Dr. Best started her career in financial services and banking (Ford Motor Credit Company and Bank Leumi USA) as a business analyst and mid-level manager. However, following a passion to teach, she left Corporate America to become a New York City Teaching Fellow and Special Education Teacher in the South Bronx. During her tenure within New York City Public Schools Citywide District 75, she also mentored and coached beginning teachers at schools located in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Concurrently, she taught undergraduate level accounting, marketing, and statistics courses at Metropolitan College of New York.
A passion for staff development and mentoring brought her to higher education full-time when she was recruited to serve as Director of Induction, The New Teacher Residency Program (NTRP), Mercy University – a partnership (now defunct) with the then New York City Department of Education.
In 2010, Dr. Best was appointed founding Dean of Faculty Development and Instructional Design to launch the online program at The College of Westchester. Holding the rank of an Assistant Professor, she also taught courses such as Business Writing and Communications, College Math, Mathematical Concepts and Statistical Applications, Principles of Management, Marketing, Finance, and Critical Issues in Business.
In 2015, after extensive training, she served as a contracted Online Group Facilitator and Course Developer for graduate-level courses in management at the University of the West Indies, Global Campus. Prior to joining Alliant in January 2024 as Assistant Dean, CSOE, Dr. Best held the dual roles of Assistant Dean, Clinical Practice & Partnerships and Assistant Professor for the Graduate School of Education, Touro University.
An advocate for equity and access, her research interests are varied, including competency-based learning, differentiated instruction, special education, universal design for learning and instruction, data driven decision making, and distance education.
Dr. Best is an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated and participates in various service projects that benefit those who are less fortunate in her local community
- Doctor of Education with a concentration in Teacher Leadership from Walden University
- Master of Science in Education (Honors) from City College of New York
- Master of Business Administration, Financial Management from Pace University
- Bachelor of Science from Concordia College
- Associate in Occupational Studies in Accounting & Business Administration from The College of Westchester
- New York State Teacher Certification, Special Education
Dr. Best has presented at several education conferences including the Online Learning Consortium International Conference, The Association of Teacher Educators Annual Meeting, American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, The International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Quality Matters Regional Conference, and International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation.
She recently contributed chapters in two books: ""Sticky Cases in Higher Education Leadership: Addressing Innovation, Challenges & Conflict"" and "" Collaborating for Transformative Change in Education.""