Who We Are
Who We Are
The Center for Faculty Development supports the growth and success of all Loyola faculty. Grounded in our Jesuit mission and values, the Center fosters Ignatian and innovative pedagogies; cultivates equity-minded and empowering leadership; and promotes emergent and engaged scholarship. Our goal is to collaborate with faculty and campus partners to create transformative lifelong-learning environments that further student success and faculty excellence.
Lauri Dietz
Executive Director, Center for Faculty Development
Lauri Dietz, PhD, serves as the founding Executive Director for Loyola’s Center for Faculty Development. She believes that Loyola, as an institution of higher education, can achieve its highest purpose of serving humanity through expanding knowledge and education when faculty have the support and resources they need to thrive. Prior to joining the Loyola community in October 2025, Lauri was a tenure-track faculty member in the English Department at Angelo State University, the founding Director of the University Center for Writing-based Learning at DePaul University, the Associate Director for Introductory Seminars and Faculty Development at Stanford University, and, most recently, the Director of Pedagogy and Assessment at Northwestern University’s Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching. Across all her roles, Lauri builds mission- and values-centered collaborative communities to advance the goals of a liberal education and infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion into organizational structures and processes. She has published on leadership, ePortfolios, and the importance of the Arts & Humanities. She is the co-founder of the Journal of Undergraduate Research in the Humanities, a peer-reviewed journal by and for undergraduate students. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Santa Barabara and a PhD in Early Modern Literature at the University of Notre Dame.
Matthew Roberts, PhD
Director of Scholarship and Career Advancement
Matthew Roberts is the Center for Faculty Development's Director of Scholarship and Career Advancement. In this role, he collaborates with campus partners and leads initiatives to advance research, promote faculty mentorship, and embody Loyola's Jesuit mission. With over ten years of experience in academic libraries and educational development, he is a vocal faculty advocate whose work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation. Formerly an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he served on the Modern Language Association's Delegate Assembly and his scholarship appears in noted journals such as Modern Drama and New Theatre Quarterly. Matthew earned his PhD in Comparative Literature at Emory University.
Christopher Dickman, Ph.D.
Director of Teaching and Learning
Christopher Dickman, Ph.D., serves as Director of Teaching and Learning in the Center for Faculty Development, where he provides strategic leadership for faculty development initiatives that advance teaching excellence, educational innovation, and Loyola's mission. He brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education leadership spanning faculty development, instructional design, curriculum innovation, assessment, teaching, and shared governance. Throughout his career, he has led collaborative change efforts, built cross-campus partnerships, and developed programs that help educators create more effective, equitable, and engaging learning experiences. Chris brings a thoughtful, relationship-centered approach to his work, collaborating alongside faculty and colleagues to solve complex challenges and build strong communities of practice. Guided by Jesuit values and a commitment to cura personalis, he strives to lead with empathy, purpose, and a deep belief in the transformative power of education. Chris is currently Chair of Staff Council and a co-leader of the Mindfulness and Meditation affinity group through OIDEI.
Misbah Hyder
Ignatian Pedagogy Specialist
Misbah Hyder is the Ignatian Pedagogy Specialist at Loyola. She has more than 12 years of experience designing and teaching courses that center critical reflection using innovative pedagogies. Inspired by her research interests at the intersections of pedagogy, religion, and politics, Misbah is an expert on inclusive and trauma-informed pedagogy and has received several awards and grants recognizing her leadership in these fields. Prior to joining the Loyola community, she worked at centers of teaching and learning at the University of California, Irvine, the University of Notre Dame, and the U.S. Naval War College. Misbah earned her PhD in Political Science from UC Irvine, researching how globally marginalized religious communities' spiritual devotion underpinned their agency, activism, and humanitarianism. Across all her work, she is committed to centering a holistic view of the human experience as a way to build connection across differences towards our common humanity.
John Gurnak, MA
Director of Office of Online Learning
John Gurnak is the Director of the Office of Online Learning and works with academic leaders and technical staff to support the strategic planning, coordination, and oversight of online academic programming across the University. John has over two decades of higher education experience in online course and program development, instructional design, technology implementation, strategic planning, faculty professional development, and program evaluation. John holds a Master of Arts degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Akron and a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from Kent State University. In addition, John is a certified Quality Matters (QM) Peer Reviewer, a certified Applying the Quality Matters Rubric (APPQMR) Face-to-Face Workshop Facilitator, and also serves as Loyola's QM Institutional Coordinator.
Kristlyn Thomas, MS
Associate Director of Office of Online Learning
Kristlyn Thomas is the Associate Director of the Office of Online Learning and has spent her career supporting faculty in the design and development of online courses. In addition to course design and development, Kristlyn plans and facilitates professional development opportunities for online instructors. Prior to joining the Office of Online Learning, she was a member of the Instructional Technology and Research Support team at Loyola as an Educational Technologist. Kristlyn came to Loyola from Eastern Illinois University where she supported faculty in the Center for Academic Technology and earned a Master of Science degree in Technology, a Master of Science degree in Elementary Education, and a certificate in Training and Development.
Kelly Barry
Senior Instructional Designer - Office of Online Learning
Kelly Barry is a Senior Instructional Designer in the Office of Online Learning. She joined Loyola University Chicago in 2003 and she has experience teaching both in-person and online courses. Prior to joining OOL in 2026, Kelly worked for over ten years as the primary instructional designer for Loyola’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), where she provided sound instructional design support to all SCPS faculty. Thanks in part to her efforts, as well as the dedication and commitment of the SCPS leadership, faculty, and staff, Loyola’s online bachelor’s degree programs have been highly ranked consistently by US News & World Report.
Sharmeen Islam, MA
Instructional Designer - Office of Online Learning
Sharmeen Islam is an Instructional Designer with experience in implementing learning technologies and UX. Sharmeen's focuses are on accessibility and translating content to an online experience while drawing upon learning theories. Before coming to Loyola, Sharmeen was an Instructional Support Specialist at Wiley, providing support to online faculty at multiple universities. Sharmeen received a Master of Arts in Cognitive Science in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.