Elementary Education Faculty
Estanislado Barrera IV
Associate Professor
Phone: 225-578-0480
Email: esbarreraiv@lsu.edu
Office: 221G Peabody Hall
Alica Benton
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice
Bachelor's Degree: Child Development and Family Relations, K-6 Teaching Certificate, University of North
Carolina-Greensboro, 1991
Master's Degree: Reading and Learning Exceptionalities, Appalachian State University, 2000
PhD: Curriculum & Instruction, Louisiana State University, 2018
Phone: 225-578-5529
Email: abento9@lsu.edu
Office: 213 Peabody Hall
Pamela Borne Blanchard
Associate Professor
Bachelor's Degree(s): Liberal Arts, University of St. Thomas, 1981; Geology and Geophysics, Lamar University,
1992
PhD: Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, 1998
Phone: 225-578-2297
Email: pamb@lsu.edu
Office: 109 Peabody Hall
Emily Dare
Assistant Professor of Science/STEM Education
Bachelor's Degree: Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 2008
Master's Degree: Physics and Astronomy, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 2011
PhD: Curriculum & Instruction – STEM Education, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
MN, 2015
Phone: 225-578-
Email: edare@lsu.edu
Office: 204A Peabody Hall
Hillary B. Eisworth
Associate Professor of Professional Practice in Early Childhood
Bachelor's Degree: Psychology, Louisiana Tech University, 1996
Master's Degree(s): Educational Psychology, Louisiana Tech University, 1999; Special Education, University
of Nevada – Las Vegas, 2001
PhD: Curriculum and Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin, 2007
Phone: 225-578-1282
Email: hbraud@lsu.edu
Office: 123A Peabody Hall
Eugene Geist
Professor in Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Bachelor's Degree: University of Cincinnati
Master's Degree: University of Cincinnati
PhD: University of Alabama at Birmingham
Phone: 225-578-2045
Email: genegeist@lsu.edu
Office: 236D Peabody Hall
Elecia Lathon
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice
Bachelor's Degree: Speech Pathology & Audiology, Southern University, 1993
Master's Degree(s): EdS, Curriculum & Instruction, Louisiana State University, 2002 MEd, Educational
Administration, Louisiana State University, 1996
PhD: Curriculum & Instruction, Louisiana State University, 2005
Phone: 225-578-8840
Email: ebrown4@lsu.edu
Office: 220 Peabody Hall
Laura Piestrzynski
Assistant Professor of Early and Elementary Literacy
Bachelor's Degree: Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois, 2001
Master's Degree: Curriculum and Instruction (Language and Literacy), University of Illinois, 2004
PhD: Teaching and Learning (Language, Literacy, and Culture), 2020
Phone: 225- 578-6324
Email: piestrzynski@lsu.edu
Office: 113C Peabody Hall
Thomas Ricks
Associate Professor in Elementary Math Education
Bachelor's Degree(s): Mathematics Education, Brigham Young University, 2001
Master's Degree: Mathematics Education, Brigham Young University, 2003
PhD: Mathematics Education, University of Georgia, 2007
Phone: 225-578-0091
Email: tomricks@lsu.edu
Office: 217 Peabody Hall
Julie Wright Rollins
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice
Bachelor's Degree(s): Louisiana State University, 1994
Master's Degree: Louisiana State University, 1996
PhD: Louisiana State University, 2010
Phone: 225-578-5874
Email: jwrig35@lsu.edu
Office: 105 Peabody Hall
Kim Skinner
Associate Professor
Bachelor's Degree: Elementary Education, Emphasis: Mathematics, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
1986
Master's Degree: Curriculum and Instruction, Cognate: Mathematics, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
1999
PhD: Curriculum and Instruction: Literacy Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
2012
Phone: 225-578-6709
Email: kskinner@lsu.edu
Office: 121D Peabody Hall
Kerri J. Tobin
Associate Professor in Secondary Holmes & Social Studies
Bachelor's Degree: Haverford College, 1997
Master's Degree(s): MSEd, Mercy College, 2004; MSW, University of Pennsylvania, 2007
PhD: Vanderbilt University, 2011
Phone: 225-578-4717
Email: ktobin@lsu.edu
Office: 107A Peabody Hall
