Dr. Rachel Davis holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland at College Park.  Her research agenda began with her dissertation where she examined the experiences of six African American middle school females.  Findings revealed that her participants’ experiences fit two categories that were interrelated: academic and social.  Her research is connected to her teaching goals of providing preservice and in-service teachers with the theoretical and best practices to work with culturally diverse student populations.