The College of Education welcomed four new faculty and staff members prior to the fall semester - Dr. Michael Faggella-Luby, Dr. Brandy Quinn, Shannon Cooper and Olivia Fissel.

Dr. Michael Faggella- Luby, Associate Professor of Special Education

B.A., English, College of the Holy Cross, 1998
M.Ed., Secondary Education, University of Notre Dame, 2000
Ph.D., Special Education, University of Kansas, 2006

Dr. Faggella-Luby also serves as institute faculty in the Alice Neeley Special Education Research and Service (ANSERS) Institute. His scholarly interests focus on learning disabilities, literacy, reading education, special education, diverse learning needs, instructional design, secondary education and school reform. Dr. Faggella-Luby’s primary research interest focuses on embedding instruction in learning strategies into subject-area courses to improve reading comprehension for all levels of learners. Before joining the faculty at TCU, he was an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut.


Dr. Brandy Quinn, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology

B.A., English, Whittier College, 1998
M.A., Theology, Loyola Marymount University, 2003
M.Ed., Teaching, California Lutheran University, 2005
Ph.D., Education, Stanford University, 2013

In her current research, Dr. Quinn investigates whether and how school communities foster in youth the desire and drive to contribute to society through their own gifts and talents. Her goal is to find ways to help schools educate young people who are morally, socially and emotionally prepared to be contributing members of their communities. Prior to completing her Ph.D., Dr. Quinn taught high school religious studies and elementary special education in Southern California.


Shannon Cooper, Administrative Program Specialist
Shannon Cooper joins the College of Education staff as the Administrative Program Specialist for Undergraduates. Shannon graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Psychology. She also works with the local chapter of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).


Olivia Fissel, Strategic Communication and Marketing coordinator

Olivia Fissel joins the team as the Strategic Communication and Marketing Coordinator. She graduated from TCU in 2007 with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations. She has previously worked in different marketing and communication roles for Six Flags Over Texas and RadioShack Corporation.