Waterville, Maine, October 2026 — Maine Trauma Education Leader Dr. Virginia Dearani was recently named Chair of Thomas College’s Lunder School of Education. She also serves as Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education.
Dr. Dearani is a long-time early childhood and trauma education expert and holds a Masters of Partnership Education and a Doctorate in Literacy Education from the University of Maine.
Dr. Dearani is taking on her new role as Chair of the Lunder School of Education at a time of growth for the program. The number of incoming education students doubled compared with last year, creating one of the largest entering education cohorts in the College’s history. The Lunder School of Education also recently launched the first educator residency program in the state and a Master of Education in Trauma Healing and Community Wellness degree.
“I am thrilled at this opportunity to take my passion for teaching and learning into this new leadership role at Thomas College. Thomas is a unique place of opportunity in Maine, with its rich landscape, small community, and progressive thinking. I believe the Lunder School of Education has a great opportunity to explore transformational educational models for our preservice teachers, children and youth in Maine. I am excited to lead this effort with a fabulous team of educators,” said Dr. Dearani.
“Dr. Virginia Dearani brings a wealth of experience in teaching, curriculum innovation, and educational leadership, along with a passion for creating inclusive, engaging, and student-centered learning environments,” said Thomas College Provost Dr. Jeremy Qualls. “I find myself inspired by her creativity and innovative thinking and very pleased to have her in the role as the new Chair of the Lunder School of Education at Thomas College.”
Dr. Dearani’s areas of expertise and interest include post humanist early child education theory, whole teacher-whole child, critical pedagogies of healing in education, embodied social justice education; neuroscience and the young mind, and creating partnership systems of teaching and learning. Her new book, Wholeness Reimagined (Routledge, 2026), will be arriving soon, focusing on redefining what it means to be a whole child and whole teacher in education today. She is involved in the Maine Community Foundation’s Androscoggin County Advisory Council and is active in diverse community initiatives throughout Maine, specifically in the Lewiston/Auburn area in which she resides.
Thomas College’s Lunder School of Education offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees in education ranging from early childhood education to secondary education and education leadership.