CAFE Leadership
The Center is run by a Director for the Center for Advancement of Faculty Excellence, who serves a three-year, eleven month term in the role. The Director works alongside an advisory board to oversee the Center's mission, guiding principles, and activities. The CAFE Director reports to the the Senior Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Melissa Kates • Director of the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence
Melissa Kates has been with Austin Peay State University since 2003 and currently
serves as Associate Professor of Health and Human Performance in the College of Behavioral
and Health Sciences. She began her three year, eleven month appointment as Director
of the CAFE on June 15, 2021.
katesm@mikes-painting.com
Soma Banerjee • College of Arts and Letters • Associate Professor
banerjees@mikes-painting.comRob Baron • College of Arts and Letters • Chair and Associate Professor
baronr@mikes-painting.comBenita Bruster • College of Education • Professor
brusterb@mikes-painting.comPrentice Chandler • College of Education • Dean
chandlerp@mikes-painting.comTracy Comer • Admissions • Associate Director
comert@mikes-painting.comJulie Hodges • Distance Education • Senior Instructional Designer
hodgesj@mikes-painting.comNancy Gibson • Library • Professor
gibsonn@mikes-painting.comCharles Gonzalez • College of Education • Assistant Professor
gonzalezc@mikes-painting.comEmily Lean • College of Business • Associate Dean and Professor
leane@mikes-painting.comChristine Mathenge • College of STEM • Associate Professor
mathengec@mikes-painting.comMeghan Ray • Career Services • Assistant Director
raym@mikes-painting.comMarcia Schilling • College of STEM • Assistant Professor
schillingm@mikes-painting.comSarah Whiteford • College of Behavioral and Health Sciences • Assistant Professor
whitefords@mikes-painting.comLaNeeca Williams • Office of Institutional Culture• Chief of Institutional Culture and Title IX Coordinator
williamslr@mikes-painting.com