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Staff The Dimensions Educational Research Foundation's Executive Management Team oversees the functioning of the entire organization including the Research Classrooms and Resources/Training. Its five members represent each division including finance, human resources, early education, research, grants and product development. See biographies listed below. A nine-member Board of Directors advises on the entire program and a twelve-member Council of Advisors oversees the Early Education Programs. The staff of the Early Education Programs is listed under "Research Classrooms". Executive Management Team Nancy Rosenow, Executive Director Nancy has been Director of the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation (which runs the First-Plymouth Early Education Programs) for 19 years. She works closely with Dimensions Foundation researchers and consultants in the development of resource materials and training. Nancy has developed a number of initiatives, including a Multicultural Education Outreach Program; a Scholarship Fund that provides tuition assistance to low-income families; and an annual Community Concert Series and Children's Festival. She also works in collaboration with area Universities and Colleges to provide off-campus teacher and student training experiences. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in early childhood and elementary education and is an Endorsed High/Scope Foundation Trainer and a Certified Dimensions Foundation Trainer. She has served as a Primary Program Facilitator and consultant, and currently serves as past president for the Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children. She also works with the Nebraska Early Childhood Coalition, is a member of the Nebraska Department of Education's Early Childhood Policy Study Committee, and serves as facilitator of the Community Services Child Development Coalition. Nancy presents Dimensions Foundation workshops and consultations throughout the United States. Sue Erdkamp, Operations Director Sue serves as Operations Director for Dimensions Educational Research Foundation (which runs the First-Plymouth Early Education Programs). She is in her 27th year and oversees daily operations, including staff scheduling, and registration and scheduling for families participating in the Early Education Programs. Sue is certified in Family Education through Creighton University, and is also a certified Stephen Minister. She works with many aspects of the creation of Dimensions Foundation resource materials. Linda Maack, Financial Director Linda is in her 25th year, and serves as Financial Director for the Dimensions Foundation (and First-Plymouth Early Education Programs). She has a degree in education from Midland College, as well as experience in banking. She oversees all aspects of the program's financial operations, and also serves as a certified Dimensions Foundation Trainer. Michelle Zimmer, Infant/Toddler and Special Programs Director Michelle oversees registration and scheduling for the Infant/Toddler portion of the Early Education Programs, and also works with Special Projects, including planning programming (infant through grade five) for the Summer Discovery Days sessions. She is in her 14th year with the program, and has a degree in early childhood and elementary education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Michelle also works with aspects of development of Dimensions Foundation research-based resource materials. Dr. Dana L. Miller, Research Director Dana serves as research consultant for the Dimensions Foundation. Since 1993, she has been the Director of Research and Graduate Seminar for the Master of Arts in Management program at Doane College in Lincoln, NE. She is a teacher, researcher and author who has had her own research consulting firm for ten years. She has taught introductory research methods, program planning and evaluation, training and development, leadership in organizations, and human relations at the undergraduate level. For the past 12 years Miller has taught graduate courses in introductory research methods, qualitative research methods, and thesis proposal development. As a visiting professor, she has been the primary qualitative research instructor for doctoral students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 1992. Miller considers herself a lifelong student. She has a Bachelors degree in Christian Education from Vancouver Bible College in Canada, a Masters degree in Christian Education from Talbot Theological Seminary in California, a Masters degree in Social Science/College Student Development from Azusa Pacific University in California, and a Ph.D. in Administration, Curriculum, and Instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Miller belongs to the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and has presented numerous research papers at national conferences. Her most recent publications include several co-authored works, including an ethnographic study of a soup kitchen for the homeless, published in the journal Qualitative Inquiry; an article on teen tobacco use and prevention, published in the international, interdisciplinary Qualitative Health Research journal; an article on determining validity in qualitative research, published in a special qualitative edition of the Ohio State's Theory into Practice journal; and a book chapter on understanding women graduate students' school re-entry experiences through case study methodology, published in the book, Innovations in Feminist Psychological Research. Currently Miller is working on a qualitative research methods textbook titled: Applying Qualitative Research -- A Practical Guidebook, for Sage Publications in California. Miller is one of eighty-four women featured in the book: The year 2000 & Beyond…Lincoln Women Leading the Way, published in 1999. Valerie Cuppens, Executive Producer and Grants Director Valerie is an executive producer specializing in multimedia, communications and educational design services. She works with the Dimensions Foundation in the development of research-based resources for educators and families. Cuppens has spent her career developing high quality educational materials particularly including the well-known piano method The Music Tree by Frances Clark and Louise Goss. In addition, she was a teacher-trainer at The New School for Music Study, Princeton, New Jersey, Associate Professor of Piano at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey, and Artist Faculty at the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Valerie has been a consulting producer for Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NETV) and was responsible for outreach and logistics for By the People, an initiative created by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. The project concluded in a national broadcast on PBS, which aired May 22, 2003. Valerie also works closely with The Arbor Day Foundation in the development of the Nature Explore Resource Materials for children. Valerie completed her Bachelors Degree in music at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory, a Masters Degree in Piano Performance from The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and earned a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy at The New School for Music Study where her interest in the teaching and learning process was developed.

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