Donna Egan

Dr. Donna Egan is an assistant professor in the Exceptional Education and Learning program at SUNY Old Westbury. A native of Bayside, Queens, she brings a unique blend of professional experience, academic research, and a deep personal commitment to inclusive education. Dr. Egan began her career with a B.A. in Communication Arts from the College of Mount St. Vincent and worked for over a decade as a systems analyst at A&E Television Networks. Inspired by her children's diverse educational journeys, she pursued a new path in education, earning her M.S. in Special Education and English from Molloy College and later an M.S. and Ph.D. in Literacy from St. John's University.

Dr. Egan has over ten years of experience as an adjunct instructor at St. John's University and SUNY Old Westbury before joining the SUNY Old Westbury faculty full-time in 2024. She has taught in Pre-K through graduate-level settings across traditional, hybrid, and online learning environments. Her doctoral research explored the use of technology as an independent learning strategy to support vocabulary acquisition for secondary students with learning disabilities, and she remains passionate about leveraging digital tools to enhance literacy for academically marginalized learners.

 

Beyond academia, Dr. Egan is a proud mother of three adult children. She enjoys spending time at the beach during the summer and embracing the snow in the winter. She also shares her home and many adventures with Princess Leia, her spirited Labrador Retriever.

Guided by the belief that we must "Be the change you want to see in the world," Dr. Egan is dedicated to empowering future educators and promoting equitable, innovative practices in special education.