2025 Teaching & Leadership Institute
Instructor Bios
Teaching & Learning Track
Senior Co-Director & Instructor - Teaching & Learning Track: Dr. Benjamin Van Dyke
Assistant Professor of Psychology & Faculty Director of the First-Year Experience, Young Harris College
Ben Van Dyke joined the faculty of Young Harris College in Fall 2019. His research and teaching interests focus on mental and physical health, especially pain and insomnia. He also teaches courses on research methods and statistics and the history of psychology and is passionate about applying psychological science to promote student motivation and engagement. Since Fall 2021, Dr. Van Dyke has overseen the college’s first-year seminar program. Dr. Van Dyke is active in mentoring student research, including two ACA Ledford Scholars, and serves as the faculty advisor for Prism, YHC’s gender and sexuality alliance. Dr. Van Dyke was nominated for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 YHC Exemplary Faculty Award, received a 2021-2022 Unsung Hero Award, and has been recognized with multiple Most Valuable Professor awards. Recently, Dr. Van Dyke received an in-semester faculty research fellowship from the ACA, which he will implement in Fall 2025. Dr. Van Dyke plans to study barriers and facilitators to health behavior engagement on his campus.
Dr. Van Dyke earned his PhD in clinical psychology with a concentration in clinical health psychology and a minor in statistics and quantitative psychology from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL. He completed his pre-doctoral internship in adult behavioral medicine and postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral pain management at Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania. He currently serves as a reviewer and editorial board member for The Journal of Pain and as a member of the advisory board for Appalachian Colleges Collaborating for Equity (ACCE).
Co-Director and Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Jonna Kwiatkowski
Professor of Psychology, Mars Hill University
Jonna Kwiatkowski’s central roles at Mars Hill University are Professor of Psychology and Chair of Social Sciences. At MHU she teaches classes on general cognition, intelligence and creativity, and research methods, and she contributes to the campus teaching and learning center through workshops on using cognitive and creativity principles in the classroom. She earned her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Maine where she began her work to understand the role of creativity in teaching and learning. This research supported the importance of focused and distributed thinking to creative insights. As research faculty at Yale University, she was part of a team that studied the balance of analytical, creative, and practical thinking to problem solving and success. This work recognized the value of multiple perspectives to enhancing teaching and learning. All that research was foundational to many other projects across her career including the development of an interactive 2nd grade science curriculum using electronic instruments to learn the science of sound, and research on the cognitive implications of relaxation and mindfulness to athletic and academic performance in student athletes. This work points emphatically to the importance of a purposeful flexibility in teaching and learning, which has guided the regular iterations that find their way into Jonna’s classroom each semester.
Lead Instructor - Teaching & Learning Track: Dr. Erin Hardin
Professor and Associate Department Head of Psychology & Director of Undergraduate Studies, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Erin Hardin grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended college in rural Iowa (Grinnell College), and received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the Ohio State University. After a decade on faculty at Texas Tech University, she joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2013. Across her career, her research and service has focused on fostering equitable work and learning environments and promoting student success.
For the past 10 years, Erin has co-led an NIH-funded team that works with about 1,200 students each year in four rural high schools in economically distressed counties in Appalachian East Tennessee. Her team provides a multi-week in-school career education curriculum to all 9th and 10th graders, summer programs for smaller groups of rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders, and other post-secondary education exploration opportunities. She also co-led an NSF-funded program for low-income undergraduates from rural Appalachian communities who were majoring in STEM fields at UT Knoxville.
Dr. Hardin has held leadership positions at both institutional and national levels, including chairing a task force to revise general education at UT Knoxville, chairing the development of a new Quality Enhancement Plan for reaffirmation of accreditation from SACSCOC, and serving on the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology’s organizing committee. She has received numerous awards for her teaching, research, and service.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Mariah Akridge Atwood
Assistant Professor of International Studies, Campbellsville University
Mariah Akridge Atwood joined the Campbellsville University faculty full-time as the Lead Professor for International Studies in Fall 2019. She previously served as the PDSO (Principal Designated School Official) for the University, working with F-1 visa holders and ensuring all federal regulations were being followed.
Prior to coming to Campbellsville, Mariah worked at Biola University in the Study Abroad office while pursuing her doctorate in Intercultural Studies. Mariah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Transylvania University and her Master’s in Intercultural Studies from Asbury Theological Seminary. She is currently completing her dissertation for her PhD at Biola University.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Matthew Egbert
Assistant Professor of History, Campbellsville University
Matt Egbert joined the faculty of Campbellsville University in Fall 2022. He currently serves as the Department of History’s non-U.S. specialist and teaches courses on such diverse topics as classical antiquity, early modern Europe, and Latin American history. He is also the faculty sponsor for Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor’s society. Prior to becoming a faculty member, he served as the university’s International Enrollment Counselor and helped facilitate international students in their admissions process. This passion for international students has carried over into the classroom, as he believes international diversity is one of a university’s most important traits.
Dr. Egbert earned his PhD from Southern Illinois University, with a specialization in North African Christianity, martyrdom, and sainthood from the 4th to 7th centuries. His dissertation emphasizes the North African Christian community’s unique perspective on death, which developed due to the region’s position between the Mediterranean and African worlds. Before this, he obtained his Masters in Ancient History from King’s London in 2013 and his Bachelor of Arts in History and English from Campbellsville University.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Jennifer Furkin
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Communication, Lindsey Wilson College
Jennifer Furkin serves as an Associate Professor of Communication and the Program Coordinator for the Communication program at Lindsey Wilson College. She is also a proud faculty co-sponsor of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s official honor society. Jennifer earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Kentucky, a Master’s in Communication from Western Kentucky University, and a Bachelor’s in Communication from Lindsey Wilson College. With a research focus on both Interpersonal and Family Communication, she teaches a variety of courses aimed at helping students build meaningful relationships and become competent, confident communicators.
Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Furkin spent a decade working in First-Year Experience, where she focused on fostering student success. This invaluable experience has shaped her current pedagogy, emphasizing a student-centered approach in the classroom. Currently enrolled in an MBA program, Dr. Furkin is pursuing personal growth and developing skills to support her aspirations in communication consulting. She is passionate about helping students succeed both academically and professionally, equipping them with the tools needed for effective communication in any context.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Patrick Gauding
Assistant Professor of Politics, The University of the South
Patrick J. Gauding is Assistant Professor of Politics at the University of the South. His research and teaching interests focus on the interactions of legal and political institutions in adopting and reforming public policy at the state and local level. Specifically,his current research focuses on the electoral and fiscal incentives that local policymakers confront in adopting or reforming social control policies. He teaches public policy courses at Sewanee, including classes on criminal justice policy, environmental politics and policy, and policy analysis.
Prior to his appointment at Sewanee, he previously served as an instructor at the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and
Wichita State University. He earned his PhD in political science at the University of Kansas, and an MA in political science and a BA in history from the University of Cincinnati.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Susan Krebs
Assistant Professor of Education & Field/Clinical Experiences Placement Coordinator, Young Harris College
Susan Krebs joined Young Harris College as a faculty member in the Fall of 2022. Since the Summer of 2023, she has served as the Field and Clinical Experiences Placement Coordinator, where she has been instrumental in cultivating and strengthening partnerships with local school districts. Prior to her tenure at Young Harris College, Dr. Krebs accumulated 19 years of experience as an elementary teacher and two years as an assistant principal in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Dr. Krebs teaches a wide range of courses in the teacher preparation program, from foundational freshman classes to supervising student teachers. She is particularly passionate about teaching mathematics to future educators and is committed to helping her students become exceptional elementary teachers who positively influence student learning for all students. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she serves as the advisor for the Young Harris College Student Georgia Association of Educators and contributes to several college committees.
Dr. Krebs earned her PhD in Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands, her EdS in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University, her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Milligan University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education from the University of North Georgia. Her research has focused on student success, with an emphasis on the importance of fostering strong relationships both in-person and online and innovative strategies for teaching mathematics.
Instructor - Teaching and Learning: Dr. Christopher Silver
Assistant Professor of Psychology, The University of the South
Dr. Christopher F. Silver joined the faculty of Sewanee in the fall of 2022. His research focuses on diversity (stigma as identity) and the psychology of religion and spirituality. He is interested in perceived identity and between-group conflict. Before teaching at Sewanee, Chris taught statistics and qualitative methodology for the Learning and Leadership doctoral program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has taught all levels of students, from undergraduate to doctoral levels, and has served on master's theses and doctoral dissertations. Currently, Chris is working with Project RAISE (Rural Access to Interventions in School Environments) as a methodologist and internal evaluator seeking to place interns in Tennessee rural school systems from school psychology, school counseling, and school social work. He also produces a podcast called The Rural Voice for the National Rural Education Association. His passion is empowering first-generation rural students to dream big and find their path forward, including toward higher education.
Chris earned his PhD in Research Psychology with a concentration in Social Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also received his Ed.D. in Learning and Leadership from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). He also earned two master's degrees, one in Research Psychology from UTC and another in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning Track: Dr. Jacob Tenney
Assistant Professor of Finance, University of Charleston
Jacob Tenney earned his Bachelors in Horticulture Management and his MBA at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He earned his PhD in financial planning from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He jokes that his favorite color is green, and both plants (horticulture) and money (financial literacy) are green, so they go together like two peas in a pod!
Jacob is passionate about helping students become more financially literate and financially capable. Before entering academia, he spent seven years working at a credit union watching so many individuals make poor financial decisions. He decided to return to school to pursue a PhD in Financial Planning so he could help more individuals make positive financial choices. He has been teaching online for ten years and early on he discovered he was not a fan of the typical discussion and response style discussion forums. He continues to work to develop more engaging methods of interacting with students in the online classroom – the focus of his TLI workshop.
Instructor - Teaching & Learning: Dr. Diane Vautrot
Assistant Professor and Chair of Education, Young Harris College
Diane Vautrot currently serves as Chair of the Department of Education at Young Harris College and is also Coordinator of the Autism Endorsement program. With 38 years of experience in supporting students with disabilities in P-12 public schools, Dr. Vautrot has held various roles, including classroom teacher, Educational Diagnostician, Autism Specialist, and Coordinator of Special Education. She also coordinated a community-based support group for teenagers and young adults with autism in her hometown of Ellijay, Georgia.
Following her retirement from the public school system, Diane transitioned to Young Harris College, where she shares her extensive expertise in supporting students with disabilities by teaching courses that prepare future educators. She currently teaches Exceptional Learners and autism courses, equipping general education pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills to support neurodivergent students in inclusive classrooms. She has led workshops and training sessions on supporting neurodiversity in educational settings at the district, state, and national levels. Recently, she has led presentations with the faculty of Young Harris College to provide awareness of the characteristics and support strategies for students with various disabilities in the college environment.
Dr. Vautrot earned her Bachelor of Science in Special Education from West Georgia College, her Master of Education in Special Education from the University of New Orleans, and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, also from the University of New Orleans.
Higher Education Leadership Development Track
Coordinator and Lead Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Larry Hall
Vice President for Academic Programs, Appalachian College Association
Larry Hall joined the ACA staff in February 2018 after serving nearly 11 years as Provost of Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he led the academic, student life, enrollment management, and marketing components of the campus. Prior to LR, Larry served as a Dean of Arts and Sciences, Associate Dean of the College for the Social Sciences, and Department Chair of History and Political Science at Belmont University in Nashville. In his various leadership roles, he led and/or contributed to practically every component of higher education administration: strategic planning; accreditation; personnel recruitment, evaluation, and development; systems and process improvement; student success and retention; campus organization and structure; curricular and co-curricular program development; budget planning and implementation; community outreach and marketing; and advancement/alumni relations. With the ACA, he is responsible for developing, implementing, and administering a wide variety of programs in support of our schools, working closely with Chief Academic Officers, faculty, and staff at our member institutions.
Prior to his move into full administrative duties, Larry taught Political Science (at Rhodes College and Belmont), specifically Political Theory, Political Economy/Public Policy, and American Government. He is a recipient of Belmont’s highest faculty honor, the Distinguished Professor Award for outstanding teaching, and was recognized by the American Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha with its National Award for Outstanding Teaching in Political Science. He holds both his PhD and MA in Political Science from The University of Tennessee, did additional graduate work in Economics at George Mason University, and received his BA from Carson-Newman College in Political Science and in History.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Lynn Linder
Provost and Executive Vice President, West Virginia Wesleyan College
Lynn M. Linder currently serves as the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at West Virginia Wesleyan College. At WV Wesleyan, she has served as Dean of the Faculty, Director of First Year Experience program, and an Associate Professor in the English Department, where she taught British literature, literary theory, and gender studies. Dr. Linder has published scholarly articles on nineteenth-century British literature, life-writing, and gothic fiction.
Prior to joining WVWC, Lynn taught at Saint Louis University, where she earned her Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature and her Master of Arts in English. Dr. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and History from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Tracy Parkinson
Executive Vice President and Provost, Mars Hill University
Tracy Parkinson, Executive Vice President and Provost, Mars Hill University. Tracy Parkinson joined Mars Hill University in 2020 after having served nine years at Coker University in South Carolina. Tracy is a graduate of an ACA institution (Carson-Newman) and is now serving at his second ACA institution, having previously served at King University until 2011. He is a first-generation college graduate and holds a Ph.D. in Modern Languages and Literatures from the University of Tennessee. He also studied at the American University of Paris and the University of Santiago de Compostela. Tracy has assisted with the Council of Independent College Institute for new CAOs, as well as CIC’s annual workshops for deans and chairs. He has chaired multiple review committees for SACSCOC, and he currently serves on the executive committee of the Land of Sky P20 Council for Education and Workforce Development in Asheville.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Jason Pierce
Provost & Executive Vice President, Young Harris College
Dr. Jason Pierce serves as Provost & Executive Vice President at Young Harris College, the newest member institution in the ACA. He earned his BA and MA in English from the University of Maine, his MLitt in Scottish Literature from the University of Saint Andrews, and his PhD in English from the University of South Carolina. His academic career began at Mars Hill College (now University), where he taught composition and literature and served numerous roles, including department chair, division dean, college webmaster, honors program director, Title III grant director, institutional effectiveness director, Title IX coordinator, SACSCOC liaison, chief technology officer, and VPAA. He was recognized by the Mars Hill student body with awards for outstanding teaching and for outstanding service. He later served as VPAA at Tusculum College (now University), where he was responsible for academic affairs, student affairs, and student support services. He is currently in his sixth year of service at Young Harris.
Dr. Pierce has been a vocal supporter and beneficiary of the ACA for over 20 years. He made one of his first conference presentations as a faculty member at the fourth Annual Summit, then still called the "Tech Summit," and subsequently served on its planning committee; provided technical support for the ACA's first online, multi-institution course, an introduction to women's studies, shared by Mars Hill, Warren Wilson, and Wheeling (then Wheeling Jesuit); attended a multi-day workshop that would evolve into the TLI's teaching & learning track; served on the development committee of the ACA's short-lived online writing and photography review journal, Nantahala; co-led ACA-sponsored initiatives focused on honors programs and institutional effectiveness; and attended a Salzburg Global Seminar through the generosity of a Mellon Fellowship funded by the ACA. He continues to believe fervently in the inestimable value of institutional collaboration.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Matt Roberts
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, King University
Dr. Matthew Roberts is Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Provost for King University. His teaching career in literature, language, and education has focused on diverse learners and linguistic minority groups in Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. In 2007, Dr. Roberts was the recipient of the Cratis D. Williams Alumni Fellowship at Appalachian State University for his leadership in a family literacy and oral history publication that spanned five counties in western North Carolina. Prior to King, Roberts’ teaching experience includes appointments at Rice University, the University of Houston, and the Houston Independent School District. Now in his eleventh year as chief academic officer, Roberts has experience in various aspects of academic leadership—from introducing fully online programs at a traditionally liberal arts college to weathering the uncertainties and challenges that change can bring to small and tightly resourced institutions. Dr. Roberts’ scholarship is both broad and focused; he has studied the work of Lev Vygotsky under renowned cognitive psychologist, Michael Cole (UC Davis), and playwriting under Edward Albee at the University of Houston.
Dr. Roberts earned his BA from East Tennessee State University in English and Foreign Languages, his MA in Applied English Linguistics from the University of Houston, and his Doctor of Education from Appalachian State University with cognates in language and literacy acquisition.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Amanda Jo Slone
Professor of English, University of Pikeville
Dr. Amanda Slone is Assistant Provost and Professor of English at the University of Pikeville. She has served the university for more than fifteen years in various roles, including Assistant Dean for Admissions, Associate Registrar, Director of First Year Experience, and full-time faculty. Amanda earned her MA in English from Morehead State University, MFA in Creative Writing from West Virginia Wesleyan, and PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Northwest Nazarene University. In 2021, Slone completed Harvard’s Women in Education Leadership Institute and, in 2022, was accepted as a presenter at the International Women in Leadership conference in Portsmouth, England. Amanda earned certification as an Everything DiSC facilitator through the Wiley Education Center.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Elise Syoen
Dean of Students & Executive Director for Student Services, Lincoln Memorial University
Elise Syoen currently serves as the Dean of Students at Lincoln Memorial University (LMU). Elise holds a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Indiana University, Bloomington, and is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Leadership at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. Her research interests focus on women in leadership and the intersection of female professionals and motherhood. Elise has worked at multiple institutions throughout the Midwest and Southeast within the areas of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. She has been a member of the LMU community since the fall of 2015, serving as the Director of First Year Experience, Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, and Dean of Students. She now oversees the Student Affairs team at Lincoln Memorial University as the Chief Student Affairs Officer.
Part of Elise's current role is to provide oversight to the UACT 100- First-year seminar course, where she has developed a robust curriculum and transitionary design to aid in student persistence and retention. She received the 2022 QEP Outstanding Teacher Award for implementation of transparent instruction. Elise is dedicated to the success of students and committed to making a lasting impression on the student experience. Having worked at institutions of varying sizes—small, mid-size, large, public, and private—her passion remains rooted in the “Small School Magic” that many of the ACA Institutions embody.
Instructor - Higher Education Leadership Development: Dr. Kevin Ung
Consultant, CarterBaldwin Executive Search & Adjunct Professor of Education, Lee University
Kevin Ung serves as a search consultant placing exemplary leaders at universities, colleges, K12, and non-profit organizations. Dr. Ung also serves as faculty instructor for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs in higher education practice and leadership development in both face-to-face and online modalities.
With previous experience in academic and co-curricular programs, residence life, multicultural development, career services, English-language programs, and first-year experience, Dr. Ung believes in the power of human collaboration, data-driven strategic planning, and results-oriented benchmarks in a student-centered approach. He previously served as a consultant for student success and retention strategies, academic program development, and executive team management. Dr. Ung earned his BA in Sports Management and EdD in Higher Education Administration from Union University. He completed his MA in Intercultural Studies and TESOL from Wheaton College.