Tony Castro, Co-Director

Tony Castro is an associate professor of social studies education in the Department of Learning, Teaching & Curriculum. His research interests center on the preparation of teachers for urban schools, with specific attention to critical multicultural citizenship, democratic teacher education and teaching practices that foster social justice. Prior to serving as a professor, Castro taught in urban schools and worked in a variety of outreach and educational programs serving low-income and minority populations. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in social studies education, curriculum, teacher education and qualitative research methods. He also conducts workshops for educators on civic practices and teacher development in local schools and at the University of Missouri.

Kimberley Nuetzmann, Co-Director

Kimberley Nuetzmann is director of the Office of Clinical Experiences and Partnerships in the College of Education & Human Development. She collaborates with partner districts across Missouri to place teacher candidates with strong mentor teachers, oversees the stakeholders who support teacher candidates and provides training on mentoring and systems of support. Nuetzmann regularly visits schools and monitors the progress of hundreds of teacher candidates each year. Before joining the college, Nuetzmann spent 27 years in Columbia Public Schools as a teacher, Teaching Fellowship Program mentor, professional development specialist and facilitator of the district’s new teacher induction program. She also served as a consultant with the Heart of Missouri RPDC, facilitating the regional DESE Leadership Academy and Teacher Academy for eight years. Throughout her career, she has led hundreds of professional development sessions focused on leadership development, professional learning communities, cognitive coaching, effective mentoring practices and high-leverage teaching strategies. Nuetzmann collaborates with DESE on multiple educator-support initiatives and has served as both a P-12 practitioner and college representative with MPER for more than 10 years.

Susie Adams, Program Coordinator