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

	Beth Christian, Ed.D. Department Chair, Education Practice and Leadership Professor 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 Administrative Assistant III Office: H400 Avon Williams Campus Phone: (615) 963-5465 Email: geclark@tnstate.edu
	Nicole Kendall Arrighi, Ed.D. Assistant Dean, Teacher Education Professor 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
	Kisha Bryan, Ph.D. Associate Professor 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
	Sumita Chakraborti-Ghosh, Ph.D. Professor 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
	Soala Dede, Ed.D. Assistant Professor B.S., 2004, M.Ed. 2010, Ed.D. 2017, Vanderbilt University Office: E408 Avon Williams Campus Phone: (615) 963-5304 Email: sdede@tnstate.edu
	Ehichoya Edokhamhen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 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
	Eleni Elder, Ed.D. Professor 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
	Janet Finch, Ph.D. College of Education Dean/Professor B.S., 1972, M.A., 1978, Tennessee State University; Ph.D.,1985, George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University Celebrating 25 years of Service Office: E403 Avon Williams Campus Phone: (615) 963-7038 Email: jfinch@tnstate.edu
	Kirmanj Gundi, Ed.D. Professor 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
	Retta Guy, Ed.D. Professor 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
	Donghyun Kang, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 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
	Show Mei Lin, Ph.D. Professor 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 P. Matthews, Ph.D. Associate Professor 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
	Terrance McNeil, Ph.D. Assistant Professor B.S., 1994, Florida A&M University M.Ed., 2011, Full Sail University; 2018, Florida A&M University Office: E407 Avon Williams Campus Phone: 615-963-2111 Email: tmcneil3@tnstate.edu
	Robbie Melton, Ph.D. Provost, Vice President/Professor Ed.S., Wayne State University,1976; Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1979 Phone: (615) 963-5301 Email: rmelton@tnstate.edu
	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, Ph.D. Associate Professor 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
	Twianie Roberts, Ed.D. Assistant Professor 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
	Eric Vogel, Ph.D. Professor 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, Ed.D. Professor 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
	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
	Hyeon Jean Yoo, Ph.D. Assistant Professor 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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