About Us & Contact

Susan W. Parker, Ph.D., Director
She/Her

Dr. Parker graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, and a Master’s degree in Special Education/Early Intervention, before attending the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her doctorate in Instruction and Learning, with a concentration in Early Intervention. During her doctoral studies she was awarded a two-year UCLID leadership fellowship. The UCLID Center, renamed LEND in 2011, was and still is an interdisciplinary program that prepares fellows to become leaders in their prospective fields, ensures high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence, and enhances the ability of clinicians to manage complex disabilities in youth and adolescents. The program also promotes culturally competent, coordinated care and integrates families in all aspects of training and service (https://www.lend.pitt.edu/about-us).

Dr. Parker joined the faculty of RMU in 2010 as an Assistant Professor, and achieved the rank of Full Professor in 2022. She is the current Department Head of Education, and former coordinator of the early childhood and special education program. She created a faculty lead education abroad program (FLEAP) and accompanied undergraduate students from RMU to the Balkans. The FLEAP focuses on working with vulnerable populations, including children living institutionally. She has published a book chapter on trauma, presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Learning Institute, and is a member of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Consortium for Early Childhood Education.

Prior to becoming a faculty member, Dr. Parker taught for almost two decades in a variety of capacities in the field of early childhood/early intervention. She worked as a Head Start teacher for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, an early intervention classroom teacher, home visitor, and service coordinator for the Chester County Intermediate Unit, and as a developmental therapist for Achieva. For many years she was a board member for a humanitarian organization (https://www.lifelinechicago.net/), and sat on the board of the Jugoslav Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), appointed by a judge to advocate for children who are before the court as a result of abuse or neglect as defined by the state child welfare laws (https://pgh-casa.org/).

Dr. Parker and her husband (a native of Philadelphia) have two adult children, and a dog, Penelope. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, attend sporting and cultural events, and brag about the city of Pittsburgh… although she does like Wawa.

parkers@rmu.edu
412-397-6245
Wheatley 212
Office hours | Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Courtney Milavec, Associate Director
She/Her

Courtney Milavec has been a higher education professional for over a decade. After graduating from St. Lawrence University with a Bachelor’s in Biology and Environmental Sciences, she moved to Montana as a Recruitment Specialist for Montana Technological University. In this role, she established strategies to recruit and support women pursuing STEM majors. She also helped oversee annual summer programs in Yellowstone National Park, which focused on building professional networks and leadership opportunities for women in the natural sciences. As a result of her work, she was nominated for the Rising Star Award with the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, and Western Associations for College Admission Counseling as well as the Montana Post-Secondary Educational Opportunities Council.

In 2018, she moved to Texas as a Special Events Manager for the University of Texas at Dallas, leading and implementing events for presidential candidates, filmmakers, international artists, and animation studios. However, she was always drawn to improving the student experience and was internally recruited to be an Academic Advisor. In this capacity, she guided hundreds of UT-Dallas undergraduates from matriculation to graduation, was the staff advisor for the Living Learning Communities, held an elected position on the Military and Veterans Advisory Council, and received the President’s Teaching Excellence Award for Advisor of the Year.

Then in 2024, Courtney earned a Master's in Educational Leadership from Harvard University where she served as a Peer Mentor for the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As part of her graduate research, she designed a Peer Mentorship Program to support incarcerated adults in their pursuit of higher education and developed educational policies that outlined the benefits of AI in empowering underrepresented students in STEM.

A native New Englander, Courtney grew up playing ice hockey, hiking in the White Mountains, and putting maple syrup on ice cream. She studied abroad in Australia and loves to scuba dive, kayak, bake, and compete with friends and family over a deck of cards.

milavec@rmu.edu
Patrick Henry 214
Office hours | Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Melissa Reabe, Associate Director
She/Her

Melissa Reabe has always subscribed to the idea that anyone and everyone is a leader. After graduating from Geneva College with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, Melissa moved to Memphis, Tennessee where she began a year-long fellowship program dedicated to supporting and mentoring college aged young adults. At the completion of her fellowship program, Melissa remained in Memphis to assist in oversight of a large-scale community engagement project before settling into a programmatic role within a dementia unit in a retirement community.

In 2019, Melissa returned to the Pittsburgh area and began her graduate studies at Geneva College, where she held a Graduate Assistantship in Student Leadership and Clubs. While at Geneva, Melissa taught a one semester leadership development program for first year students, assisted in refining the student leader experience, and resourced student run clubs. Melissa graduated in May of 2021 with her Master of Arts in Higher Education.

Melissa then began working as an Area Coordinator at Westminster College. There, she wore many hats, overseeing two all female residence halls, serving as a student conduct hearing officer, advising the Campus Programming Council, revamped the Student Organizations system, and provided administrative support to Fraternity and Sorority Life. In December 2021, Melissa supported the women in her buildings as the Netflix movie “The Pale Blue Eye, starring Christian Bale and Harry Melling, filmed outside of them. In April 2023, she won the Greek Service Award for exceptional service to the Greek Community.

Melissa uses the phrase “yinz” unironically in conversation, and is passionate about developing future Swifites. She cares deeply about the importance of rest, fun, and hobbies. There are few things she loves more than sitting outside on a porch, coffee, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

reabe@rmu.edu
Patrick Henry 217A
Office hours | Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Rianna Morris, Student Assistant
She/Her

Rianna Morris is a sophomore at Robert Morris University and is from Bellefonte, PA. Rianna is pursuing a marketing degree with a minor in Psychology and a certificate in logistics. She is involved with The WLMP, Women in Business, Sigma Kappa Sorority, and is in the honors program at RMU.  She enjoys photography, going on adventures with friends, traveling, and spending time with my family. 

wlmp@rmu.edu
412-397-6311
Office hours | Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm