Bryana French, Ph.D.
Bryana French, Ph.D., joined CELC as a faculty member in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at the beginning of the 2014-15 academic year. French began her academic career at the University of Missouri, Columbia where she was joint-appointed in the Black Studies department and Counseling Psychology program. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois’ Counseling Psychology program in 2010.
"At Missouri, I did research, but realized I was most focused on teaching, advocating and mentoring students," French said. "Here, faculty have private practices and are also more teaching-focused."
French's plan is to pursue licensure to become a licensed clinician, meaning she would be able to see clients while simultaneously focusing on the teaching and mentorship work she loves. She currently teaches M.A. and Psy.D. level courses in diversity issues and has taught several other courses throughout her career including African American Psychology, Violence Against Women and Children, and Qualitative Methods.
"In my classes, we are practice oriented," French said. "I tend to think about research theories, but then use that to inform how I teach. Many of my classes are awareness-focused. We often have reflections, or participate in experiential activities like privilege walks."
French’s research interests focus on sexual coercion and associated psychosocial outcomes among racially diverse young men and women. She has also conducted research on faith-based teen dating violence prevention and alternative educational programming for suspended youth. She holds leadership positions in the APA, including the Director of Communications and Technology for Division 17: Society of Counseling Psychology and the Member-at-Large: Racial & Ethnic Minority Slate for Division 51: Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity. She is also on the editorial board for the Journal of Black Psychology.
Bruce Gleason, Ph.D.
Bruce Gleason, Ph.D., joined CELC as the chair of the department of Teacher Education in the 2014-15 academic year. Gleason holds a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Iowa. He was formerly the Director of Graduate Programs in Music Education at St. Thomas and the Associate Chair of the Department of Music at Gordon College. He has published over fifty articles in music education and music history, and is the founding editor of the online research journal Research and Issues in Music Education.
A former euphonium player with the 298th U.S. Army Band of the Berlin Brigade, Dr. Gleason researches the history of cavalry music throughout the world and lectures in the area of band history. His research in band and music education history has been published in Music Educators Journal, Journal of Band Research, Renaissance, Winds, TUBA Journal, BDGuide, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, The Irish American Post, MHQ: the Quarterly Journal of Military History, National Guard Magazine, Military Collector and Historian, Journal of the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, The Journal of the Military Music Society, and the Galpin Society Journal. His work in pedagogy and comprehensive musicianship has been published in Kjos Band News, The Instrumentalist, School Band and Orchestra, and Contributions to Music Education.
In addition to his on-campus work, Dr. Gleason is the senior choir director for Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Minneapolis and is the artistic director-conductor of the Owatonna Symphony Orchestra.
Artika Tyner, Ed.D., M.P.P., J.D.
Artika Tyner, Ed.D, M.P.P., J.D., joined CELC as a faculty member in the public policy and leadership program at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year. Inspired by the legacy of W.E.B. Dubois, she earned her Doctorate in Leadership (Ed.D.) from CELC in 2012. Prior to attaining her doctorate, she subsequently earned her J.D. and Master’s of Public Policy and Leadership here at St. Thomas.
"To be honest, I thought I was finished with schooling at law school," Tyner said. "Lo and behold, one of the challenges I ran into is that a lot of the civil rights issues we were working on had an underlying policy issue."
Tyner says she views education as "a tool to advance the social justice work I'm passionate about," and her combination of experience in leadership, public policy and law reflect this passion. In March, Tyner traveled to Selma, Alabama to mark the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches.
"It was transformative in a lot of ways," Tyner said of the Selma experience. "It gave me a sense of the leadership legacy and courage of those who marched across the bridge, and connecting it to what my work will be today. I have the role of scholar, attorney, researcher, so I thought about what I am looking to build change around and the steps I will take to leave a legacy for many generations to come."
Tyner leads by example in organizing policy campaigns, fostering restorative justice practices, developing social entrepreneurship initiatives and promoting assets-based community development. She serves as a global citizen by supporting education, entrepreneurship and women’s leadership initiatives in Africa.
Tyner's most recent book, The Lawyer as Leader: How to Plant People and Grow Justice, was published by The American Bar Association. The book has been selected as a finalist for the Midwest Book Award in the category of current events/political science.
