12 New Faculty Welcomed To Lee’s Campus

  • Friday, September 8, 2017
Of the 19 new faculty members that Lee University welcomed to its campus this fall, one has been added to the Helen DeVos College of Education, three to the School of Business, two to the School of Music, four to the School of Nursing, and two to the School of Religion.

Dr. Shane Brown joins Lee’s Helen DeVos College of Education as an assistant professor of education. A Lee alumnus and Cleveland native, Brown returns to campus after teaching 10 years in the Bradley County School System.
He has also been a part-time lecturer for the Helen DeVos College of Education in both undergraduate and graduate courses. In 2005 and 2007, Dr. Brown received notable recognition in the Manchester “Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals in Education” and “Who’s Who Among American Teachers,” respectively.

Dr. Brown received his Doctor of Education (EdD) from Liberty University, and his Master of Science (MS) and Bachelor of Science (BS) from Lee. 

Dr. Kathy Estes joins Lee’s School of Business as an associate professor of finance. A Chattanooga resident, Dr. Estes comes to Lee from Bryan College where she was the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program director and an associate professor of business. She has received many honors including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Corporate Success Award in 2003 and the LaFata Adjunct Teaching Award in 2012. Dr. Estes has also served as a business coach for simulation courses at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and taught at Benedictine University of Springfield and Robert Morris College.

Dr. Estes earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Anderson University, her MBA from the University of Illinois, and her Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Illinois College.

Marc Gilbert joins the School of Business as a lecturer in marketing. He comes to Lee from Pinnacle Foods Group where he was employed as a commercialization manager. In this role, he was responsible for managing, coordinating, and assisting new product launches, process improvement projects, productivity initiatives, and equipment installations for three manufacturing facilities. He was also responsible for leading sales teams and coordinating the development and commercialization of new products. Mr. Gilbert has trained and developed over 100 soldiers for their missions as non-commissioned officers, combat engineers, and heavy equipment operators while an engineer platoon leader in the Army Reserves.

Gilbert received his MBA from Indiana University and his BS from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. 

Beth Seymour joins the School of Business as a senior lecturer in accounting. She has been with Lee since 2013 and most recently served as the assistant director of budget and accounting in the business and finance sector. Additionally, she has taught accounting as a part time faculty member in the School of Business. Ms. Seymour has been involved with the university’s federal and state unemployment returns, income tax preparations, and training of small groups regarding tax issues for ministries. 

Ms. Seymour earned her Master of Arts (MA) from Bryan College and her BS from the University of Alabama.

Dr. Susanne Burgess joins Lee’s School of Music as an associate professor of music education. Formerly an associate professor and area coordinator of music education at Samford University, she brings a diverse teaching experience at the college, middle, elementary, and early childhood school levels to Lee. She held the position of director of music education at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (UTC) from 2000 to 2015. Burgess has also taught at Westmont College and the University of Memphis (UM). She holds the professional teaching license for grades K-12 from the state of Tennessee, is a certified Orff-Schulwerk music instructor, and serves as a founding board member of the Southern Appalachian American Orff-Schulwerk chapter.

Dr. Burgess received her EdD from UTC, her Master of Music (MM) from UM, and her BA from California State University, Fullerton.                                                              

Dr. Joong Han (Jonathan) Jung joins the School of Music as an assistant professor of piano. He comes to Lee from Jones County Junior College where he was a piano and music theory instructor. While there, he taught undergraduate keyboard to majors, and accompanied and coached vocalists and instrumentalists for recitals. Prior to teaching there, Dr. Jung was an assistant professor of piano and music theory at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 

Dr. Jung earned his Doctor of Musical Arts, MM, and MA from Eastman School of Music, and his Bachelor of Music from the University of Auckland.

Lynn Jenkins joins Lee’s School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. Ms. Jenkins comes to Lee from the Colorado Department of Education where she served as a regional nurse specialist and program manager. She was responsible for researching, creating, and presenting competency-based chronic disease management courses and professional development for school and community health providers. Ms. Jenkins’ clinical nursing experiences include level-three newborn intensive care, stepdown medical surgical care, rehabilitation nursing, homecare, and management of a long-term care facility.

Ms. Jenkins received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from Colorado Christian University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Wright State University.

Dr. Nancy LaBine joins the School of Nursing as an associate professor of nursing. She comes to Lee from Cleveland State Community College (CSCC) where she most recently served as professor and director of nursing. In this role, she was responsible for faculty, curriculum, and meeting all board of nursing and accreditation requirements. Dr. LaBine also worked with the Tennessee Board of Regents, Deans and Directors to develop a statewide common curriculum for the associate’s degree programs in Tennessee. During her many years with CSCC, she has served on the Executive Committee with the Tennessee Board Regents Common Curriculum project for Community Colleges in Tennessee and on the Academic Council.

Dr. LaBine earned her PhD from East Tennessee State University and her MSN and BSN from UTC.

Shannon McBrayer joins the School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. Ms. McBrayer joined Lee’s School of Nursing as a professional practice coordinator in 2014, where she has planned and organized all of the clinical instructors, placed students into clinical settings, controlled inventory, and set up all labs. In 2011, she began serving as an adjunct instructor of nursing at CSCC while also working in the Trauma Center at Children’s at Erlanger, where she was previously employed.

Ms. McBrayer received her MSN from Capella University and her BSN from UTC.

Rachel Tolliver joins the School of Nursing as a lecturer in nursing. She has been a part-time instructor at Lee since the spring in the School of Nursing teaching health promotion and supervising students at Erlanger Medical Center in their clinicals for Maternal and Child Health. Prior to that, she was with United Health Group in Minnetonka, Minnesota, previously known as Alere/Optum. Ms. Tolliver has had five years of experience as a registered nurse coordinator at Orange Grove Center where she taught the State of Tennessee Medication Administration class for unlicensed staff in the residential and supported living group homes.

Ms. Tolliver earned her MSN from Western Governors University and her BSN from UTC.

Casey Cole joins the School of Religion as a visiting lecturer in theology. A Lee alumna and former adjunct, she is currently serving as the student pastor at New Beginnings Church of God in Cleveland. During her time at Lee, Ms. Cole was the Introduction to Theology head preceptor, where she lectured, co-taught, helped to establish curriculum, and graded and evaluated student academic work. Her presentations and writings are getting attention from scholars in theology, and she has been approached about opportunities to publish her work. Ms. Cole has founded and directed six teen-to-child mentoring programs and directed five mission trips to Mexico for high school-age students.

Ms. Cole earned her MA and BA from Lee.

Dr. Mark Walker joins Lee’s School of Religion as a professor of pastoral studies and chair of the Department of Christian Ministries. He has also been named vice president for Ministerial Development at Lee. He comes to Lee from Mount Paran North Church of God, where he served as a pastor for the past 25 years and senior pastor since 1997. He earlier pastored First Assembly of God in Orlando, Florida. Additionally, Dr. Walker has served on the Lee University Board of Directors since 2010. He currently serves as chair of the Church of God Benefits Boards and is a former chair of the Church of God National Pastor’s Advisory Council.

Dr. Walker received his PhD from Regent University and his MS and BA from Georgia State University.
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