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Executive team
Deirdre Hon
Lauren Vega O'Neil
Lina Darwich
Deirdre Hon (she/her), M.Ed., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Portland. She started her career as a high school science teacher with a B.S. in Biology from Loyola University Chicago. She earned her M.Ed. in Mind, Brain and Education from Harvard and studied the neurological underpinnings of
Deirdre Hon (she/her), M.Ed., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of Portland. She started her career as a high school science teacher with a B.S. in Biology from Loyola University Chicago. She earned her M.Ed. in Mind, Brain and Education from Harvard and studied the neurological underpinnings of the stress and coping in adolescence. Her doctoral work at Penn State explored how SEL buffers the impacts of stress for teachers and students.. Her current research focuses on how EPP programming can help new teachers learn to be able to support the social and emotional development of their students with culturally responsive and sustaining practices. She teaches courses in child and adolescent development and has developed a Specialty in SEL for education majors.
Lina Darwich
Lauren Vega O'Neil
Lina Darwich
Lina Darwich (she/her), Ph.D is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Lewis & Clark College in Portland (OR). Lina started her career as an elementary school teacher in Dubai (UAE). She earned a B.A. and B.Ed. from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and a Ph.D. in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (
Lina Darwich (she/her), Ph.D is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Lewis & Clark College in Portland (OR). Lina started her career as an elementary school teacher in Dubai (UAE). She earned a B.A. and B.Ed. from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and a Ph.D. in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (HDLC) from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her scholarly interests include integrating culturally responsive social and emotional learning into teacher education, teacher resilience, and understanding how teachers create a sense of belonging in the classroom. She teaches child and adolescent development and co-creating classroom community focusing on equity and SEL.
Lauren Vega O'Neil
Lauren Vega O'Neil
Lauren Vega O'Neil
Lauren Vega O’Neil (she/her), MEd, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Practice at Portland State University. She specializes in self-regulation, social-emotional development and culturally-sustaining practices for both elementary-aged students and teacher candidates. Lauren has studied brain systems important for language, attention, and l
Lauren Vega O’Neil (she/her), MEd, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Practice at Portland State University. She specializes in self-regulation, social-emotional development and culturally-sustaining practices for both elementary-aged students and teacher candidates. Lauren has studied brain systems important for language, attention, and learning, and has supported teachers on implementing evidence-based programs that promote social, cognitive, and affective competence in children. As a BIPOC educator of over 20 years, Lauren has served and supported families from low socioeconomic households and communities of color in both research and teaching.
Leadership Team
Kristin Rush
Kristin Rush M.S., NCSP (she/her) is a trained school psychologist working with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission on embedding social, emotional, and cultural competencies into teacher preparation. Her passion for school safety through culture and climate development has been at the forefront of her work on educator w
Kristin Rush M.S., NCSP (she/her) is a trained school psychologist working with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission on embedding social, emotional, and cultural competencies into teacher preparation. Her passion for school safety through culture and climate development has been at the forefront of her work on educator wellness. She is an active member of the National Association of School Psychologists and has been working on the School Psychology Interstate Compact as well as state and federal advocacy for student and educator wellbeing.