Researchers. Practitioners. Educators.

A dedicated educator and leader with more than 30 years of experience spanning K-12 and higher education, Dr. Wellner has served as both general and special education teacher and held administrative roles across California public schools.

Her expertise spans teacher education, special education, autism, ADHD, organizational leadership, trust theory, ethics in education, and stakeholder communication. She holds an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne, and her scholarly work includes multiple book chapters, an edited text, and national and international presentations in trust theory.

With over 25 years of educational experience across PreK-12 and higher education, Dr. Pierce-Friedman has mentored doctoral candidates through complex research and IRB processes to completion. She has served as both a general and gifted and talented education teacher across California and Oregon online public schools.

She holds a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Online Education and Learning from Capella University. Her scholarly work includes multiple book chapters and national and international presentations focusing on leadership in online education.