EPI Faculty Team

The dynamic team of EPI faculty model co-teaching in the delivery of the curriculum. Large group sessions address major teaching-related concepts. In small groups, EPI participants study and apply content as related to their particular disciplines and/or grade levels. 

• Dr. Betty Bennett is our EPI Director with 15 years of experience in K-12 education as a teacher, administrator and district trainer of beginning teachers. She also has 13 years’ experience as an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at UNF including teaching in UNF’s Belize M.ED program and has been with the EPI since its inception in 2007. She has written two books on school discipline. Dr. Bennett is a certified martial arts instructor and through this venue teaches anti-bullying to children and women's self-defense. She was Pak’s Karate of Mandarin’s 2005 Instructor of the Year. She is considered UNF’s expert on bullying and is called on often for news interviews. Her passion is creating safe learning environments for all students. 

• Lynne Raiser, UNF Professor Emerita and EPI Curriculum Coordinator, has taught children at every grade level in five states as an elementary school or special education teacher (K-6), 7th grade English teacher or speech pathologist (7-12). She retired from the University of North Florida in 2004 but hasn't lost her passion for teaching. She coordinates the Gladys Prior Awards for Career Teaching Excellence. For her work establishing Very Special Arts in Northeast Florida, she received the 1992 Arts Educator Award from the Arts Assembly of Jacksonville and the 1993 EVE Award. Her work in urban schools was recognized by the 2009 UNF Distinguished Urban Educator Award. 

• Miss Shannon Wine, M.Ed., Instructor, is the Exceptional Student Lead Teacher at Waterleaf Elementary School. She previously taught first grade inclusion at Woodland Acres Professional Development School where she supervised student teachers and welcomed other UNF students to her class to learn how to teach young children effectively. Ms. Wine was the 2000 Outstanding UNF Graduate Student in Special Education and teacher of the year at her school. She has been a Reading First coach at Annie R. Morgan Elementary School, a literacy coach for Episcopal Children's Services, and a teacher of children with specific learning disabilities. She was one of 5 finalists for 2010 Duval County Teacher of the Year and received the 2010 Gladys Prior Award for Career Teaching Excellence.