About Us
Our Staff
Dr. Mirwais Azizi
Director, Digital Learning
Serving as the Inaugural Director of Digital Learning at California Lutheran University's Center for Teaching and Learning, Dr. Azizi is an emblem of modern academic leadership, merging technology and pedagogy.
He provides the strategic vision and leadership for instructional innovation and Digital Learning initiatives. He is a professor and researcher with two decades of versatile roles in academia, spanning from professorship and research to administrative leadership, on both national and international platforms.
He oversees University-wide instructional design activities and strategic dimensions of course content development and distribution across the campus. He collaborates closely with Academic Affairs in advancing academic programs with the highest standards of academic integrity and pedagogical innovation. He provides expertise in the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative instructional approaches and technologies as well as facilitating communities of practice among faculty.
He holds an MHA, MBA, and a doctorate in Education - Instructional Technologies from Pepperdine University. Additionally, he boasts graduate certificates in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as well as High-Performance Leadership from Cornell University. His research interests span: cognitive neuroscience of learning; pedagogical effectiveness; experiential and empirical research in teaching and learning.
mazizi@callutheran.edu
(805) 493-3713
Spies-Bornemann 112
Dr. Dana Shreaves
Sr. Instructional Designer
Dana has worked in education for over 20 years, providing instructional design and faculty development since 2011. In addition to a B.A., M.A. Ed., and an M.B.A., Dana went on to earn her doctorate in Educational Technology from Boise State University with a focus in faculty development and online teaching. Dana works with faculty to design inclusive, high-quality, engaging learning experiences in a variety of modalities. She is passionate about teaching and learning and enjoys exploring new ways to better meet the needs of learners.
dshreaves@callutheran.edu
(805) 493-3402
Spies-Borneman 113a
Dr. Shanshan Ma
Instructional Designer
Shanshan provides support and consulting with faculty from diverse disciplines to identify course goals and applicable evidence-based instructional and strategies with an emphasis in integration of innovative tools and technologies using Quality Matters Standards in course components to enhance learning across different delivery modes. She has years of teaching and research experiences in the field of education and instructional technology. Shanshan has earned her M.S. in Educational Technology with a concentration on Instructional Systems Design from East China Normal University, and Ph.D. in Learning Technology from University of North Texas. Her research interests include critical thinking, learning analytics, innovative learning/teaching strategies, the application of emerging technologies, and online/virtual learning environment. She also holds several Quality Matters (QM) certifications in areas of teaching online, online course design, applying QM rubric, and is a certified QM Peer Reviewer.
shanshanma@callutheran.edu
(805) 493-3683
Spies-Borneman 113
Vacant
Instructional Designer
@callutheran.edu
(805) 493-3100
Spies-Borneman 114
Milad Malakooti
Learning Technology Support Specialist
As the Learning Technology Support Specialist, Milad is responsible for supporting faculty with all aspects of Canvas. He graduated with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems (CIS). He is also a certified Software Engineer who graduated from General Assembly Coding Bootcamp in April 2020, emphasizing Full-Stack web development.
Matt Larcin
Instructional Media Coordinator
Matt is responsible for supporting faculty with challenging aspects of course media, visuals and ADA accessibility. Matt has many years of experience working alongside faculty and executive teams in higher education, both as an administrator and as an adjunct multimedia instructor. He specializes in educational technology and is responsible for educating others in effective instructional design methods, with an emphasis on engaging visuals and media techniques.
Matt holds a Master of Education degree in Technology-Based Education with an emphasis on Educational Technology and Instructional Design from California State University, Dominguez Hills. He also possesses advanced master certificates from UCLA, with an emphasis on Graphic and Multimedia Design.
Our Student Workers
Our student employees are a huge part of the operation at the Center for Teaching and Learning and Digital Learning departments. We value their hard work, dedication, and positive attitudes and we hope you will too!
Shruti Gandhi
Joseph Glickman
Julia Raszka
Julia is an international student from Poland, studying Theater Arts and Music as a junior. She loves music, theater, photography and travelling, and hopes to see the whole world one day. You might know her as a singer in “She’s from Poland” or from her performances in campus Theater Productions
Theater Arts and Music Major
Parham Zahedi
Parham is an international junior student currently majoring in Physics and minoring in Mathematics (Class of 2025). With a profound passion for space exploration, he is driven to pursue a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, aspiring to carve out a career in the space industry and make significant contributions to technological advancements and our understanding of the universe.
Physics Major
Mathematics Minor