Faculty and Staff Biographies

Dr. Steffany Comfort Maher has been an educator for over 25 years, teaching middle and high school students English and social studies in Michigan; college students in writing, literature, and education methods courses at Western Michigan University; and pre-service and in-service teachers at Indiana University Southeast. 

Currently Associate Professor of English Education at IU Southeast, Dr. Maher supervises pre-service teachers in their clinical practice and teaches courses in secondary reading methods, advanced English language arts methods, and young adult literature. She serves as Coordinator of Secondary Education and Co-Chair of the ELATE (English Language Arts Teacher Educators) Commission on the Study and Teaching of Adolescent Literature through NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English). 

Dr. Maher asserts that her greatest reward is seeing former students make a difference in their classrooms, communities, and world. During her teaching career, she has earned several honors and awards for her extensive work in the field of education, including: 

• The Paul and Kate Farmer English Journal Writing Award HM for her article Using To Kill a Mockingbird as a Conduit for Teaching about the School to Prison Pipeline;
• The ALAN Smith/Carlsen Grant Award for research in teaching young adult literature with a critical inquiry approach;
• The 2024 IU Southeast Chancellor's Diversity Award for her work for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in teaching, research, and service;
• The 2020 IU Southeast Trustees Teaching Award for excellence in teaching;
• The 2022 IU Southeast Trustees Teaching Award for excellence in teaching;
• The 2022 Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) Innovate Award, Collaborative Activity for her program Reading, Writing, and Peopling: Essential Skills for College Success (developed with IUS colleague Dr. Rebekah Dement);
• The Western Michigan University Watterson Teaching Effectiveness Award for excellence in English education;
• The Olivet Nazarene University Lottie I. Phillips Award for excellence in English education.

Dr. Maher has published several scholarly articles, books, and book chapters on teaching young adult literature and writing in secondary classrooms. She also disseminates her research at national, state, and local professional conferences. Her research interests include critical inquiry approaches to teaching young adult literature, critical youth studies, and teaching for social justice.

Outside of academia, Dr. Maher coaches volleyball and enjoys yoga, walking, hiking, reading, and watching many different sports, especially when her four daughters are playing volleyball, basketball, or softball. She also loves to travel, and she and her family have had the privilege of traveling to serve others in Paraguay and Puerto Rico, as well as traveling abroad to several countries. Dr. Maher looks forward to traveling abroad with her students through IU Study Abroad programs in the near future.