Michal is a proud graduate of Albany State University and Fisk University. She is an advocate for promoting mental wellness and personal development. Her previous experience includes providing counseling services to individuals of all ages and administering psychological assessments. More recently, she has been involved in behavioral health care, research and data collection, and educational advancement.

In life we are faced with challenges and sometimes feel we can’t overcome them, but we can because “All things are possible, only believe.”

Throughout Jason’s professional and academic career, he has honed his skills in speech and communication, which led to a career change in 2010 away from sales and marketing to keynote speaking and corporate training.

In 2016, Jason completed his own program for teaching extemporaneous speaking and storytelling skills, which he has taught to corporations and students around the country. Jason also completed his own book, which compliments his signature course: 14 Weeks: From Fear to Firebrand.

In addition, Jason has also developed courses in Advanced Extemporaneous Speaking, Intergenerational Communications, Professional Networking, and Interviewing Skills. All of these courses would be highly beneficial to the students at Cumberland.

In addition to his experience developing and delivering speaking programs, Jason has a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from Texas A&M. He also spent over a decade with Toastmasters International, earning the Distinguished Toastmaster designation in 2018.

Jason enjoys competing regularly at the state and national level and truly believes that it is critical for a public speaking teacher to stay active and connected to the professional world, in order to provide the students with the most current and applicable training available.

For any additional information you can visit Jason’s website at: www.Firestory.com or follow him on Twitter/X at @yourFirestory.

Considering his dual interests in writing and illustration, Steve Simmerman has found that graphic design, whether in the form of a poster, magazine spread, or album cover, offers wonderful possibilities for word and image to coalesce into a message with impact. Design is truly universal, and imagery often confronts us, urging us to connect symbols with ideas.

Among his inspirations are Will Eisner, Gary Larson, Chris Ware, Daniel Clowes, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Steve’s also a huge fan of early magazine illustrators like Edward Penfield and Will Bradley, as well as artists Jasper Johns and Edward Hopper.

Simmerman’s passion for music, archaeology, and branding often show up in his artwork. He works in a variety of media — typically ink, watercolor, and acrylic — as well as digital tools like Illustrator and Photoshop. Tinkering with a synthesis of hand-drawn sketches and digital manipulation, Steve continues to explore the rewarding, often meandering paths to visual narrative. He has illustrated two children’s books and exhibited artwork in New York, Chicago, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Additionally, he’s taught graphic design for over twenty years.

Adjunct Instructor William Lucas Patton grew up in Arkansas, attending Lyon College for his bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre, later achieved a Master’s in English at the University of Memphis and a second Master’s at Middle Tennessee State University. He has been teaching for over six years in various Tennessee institutions such as Motlow State Community College, Columbia State Community College, and now recently Cumberland University.

William has presented papers and given talks regarding the philosophy behind pop culture usage in society ranging from media including Shakespearean drama, fantasy horror shows for Joss Whedon, anime series such as Cowboy Bebop, modern science fiction and Disney film archetypes.

He is frequently performing at theater events throughout Rutherford County and has recently participated in poetry and literature clubs in the area. He is currently teaching Grammar Studies and Introduction to Literature studies at Cumberland.