Support for Teacher Education Programs (STEP) and Global Student Teaching
The College of New Jersey
Education Building
Suite 108
P.O. Box 7718
Ewing, NJ 08628
Phone: 609.771.2408
Fax: 609.637.5196
Email: step@tcnj.edu
Eileen Heddy, Ed.D., Director
Eileen Heddy joined the STEP Office as Director in 2019. Prior to this role she taught in the Elementary and Early Childhood Education and Educational Administration and Secondary Education Departments at TCNJ since 2001. Working with colleagues, she developed the Middle School Specialization program and the Environmental Sustainability Education program. She served as the faculty coordinator for the Global Student Teaching program and has worked to expand that program over the past several years. As Director of the STEP Office she continues her work with the Global Student Teaching program, oversees all clinical field placements, develops and maintains relationships with our partner districts, and serves as director of the Professional Development Schools Network. Dr. Heddy is a graduate of The College of New Jersey with a BA in History Education. She also holds an MA from Rutgers University in history and an Ed.D. from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at heddy@tcnj.edu or 609.771.2408
Carla B. Woodward, Assistant to the Director
Ms. Woodward provides support for the staff in the STEP Office. She oversees the processing of all mentor teacher stipends and the PDSN Teachers as Scholars Seminars. She can be reached at 609.771.2408 or varlese@tcnj.edu
George Hefelle, Professional Development Coordinator
Coordinates the Teacher Education Professional Development Seminars, the Ewing Enrichment Program for High School students and the Timberlane Summer Symposium. He can be reached at 609.771-2540 or hefelleg@tcnj.edu
Rachel Dawson, Performance Assessment and Placement Coordinator
Rachel Dawson joined the STEP Office as the Performance Assessment and Placement Coordinator in August 2021. After serving as a middle school computers teacher in northern New Jersey, Rachel was the Academic Specialist in Education at Union County College, overseeing and coordinating the education programs’ curriculum, implementation, and field experiences, where she received the Under 40 Award from the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, which recognizes young female leaders working in community colleges. She holds a BA in Psychology and EdM in Elementary Education and 5-8 Mathematics, with a specialization in Urban Teaching from Rutgers University and is completing her EdD in Educational Leadership and Management, with a concentration in Creativity and Innovation from Drexel University. In her current role, Ms. Dawson assists clinical II students in completing their performance assessment portfolios and works with partnering school districts for practicum and clinical I experiences. She can be reached at dawsonr@tcnj.edu or 609.771.2318.
Jennifer Pirone, Teacher Certification Coordinator
Jennifer has been working within the School of Education since February, 2000. She serves as a resource for teacher candidates, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community regarding certification information and procedures related to the State of New Jersey’s approved Educator Preparation Programs. Jennifer provides access to the most updated information about certification requirements, regulations, and related topics. She works closely with the NJ Department of Education as a liaison for students. Her main goal is to provide information, support, and guide our teacher candidates throughout the New Jersey teacher certification process. She can be reached at pironej@tcnj.edu, certification@tcnj.edu or 609.771.2396.
Wambui Gilbert, Placement Coordinator
Wambui is a 2015 graduate of TCNJ, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (with a specialization in International Business). She is currently completing an MBA with a concentration in Business Analytics at Rider University. Ms. Gilbert is responsible for part-time placements (practicum and Clinical I) and can be reached at gilberw1@tcnj.edu or 609-771-2116.