Dr. Dusa remains gratified by her distinguished role in helping make educational resources more accessible to those in need.
VAN NUYS, CA, December 18, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — Joan Dusa, PhD, is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who’s Who. She was recently spotlighted in New York City’s Times Square on a 22-story screen that is passed by an estimated 1.5 million people daily. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Dusa has built impressive credentials and a stellar career as an educator and independent scholar in the Los Angeles area, partnering with various outlets, including the Los Angeles County Office of Education, to serve a diverse population representative of a wide age range of learners. Notably, Dr. Dusa is gratified to have engaged in productive cooperation with at-risk youth and to have helped the underserved for most of her career.
Broad academic success has proven foundational to Dr. Dusa’s legacy as an educator. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in classical languages and history at the University of Pittsburgh in 1971 before advancing to earn a Master of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1974. Dr. Dusa finished a terminal degree in her field through the completion of a PhD with a specialty in medieval European history, also from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1988.
Extensive industry experience defines Dr. Dusa’s presence in her field and includes work as a substitute teacher within the Los Angeles Unified School District and an instructor in the Adult Division from 1988 to 1996. She also held the title of educator with the Juvenile Court and Community Schools of the Los Angeles County Office of Education from 1994 to 2012.
Based on a family background of dedication to civic service and being drawn to segments of society that need more educational support, Dr. Dusa has pursued distinct opportunities to assist individuals and communities in their pursuit of academic excellence. She served as an advisory board member of Inside Out Writers and was a member of both the Adoption Committee for Textbooks and the History-Social Science Framework Committee with the California State Board of Education. She also held membership on the Leadership Council of the Washington Community Adult School from 1990 to 1992 and humbly acted as the co-chair of the Leadership Council for the Wilson-Lincoln Community Adult School from 1995 to 1996. More recent appointments relevant to Dr. Dusa’s profile include her role as a member of the Family-SchoolCommunity Partnership of the Los Angeles County Office of Education and as a current codirector of Loving Hearts Foundation, a position she has held since 2013.
Dr. Dusa has been committed to enabling comprehensive family support systems through her work as a co-founder of Parents in Crisis, which aided mothers and fathers of incarcerated youths. She also helped establish a transition program for young men released from local prisons. Her transformational work as a member of the California Board of Education includes efforts to revamp the board’s history and social sciences framework, which in turn positively impacted textbooks adopted for these particular curricula. Additionally, Dr. Dusa has been deeply involved in local and regional arts programs and prompted young people to take their artistic talents seriously.
Numerous accolades have been bestowed upon Dr. Dusa across her career, including the Outstanding Staff Award at Sylmar Juvenile Hall in 1995, the Distinguished Service Award from the Los Angeles County Office of Education in 2000, and the Family, School, Community Partnership Teacher of the Year Award in 2001. Notably, Dr. Dusa was humbled to accept the Teacher of the Year Award from the Los Angeles County Office of Education in 2002.
Various affiliations illuminate the rich diversity of Dr. Dusa’s career efforts. She is a member of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies and the Medieval Academy of America. From 1994-1996 she served as a Chapter Chair in Adult Education for the United Teachers of Los Angeles as well. Additionally, Dr. Dusa maintains membership in the California Teachers Association and the National Education Association.
Dr. Dusa remains gratified by her distinguished role in helping make educational resources more accessible to those in need. She derives great fulfillment from the positive, productive connections she has made with others throughout her career as an educator, and she thrives on sustained contact with former students and colleagues. Looking toward the future, Dr. Dusa aims to persist in her research efforts and remain active in the state of California across diverse channels of activity.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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