Dr. Sarah Katelynn (Katie) Alaniz, Associate Professor of Education in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences has been named HCU’s 2022-2023 Piper Professor.
Dr. Alaniz teaches graduate and undergraduate degree programs where she works with students seeking to make a positive impact in schools and society. Her course development and teaching experiences include courses in instructional design, educational applications of technology, collegial coaching and theories and applications of systems thinking.
She also serves as Director of the Center for Learning Innovations and Teaching Excellence (C-LITE), supporting colleagues in their endeavors to meaningfully enhance teaching and learning at HCU. Additionally, she serves as the program coordinator and course developer for the Master of Science in Learning, Technology, and Design program. She also has chaired or served as a committee member on the dissertation committees of nine doctoral students, including members of the first cohort of doctoral graduates from HCU.
Dr. Alaniz has designed and delivered more than 150 professional presentations in the United States and abroad, and she has authored and/or co-authored more than 20 publications, including six books in the areas of priority management, instructional design, authentic assessment, collegial coaching in academic settings and educational applications of digital tools and resources.
She was selected as a Fulbright Specialist by the J. William Fulbright Council for International Exchange of Scholars. Additionally, Dr. Alaniz represented her college as the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Nominee in the 2019-2020 academic year. Her calling as an educator has led her to a wide range of professional opportunities, including more than 15 years of service as a teacher in public and private school settings and more than a decade of experience as a digital learning specialist.
Additionally, for the past 14 years, Dr. Alaniz and her husband Steven have served thousands of neighbors within the Houston community through a nonprofit outreach program called Apartment Life.
Dr. Alaniz holds a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Learning, Design and Technology from the University of Houston; a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Instructional Technology from Houston Christian University; a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas A&M University; and a Certificate in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the Texas Education Agency. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from Houston Christian University.