New Faculty

Kristin Cipollone is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Learning and Instruction and the associate director of the UB Teacher Residency Program. Originally from Batavia, she has 20 years of experience in education, working in schools, universities and community organizations. Cipollone began her career as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in the South Bronx before pursuing her PhD in education, culture, policy and society at UB. Cipollone’s research focuses on teacher preparation, specifically community-engaged approaches, and examines how inequality is reproduced within educational systems.

Brianna Devlin is an assistant professor of early childhood education in the Department of Learning and Instruction. Devlin is from Livonia, Michigan, and earned her PhD from the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on early mathematics learning, identifying important skills related to math and designing instructional practices to support young children, especially those who experience difficulties. She has extensive experience in early childhood education, as well as postdoctoral work at Purdue University and the University of Oregon.

Jacoby Loury is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology. Originally from Rochester, Loury’s research explores antiracist school counseling, culturally relevant counseling practices and how conversations about race impact counselor training. A graduate of Virginia Tech with a PhD in counselor education, he has worked as a school counselor and provided supervision and instruction to aspiring counselors. Loury is passionate about supporting diverse populations through innovative approaches such as gaming and hip-hop.

Xi Lu is an assistant professor in the Department of Information Science. Originally from Xi’an, China, Lu earned her PhD from the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on human-computer interaction with an emphasis on health and personal informatics. She explores how socio-cultural contexts influence technology use in marginalized health domains. Lu’s work has been published in tier-1 human-computer interaction venues. She was named a 2023 EECS Rising Star and received the ICS Steckler Family Endowed Fellowship for her research on women’s health.

Anne Perrault is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Information Science. Originally from Rochester, Perrault earned her PhD in teaching and curriculum from the University of Rochester. Her research focuses on information behaviors of educators to improve pedagogical practices, and the health information behaviors of young people with varying abilities. She has published in refereed and practitioner journals. Publications include “Reaching All Learners: Understanding and Leveraging Points of Intersection for School Librarians and Special Education Teachers” and “Schools as Information Ecologies: A Proposed Framework of Study.”

Casandra Wright is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy. Originally from Elmira, she holds an EdD in educational leadership and policy from UB and has over 35 years of experience in early, secondary and postsecondary education. Wright’s research and work focus on leadership development, equity-driven education and social justice. She has contributed to leadership coaching programs and initiatives in urban school settings, emphasizing student safety and equity. Wright is passionate about mentoring at-risk youth and continues to advocate for excellence and equity in education.