Eighteen Women Join the Tenure-Track Faculty at Austin Peay State University

There are 32 new tenure-track faculty members this fall at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Eighteen of the new faculty members are women.

Michelle Emery Blake is a new assistant professor of social work. She previously served on the faculty at the University of Evansville, where she was coordinator of the women’s and gender studies program. Dr. Blake is a graduate of Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee. She holds a master of social work degree from the University of Louisville and a Ph.D. in social work from Florida State University.

Audrey Bullock was named an instructor of mathematics. She recently earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from APSU. She is a graduate of Indiana State University.

Kenisha Burke was hired as an instructor in the department of communication. She was on the faculty at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Burke holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Syracuse University.

Susan Cockrell was named an associate professor and chair of the department of accounting, finance, and economics. She served on the faculty at APSU from 2000 to 2005. She holds bachelor’s, master’s. and Ph.D. degrees, all from the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Donna Dey is an instructor of health and human performance. She was a counselor for Child and Youth Services at Fort Campbell in Kentucky. Dey is a graduate of Armstrong Atlantic State University and Austin Peay State University.

Kallina Dunkle is a new assistant professor of geosciences. She recently earned her Ph.D. in geology from the University of Wisconsin. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Dr. Dunkle earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Gina Grogan is an assistant professor of education. She has taught extensively in higher education and in K-12 public schools. She holds a master’s degree from Western Kentucky University and an educational doctorate from Tennessee State University.

Sheena Harris is an assistant professor of history. A veteran of the war in Iraq, she holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida A&M University. She earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Memphis.

Leslie Hiatt is a new assistant professor of chemistry. She has been an adjunct professor at the university. A graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, Dr. Hiatt earned a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.

Katherine Honea is an assistant professor of languages and literature. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University at Sacramento. She recently completed a Ph.D. in Spanish at the University of Florida.

Jodi Kushner was promoted to assistant professor of nursing. Since 2010 she was a non-tenure-track clinical instructor at the university. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Austin Peay State University.

Mary Eve Rice is an assistant professor of nursing. She was a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Premier Medical Group in Clarksville, Tennessee. A graduate of Austin Peay State University, Rice earned a master’s degree at Stony Brook University, part of the State University of New York system.

Tamara Smithers was hired as an assistant professor of art. She recently completed her doctorate in art history at Temple University in Philadelphia. A graduate of the College of Charleston in South Carolina, Dr. Smithers earned a master’s degree at the University of Washington.

Judith Vaughn was appointed an assistant professor of nursing. She was a public health nurse consultant for the Bureau of TennCare. She previously taught at Tennessee Wesleyan College. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Vaughn earned a master’s degree at the University of Phoenix.

Erin Lynch Walden was named an instructor of educational specialties. She previously taught at Lipscomb University, Tennessee State University and Columbia Southern University. A graduate of James Madison University, she holds a master’s degree in special education from Vanderbilt University.

Shirley Walrond was appointed an instructor of teaching and learning. She previously taught at the University of Louisiana Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College. She is a graduate of Radford University in Virginia and holds a master’s degree from Virginia Tech.

Leah Whitten was hired as an assistant professor of education. She recently earned a doctorate in educational psychology at Auburn University in Alabama. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Alabama.

Na Zhu was appointed an assistant professor of mechanical and automotive engineering technology. A graduate of Tongji in Shanghai, China, Dr. Zhu holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Wayne State University.