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Lee University welcomed 12 new faculty to campus this fall: three in the School of Music, three in School of Nursing, one in the School of Religion, two in the College of Arts and Sciences, and three in the Helen DeVos College of Education.

Dr. Chery Brendel joins Lee’s School of Music as an assistant professor of voice. Brendel has served as adjunct faculty at Lee since 2005, along with serving as an adjunct voice faculty for Carson-Newman, Georgia State, Arcadia, and Evangel University. While working at Southeastern University, she developed a new opera program, created and coordinated a university-sponsored community concert series, and developed curriculum for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in music and a Bachelor of Music (BM) in performance.

Brendel earned a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in voice performance from the University of Georgia, a Master of Music (MM) from Temple University, and a BM from Evangel University.

Dr. Luke Gambill joins the School of Music as an assistant professor of music, having served previously as a part-time instructor. Gambill has been a full-time assistant professor of music and coordinator of contemporary worship at William Carey University, a church worship leader, a publisher, writer, and arranger of church music, and has developed faith-based and church-focused worship music resources in multiple genres. At William Carey University, Gambill oversaw the audio/video aspects of the academic programs and fine arts facilities, the 110-voice campus worship choir, Restoration Band, recruiting events, and served as advisor to all worship music majors.

Gambill earned a Doctor of Worship Studies from Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, a Master of Arts (MA) from Liberty University, and a BA from Southeastern University.

Dr. Nathaniel Olson joins the School of Music as an assistant professor of voice. Prior to Lee, he served in visiting or adjunct roles at Wingate University, Elon University, Radford University, and Universitas Pelita Harapan in Indonesia. Olson recently presented as baritone soloist for “Vocal and Instrumental Laments: Claudio Monteverdi and Matthias Weckmann” at the Society for Seventeenth-Century 27th Annual Conference at Duke University. He is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists, College Music Society, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Olson holds a DMA from the University of North Carolina, an MM from Indiana University Jacob’s School of Music, and a BM from Wheaton College Conservatory of Music.

Misty Humberger joins Lee’s School of Nursing as full-time lecturer in nursing, having previously served as an adjunct clinical instructor. She has been a clinical documentation improvement specialist and orthopedic/surgical case manager at Parkridge/HCA in Chattanooga and a physician educator at HCA Healthcare. She has also served as director of operations with Amedisys Home Health in Murfreesboro and director of Patient Care Services in McMinnville/Manchester, Tennessee.

She earned the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Walden University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Middle Tennessee State University.

Glenna Lashley joins the Lee School of Nursing as an assistant professor of nursing with 16 years of professional nursing experience, including her current role as family nurse practitioner and provider/owner of A Plus Care Family Practice in Jasper, Tennessee. In addition to her training and wide range of professional experience, Lashley has served as an adjunct clinical instructor at South University and as adjunct faculty for the Licensed Practical Nursing program at Central Georgia Technical College.

Lashley earned her MSN from Southern Adventist University (SAU) and her BSN from Georgia College.

Dr. Samantha Spinks also joins the SON faculty as an assistant professor of nursing. Prior to this appointment, she worked as an acute care nurse practitioner at East Tennessee Gastroenterology. She has served in multiple and diverse units and roles, including managerial responsibilities, at Tennova Heathcare in Cleveland, where she was named Employee of the Year in 2012. She also received the Clinical Excellence Award in 2016 at SAU. Spinks currently serves on Cleveland State’s Medical Assistant Advisory Board and is a board member for Foundation House Ministries.

She earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice and an MSN from SAU. She is licensed as a registered nurse, advanced practice nurse, and a critical care registered nurse.

Dr. Julie Martinez joins the School of Religion’s Department of Christian Ministries as an assistant professor of intercultural studies and director of Lee’s intercultural studies program. She comes to Lee from the organization Serving Orphans Worldwide, where she was the transitional program director. She has also worked with People for Care and Learning as the Cambodian country director. During her time in Cambodia, Martinez developed the vision and led in the start-up, development, and governance of an international primary school for the children of cross-cultural workers. She has also worked in Chile, Honduras, and Zambia.

Martinez earned a Doctor of Philosophy in intercultural studies from Biola University, a Master of Education from Liberty University, and a BS from Lee University.

Dr. Julie Gardenhire joins Lee’s Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) Department as an assistant professor of marriage and family therapy. She has worked as a clinician with Lee’s Marriage and Family Therapy Center, the Camelot Care Center, Texas Tech University Family Therapy Center, and most recently Traverse Counseling Services in Cleveland. Gardenhire has co-presented research at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference and has had research published in the Contemporary Family Therapy Journal.

Gardenhire earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in marriage and family from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science (MS) in marriage and family therapy from Lee University and a BS in music from Stetson University.

Dr. Jerome Hammond will serve as an associate professor of human development in the BSS department, where he has been teaching part time. Hammond has worked at Lee since 2003 in the sector of University Relations, where he most recently served as vice president. His leadership in that sector includes involvement in the initiative for the Early Learning Center, securing over six million dollars in endowed scholarship giving, and overseeing alumni giving that resulted in over two million dollars in contributions to the Annual Alumni Fund.

Hammond earned a PhD in child and family development from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and a BA in psychology from Lee University.

Dr. Deborah Rosenow joins the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education Department as an assistant professor of elementary education. She has served as a part-time faculty member at Lee for Project Inspire, a non-residency teaching prep program. She also recently opened her LLC firm, Rosenow Literacy Consulting, to provide training in K-12 literacy to school districts across the United States. Rosenow has been published in the Journal of Literacy Innovation, and her professional affiliations include the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, International Literacy Association, NASA Explorer Schools program, and consulting with Scholastic Publishing, New York City, among others.

Rosenow received her Doctor of Education from Carson Newman University. She also has an Education Specialist (EdS) in principal licensure and a Master of Education (MEd) from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a BS from Oklahoma Baptist University.

Johnny McDaniel joins Lee’s Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education Department as an associate professor of educational leadership. He returns to Cleveland after being the director of the Lawrence County School System in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Prior to that, he served as the director of Bradley County Schools and principal for Bradley County High School. Throughout his 34 years in the education profession, McDaniel has been named Superintendent of the Year and received the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Superintendent Leadership Award and the Tennessee Superintendent of the Year Award in 2013.

McDaniel earned an EdS in school leadership and an MEd from Florida Atlantic University and a BS from Lee University.

Dr. Jesse Wood joins the Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education as an assistant professor of education assessment after years of teaching experience in K-12 education in Cleveland. He was a Jackson Scholar at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Teacher of the Year at Blythe-Bower Elementary. During his time in the local schools, Wood helped secure educational grants, including a STEM pilot through the Bradley Cleveland Public Education Foundation and a grant for a STEAM Lab project through the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children.

Wood earned a PhD in leadership studies from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Arts and BA at Lee University.