Sean Owen is an associate research professor for the Research and Curriculum Unit. Prior to joining the RCU, he was a research professor for Mississippi State University's Center for Educational and Training Technology (CETT). Much of his CETT work included writing grants and curricula and administering and evaluating programs that integrated technology into core academic and career and technical areas in school districts statewide. Owen received a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences with an emphasis in chemistry and psychology from the University of Mississippi. He also holds a Master of Science in biological sciences and a doctorate in education with a minor in teacher technology education. His research focus and experience primarily is in the applied sciences and career and technical education. Frequently presenting at local, state, and national conferences, he is an active member of the ACTE and Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America. Additionally, he is a former president of the Mississippi Educational Computing Association.

Shelly Hollis joined the RCU in November 2014 as a project manager. Her duties include managing the development and implementation of the K-12 computer science pilot program, managing and executing database and reporting projects, and supporting information systems related to professional learning. Prior to joining the RCU, she worked in a public school system managing district technology. In her technology role, Hollis provided training and support to administrators, faculty and staff on all devices and software, in addition to evaluating and contributing to purchase decisions. She also managed the student information system, district website, E-rate program, MSIS reporting, automated calling system, and data uploads for the district. Before moving to Mississippi in 2007, she co-owned and operated a database design company where she created, installed, and maintained customized pre-school enrollment-management and compliance software solutions. Hollis is a graduate of Huntingdon College in Alabama where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science.

Bhanupriya Shanmugam first joined the Research and Curriculum Unit in June 2012 as a graduate research assistant, and now serves the applications solutions/information technology group as a project manager. In this role, she manages and executes database and reporting projects and supports information systems related to assessment and professional learning. She has two years of work experience as a software engineer for the banking domain of an information technology company. Shanmugam earned a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication engineering in 2009 from Anna University in Chennai, India. In 2014 she received a master's degree in business administration with a focus in management information systems from MSU.

Michelle Taylor plans and facilitates online professional development for multiple areas. She has a passion for business; and in her role with the RCU, she writes and plans online professional learning and assessment courses and teaches the online high school business courses. Taylor creates, conducts, and presents research on online professional development, online career-technical education, and blended learning. Taylor coordinates the assessment meetings and facilitates many of them. She earned an associate and bachelor's degree in business from Northeast Community College and the University of Mississippi respectively. She holds master's, specialist's, and doctoral degrees in instructional technology from MSU. She has earned a second master's degree in business administration. Her doctoral study focused on why educators did or did not complete the online professional-development courses they began. Before joining the RCU, she served as the business office technology instructor and department head for the campus at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC)—Scooba and taught eighth-grade computer discovery for 10 years at Baldwyn Middle School, as well as high school keyboarding, computer applications, computer maintenance/repair, psychology, and sociology. While working at Baldwyn and EMCC, Taylor wrote grants and attended workshops to aid her in this process. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Career and Technical Education. She also holds COOL, W!SE, IC3, iCAT, Propulse, and Novell certifications. Taylor is a master teacher for Intel in its Teaching Using Higher Levels of Thinking curriculum, as well as in the Essentials course. She has completed her administrator's training from the Mississippi Department of Education for secondary and post-secondary. She has a master teacher certification in economics and for entrepreneurship. Taylor is a member of multiple business and education associations, and she serves as the past-president of the Mississippi Business Education Association, president for the International Society of Business Education, and president-elect for the Southern Business Education Association. She also serves on many committees at the state and national levels for education, government, and industry including the United States Federal Reserve Board Educatory Advisory Board, MSU Financial Education Partnership, and a parent volunteer for Girl Scouts of America.

Amanda Gronewold joined the RCU in July of 2014, bringing nine years of experience ranging from award-winning newspaper advertising to web design. A Louisville, MS native, Gronewold earned her associate degree in art from East Central Community College in 2003, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from Mississippi University for Women in 2005. She oversees all aspects of graphic design for the RCU, including designing materials for the RCU's magazines, conference materials, websites, promotional toolkits, and reports, as well as items for Mississippi's career-technical student organizations.

Judy Middleton is the director of Mississippi State’s GEAR UP grant program. In her role, Middleton works with the Greenville, McComb, and Meridian school districts in preparing low-income students for success in postsecondary education. Middleton moved to the new role after working in special education and school improvement at the RCU. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in teaching from MSU. Prior to joining the university, she held several economic development director positions in Ohio and was most recently a teacher in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

Lori Staggs joined the RCU in October 2019. She works closely with GEAR UP MS and RCU staff members in a collaborative effort to develop, direct, and implement strategies to strengthen and support GEAR UP MS. A 2011 graduate of Mississippi State University, Staggs has served in business roles throughout her career at MSU. Before joining the RCU, she served as the Contract and Grant Specialist for the Dean of Education. Staggs completed the Departmental Administrators Working Group (DAWG) in 2018, and she received the Office of Research and Economic Development’s 2019 Research Support Award for the College of Education.

A career and technical educator for more than 19 years, Betsey Smith taught family and consumer science courses in Louisiana. She also helped create and implement a career center as the career counselor. She earned a Bachelor of Science in family and consumer science education from Louisiana State University and a master's in counseling from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. As Director, Smith oversees and provides strategic leadership, overall management, direct support and supervision for all aspects of the CTE-related activities and projects. She is an expert in school counseling education and family consumer science education, and she uses her expertise in assisting with writing and implementing curricula, providing leadership for a cross-functional team of professionals at the RCU, and collaborates with leaders across Mississippi.

Prior to her work at the RCU, Suzanne M. Bean worked for 35 years as a teacher, faculty member, and leader in education across Mississippi. During her time as a professor of education at Mississippi University for Women, she was the founding director of the Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning (currently, MUW Outreach and Innovation). She was awarded the MUW Medal of Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Service, Lowndes County Outstanding Educator, and Parent of the Year for Columbus Municipal School District. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Mississippi Association for Partners in Education. She has co-authored numerous books and publications, including the fourth edition of the textbook Methods and Materials for Teaching the Gifted (2015). She is a member of Leadership Mississippi and has served as president of the Mississippi Association of Gifted Children and director of the Mississippi Governor's School.

Mhaire Nickels, who joined the RCU in October 2015, serves as the RCU's receptionist. In this role, she directs calls and helps with enquiries, as well as other administrative duties. Prior to working at the RCU, Nickels worked for Mississippi State University's Department of Landscape Architecture, where she worked as an office associate, responsible for processing payroll, maintaining student files, and updating property and inventory. Her first job at Mississippi State University was in Student Account Services. Nickels, who is a native of Scotland, moved to Mississippi in 1996.

A National Board Certified teacher, Myra Pannell coordinates the Impact Learning team at the RCU and is responsible for implementing and supporting the MDE's innovative school initiatives such as career academies, early college high schools, districts of innovation, and instructional coaching. She earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education, a Master of Science in technology and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Mississippi State University. Pannell has 18 years of experience in education and holds IC3, COOL and Propulse certifications.

As a senior research associate at the RCU, Denise Sibley is responsible for conducting research and providing actionable information that contributes to the unit's secondary and special education efforts. She has more than 30 years of professional experience as a trainer, educator, and entrepreneur. She has a bachelor's degree in accounting, a masters in gifted studies and has studied international development and community college leadership. Prior to joining the RCU in 2003, she was on the faculty in the College of Business at Mississippi University for Women. Other professional experience includes starting a private consulting business and working with East Mississippi Community College's Workforce Development Program to provide training for dislocated workers.

Since joining the RCU staff in 1994, Jo Ann Watts has been involved in the development of assessments and curricula for career and technical education programs in Mississippi. As an instructional design specialist for the architecture and construction cluster, she is responsible for all facets of the instructional-design process, including development and revision of the curricula and facilitating the corresponding assessments. She collaborates with subject-matter experts and instructors during course design and development, ensuring the curricula and assessments meet the expectations of all stakeholders. During her time at the RCU, Watts has been involved in the integration of academic and vocational education, has coordinated the state vocational education conference and computer discovery training, has served on the inservice design committee and was the project investigator for construction education.

As the Business Operations manager, Pam Stafford oversees the daily functions of the business office and the unit's operations. She manages and is responsible for balancing the RCU's yearly fiscal budget and serves as an expert and advisor in all business matters. She earned her Bachelor of Science in business education in 1990 and Master of Science in business technology in 1992. A member of the National Association of Professional Women, she was employed in the Mississippi State University Office of Admissions and Scholarships before joining the RCU.

As a project manager, Cindy Ming serves as an instructional coach for the RCU and is responsible for implementing and supporting MDE's innovative school initiatives. Ming also works on the development and implementation of state-wide curricula. Ming spent 15 years working for the Columbus Municipal School District, where she taught U.S. history. She graduated from Mississippi University for Women with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education.

Leanne Long has extensive experience in the training and development of educators. She develops, coordinates, and presents face-to-face and online training for the state's career and technical educators. Her research interests include business education, technology education, distance learning, pre-service teacher education, effects of professional learning, and teacher retention. A Mississippi State University alumna, she holds a Bachelor of Science in technology teacher education, a Master of Science in technology, and a doctorate in education administration. She is a Walden Certified Online Educator and holds the Internet and Computing Core Certification.

Brad Skelton joined the RCU in 2012 as an instructional design specialist for the agriculture cluster. Currently, he directs the curriculum team in researching, developing, and modifying curricula for the RCU. He has over 15 years of experience in the landscape, parks and recreation management, and golf course industries. He also has over six years of experience in education, including former positions at Hinds Community College and the Mississippi Department of Education. Skelton earned a bachelor's degree in golf and sports turf management and a master's degree in technology from Mississippi State University, and is working toward his doctoral degree in higher education leadership at MSU. Skelton also holds the IC3 and C.O.O.L certifications and is an Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP) alumni.

As an RCU project manager, Theresa Wheeler contributes to the creation and revision of career and technical education curricula. Her background in research includes work completed under National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Science Foundation grants researching science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Wheeler holds a Bachelor of Arts in general liberal arts with a research emphasis, and she has a Master of Science in sociology from Mississippi State University (MSU). She is currently pursuing a doctorate in criminology at MSU.

Cathy Curtis joined the RCU in 2016 and works in assessment. Before starting at the RCU, she was a grant coordinator with Family-Centered Programs of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. In this role, she coordinated Project AIM, a school-based mentoring program for students in Grades 3-8; Counseling Crusade Project, a three-tiered behavioral support and intervention program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade; and a 21st Century after-school program for students in Grades 3-8. Prior to working in program coordination, Curtis taught English at Starkville High School and French at West Point High School. Additionally, she has served as an adjunct English instructor at East Mississippi Community College. She holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education and a Master of Arts in English from Mississippi State University. Curtis also holds a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification from Mississippi State.

Melissa Luckett joined the RCU in July of 2016. As an Instructional Design Specialist, she coordinates the curricula development process for the Human Services pathway and several other programs. Prior to joining the RCU, Luckett dedicated 12 years to her role as a parent volunteer in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District where she also served as a school board member. Luckett received her bachelor's degree and Master of Public Policy Administration from Mississippi State University.

As a project manager at the RCU, LaNell Kellum supports the RCU's special education and secondary education efforts. She is an accomplished administrator with an extensive background in educational administration, research, project development and management, and teaching in Mississippi and Oklahoma. Kellum holds a Ph.D. in Community College Leadership from Mississippi State University, MSU, where she also received her master's and bachelor's degrees in education. Dr. Kellum previously served as the Director of Postsecondary Career and Technical Education for the MS Community College Board and as Senior Research Associate for the Stennis Institute of Government and the Research and Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University. Kellum previously directed the Eastern Oklahoma Educational Opportunity Center at Rogers University. She also served the Columbus (Mississippi) School District, where she directed McKellar Technology Center, served as principal of Columbus High School, and acquired and managed reading and technology state grants, and was the district's first Early College Facilitator. During her career, Kellum has developed state curriculum frameworks, conducted research, designed and conducted professional development for teachers and administrators, and chaired state work teams to acquire federal education and workforce development funds for the Mississippi Department of Education and the MS Community College Board.

Carl Smith moved into the role of managing editor in 2019. In the role, he will oversee the production of the RCU’s magazines, School Focus and Connections. He will also assist with the RCU’s social media accounts and the Connections website, and he will edit various RCU documents and work. Smith joined the RCU in October of 2017 as editor. Before joining the RCU, Smith had a seven-year career in journalism and worked for several newspapers in Mississippi. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University.

Sam Watts joined the RCU in November of 2017 as the project manager for health sciences. His duties include managing, developing, and fine-tuning the various health science curricula in Mississippi and incorporating the help of educators across the state to implement best practices. Prior to joining the RCU, Watts played football at Mississippi State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology, with a focus on sports business. He then worked in construction before becoming a public school teacher here in Mississippi, where he taught physical education at the elementary and junior high levels, while teaching mathematics at the secondary level. Watts returned to MSU to earn a master's degree in exercise physiology while working as a health education specialist for the university.

As a project coordinator, Romika maintains RCU inventory, processes payroll and leave, and performs a number of additional business and operational tasks. Sudduth-Conley joined the RCU in 2017 with nearly a decade of experience working in banking, finance, and bookkeeping. She previously worked for the Mississippi State University Facilities Management Department as payroll assistant, where her duties included processing payroll, leave, and hiring paperwork. Sudduth-Conley holds an associate’s degree from East Mississippi Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University.

As the RCU accountant, Courtney Martin maintains accounting ledgers and provides financial support to the unit.

Chris joined the RCU in 2018 as a project manager for the operations team. In this role, he handles and maintains the RCU’s course registration program and database. His experience working in operations for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child allowed him to gain a breadth of knowledge that he can tap as the RCU continues to grow and serve the students and teachers of Mississippi. He earned a master’s degree in exercise science from Appalachian State University, located in his hometown of Boone, North Carolina.

Joseph Dudgeon joined the RCU in July of 2018 as the business office project coordinator. In this role, he manages the RCU’s various honorariums and contracts, coordinates facility management services for RCU functions, and provides general support for office and administrative tasks. Before joining the RCU, Dudgeon worked as a project coordinator for a general contractor in Austin, Texas, that helped to renovate and build schools. Dudgeon, a newlywed, followed his wife to Mississippi State University, where she is working toward a PhD in statistics. Dudgeon holds a degree in business administration from Texas State University.

Brian Dorsey oversees secondary career and technical education national certification efforts and item alignment and development meeting processes. He has almost 10 years of experience in the classroom on the middle school and high school levels, most of which was spent at Armstrong Middle School in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. Dorsey completed much of his college course work at Coahoma Community College and Jackson State University. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Delta State University.

Brock Turnipseed is responsible for overseeing the RCU’s communications team and managing the writing, editing, and design of the unit’s internal and external communications projects. A communications professional of more than 15 years, Turnipseed also directs social media efforts for the RCU and Connections social media platforms. Turnipseed, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mississippi State University, comes to the RCU following an 11-year career as the associate director of communications in MSU’s athletic department, where he worked with local, regional, and national media in coordinating the communication efforts for the Bulldogs’ two-time national finalist women’s basketball program.

As an editor at the RCU, Heather Craig writes for, edits, and quality checks a variety of publications. It is Craig’s second stint at the RCU, as she previously served in a part-time editor role. Craig also has experience in postsecondary classrooms, having most recently been a lecturer in Mississippi State University’s English department as well as an online English lecturer for East Mississippi Community College. A graduate of Mississippi State with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and a Master of Arts in English, Craig also worked as an admissions counselor at her alma mater.

Caitlyn Powell coordinates all travel arrangements for RCU staff and is the liaison between the RCU and Mississippi State University Travel Services and Travel Leaders, car rental companies, and hotels. She previously worked as an intermittent worker at the RCU’s print shop. There, she printed and bound materials as requested by the RCU and/or the Mississippi Department of Education. Powell earned an associate degree in liberal arts from East Mississippi Community College. She plans to attend MSU and major in business education and marketing.

Jenny Campbell joined the RCU in October 2018 as an instructional coach. She is responsible for implementing and supporting innovative school initiatives throughout the state. Prior to joining the RCU, Campbell played volleyball at Wright State University in Dayton, OH while earning a both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in middle childhood education with an emphasis on math, science, and reading. Campbell has spent nearly 10 years teaching and coaching across three states, with her most recent stint lasting five years in a middle school science classroom. During this time, Campbell was hired to work closely with administration on the startup of the progressive Delta Middle School Program, which emphasizes innovative education. Throughout her 10 years in education, Campbell has been nominated twice for “Outstanding Teacher of the Year,” worked on numerous science curriculum design and redesign projects, and has had the opportunity to assist educational researchers at Penn State University on investigating the most effective instructional practices in science education.

Cliff Thames supports secondary career and technical education national certification efforts, standard setting, and item alignment and development meeting processes. He previously spent 12 years as a biology teacher and a baseball coach in Smith, Rankin, and Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated school districts and served as an assistant principal at Columbus Middle School. Thames received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in teaching and coaching and with a minor in biology from Mississippi State University. He also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Heather McCormick joined the RCU in January 2019. As a project coordinator, she works in the Center for Cyber Education helping coordinate projects dealing with the state-wide computer science initiative, CS4MS, as well as the C Spire grant, which facilitates the development and implementation of computer science curriculum in various schools across Mississippi. McCormick also holds elementary and middle school teaching certifications in West Virginia and Alabama.

Lynn Eiland has more than 30 years of experience in education. Prior to joining the RCU in 2011, Eiland worked for MSU’s Center for Science, Mathematics & Technology. She has served as project manager for National Science Foundation, Appalachian Regional Commission, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Labor-funded projects. She has also performed assessments and evaluations for National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning-funded projects. Eiland has nine years of teaching experience in Lowndes County Schools. She holds a degree in Finance and a teaching endorsement in Business Education. Eiland served on MSU’s Institutional Effectiveness Committee for several years, received the Office of Research and Economic Development’s 2011 Research Support Award for Centers and Institutes, and completed the Departmental Administrators Working Group (DAWG) program in 2015.

Kellie Cauthen joined the RCU in September 2019 as a project manager. She is dedicated to coordinating, developing, and maintaining the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career pathway curricula for the state. She ensures the latest national standards and instructional methodologies are implemented in classrooms and develops effective working relationships with agricultural educators throughout Mississippi. Before joining the RCU, Cauthen was a registered nurse and later an advanced practice registered nurse, with her recent years devoted to nursing education as a nursing instructor at the postsecondary level. Most recently, Cauthen gained CTE experience as a secondary health science instructor. Cauthen earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing from The University of Mississippi Medical Center and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education degree with a specialization in Educational Leadership and Management.

Ben Alexander joined the RCU as a project manager in 2019. Alexander conducts data analysis and research for the assessment team. Before coming to the RCU, Alexander worked in the K-12 educational system for 13 years as both a teacher and administrator. Alexander received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Mississippi University for Women. He also earned a Master of Science degree and an Educational Specialist degree from Mississippi State University in school administration.