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Lee University welcomes 20 new faculty members to its campus this fall1: 10 of whom join the College of Arts and Sciences, two join the Helen DeVos College of Education, three are added to the School of Business, one to the School of Music, and four to the School of Nursing.

Dr. Brandon Rodgers joins Lee’s Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences as an assistant professor of marriage and family therapy. Prior to Lee, he served as the director of Behavioral Health Services at Siskin Children’s Institute and as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee (UT) in its College of Medicine. He has over seven years’ experience teaching pediatric residents and medical students.

Rodgers received his Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and his Master of Arts (MA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) from Appalachian State University.

Dr. Jennifer Thomas joins Lee’s Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences as an assistant professor of school counseling. She is returning to her alma mater from the Christian Academy school system, where she was a middle and high school counselor. While there, she developed a comprehensive counseling program for students in grades 6-12. She also served as coordinator of advanced placement courses and testing and designed and delivered career curriculum for grades 9-12.

Thomas received her PhD from Regent University and her Master of Science (MS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Lee.

Dr. Ruth Wienk joins Lee’s Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences as an assistant professor of sociology. She was previously an instructor and graduate teaching assistant at South Dakota State University, where she taught introduction to sociology, introduction to sociology honors, courtship and marriage, and teaching sociology. Wienk was also an adjunct at Black Hills State University College of Education teaching linguistics and language assessments as hybrid courses.

Wienk received her PhD from South Dakota State University, her MS from Shenandoah University, and her BS from Southeastern University.

John Bland joins Lee’s Department of Communication Arts as a visiting lecturer in public relations. He most recently served as director of public relations/university communications at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). While there, he was responsible for coordinating communications outreach with colleagues in seven colleges, several multidisciplinary centers and institutes, and he served as the university spokesperson. He has taught topics in public relations, public speaking, and created the UNCC’s first media relations course.

Bland received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Queens University of Charlotte and his BS from the University of Tennessee.

Kimberly Lyon joins Lee’s Department of Communication Arts as a visiting lecturer in journalism. She comes into this role from Lee’s College of Arts & Sciences, where she served an administrative role in overseeing the daily activities and providing support for the five departments within the college. Prior to Lee, she served as a reporter and columnist for the Bradley News Weekly for three years, where she covered local news and school systems with a weekly publication servicing 40,000 readers.

Lyon received her BA from Lee and is scheduled to receive her MA this fall.

Beecher Reuning joins the Department of Communication Arts as an assistant professor of Cinema. He comes into this role from teaching part time at Lee as a digital media studies instructor. While in this role, he taught students the basic principles and terminology associated with video production in the modern digital environment.

Prior to this, Reuning served as an adjunct professor for Regent University teaching single camera directing. He also served as a freelance videographer and producer for BeecherFeature Productions where he marketed, produced, wrote, and edited video content for online, television, radio, and broadcast all over the United States.

Reuning received his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Regent University and his BS from Lee.

Dr. Mark Scully joins Lee’s Department of History, Political Science and Humanities as an assistant professor of political science. He comes to Lee from University of the Ozarks where he served as assistant professor of political science, teaching classes such as American national government, American presidency, congress and the legislative process, and political parties.

He also served as the NCAA faculty athletic representative, faculty advisor to Model United Nations, on the Professional Development and Student Enrichment Committee, and as a member of the Assessment Committee. He received the Bagwell Outstanding Faculty Award in 2016 and was listed in “40 Under 40: Professors Who Inspire” in 2015.

Scully received his PhD and MA from Baylor University, and his BA from St. Johns College.

Jennifer Minutolo joins Lee’s Department of Natural Science and Mathematics as a senior lecturer in mathematics. She has most recently served as an associate professor of mathematics for Cleveland State Community College. Prior to this, she was the coordinator of learning support at Cleveland State. In this role, she coordinated the coursework in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Minutolo received her Master of Arts in Teacher (MAT) from University of Florida and her BS from Lee.

Dr. Richard Moy joins Lee’s Department of Natural Science and Mathematics as an assistant professor of mathematics. He comes to Lee from Willamette University, where he served as a visiting assistant professor in the mathematics department. Prior to this, he was a graduate teaching assistant in the mathematics department for Northwestern University. He was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award from Northwestern 2014.

Moy received his PhD from Northwestern University and his MS and BS from University of Illinois.

Dr. Herman Odens joins the Department of Natural Science and Mathematics as an associate professor of organic chemistry. He has most recently served as an adjunct professor of chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). Prior to this, he was a professor of chemistry at Southern Adventist University, where he taught for six years. While at UTC, he lectured and instructed chemistry courses and laboratories for undergraduate students.

He was awarded the Adviser of the Year for 2016-2017 at Southern Adventist University.

Odens received his PhD from University of Florida, his MS from West Virginia University, and his BS from University of South Alabama.

Dr. Racheal Lawler joins Lee’s Helen DeVos College of Education as an assistant professor of athletic training and clinical education coordinator. She comes to Lee from the University of West Alabama where she served as the assistant professor in the Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training. In 2015, Lawler was named Collegiate Athletic Trainer of the Year for the state of Alabama.

Lawler received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, her Master of Science (MS) from University of Central Missouri, and her Bachelor of Science (BS) from Lambuth University

Dr. Dan Lawson joins Lee’s Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education as a professor of educational leadership. He served as Superintendent of Schools for Tullahoma city schools for the past 21 years. He has also served as an adjunct professor for Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Technological University during this time.

He has been awarded the Superintendent of the Year several times, the Tullahoma Business Professional of the Year, and various other leadership awards.

Lawson earned his PhD from the University of Mississippi, his MS from Missouri State University, and his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Dr. Julius Ikome joins Lee’s School of Business as a visiting lecturer in accounting. He comes to Lee from Brown Mackie College, where he has served as an instructor in accounting since 2016. During this time, he also served as a part-time assistant professor of accounting at Georgia State University. Prior to Georgia State, he was an assistant professor in accounting and management for Strayer University.

Ikome received his Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) from Argosy University, his MS from Strayer University, his Master of Arts (MA) from University of Windsor Ontario, and his BS from Concordia University.

Dr. Karen Mountain joins Lee’s School of Business as an associate professor of marketing. She has most recently served as an adjunct social media marketing instructor at Walden University, teaching digital marketing and branding. Prior to this, she was a subject matter expert at Western Governors University, where she redefined the undergraduate marketing program to be a competency based program.

Mountain received her PhD and MS from University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and her Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA) from Central Michigan University.

Holly Sullivan joins Lee’s School of Business as a visiting lecturer in business administration. She has served as the MBA (Master of Business Administration) program coordinator for the past two years at Lee University. Prior to this, Sullivan worked at Scripps Network Interactive as a human resources information network contractor.

Sullivan received her MBA and BS from Lee.

Dr. Joshua Cheney joins Lee’s School of Music as an assistant professor of choral music. He was most recently a graduate teaching assistant at Louisiana State University. While at LSU, he also served as conductor for Chamber Singers, assistant conductor for the A Cappella Choir and Tiger Glee Club, was an undergraduate conducting mentor, a private voice teacher, and the choral alumni relations coordinator.

Cheney received his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) from Louisiana State University, his Master of Music (MM) from Mercer University, and his BA from Campbell University.

Julie Campbell joins Lee’s School of Nursing as an assistant professor of nursing. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings with the most recent and longest tenure being in oncology. She has lectured in undergraduate nursing courses and served as a case manager for Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Prior to this Campbell was a clinic nurse at the CTCA where she provided direct care and education to oncology patients in an ambulatory clinic setting.

Campbell earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from King College.

Twyla Green joins Lee’s School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. She has been serving as a NICU Nurse at Erlanger East Hospital in Chattanooga since 2007, where she provided care for infants requiring transition, admission, or stabilization for transport. While at Erlanger East, Green received the Nurse Excellence Award for 2018. Prior to this, Green served as the director of health services and was the administrative director for the student health clinic at Lee.

Green received her BSN from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and her BS from Lee.

Amy Jo Perry joins Lee’s School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. She has been a clinical nurse educator for Children’s Hospital in Erlanger since 2014. While at Children’s, she coordinated new employee orientation and annual staff credentialing, served on the team implementing a hospital-wide error prevention training program, and served on various hospital-wide quality and safety committees. Prior to this, she was a pediatric critical care nurse at Children’s Hospital.

Perry received her MA from Memphis State University, her BA from David Lipscomb University, and her BS from University of Michigan.

Michelle White joins Lee’s School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. She has been serving as a part-time faculty member at Lee University’s School of Nursing since January 2017. She is a Registered Nurse – PRN for Surgery Partners/NovaMed Surgery Center in Chattanooga, providing preoperative and postoperative care to surgical patients.

White earned her MS and BS from Western Governors University.