People

Laura Kohn Wood

Dean, School of Education and Human Development

Co-founder and Advisor, Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Dr. Kohn-Wood is currently a Professor and Dean of the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Miami (UM). Dr. Kohn-Wood previously served as chair of the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, the founding program director of the Master’s in Community & Social Change program and, with colleagues, developed the Ph.D. Program in Community Well-Being at the University of Miami. She also previously held the title of Associate Vice Provost for the Office of Institutional Culture, served as the Senior Resident Faculty of Pearson Residential College and was the Inaugural co-Chair of the University’s Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Dr. Kohn-Wood received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Community Psychology, from the University of Virginia in 1996 and completed an internship at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Kohn-Wood’s research program Race, Ethnicity, Culture and Promotion of Strengths (RECAPS) focuses on race, ethnicity, and culture in relation to the experience of psychological phenomena among diverse populations, with an emphasis on race-based protective factors and the promotion of positive coping and mental health among African Americans. 

Matt Acevedo

Assistant Provost, Educational Strategy

Director, Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Dr. Matt Acevedo is the Assistant Provost for Educational Strategy and Director of the Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the University of Miami, where he leads the University’s educational development, instructional design, and educational multimedia production teams. He also teaches in UM's Applied Learning Sciences doctoral and Higher Educational Administration master’s programs.

Prior to joining the Office of the Provost, Matt was the Executive Director of Learning Innovation and Faculty Engagement in the Department of Information Technology, where he directed educational technology, instructional design, and faculty development initiatives; oversaw strategic student technology experience enhancement efforts; and led the IT working group for the Academic Collaboration and Research Network (ACoRN), the University’s dedicated research network infrastructure.

Matt's professional and scholarly interests include instructional design, faculty development, critical pedagogy, computer-mediated learning, and qualitative research in teaching and learning. He holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Florida International University, where he earned the College of Arts, Sciences & Education Best Dissertation award in 2019 for his study exploring faculty members’ experiences with distance learning quality assurance audits. He also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film, a Master of Arts in Instructional Design and Technology, and a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design for Simulations from the University of Central Florida.

Outside of work, Matt is a dedicated student and practitioner of iaido, the traditional Japanese martial art of samurai swordsmanship, holding a rank of nidan (second degree black belt) from the All United States Kendo Federation. He is also a road cyclist, a lover of science fiction, and a dog dad to a rescue named Fluffy.

Maria Kolovou

Sr. Instructional Designer

Dr. Maria Kolovou holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, a master’s in applied genetics and biotechnology, a master’s in drama in education, and a Ph.D. (from the University of Miami) in Teaching and Learning. She has worked as a science teacher for 13 years and has developed and applied science teachers' professional development workshops and seminars for four years.  

In her work, she designs innovative curricula that integrate the arts, the humanities, and the sciences. She strives to create meaningful learning environments, grounded in rich perceptual and sensorimotor experiences, in accordance with sociocultural, situated, and embodied theories of learning. To analyze learning in her designed learning environments, she has used design-based research, case study designs, grounded theory approaches, and interaction analysis, and has published her research in high-impact educational journals.  

She has a longstanding commitment to equity. Over the course of 13 years, she has led community-school partnerships and community theater projects funded by the European Union to affirm the voices of teenage immigrant female youth in Greece. Her research has aimed to redefine education for students who become marginalized from traditional lecture-type and sedentary approaches. 

Sarah G. David 

Office Manager

Sarah joined the University of Miami in October 2023 as the Administrative Assistant for the Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (PETAL), the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), and the Innovation, Technology, and Design Program (ITD). She transitioned to the role of Office Manager for PETAL in June 2026. Sarah comes from Florida International University with over 21 years of experience under Student Affairs working under the Women’s Center, Campus Life/Student Activities, and Orientation. Sarah received her Psychology degree from FIU and also holds an Associates in Fashion Design.

PETAL Faculty Fellows are University faculty members who design and implement new programs for PETAL, supported by a partial teaching release. Fellows are selected based on their potential to make a meaningful impact on teaching and learning at the University, and work closely with the PETAL team to bring their ideas to life. Through this partnership, fellows contribute their disciplinary expertise and classroom experience to shape initiatives that serve the broader University community.

Kimberly McGrath Moreira

Kimberly McGrath Moreira (she/her/hers) is a Department of Writing Studies Senior Lecturer and Associate Faculty in Pearson Residential College. She earned her BA (Honors) in Political Science and a Master’s in Education with a focus on teaching, learning, and applied linguistics in Canadian universities, where she was born. Her long-time tenure at UM also encouraged her to pursue a certificate in Enrollment Management studying the history and systems of higher education administration as they apply to student success.

As a senior global educator who has taught at Harvard University, Boston University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and in Japan, she has built knowledge and expertise in community engaged teaching and learning; English language learning, composition, and writing studies; curriculum development and teacher training with an active learning and student-centered pedagogy; and most recently, supporting student success through a residential college model. She has presented at many conferences around engaged classroom practice with non-native English speakers preparing for American college study as well as the role of community-engaged writing classes toward student success. All global and local professional experiences have continued to inform her passion for student centered and cross-cultural education, facilitate ease in communicating with people from diverse backgrounds, and inspire continuous learning and search for professional excellence connected to diversity, inclusion, and community building. Kimberly genuinely loves teaching and mentoring students in community outreach connected to building writing and communication skills, as well as the opportunity to build professional connections to the work of all faculty on our campus. She is excited to be a member of this newly created faculty fellowship in PETAL and invites you to come join us in one of the many innovative workshops, conversations, and opportunities for collegial discussion and mentorship. 

Nadia J. Gal

Dr. Nadia J. Gal is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Miami whose work bridges mathematics, evidence-based teaching, and educational research. She also serves as co-coordinator of the Department of Mathematics Graduate Students Teaching Workshop, mentoring graduate teaching assistants in effective instructional practices.

She earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania, a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Memphis, and an Educational Specialist degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Missouri. Her professional background also includes a postdoctoral fellowship in mathematics at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Gal currently serves as a PETAL Faculty Fellow, where she contributes to faculty development initiatives and educational research. Her scholarship focuses on mathematics education, student success, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. She co-organizes the Summer Pedagogical Research Institute (SPRI) and co-leads research evaluating the impact of the University of Miami Math Boot Camp on student success.  

She also serves as an Ilene M. Dresner Faculty Fellow in the Active Learning Faculty Learning Community. Her commitment to fostering inclusive and effective learning environments was recognized with an inaugural University of Miami Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mini-Grant and as a finalist for both the Provost's Teaching Award for Discussion-Based Teaching and the Provost's Faculty Excellence and Impact Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Through her teaching, faculty development, and educational research, Dr. Gal is committed to improving student success in undergraduate mathematics while helping faculty adopt evidence-based teaching practices that enhance learning for all students.