Dr. Mary Margaret Cunningham is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Qualitative Methodologist at Arkansas State University. She has over 10 years of experience in various higher education settings, including administration; academic coaching; instruction at a community college; Division I student-athlete success; and teaching and research at a doctoral university with very high research activity.   

She holds a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education Administration, a Master of Arts in History, a Graduate Certificate in African and African American Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and History. She is currently completing a Ph.D. in Educational Statistics and Research Methods at the University of Arkansas. Past publications include peer-reviewed and practitioner-based journals and several presentations at international and national conferences. She is passionate about research methodologies, scholarly activism, connecting with students, and sharing research-based application techniques with higher education administrators, faculty, and staff. Her research areas include QuantCrit, qualitative inquiry, and differential item functioning (DIF). Dr. Cunningham’s hobbies include spending time with her family, reading, Peloton, and all things Disney. 

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Mary Margaret Debow is the Assistant Director of Advising at Pulaski Tech. Also, she is involved in Staff Senate and the Joint Operations Committee. Before her current role, she served as an Academic Advisor for 1.5 years and, previously, taught middle school for 4 years. Mary Margaret earned a Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education from the University of Central Arkansas in 2018. For her graduate level work, she earned a Master of Science in Student Affairs Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Advising from Arkansas Tech University in 2023. In the future, she plans to obtain a doctorate degree.

Recently, she was awarded the Rising Star Award at the 2025 ACWHE Annual Conference and the 2025 Dr. Charles W. Donaldson Outstanding New Professional Award from the Arkansas Student Affairs Association. Besides serving on the ACWHE executive board, she also serves as President-Elect for the Arkansas Student Affairs Association (ArSAA) and is involved in Arkansas Academic Advising Network (ArKAAN), Global Community for Academic Advising (NACADA), Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) and Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (NODA).

Mary Margaret is originally from Mansfield, Texas, but now calls Central Arkansas home. She cherishes the time spent with her family and 4 fur babies (2 Basset Hounds and 2 guinea pigs). Some of her interests include: reading, dancing, sports, traveling, and listening to music.

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Dr. Jeanine Myers is a Professor of Mathematics at Arkansas Tech University. With a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Arkansas, an MS in Mathematical Sciences from Clemson University, and a BS in Mathematical Sciences from Baylor University, she has been instrumental in leading successful university-wide academic initiatives. Previously, as Mathematics Department Head, Interim Assistant Vice President for Student Success, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, she made significant contributions to curriculum development, innovative technology utilization, and student retention efforts. Dr. Myers has also served as Chair of the Oklahoma/Arkansas Section of the Mathematical Association of America and was honored as a Project NEXT Fellow. As an accomplished mathematician and visionary leader, she continues to shape the academic landscape and foster student success at Arkansas Tech University.

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Dr. Aubrey Holt currently serves as the director of assessment for the division of student affairs and a visiting lecturer in leadership studies at Arkansas Tech University.  She completed her Ed.D. in higher education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.  Previously, she served as the assistant dean for campus life at Arkansas Tech University.  In this role, she coordinated the co-curricular experience program and the leadership living-learning community, as well as advised the student government association.  She also oversaw the areas of civic engagement, fraternity and sorority life, registered student organizations, student activities, student leadership, and student transition.  She served in various other roles within Campus Life since 2011.  

Dr. Holt obtained her M.A.E. in student affairs in higher education at Western Kentucky University. Prior to her graduate work, she traveled to over 50 college campuses as an educational leadership consultant for Delta Zeta Sorority national headquarters to facilitate officer and membership development.  She obtained her B.A. at Arkansas Tech University in broadcast journalism.

Her research interests include social return on investment (SROI), student engagement, collaboration, and co-curricular experiences.

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Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch is Dean of the Graduate School and Professor of History at Arkansas State University. An award-winning scholar of Rural, Women’s, and African American history, Dr. Jones-Branch is the author of Crossing the Line: Women and Interracial Activism in South Carolina during and after World War II, Better Living By Their Own Bootstraps: Black Women’s Activism in Rural Arkansas, 1913-1965, and the co-editor of Arkansas Women: Their Lives and Times. Her next book project, titled “. . . To Make the Farm Bureau Stronger and Better for All the People:” African Americans and the American Farm Bureau Federation: 1920-1966, will be published by the University of Arkansas Press’ “Rural Black Studies” series of which she is co-editor.  She is also the co-founder of the Arkansas Delta Women’s Leadership Academy, which aims to increase the number and visibility of women leaders in the Delta region by providing them with leadership training and networking opportunities.  Dr. Jones-Branch is a U.S. Army Persian Gulf War Veteran. 

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Krystal Shipp currently serves as the Director of Early Childhood Education and is an Instructor of Teaching and Educational Leadership at Arkansas Tech University. She teaches Classroom & Behavior Management, Literacy Assessment and Intervention, Development & Characteristics of Diverse Learners, and Methods & Materials Using Developmentally Appropriate Practice & Activities for Young Children. On top of teaching a full load of classes, Mrs. Shipp observes and evaluates student interns in the pre-K-12 classroom each semester. She is an education advisor who guides students about their class schedules & other college-related items. She serves as the ATU College of Education Facebook & Instagram social media co-coordinator. She also serves as the Spirit Squads Director. She coaches the Arkansas Tech cheerleaders. Mrs. Shipp was voted ATU Professor of the Year in 2021. Previously, Mrs. Shipp served as a public school teacher. In this role, she taught Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, and Fourth Grade. She was the principal designee, served on the leadership team, served on the response to intervention committee, and piloted a multisensory instruction classroom for students with exceptionalities. She was the Monticello teacher of the year in 2017 and the top educator in 2016. She is a National Board-certified teacher. She has her MA in Educational Leadership from Arkansas Tech University and a BA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Central Arkansas.

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