Leadership Academy announces new Fellows

James Allen		Jekia Allen		Becky Barnes		Zachary Best		Christopher Deal
Lorie Johnson		Tenisha Marchbanks		Stephanie Prince		Michelle Wolfenbarger		Angela Messer

KNOXVILLE -- The Leadership Academy has announced its next cohort class for 2014-2015. Now in its fifth year, the Leadership Academy is a collaborative venture between the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the Knox County Schools that prepares talented individuals to become outstanding new school principals through a full-time, intensive 15-month fellowship program. The class will begin work on May 30.

The Leadership Academy is a part of the Center for Educational Leadership, housed in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the UT College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

The 2014-2015 cohort class includes:

James Allen currently serves as dean of 11 and 12 grade small learning communities, as well as a math teacher, at West High School. He is also a lead teacher and mentor teacher, and a member of the leadership and data teams at the school. He is working toward a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Tennessee, and holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Bowling Green State University.

Jekia Allen works at A.L. Lotts Elementary as a kindergarten teacher and has worked in education since 2004. She serves on the Knox County Schools strategic plan steering committee, as well as the school system’s teacher advisory group. Allen attended Tennessee State University and has a master’s in education, administration and supervision, and a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.

Becky Williams Barnes works at West Haven Elementary as a first grade teacher. She was selected as Teacher of the Year for her school in 2013 and 2015. Barnes currently serves as a board member in the 5th District for the Sevier County Board of Education. She received her education specialist degree in administration and supervision, and master’s degree in education from Lincoln Memorial University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Carson-Newman College.

Zachary Best is currently an assistant principal at Powell Middle School. He previously served as an assistant principal at Northwest Middle School and as a theater arts teacher at Farragut High School. Best is currently working toward an education specialist degree in leadership and learning from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and has a master’s and bachelor’s degree in English education and theater from the University of Tennessee.

Christopher Deal teaches 5th grade at Hardin Valley Elementary School and is a lead teacher. Prior to Hardin Valley Elementary, he was a teacher in North Carolina and Florida for 11 years. He has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Indian River Community College, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Florida Atlantic University, a master’s degree in reading from Nova Southeastern University, a doctorate in organizational leadership/human resource development from Nova Southeastern University, and is working toward a doctorate in higher educational leadership from Capella University.

Lorie Johnson currently serves as an assistant principal at West Haven Elementary School. She previously was a TAP master teacher at Dogwood Elementary and a kindergarten lead teacher at Maynard Elementary. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from State University of New York at Buffalo, a master’s degree in education from Tusculum College, and an educational specialist degree in administration from Lincoln Memorial University.

Tenisha Marchbanks is a lead teacher at Bearden Middle School and was previously a teacher at Northwest Middle School. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Tennessee, and is working toward an education specialist degree in administration and supervision from the University of Tennessee. Angela Messer is an instrumental music professional development specialist, associate director of bands and TAP master teacher at Carter High School. Messer began her teaching career in 1997 at Whittle Springs Middle School. She has a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from the University of Tennessee, and is working toward a master’s degree in music education from the VanderCook School of Music in Chicago.

Angela Messer is an instrumental music professional development specialist, associate director of bands and TAP master teacher at Carter High School. Messer began her teaching career in 1997 at Whittle Springs Middle School. She has a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from the University of Tennessee, and is working toward a master’s degree in music education from the VanderCook School of Music in Chicago.

Stephanie Prince is a 4th grade teacher at Brickey-McCloud Elementary School. She has been a teacher since 2006 at both Brickey-McCloud and Rocky Hill Elementary Schools. Prince holds a bachelor’s degree in history (minor in elementary education) and a master’s degree in teacher education (concentration in elementary education) from the University of Tennessee.

Michelle Wolfenbarger is a TAP master teacher at Ritta Elementary School. She previously served as an instructional coach at the school. She has been teaching since 2001 and has served at Adrian Burnett Elementary, Carter Elementary and Holston Middle Schools. She has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education (minor in English) and a master’s degree in teaching (elementary education) from the University of Tennessee.

Leadership Academy Fellows will spend four days a week working in a school with an experienced mentor principal. The fifth day will be spent in coursework and seminars with professors and expert practitioner partners.

To complete the program, students participate in a project that integrates their learning across the many curricular areas of the Academy, and will include an electronic portfolio documenting the student's proficiency in school leadership, and a public presentation about the 15-month experience. Upon successful completion of the program, Fellows will be awarded a master's or education specialist degree.

Published May 5, 2014