Dr. Rebecca Bustamante

Rebecca Bustamante received her Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. She has over 20 years of professional experience as an elementary and middle school principal, ESL and bilingual teacher, academic director, human resource manager, and consultant and trainer in international organizational behavior and intercultural training. Bustamante has lived and worked in the U.S., Brazil, Colombia, and Panama and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Particular Research Interests:

• Organizational Cultural Competence
• Leadership Strategies for the Success of English Language Learners, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students, and Traditionally Excluded Groups
• Research Methods for Practicing School Leaders
• Intercultural Communication
• Organizational Behavior
• International and Global Education
• Mixed Methodology

• Cultural Proficiency for School Leaders
• Curriculum Leadership for English Language Learners (ELLs)
• Education and Society
• Introduction to Research Methods
• Effective Reading Strategies for ELLs
• Action Research
• Methods of Educational Research
• Psychology of Learning
• Supervised Practicum     

• Bustamante, R.M. & Combs, J. (2006).  How culturally competent is your school?  The Texas Study, Fall 2006.  Austin, TX: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals
• Bustamante, R.M. (2006).  The culture audit: A leadership tool for assessment and strategic planning in diverse schools and colleges.  NCPEA Connexions  (module 13691).
• Bustamante, R.M. (2006). La “auditoria cultural”: Una herramienta de liderazgo para la evaluacion y la planeacion estrategica en colegios y universidades multiculturales. [The culture audit: A leadership tool for assessment and strategic planning in diverse schools and colleges.] NCPEA Connexions (module13692).
• Bustamante, R.M. (2006). “Auditoria cultural”: Areas de enfoco. [The “cultural audit”: Areas of focus in Portuguese]. NCPEA Connexions  (module 13816).
• Bustamante, R.M. (2005). Features of Cultural Proficiency in American International Schools in Latin America: A Delphi Study. Doctoral dissertation, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA.
• Bustamante, R.M. (2000).  Project Respect Manual: A comprehensive approach to creating positive school climate and reducing bullying behavior. Created for the International School of Curitiba, Brazil.
• Bustamante, R.M., Polnick, B., & Irby, B.J. (2006). Developing Instructional Leaders: Taking Research to the Field.  Supervision and Instructional Leadership Newsletter, AERA Special Interest Group.
• Combs, J., Bustamante, R.M., & Wilson, E.D. (2006). Research skills for effective school leadership: School administrator perceptions. 2007 NCPEA Yearbook.