Congratulations to the 12 members of the faculty who were promoted to professor and 7 who were promoted to associate professor by the Ithaca College Board of Trustees at its May meetings.
The biographies of the faculty members were provided by their respective schools.
The following were promoted from associate professor to professor. Criteria for promotion to professor include evidence of continued teaching excellence; a sustained record of significant scholarly or appropriate professional attainment; evidence of having attained regional or national stature in the discipline or of distinguished academic leadership at the department, school, or college level; and evidence of significant service to the college.
Edward Schneider.
Roy H. Park School of Communications
Department of Strategic Communication
Edward Schneider (Ph.D., Indiana University) teaches in the Communication Strategy and Design program, focusing on advertising/public relations and emerging media. As director of the Innovation Lab, he stays ahead of the latest technology to inspire students with the research behind the gadgets. Notably, he collaborated with students to create a life-sized BB-8 for Disney’s Star Wars Celebration. With nearly 800 citations, his research includes a surprising study on closed captions in children's TV.
Dara Engler.
School of Humanities and Sciences
Department of Art, Art History, and Architecture
Dara Engler (M.F.A., Indiana University) teaches courses in painting and drawing. Her instruction is guided by the conviction that students must first learn the rules so as later to break them “with conceptual intent.” Students praise her skill in holding them to high standards while giving them free rein to develop their own style. Her work has appeared at galleries and museums around the country, and she is the recipient of residencies and fellowships through the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the Virginia Center, and others. Reviewers call her a “born storyteller” and commend her work’s blend of whimsy and mystery. She has served as chair and associate chair of her department and on the H&S Senate, and she is widely admired by colleagues as “a voice of steady good sense.”z
Te-Wen Lo.
Department of Biology
Te-Wen Lo (Ph.D., Yale University) teaches an array of courses in biology and biochemistry. She also mentors many undergraduates in her lab, where she studies the evolution of developmental processes. Students call her compassionate, patient, welcoming, rigorous, and hilarious. Many credit her with guiding them toward careers in science. She has received four funded grants and published numerous papers, which reviewers call original and impactful. Her extensive service includes coordinating Summer Scholars, serving as faculty fellow for OAOA, co-chairing Middle States reaccreditation, and playing a key role in admissions activities. Colleagues view her as “the epitome of a true institutional citizen,” with an “upbeat, no-nonsense energy” that inspires others.
Ian Woods (Ph.D., Stanford University School of Medicine) offers courses on such topics as human genetics, genomics, the biology of aging, and the biology of music. Students applaud his sense of humor, his empathy, and his skill in awakening their love for biology. One alumnus recalls that he taught biology “like it was art.” His research on the development of animal nervous systems and locomotive behavior regularly involves student collaborators, and he has published numerous articles and received funding through highly competitive grants. Reviewers applaud his creativity in keeping students engaged in research throughout the pandemic lockdown. He serves the college on numerous committees, including Summer Scholars, C.P. Snow, and the Health Professions Advisory Committee.
Peter Martin.
Department of Education
Peter Martin (Ed.D., George Washington University) teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on special and bilingual education, social emotional learning (SEL), and inclusive education with an emphasis on children with special needs and mental health challenges. His publications engage such topics as SEL, teacher burnout, and differentiated instruction, and he launched a virtual space to support early-career teachers. As Graduate Chair of Education, he built a partnership with the Washington Heights Academy and oversaw a major curriculum overhaul. He has served on Graduate Council, HSCC, the H&S Faculty Senate, and Faculty Council, and he is widely praised as “impossibly hard-working” and adept at interweaving teaching, scholarship, and service.
Department of History
Matt Klemm (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University) teaches courses throughout the History curriculum, with an emphasis on ancient and medieval Mediterranean and European history. Students greatly admire his ability to complicate their understanding of the past while showing its relevance to the present. He is a productive scholar whose book, Medical Anthropology in the Late Middle Ages: Pietro d’Abano on Body, Soul, and the Virtues , was published in 2024 by De Gruyter Press. Reviewers call him an important voice in late medieval intellectual history and medicine. He has served as chair of his department, coordinator of the Global Premodern Studies minor, and on the H&S Faculty Senate. Peers characterize him as “an excellent listener” and “a marvelous intellectual leader.”
Dan Breen (Left) and Chris Holmes.
Department of Literatures in English
Dan Breen (Ph.D., Duke University) teaches courses in early modern literature, poetry, and dramatic literature. Colleagues describe him as a welcoming and witty classroom teacher, adept at bringing early modern literature vibrantly to life for his students. His scholarship has appeared in premier literary journals, and he is the recipient of the Gerald R. Rubio Award for the year’s best article in the Sidney Journal. He is a prodigious author of book reviews, manifesting his broad knowledge of what one reviewer calls “a dizzying array of subjects.” Professor Breen has served as chair of his department and the Grievance Committee, and he is a member of the faculty ombuds team, earning high praise for his “tireless work ethic” and “utter discretion.”
Chris Holmes (Ph.D., Brown University) teaches postcolonial and contemporary literatures, with a focus on the global novel. Students commend the “love and care” with which he trains them to read literature. He is the co-founder of the New Voices Literary Festival, a celebration of early career writers that integrally involves students. Many describe it as the highlight of their undergraduate career and a key pathway toward professional success. He is a prolific scholar whose new book, Kazuo Ishiguro: Against Literature (Bloomsbury 2024), constitutes a major intervention in Ishiguro scholarship. He has chaired Literatures in English and the All-College Tenure and Promotion committee with what colleagues describe as “tact, diplomacy, and grace.”
Mary Lourdes Silva.
Department of Writing
Mary Lourdes Silva (M.A., University of California) teaches classes serving numerous constituencies, from first-year students to advanced majors. She emphasizes process in her teaching, in order to “center student learning and agency.” Students appreciate her support for their growth and her attentiveness to their distinct needs and natures. She has published numerous articles, book chapters, and book reviews focused on loss and trauma, bias in student statements, and the impact of AI on writing education. Reviewers place her at the forefront in conversations on these topics. She has served the college generously as director of First-Year Writing and chair of the H&S Curriculum Committee. Colleagues describe her as thoughtful, fair, and collaborative.
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Department of Music Education
Radio Cremata’s (Ph.D., Boston University) teaching and research reflect his commitment to cultural diversity and innovation in music education. Having taught in K-12 schools in Miami, FL, for over 15 years and at Ithaca College for the past 12 years, he is dedicated to bringing music into the lives of young people. His research explores technology, identity, and multicultural education. He is also a jazz/gospel studio musician.
Sara Haefeli.
Department of Music Theory, History, and Composition
Sara Haefeli (Ph.D., University of Illinois) is a music studies scholar who has revolutionized the study of music history using a case study approach. She is author of Teaching Music History with Cases: A Teacher's Guide and co-author of Writing in Music: A Brief Guide . Her current project is the 11th edition of the textbook A History of Western Music and the accompanying Norton Anthology of Western Music . She is also a specialist in music of the American avant-garde.
Saviana Stanescu.
Department of Theatre Studies
Saviana Stanescu (Ph.D., National University of Theatre & Film) teaches playwriting and contemporary theatre. Her playwriting courses are praised for fostering artistic growth and professional development. The New Play Incubator, which she founded, has become a vital part of student learning. She is a highly productive scholar and playwright, recognized in the U.S. and internationally for her work exploring the immigrant experience. Since 2018 she has published two books and been featured in “50 Women in Theatre” alongside world-renowned artists.
The following were promoted from assistant to associate professor. Criteria for promotion to associate professor include a sustained record of teaching excellence, evidence of significant scholarly or appropriate professional attainment, and evidence of service to the college and profession.
Joan Marcus.
School of Humanities and Sciences
Department of Writing
Joan Marcus (M.F.A., University of Arizona) teaches courses on fiction and nonfiction, including Writing Children’s Literature, Memoir, and Creative Nonfiction. Students value her accessibility and humor, the generosity of her feedback, and her attention to them as individuals. One alumnus gives her credit for making them “a better student and a stronger person.” Her creative accomplishments include essays, personal narratives, and interviews, published in respected journals with national circulation. Reviewers find “humor, curiosity, intelligence, and good prose” in her writing. She has served her department generously, as both Writing Minor coordinator and Writing Center director, and she currently serves on the H&S Faculty Senate.
Rachel Schutz.
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Department of Music Performance
Rachel Schutz (D.M.A., Stony Brook University) teaches applied voice, lyric diction, and performance classes to students in eight different majors within the School of MTD. Her teaching encourages the pursuit of excellence, individual artistry, and holistic health. Her professional activity includes both performance and scholarly publication. She specializes in 20th- and 21st-century music, particularly from Wales, and performs internationally. Her book, Welsh Vocal Music: A Guide to Lyric Diction and Repertoire , was published by Routledge in April 2025.
Daniel Gwirtzman (left) and Dean Robinson
Department of Theatre and Dance Performance
Daniel Gwirtzman (M.F.A., University of Wisconsin) is an actively performing dancer, filmmaker, choreographer, and director of a NYC-based nonprofit for three decades. He teaches dance courses—modern, jazz, improvisation, composition, history, dance on film—that merge theory with practice, foster a growth mindset, and encourage confidence, communication, and comfort to take chances. Creating safe spaces where this growth can be supported is central to his teaching. Collaborations that innovate, blend genres, take risks, involve community, promote optimism, and celebrate individuality and humanity characterize his scholarship.
Dean Robinson (M.F.A., George Washington University) has taught acting at all levels, voice and movement, and stage combat as well as directed students in multiple productions. His scholarship is through his participation in productions as a professional actor, director, and stage combat/intimacy coordinator. A strength of his, in all these areas, is creating a safe space where actors can build an ensemble and feel free to take risks in creating work.
Ainsley Anderson (left) and Amanda Spooner.
Department of Theatre Production and Management
Ainsley Anderson’s (M.F.A., University of Idaho) expertise focuses on costume technology and craftwork, specifically in millinery, and costume patterning and construction. She teaches courses in costume construction, draping and pattern-drafting, costume craftwork, and the intersection of race and theatre. Professionally, her draping and millinery work can be seen in local and regional theatres such as the Glimmerglass Opera Festival and the Kitchen Theatre, as well as national and international touring productions.
Ruth Barber (B.F.A., Wright State University) teaches technical theatre production, theatrical design, and her specialty, scenic art. Her scholarship is one of artistic endeavor. She has been a professional scenic artist for over 40 years now, painting scenery for theatre, film, television, and other commissioned works of art. Painting at such a large scale is not without health risks, so she explores ways to use non-toxic and environmentally friendly products in her work, especially working with students. Safety in the studio is paramount to her teaching.
Amanda Spooner (M.F.A., Yale School of Drama) teaches classes in both stage management and theatre administration. She advises 53 stage management majors and also coaches them in their professional pursuits. She interrogates common stage management habits and implements progressive practice in production, both at IC and on Broadway productions. Her teaching and mentorship is centered on the idea that “stage management is everywhere,” and she encourages students to adapt their stage management skills to wherever their professional lives should lead them.