New Faculty Fellow of National Organization

A Siena education faculty member has been named the inaugural fellow of a national organization of teacher educators.

Christina Pfister, Ph.D., associate professor and co-coordinator of the University's birth-grade 6 education program, was selected as the 2025 Faculty Fellow of the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). In this role, she is working with the ATE national office in Washington, D.C. to develop its faculty fellowship model, which she designed as a partnership among the faculty fellow, ATE, and the fellow's institution.

"The goal of the fellowship program is to be strategic in assisting ATE achieve its mission of supporting the education and training of teachers," explained Pfister. "As an immersive experience, it supports national-level leadership development and scholarship, contributes to the design and long-term sustainability for ATE's programs, and promotes collaboration among educators."

Pfister worked over the summer to develop the structure, processes, and long-term vision for the program, and met with ATE colleagues at their annual summer conference in July in St. Louis. Former fellows will continue to serve in an advisory capacity for ATE after their respective terms end.

As a partnering institution, Siena has been featured in ATE newsletters to its 1,500+ members nationwide, and appears prominently on the fellowship section of ATE's website.

Pfister teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate education courses at Siena, and is the immediate past president of the New York State ATE chapter. Her scholarship centers on the process of becoming a teacher, including mentoring, persistence, and the experiences of teachers across their careers.

"Being involved in a professional organization like ATE is a crucial way to share ideas and experiences with your peers," she said. "ATE connects its members with colleagues across the state and country, whether they are college faculty or teachers and school administrators in the field, to share best practices and develop the skills of the next generation of teachers."

Chris Farnan, Ph.D. dean of the School of Liberal Arts, supported Pfister in developing the ATE partnership.

"Dr. Pfister's experience in undergraduate and graduate teacher education and administration, scholarship, and professional consultation, in addition to her record of service to the teacher education profession, made her an exemplary selection for the inaugural faculty fellow of the ATE," said Farnan. "Working with Dr. Pfister and partnering with the ATE has been a wonderful and rich experience, one that underscores Siena University's commitment to teacher education. We are excited to collaborate with future ATE faculty fellows and their host institutions in building national teacher education leadership."

The next ATE faculty fellow will build on Pfister's work to increase support and participation from ATE's 41 state units.