About Us
Lauren Barbeau, Ph.D.
Lauren Barbeau is passionate about enhancing the value for and quality of teaching in higher education. Before we can support faculty in becoming effective instructors, Lauren believes we have to know what good teaching is. Before we can develop metrics to evaluate and reward it, she argues that we need to have a common language in which to discuss it. Her work on Critical Teaching Behaviors provides this foundational understanding of evidence-based teaching practices that enables faculty, institutions, and higher ed as a whole to engage in productive conversations related to what it means to be a good teacher.
She and her co-author, Claudia Cornejo Happel, have developed a suite of peer observation, student feedback, and narrative starter tools to support faculty in telling their teaching stories. Through her consulting work, Lauren helps institutions develop a contextually relevant definition of teaching excellence, establish peer observation programs that support faculty growth, and redesign student feedback instruments to collect meaningful feedback on teaching that aligns with institutional priorities.
Lauren earned her Ph.D. in English from Washington University in St. Louis and began her career in educational development in 2013. She has served in educational development roles at Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia. She is currently the Assistant Director of Learning and Technology Initiatives at Georgia Tech, where she assists faculty in finding the right technology tools to meet their pedagogical needs.
Claudia Cornejo Happel, Ph.D.
Claudia Cornejo Happel is dedicated to fostering collaborative teaching communities that empower educators and elevate student success. As Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she leads initiatives to promote evidence-based practices and enhance teaching and learning. Co-author of Critical Teaching Behaviors, Claudia advances a shared language to define, document, and discuss good teaching across disciplines and modalities. With a Ph.D. in Spanish and an Ed.S. in Instructional Technology, she blends diverse academic foundations with practical expertise to research inclusive practices, document effective teaching, and support institutions nationwide in creating transformative teaching cultures.