Robert Kladifko, Ed.D.

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Michael D. Eisner College of Education, CSUN

Professor Kladifko has taught a variety of classes in the ELPS Department in the areas of leadership, “principalship,” decision-making, curriculum, community relations and fieldwork in school administration. Prior to joining CSUN’s ELPS faculty in 2002, he had a distinguished career with the Los Angeles Unified School District as both a teacher and a school-site and district administrator. In 1992, he was honored as the California High School Principal of the Year. In 1993, he was elected vice president for legislative action for the California Association of School Administrators. After serving as President of the Los Angeles Section of the California Interscholastic Federation in 1996, Professor Kladifko was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge for that organization.  His main research interests are in the areas of school-community relations, school safety and violence, state and federal educational legislation, teacher training, educational curriculum, and school and district leadership. He has published articles and made numerous local and national presentations on all of these topics. He received a baccalaureate degree from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from California State University, Los Angeles. He earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California.

Petronella Montante, Ed.D.

Lecturer in the Michael Eisner College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department, CSUN

Professor Montante has extensive experience in leading elementary and secondary school sites in the attainment of the highest levels of academic achievement for their students. Her successful experiences in working collaboratively with both staff and community provide a strong basis for helping students understand the importance of building learning environments that are conducive to learning for all. Professor Montante has developed, planned and implemented leadership initiatives that focused on enhancing instructional leadership skills for administrators on both local and federal levels. Working closely with principals, she has identified professional development strategies, organized and implemented inquiry groups on current research practices, and instituted reflective learning dialogues that enhanced instructional methodologies. Her background in language development has been an invaluable asset in addressing the needs of all students, while her students also benefit from her experience as a practitioner of both the art and science of administration. Professor Montante earned a baccalaureate degree in History, a master’s degree in Education – both at CSUN – and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Merle Price, M.A.

Lecturer, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Michael D. Eisner College of Education, CSUN

Professor Price was a regional Superintendent in the Los Angeles Unified School District and Deputy Superintendent for Instruction, after serving as principal of a charter high school. He has also worked on several National Science Foundation projects, including one that involved four school districts and four universities. He currently serves as a School Relations Liaison in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA. Professor Price earned a baccalaureate degree in Cellular Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. His master’s degree is in Educational Administration.

(Faculty continued.)