ABIGAIL FULLER

TPI-US REVIEWER

With over 20 years of service in the education profession, Abigail Fuller, Ed.D., is the Department Chair of Education at Ave Maria University. She is also Associate Professor of Education and Program Manager for the Elementary Education Educator Preparation Program. In 2023, she was awarded a Faculty of Excellence Award for her contributions to the department and university. She actively teaches undergraduate courses and supervises internships. 

Prior to her time as professor, she was employed with Collier County Public Schools in southwest Florida as a school administrator, intervention support specialist/special education specialist, and teacher in both Title 1 and non-Title 1 elementary schools. Her work has taken her to schools in which she has served children from all demographics and abilities. She served as the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction at a school with over 900 students ages three through 11 with a special program for students with Autism. She served as a summer school Principal in rural Immokalee, FL. 

Abigail is a Leadership Collier Foundation Class of 2025 Graduate. She is the author of “Overcoming Cultural Mismatch: Reaching and Teaching Diverse Children” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021). Abigail was a 2019 Recipient of an Ave Maria University Laurel Family Faculty Professional Development Grant, which aided her work conducting research on pre-service teachers’ perceptions of creating a cultural autobiography and their perceptions of readiness to teach children from diverse backgrounds. In April 2020, she was recognized by the Florida Gulf Coast University Alumni Association as the recipient of the “Commitment to Service Alumni Award.” She was a 2009 Champions for Learning “Teacher of Distinction'' award recipient. She has presented at several state and national conferences. 

Abigail obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, with a double major in Dance and a minor in Special Education. She earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Florida Gulf Coast University, and a Doctorate of Education degree in School Administration from the University of Florida. Her undergraduate teaching internships included schools in urban Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. In 2005, Abigail taught as a missionary at the House of Hope Orphanage in Guatemala for three months, serving as an English and dance teacher. She maintains numerous Florida Professional teaching and leadership certifications and endorsements and is certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.