. Since 2022, he joined San José State University with the School of Information, as an Assistant Professor. Currently, he teaches reference & information services and issues in academic libraries. His research agenda focuses on community college libraries.

• John Delacruz

  • A passionate educator, an image-maker, a paddleboarder with a love of the ocean and the environment driving his teaching, service, creative and research activities, a European native landing in California the summer of 2012. His main gig is teaching Advertising Creative at SJSU. He’s also an Adobe Education Leader, Adobe Master Teacher and Adobe Creative Campus Fellow. Innovative, creative forms of engagement inspire his classes. Creative and strategic thinking, ideation, pushing boundaries form the backbone of his curricula where students solve real world problems. Integrated solutions, advertising for good, user experience are key areas of interest that drive the tasks he sets his students.  A graphic fine artist, he works with photography and digital tools. His images reflect on the power of nature creating sense of place through color, shape and pattern. His work explores spaces - marine environments, coastal mountains, forests, desolate deserts and city streets.

• Darra Hofman

  • Darra is an Assistant Professor as well as the Program Coordinator for the Master of Archives and Records Administration. Things darra loves outside of digital archives and records include her three kids, ink pens, house plants, and coffee. Her transformation to a geriatric Millennial stereotype is almost complete.

• Esperanza Huerta

  • Dr. Esperanza Huerta is a Professor in the Accounting and Finance Department in the Lucas College and Graduate School of Business. Her Ph. D. is from Claremont Graduate University and her research area is Accounting Information Systems. She was born and raised in Mexico City. As a non-English native speaker, she is very sympathetic to students whose English is not their first language. She is passionate about technology and its use in educational settings. Although she loves technology, she is critical of its impact on peoples’ well-being and its uses that perpetuate inequality.

• Tina Korani

  • Tina Korani is an Assistant Professor at San Jose State University, specializing in immersive storytelling, digital experience design, and interactive media. With a background in Visual Communication and a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts, Tina's research and teaching revolve around integrating cutting-edge technologies into media design. She co-founded the Immersive Storytelling Lab, where she serves as a faculty advisor, providing students with opportunities to explore immersive storytelling practices. Tina's current work focuses on leveraging virtual experiences to transform education, foster environmental conservation, and cultivate empathy. As an Adobe Education Leader and Adobe Master Teacher, she actively shares her expertise and conducts workshops to empower others in the field of media education. Tina's dedication and innovation have garnered recognition through awards, grants, and collaborative funding throughout her career.

• Allison Martin

  • Dr. Martin works in the Department of Justice Studies. Her work explores causes of community-level crime, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), and the effects of policing decision-making on the community. She is passionate about empowering people to make a difference for themselves and others, while helping them recognize crime and safety issues in their areas. She is also extremely dedicated to assisting her students grow academically, professionally, and personally. 

• Zachary McNiece

  • Zachary McNiece (he/they) is an assistant professor in San José State University’s department of Counselor Education. He graduated with his Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling and Counselor Education from the University of Florida in April 2022. His research agenda centers on systemic and oppression-based traumas, including intergenerational and race-based trauma, anti-racist counseling and pedagogy, and arts-based counseling interventions and research methods. As a counselor, Zachary has worked with clients across the lifespan with concerns from developmental, mood, and behavioral disorders to grief and bereavement. He has practiced in private and public schools, day treatment centers, private practice, and telehealth agencies.

• Saugher Nojan

  • Dr. Saugher Nojan is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Asian American Studies at San Jose State University. She examines racial formations, educational inequalities, anti-Muslim racism, immigrant/refugee racialization, and civic/political engagement. You can find her latest research in AERA Open, Sociology of Religion, Ethnic and Racial Studies, and the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement. Dr. Nojan participated in the inaugural cohort of the faculty learning community, “Digital Counter-Storytelling for Student Leaders.” She is a community-engaged collaborative scholar and has utilized digital storytelling and photovoice in her undergraduate courses and mentoring. 

• Shawn Vecellio

  • Shawn Vecellio, PhD, is an itinerant lecturer in teacher education programs throughout Silicon Valley. He has served as faculty at The National Hispanic University, Santa Clara University, the University of San Francisco, National University and San Jose State University. He teaches a range of credential and master’s courses such as sociology, cultural diversity, social justice, assessment, and educational / action research. As a facilitator certified by the Center for Courage & Renewal, his research focuses on the effective use of facilitation strategies in the classroom. He has published articles in The Teaching Professor, Schools: Studies in Education, Multicultural Perspectives, and Multicultural Education. Shawn continues to enjoy the challenge of co-creating a courageous space where students are invited to bring their selves and lives into the learning community.