Dr. Stokes' specialty is cognitive education. Her commitment to life-long learning of P-20 students can be seen in the diverse positions she has held and organizations she has worked for. From authorship of publications such as Moving Toward Cognitive Excellence, Finding Out Real Knowledge, Powerful Learning Communities: Design and Implementation for the Changing World of Higher Education, and Decision Making Behind the Use of Metacognitive Pedagogy within Education Methodology Coursework: An exploratory case study to creation of the Avila Center for Transformational learning facilitating deep understanding and conceptual thinking systems has always been a goal.

Dr. Stokes' current work is to create opportunities for faculty, students, and the community to create learning legacies based on the following four principles:

• using critique to evoke change
• problem-solving by taking action
• using inquiring during interdisciplinary reflection
• using experience as a capacity to lead