Meet the Faculty

Deja MonroeDirector of General Education

Deja Monroe is from Miami, Florida but has called the Greater Boston area home since August 2021. She received her BA in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from the University of Central Florida in 2017 and her MEd in Educational Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2022. She has a professional background in various educational engagement industries. In 2017, she worked with the Department of Veteran Affairs Education Service Department leadership team. From 2018 to 2021 she worked in Title One K-12 public schools, with Miami Dade County Public Schools District Curriculum, and the nonprofit organization Teach for America. From 2021-2022 she worked as an assistant Title IX officer for the Harvard College, an EdTech Consultant for Upchieve, and as the Director of Student Services for Breakthrough Greater Boston. She serves on the alumni board for Breakthrough Miami. She enjoys mentoring others as a student success coach with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization and encourages educational leaders to mentor others.

• Phone :

  617-819-5582 (Google Voice Number)
• Email :

  dmonroe@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Remote

Sharon Bonk Professor and Humanities and Social Science and Director of Information Literacy

Sharon Bonk earned her Master of Library Science from the University of Rhode Island and double majored in Bachelor of Art in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Rhode Island.

• Phone :

  617-588-1356
• Email :

  sbonk@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Remote

Semiray Girgis Chyla, PhDAssistant Professor, Mathematics and Science

Dr. Semiray Girgis Chyla earned her Master’s degree in Physics with a specialization in High Energy and Particle Physics from Cukurova University in Turkey. She finished her graduate studies by earning her Doctor of Philosophy at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), working in different groups of the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiment. Currently, she is teaching Physics and Math classes, and analyzing Z Boson production association with jets in the electron and muon channels with the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) for CMS Standard Model Physics group at CERN.

• Phone :
• Email :

  sgirgis@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Kendall Building, 4th floor

Isaiah JohnsonLecturer of General Education

• Phone :
• Email :

  ijohnson@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

James JohansonProfessor of Mathematics and Science

James Johanson joined Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in 2008. He earned his Master’s Degree in Mathematics from The University of Colorado at Boulder and his Bachelor’s Degree, also in Mathematics, from Ohio University. Recently, Professor Johanson has been creating online lecture videos to supplement his teaching and spends most of that time trying to keep his cats from jumping into the frame.

• Phone :

  617-588-1310
• Email :

  jjohanson@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Kendall Building, 4th Floor

Peter KangAssociate Professor of General Education

Peter Kang earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University. He is a huge Patriots/Celtics/Red Sox fan who is thankful to be living in this golden era of Boston sports.

• Phone :
• Email :

  pkang@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Kendall Building, 4th Floor

Steven J. LawrenceProfessor of Humanities and Social Science

With a Master’s degree in Learning, Teaching and Educational Transformation from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and his B.A. in Theatre Arts from Salem State University, Professor Lawrence taught English, Journalism and Music in a variety of teaching environments, including the Boston Public Schools, the JVS Adult Diploma Program, the Trinity Education for Excellence Program (TEEP), and El Centro de Cardenal. He currently tutors students with learning disabilities in his own time and serves on the Board of Directors for ESAC Boston, a nonprofit organization that funds and operates Boston’s GED Plus Program.

• Phone :

  617-588-1375
• Email :

  slawrence@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Kendall Building, 4th Floor

James LawtonLecturer, Humanities and Social Science

James Lawton earned a Master of Arts in English Language and Literature and Library Science from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Benedictine University. He also earned his TESOL Certificate, ITTT International, and Certified E-Learning Instructor from Northeastern University.

• Phone :

  617-588-1311
• Email :

  jlawton@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

  Kendall Building, K401

Sarah PauletteLecturer of General Education

• Phone :
• Email :

  spaulette@franklincummings.edu
• Office :

Allaphia RichardsLecturer, Humanities and Social Science

Allaphia Richards is currently employed at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Family Services as a social worker. She has over five years of experience in the social worker and mental health counseling. She earned her Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies from Quincy College, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Curry College, and Master of Education in Psychology and Counseling from Cambridge College. She is also a certified Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure, a registered behavior technician, certified Massachusetts Child and Adolescents Needs and Strengths, and a National Provider Identifier.

• Phone :
• Email :

  arrichards@franklincummings.edu
• Office :