About Me

Graciela Slesaransky-Poe, Ph.D., (she, her, and hers) Professor and Former Founding Dean, School of Education, joined Arcadia University in 2001 as a Special Education Assistant Professor in the School (formerly Department) of Education. Prior to becoming the Founding Dean, Graciela has held several leadership positions including Coordinator of the Special Education Program, Co-Founder and Director of Arcadia Annual Inclusion Institute and of the Safe and Welcoming Schools Conference, and Chair of Faculty Council. 

As the Former Founding Dean, Dr. Slesaransky-Poe provided a dynamic academic and strategic leadership to the School of Education grounded on her commitment to inclusion, diversity, and social justice.  She had brought a broad vision, innovative and flexible programing, with a relevant and fresh perspective.

As a scholar, Dr. Slesaransky-Poe's work is centered on supporting educators and families in transforming schools and organizations into places where members feel welcomed, valued, and included. Her scholarship, teaching, and service are grounded in the recognition that the differences and gifts that each individual and groups members bring, enrich and strengthen their community. Prior to becoming the Dean, she was a Co-Pi in a collaborative longitudinal study of gender non-conforming and trans children at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Slesaransky-Poe has published several articles that are often referenced and quoted, has delivered several keynote addresses at local and regional conferences, and continues to provide professional development and technical assistance to schools and organizations looking to improve their climate and to comply with current local, state, and federal legislation.

Informed by her extensive national and international professional expertise in, and theoretical understandings of, inclusive education practices, coupled with her personal experiences raising a culturally, linguistically, and gender diverse family, Dr. Slesaransky-Poe is becoming a prominent local, national, and international expert on creating welcoming, inclusive, and safe schools and organizations, for gender non-conforming and transgender children, youth, and adults. She has been featured in several local and national media pieces, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, CNN, and the Chronicle of Higher Education in the United States, and Diario El Día (La Plata, Argentina). She has been interviewed in WHYY and in a radio station in La Plata, Argentina, and has been the focus of “Ciudadanos Ilustres” (Illustrious Citizens), a TV show showcasing individuals from La Plata, Argentina, making a difference locally, nationally, and internationally.

Dr. Slesaransky-Poe is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including the 2017 Champion of Social Justice, given by the Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center for “her work in creating welcoming, inclusive, and safe schools and organizations for gender non-binary and transgender children, youth and adults;” the 2013-2014 Frank and Evelyn Steinbrucker ’42 Endowed Chair given to “a faculty member with a distinguished record of teaching, professional achievements, and service to the University, and who has shown considerable leadership ability”; the 2011 Patricia J. Creegan Award for Excellence in Inclusive Education, given by the Pennsylvania’s Education for All Coalition as “a tribute to her outstanding commitment and performance in inclusive education”; and the 2014 Ally Award given in recognition of her “dedication and support to the diverse representation of Arcadia students, who have selected her as one among Arcadia University’s faculty and staff for her continuous efforts of helping to create a diverse and inclusive campus community for all.”

She is a founding member of Education Deans for Equity and Justice (http://educationdeans.org), and a member of several Advisory Boards, including the National Advisory Council of Welcoming Schools, a program of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Dr. Slesaransky-Poe came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in 1990, and received her Ph.D. in Special Education from Temple University in 1997.