Faculty and Staff

Meet the Education Practice and Leadership Team

The faculty believe perspective gives meaning to the intellectual and practical elements of curriculum and instruction and these must be explored with students for their underlying assumptions, and for their relative strengths and weaknesses. The theoretical and practical paradigms that shape American education are explored for their implications in today's increasingly global classroom.

Education Practice and Leadership
Main Office: H400 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5465
Campus P.O. Box 9561

BChristian_2025

Beth Christian, Ed.D.
Professor
Department Chair, Education Practice and Leadership
Literacy

B.A.  1991, University of Tennessee
M.A.  1993, Middle Tennessee State University
Ph.D. 2002, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University

Office: H405 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5324
Email: bchristian1@tnstate.edu  

Mrs. Gervaise Clark

Mrs. Gervaise Clark
Administrative Assistant III 

Office: H400 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5465
Email: geclark@tnstate.edu

 

Dr. Nicole Arrighi

Nicole Kendall Arrighi, Ed.D.
Processor
Assistant Dean, Educator Preparation
Education Technology

B.S.  1999, University of Tennessee at Martin
M.S.  2000, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
Ed.D. 2005, Tennessee State University

Office: 351 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5482
Email Me

Dr. Kisha Bryan

Kisha Bryan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator: Ed.D. Curriculum and Instruction
Foundations and Curriculum
TESOL

B.A.    1999 Voorhees College
M.A.T. 2001, State University of New York
Ph.D.  2012, University of Florida

Office: G405 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5466
Email: kbryan@tnstate.edu

Dr. Sumita Chakraborti-Ghosh

Sumita Chakraborti-Ghosh, Ph.D.
Professor 
Special Education

B.S.  1975, Calcutta University, Calcutta, India
B.S.  1987, Utah State University
M.A.  1979, Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta India
Ph.D. 1998, New Mexico State University

Office: F414 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5476
Email: schakraborti@tnstate.edu 

SDede

Soala Dede, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, Instructional Leadership
Career and Technical Education

B.S. 2004, Vanderbilt University
M.Ed. 2010, Vanderbilt University
Ed.D. 2017, Vanderbilt University

Office: E408 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5304  
Email:    sdede@tnstate.edu 

Dr. Edokhamhen

Ehichoya Edokhamhen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, B.S. Early Childhood Education

B.S.   2008, Ambrose Alli University, Nigeria
M.A.  2017, East Tennessee State University
Ph.D. 2023, East Tennessee State University

Office: F402 Avon Williams Campus
Email: eedokham@tnstate.edu 

 

DrElder

Eleni Elder, Ed.D.
Professor
Program Coordinator: M.Ed. Instructional Leadership 

B.A. 1985, University of Mary Washington
M.Ed. 1998, Virginia Commonwealth University
Ed.D. 2002, Florida Atlantic University

Office: G404 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-7296
Email: ecoukos@tnstate.edu

 

Dean Finch

Janet Finch, Ph.D.
College of Education Dean/Professor

B.S.   1972, Tennessee State University
M.A.,  1978, Tennessee State University
Ph.D. 1985, George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University

blue star    Celebrating 25 years of Service

Office: E403 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-7038
Email: jfinch@tnstate.edu

 

KGundi

Kirmanj Gundi, Ed.D.
Professor
Program Coordinator, Ed.D. PreK-12 Leadership

B.S.  1986, Tennessee State University
M.Ed. 1994, Tennessee State University
Ed.D. 1998, Tennessee State University

Office: F409 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-2299
Email:  Kigundi@tnstate.edu

 

DrGuy

Retta Guy, Ed.D.
Professor
Foundations and Curriculum

B.A.  1982, University of Kentucky
MPA. 1995, Kentucky State University
Ed.D. 2004, University of Kentucky

Office: F405 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-7176
Email: rguy@tnstate.edu 

 

Dr. Dong Hyun Kang

Donghyun Kang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, Elementary Education

B.A.   2003, Seoul National University of Education
M.Ed. 2007, Seoul National University of Education
Ph.D. 2019, Texas A&M University

Office: E409 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5465
Email: dkang@tnstate.edu

Dr. Show Mei Lin

Show Mei Lin, Ph.D.
Professor
Education Technology and Literacy

B.A.     1981, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan
M.S.W. 1985, California State University, Fresno
Teacher Certification 1997, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Ph.D.    2009 The University of Oklahoma

Office: H401 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-1348
Email: slin@tnstate.edu

Graham Matthews

Graham P. Matthews, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Early Childhood Education

B. A.     1969, Central State University
M.A.     1970, University of Michigan
Ph.D.    1976, University of Michigan
M. Div.  1982, Vanderbilt University Divinity School

Office: F413 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5029
Email:  gmatthews2@tnstate.edu

TMcNeil

Terrance McNeil, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, Ed.D. Higher Education Leadership 

B.S.    1994, Florida A&M University
M.Ed.  2011, Full Sail University
Ph.D.  2018, Florida A&M University

Office: E407 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: 615-963-2111
Email:   tmcneil3@tnstate.edu

RMelton

Robbie Melton,  Ph.D.
Provost, Vice President/Professor  

Ed.S.  1976, Wayne State University
Ph.D. 1979, University of Michigan

Phone: (615) 963-5301
Email: rmelton@tnstate.edu

 

Dr. Respress

Trinetia Respress, Ed.D.
Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies/Professor  

B.B.A.  1989, University of West Georgia
M.A.    1994, Tennessee Technological University
Ed.D.   1997, East Tennessee State University

Office: Suite 400 
Phone: (615) 963-7371
Email:    trespress@tnstate.edu  

Heraldo Richards

Heraldo Richards, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Program Coordinator, M.Ed. Special Education

B.A.   1975, University of Chicago
M.A.  1985, University of Michigan
Ph.D. 1993, Northwestern University

Office: H407 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5620
Email:  hrichards@tnstate.edu  

TRoberts

Twianie Roberts, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor
Education Administration

B.S.    1988, Fisk University
M.S.   1990, Tennessee State University
Ed.D., 1993, Tennessee State University

Office: 407 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-2299  
Email:    trober25@tnstate.edu

 

EVogel

Eric Vogel, Ph.D.
Professor
Higher Education Leadership

B.A.   1971, Louisiana State University at New Orleans
M.Ed. 1974, University of New Orleans
Ph.D.  1983, Florida State University

Office: H409 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-7089
Email:  evogel@tnstate.edu 

 

Celeste Williams

Celeste Williams, Ed.D.
Professor
Foundations and Curriculum

B.S.  1987, Guilford College
M.S.  1995, Tennessee State University
Ed.D. 2001, Tennessee State University

Office: H406 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5460 
Email:  cwilliams@tnstate.edu  

JWinn

Jewell Winn, B.BA, M.PA, Ed.D (Associate Professor)
Executive Director for International Programs & Academic Global Engagement
Senior International Officer/Fulbright Scholar Liaison

Office: Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-4977
Email:  jwinn@tnstate.edu 

 

Dr. Hyeong Jean Yoo

Hyeon Jean Yoo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction
TESOL

B.S.  2007, Gyeongsang National University, South Korea
M.A.  2010 Gyeongsang National University, South Korea
M.S.  2021, Auburn University
Ph.D. 2021, Auburn University

Office: F411 Avon Williams Campus
Phone: (615) 963-5465
Email: hyoo@tnstate.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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