About Janel…

Dr. Anderson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Administration at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. She obtained her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin Madison (ELPA).

As a mixed-methods researcher, Janel’s work investigates the way teachers’ working conditions, education policy and evolving community expectations impact teacher effectiveness. This work is designed to improve teacher retention and student outcomes through reforms that nourish strong non-oppressive schools while helping recruit and retain remarkable teachers. Before becoming a member of the DELA faculty, Janel was an award winning high school teacher for 19 years. Her notable awards include the Selma Greenburg Outstanding Dissertation Award (2023)Barbara S. and Glenn T. Thompson Graduate Award, National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship (Reed College, 2022), Kohl Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, Fulbright-Hays Award (Morocco), Cuban Cultural Exchange Fellowship (Tulane University), The Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) Global Classrooms Award.

A product of public schools, Janel is committed to supporting a flourishing publicly funded school system that equitably serves all students and the professional educators who serve them!