by University Communications
June 3rd 2024
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Portland State University named Maneka Deanna Brooks as the Dean of the College of Education. Brooks currently serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Educator Preparation at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. She will join PSU on July 1, working remotely before joining the campus community in person on August 1.
“Maneka has a track record of education leadership and community engagement that makes her a perfect fit for Portland State’s College of Education,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Shelly Chabon. “I was impressed by her experience working with local school districts on staffing strategies and her research on second language literacy and bilingualism.”
Brooks is an equity-focused educational administrator with a strong research and teaching background who brings experience developing successful initiatives with community partners. Prior to joining Texas State in 2014 as an Assistant Professor of Reading Education, Brooks served as Assistant Professor of Literacy in Multicultural Contexts at California State University, Fresno and an adjunct lecturer at University of California, Santa Cruz. Outside of the sphere of higher education, Brooks has a range of experiences working within and supporting various types of educational institutions.
"I was particularly interested in joining Portland State because of its commitment to public education and its expansive vision of how education can transform life opportunities for communities and individuals," Brooks said. “I’m really looking forward to expanding existing community partnerships and building new partnerships in service to Portland and the greater region.”
Brooks earned a Ph.D. in Educational Linguistics from Stanford University. She has a M.A. in Bilingual Secondary Education and a B.A. in Psychology from Loyola Marymount University.
Chabon expressed her heartfelt thanks to Tina Peterman, who will return to the faculty of the College of Education after serving as interim Dean for the last year. She also offered her deepest gratitude to the College of Education Dean Search Committee which was chaired by Rossitsa Wooster, Dean of the Graduate School.
Brooks is the fourth of six new deans who will be hired during the 2023-24 academic year.