Dana Oliver

Dr. Dana Oliver is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education and Director of the Reading Specialist Program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). She specializes in supporting preservice elementary, early childhood, and special education teachers, as well as graduate students pursuing reading specialist degrees. Her research focuses on the interplay between affectual domains and cognitive processes in reading, teacher support systems, and student reading habits.

Education:

• Ed.D., Educational Leadership in Higher Education, Southwestern College, Kansas
• M.Ed., Reading Specialist, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
• B.S., Elementary Education, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Professional Engagement: Dr. Oliver chairs the Oklahoma Higher Education Reading Council (OHERC), serves on the Oklahoma Literacy Association (OKLA) Board, and is a Board member of the Weatherford Public Library. She leads doctoral candidates at Southwestern College, Kansas, and mentors novice teachers through professional development initiatives. She also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Young Adult and Children’s Literature.

Awards:

• Distinguished Dissertation Award (2023)
• Davinci Institute Fellowship Award

Labs/Teams: Actively contributes to Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, ASCD Leadership Summit, NSSA Conference, and OKLA conferences. Coordinates professional development programs for K-12 districts and presents nationally on literacy education.