Please share a brief introduction with the cohort, including your role in the project and the vision you have for it.
Hello! Emily with LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network. We received the funding that is enabling this work. I am excited to be getting underway with collaborators around the state on a project that impacts student success and affordability.
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He Everyone,
I’m Donna Densmore on the Trig Cohort. I have been teaching almost 40 years with this being my 31st year at BPCC. I love math and sharing my passion with my students and hoping they catch the “math bug”. I love trig though I haven’t taught it for a while since I took an extended leave a few years ago. I am teaching it in the Spring and I am excited. I look forward to learning about OER and seeing if they can replace or at least supplement my courses.
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Hey everyone!
My name is Kaitlin Schilling, Associate Program Manager with Rebus Community, and I’m excited to take you all through our Textbook Success Program as your facilitator!
A little bit about me - I’ve been working in Open Education for about 3-ish years now, and have a background in psychology and public administration. As a former TSP participant from the Feb 21 cohort, I know how valuable this community of practice can be. My journey throughout the TSP shaped not only my approach to open publishing but education in a broader context. https://pressbooks.openedmb.ca/pullingtogethermanitoba/
I’m looking forward to guiding you all as you embark on your OER projects, and getting to know you and your teams! 
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Hello everyone,
I am Kiel Ellis, and I am part of the Finite Math Cohort. I have been teaching math at Delgado for 13 years, and I have been a licensed and practicing cosmetologist for 31 years. My first teaching job was training cosmetologists in using a product line back in the 90s. Later, I realized that I love explaining how stuff works…that is, after I figure out how it works. I recently worked on an OER project that involved transforming a Contemporary Math course to OER and teaching the transformed course over a three-year period. I learned a lot about OER, but I only know what I know. There is so much I don’t know about it, and I hope this project will provide me with the experience and training that will help me to be a better creator and collaborator to effect change in the lives of our students. I have not met my cohort members yet, so we have not discussed roles for the project.
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Hi math people!
I am Karen Perilloux and I have been a full-time math teacher for the past 30 years. I teach at Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville. Last year our school began working with University of Holy Cross for dual enrollment, and I am now the Professor for both College Algebra and Applied Calculus. I have a lot to learn about OER, but I am excited about the prospect of being involved in “writing the book!” For years I have been frustrated with the rising costs of college and textbooks, so I am thrilled that this grant will provide the opportunity to make these opportunities available to a wider audience. I’m looking forward to working with all of you.
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Hi All,
I’m Darrell Renfro. I teach psychology courses at Dillard University in New Orleans. I am looking forward to an exciting journey as I learn new and innovative strategies to incorporate into my courses.
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Hello All,
I am Bimal Kunwor. I am from River Parishes Community College. I am also serving the United Sates Army Reserve since past 7 years. I have been involved with Microsoft Teals program, IBM apprenticeship program, ecyberguide program and few other programs to promote equitable and accessible computer science education especially to high school students.
I am a strong proponent of OER education. It personally helped me to advance my career and I feel it’s my turn to give something back.
I enjoy learning new things every day. Also, enjoy hiking, camping and cooking In my free time, I love reading books, playing chess and watch math, CS and comedy videos.
I am looking forward to learning from all of you. Happy leaning all!
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Hello everyone,
I am Prakash Ghimire from LSUA. I joined LSUA in 2016. I have been teaching upper and lower-level undergraduate mathematics courses online and in-person since I joined LSUA. I am part of the College Algebra Cohort. I am not sure what exactly my role is in this project because I have not yet met my Cohort members. I am hoping to develop an excellent OER for College Algebra that helps the dual enrolled as well as other college students.
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Hello everyone! My name is Renae Broussard, and I am in the Finite Mathematics cohort. For the last fifteen years I taught gifted mathematics in the Calcasieu Parish Public School system. I recently transitioned to full time faculty at McNeese State University, and I absolutely love being a college instructor. COVID and the dual hurricane impacts (we missed nine weeks of school) made me extremely interested in OER, as well as writing my own content. I am always interested in new ideas and strategies to foster my students’ understanding and help them be successful.
Thus far, my biggest challenge is that I teach from 12:30 to 3:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I am unable to attend training meeting live. I meet with my cohort tomorrow (I will be late, sigh,) so I’m not yet sure of my role. Thus far, I have completed the MOU, and become a member of the cohort forum.
I am so looking forward to learning about OER and content publishing.
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Hi cohort team members!
My name is Jared Eusea, and I am the cohort leader for all five of these math cohort groups. I have plenty of OER and course building experience that I have gained over the past years. I hope I can share my experience with everyone.
I sent out a very detailed email of my experience, to all of the cohort members, at the start of this project. If there is anything I can assist with during the course building process, I’ll be the one that will assist with it. I am looking forward to guiding all of the teams in the process of building these online courses over the next year and a half.
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My name is Philippe Lannelongue I have been teaching Marketing and Management for 11 years, at the University of Holy Cross and at the University of New Orleans.
Although I was born in France, I spent my teenage years in Africa and went to school in England. I received a bachelor’s degree from Toulouse Business School in France and an MBA as well as an MS in Healthcare Management from the University of New Orleans. During my professional career I have worked in various industries ranging from healthcare to cinema and aerospace - In Europe and several states in the US. I now live in Kenner with Peanut, my Whippet. When I am not working, I like to play tennis, paint, sail and ride my Harley.
Hi everyone,
I am a faculty member at the University of Holy Cross in New Orleans. I’ve been teaching microeconomics since 2000. I was on the LOUIS Introduction to Business team. I teach classes with a mix of dual enrollment and traditional students. I have been using an OER for micro since 2018. I look forward to working with the team to customize the resources.
Kind regards,
Nicole
Hello everyone! My name is Toni Spahn and I am a member of the Finite Math cohort. I am retired from the University of New Orleans, and I have been teaching at the University of Holy Cross for six years. I teach the Finite Math course regularly, as well as Algebra courses and Introductory Statistics courses.
We have been using an Open Source Text for our College Algebra for several years. I look forward to collaborating to produce an OER for Finite Math.
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Good afternoon,
I am Donna Densmore a member of the Trig cohort. I am in my 31st year of teaching at Bossier Parish Community College. Prior to that I taught high school and middle school and a year of first grade (that was an experience). I have never used OER so this is a completely new adventure for me the I am looking forward to.
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Hello,
I am Stephan Patterson, in the statistics cohort. I’m a faculty member at Louisiana State University Shreveport. I teach all kinds of courses across the math undergrad curriculum, but I’m particularly passionate about those that involve computational math and statistics since it’s so relevant to today’s world.
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Good Morning Everyone,
I’m Yi Zhen. I am a member of the Trigonometry cohort. I teach physics and mathematics at Southern University at New Orleans. I am looking forward to working with you, gaining an experience of textbook development, and learning from my peers. Thanks!
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Good Morning,
This is Ginny Bradley from River Parishes Community College joining the College Algebra cohort. I’ve been with RPCC a little over 10 years teaching math courses. While at RPCC, I have had the opportunity to move toward using only OER materials in our courses. I think this is a great value to our students. My vision is to help create a course that other instructors can use as a base to grow there own OER courses.
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