TN CEC Executive Board

Allison N. Oliver, PhD is an accomplished educational professional with over two decades of experience in special education across both K–12 and higher education settings, currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Austin Peay State University. With 17 years of dedicated service in PK–12 education and 5 years in higher education, she has established herself as a respected leader in the field and is the founder of Lessons Beyond the Eligibility, where she serves as an educational consultant providing innovative strategies and support to educators, students, and institutions. Dr. Oliver is actively involved in advancing the profession through national and state-level leadership, currently serving as President of the Tennessee Unit of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), a Board Member of the Diverse Learners Collaborative, and a Board Member within the Teacher Education Division (TED) of CEC. A published author and proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dr. Oliver is also a devoted mother of two whose personal and professional experiences continue to fuel her mission to improve educational outcomes and strengthen supports for exceptional learners.

Alicia Pence, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Special Education at Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. Pence graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Ph.D. in Special Education and was awarded numerous accolades for her service and dedication to the field. She currently teaches a wide range of classes at Middle Tennessee State University, mentors pre-service and in-service special educators, as well as facilitates state-wide professional development trainings and holds the office of faculty advisor for the Council for Exceptional Children Professional Student Organization. Most importantly, Dr. Pence is the mother of a young son, Preston, who was diagnosed with autism at eighteen months of age.

Callie Welch EdD serves as a lecturer at Tennessee Tech University in the special education program. She is in her 6th year as an educator and holds an EdD in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from East Tennessee State University. Her research interests include school culture and climate, inclusive and co-teaching practices, and behavior intervention in the classroom setting.

Missy Drinnon serves as the Program Director for Undergraduate Teacher Education, Program Director for Special Education, and Associate Professor of Education at the Templar School of Education. She retired from Knox County Schools after 30 years of dedicated service as a special education teacher, consulting teacher, supervisor, and executive director. Throughout her career, she has remained deeply committed to advocating for and meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Beyond her professional work, she is a devoted wife and mother of three, recently embracing the joys and challenges of farm life. She has a love for travel, cherishes time with family, and enjoys expressing her creativity in the kitchen.

Joan Grim is retired from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Special Education Program as Senior Lecturer after 15 years. She previously taught children with complex disabilities in upper-elementary ages and later in PreK special education in Knox County Schools for 23 years. Her professional interests include IDEA policies and practices that are related directly to improving teaching and learning conditions for teachers and students; providing high quality play  to improve social-communication in children with disabilities and promoting high-quality preparation of pre-service special educators

Dr. Mills currently serves as an assistant principal at an elementary school. Her previous position was a special education facilitator. Dr. Mills believes that all students can learn. Her passion is to teach and train others to help students with disabilities reach their full potential.  

Jennifer Cook, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Carson-Newman University and currently serves as the Communications Chair for the Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children. A long-time advocate for inclusive education and educator support, she brings over 30 years of experience in special education since beginning her career in 1995, with teaching and leadership experience across Massachusetts, Georgia, and Tennessee. Dr. Cook earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a research focus on promoting personally relevant access to the general education curriculum for students with intellectual disabilities. She serves on the CEEDAR-TN State Leadership Team and is co-lead of the Retention Committee, where she collaborates with state partners and educator preparation programs to strengthen inclusive and high-level practices, elevate educator voice, and improve recruitment and retention of special educators across Tennessee. Her work reflects a deep commitment to advocacy, belonging, and high expectations for students with disabilities and the educators who serve them.

Cindy Lang, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Carson-Newman University. She earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her professional interests include supporting all teachers in effectively serving students with disabilities in the general education classroom, inclusion and co-teaching, as well as behavior intervention practices. She served as the President of the Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children from 2020 to 2021.