Faculty Category: Faculty

NATASHA MCMANN

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Instructor of Physics and Physical Science
Work Email: nmcmann@cumberland.edu
Location: Memorial Hall, Room 310-A
Category: Faculty
School: The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
Degrees:
A.A.S., New River Community and Technical College
B.A., Bluefield State College
B.S., West Virginia University
M.A., Fisk University
Bio:

Ms. Natasha McMann received A.A.S. from New River Community and Technical College in West Virginia in 2007. She then went on to obtain a B.A. Social Science from Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia in 2008. Then, she started a job as a tour guide at the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, WV and fell in love with astronomy. Ms. McMann then attended West Virginia University where she earned a B.S. in physics in 2016. She then got into the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program in Nashville. She earned her M.A. in Physics from Fisk University in 2018. She then went on to study for a PhD in Astrophysics from Vanderbilt University. She is taking a leave of absence from Vanderbilt in order to teach at Cumberland. Her research at Vanderbilt concerned searching for companions to millisecond pulsars in large optical surveys.

At Cumberland Ms. McMann teaches physics, physical science, and astronomy.

TANYA KING-PAIGE

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Assistant Professor of Nursing
Work Email: tking-paige@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-257-9502
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1149
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Southern New Hampshire University
D.N.P., Chamberlain University
Bio:

Dr. Tanya King-Paige began at Cumberland Fall of 2022. She teaches Foundations of Nursing and a clinical rotation of Adult Health 1 students.  Dr. King-Paige has had a career that has spanned almost 40 years.  She has done all types of critical care nursing as well as Peds/Adult Cardiac Cath lab at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for almost 15 years. Dr. King-Paige most recently opened a Centralized Telemetry Monitoring Unit at Saint Thomas Hospital West.

After completing my DNP in 2021, Dr. King-Paige always dreamed of becoming a nursing instructor. She is very happy to be here and see her students flourish, and to them to soar like eagles when they complete the program.  She is member of the International Nursing Honor Society, Sigma Theta Tau, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Black Nurses Association, and the Tennessee Nurses Association. She is originally from New York and moved to Tennessee 18 years ago.

Dr. King-Paige has three grown children. One of which is also a nurse and has two grandchildren. She enjoys traveling, cooking and bowling.

DIXIE RURY

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Director of Career Services & Internships
Work Email: drury@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-547-1308
Location: Learning and Career Commons, Room 225
Category: Faculty
Department: Academic Success Center
Degrees:
B.S., Middle Tennessee State University
M.A. Ed., Austin Peay State University
Bio:

Mrs. Rury joined our faculty in 2022 as the Director of Career Services & Internships. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from Austin Peay State University. Mrs. Rury teaches Foundations of Scholarship and Learning (FSL) and fulfills the duties of assisting students in career advice, resume and cover letter review, research for internships.

Mrs. Rury grew up in Lebanon where she and her husband, Ron, currently live. Ron is a paramedic and works on the medical staff at a plasma center in Nashville. They have a grown son, Marshall, who is a member of the Iron Workers Local Union 492. Mrs. Rury taught 20 years in Wilson County Schools and is an active member of Lebanon First United Methodist Church where she sings in the choir. Mrs. Rury is also a member of the local Alpha Chi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, Honorary Teachers’ Sorority.

MEGAN LANNOM

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: mlannom@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-257-4403
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1163
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S.N., Saint Louis University
M.S.N., Saint Louis University
Bio:

Megan Lannom became a faculty member at Cumberland University in the Fall 2022. She is in the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions as the faculty who teaches women’s health and newborns.

Prior to arriving at Cumberland University, Mrs. Lannom was in nursing practice for over 20 years. She held positions in labor and delivery, postpartum, nursery, neonatal intensive care and as educator of maternity and pediatrics.

She also has practiced nursing with high-risk obstetrical patients and gynecology patients. She holds an unencumbered RN license and a certification for electronic fetal monitoring. Mrs. Lannom has a love for the nursing profession and education.

CAROLYN GOODIN

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: cgoodin@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-257-4401
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1160B
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
A.S., Nashville State Community College
B.S.N., East Tennessee State University
M.S.N., Tennessee Technical University
Bio:

Ms. Goodin began her teaching journey with Cumberland University as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor in the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing in the Spring 2022 Semester. She has since accepted a full-time faculty position as an Instructor of Nursing. 

Carolyn graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in May 2023. She graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2021. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in a program at East Tennessee State University with an anticipated graduation date of August 2024. Ms. Goodin has clinical experience in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation, Family Practice, Home Health Nursing, Wound Care, and Vascular Access. She has a passion to educate tomorrow’s nurses and is currently working to craft a mentoring program for nursing students. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, Tennessee Nurse’s Association, Sigma Theta Tau and Sigma Alpha Lambda.

CINDY CONLEY

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Director of the Office of Student Success
Work Email: cconley@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-547-1238
Location: Learning and Career Commons, Room 122
Category: Faculty
Department: Academic Success Center
Degrees:
B.S., University of Central Missouri
M.S., Murray State University
Ed.S., Tennessee Technological University
Ph.D., Tennessee Technological University
Bio:

Dr. Cindy Freer Conley is the Director of the Office of Student Success.  She provides leadership to a team that works to provide additional academic support to the CU student body.  Dr. Conley also teaches Foundations of Scholarship and Learning as well as courses within the Psychology Program. 

Dr. Conley holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Central Missouri State University. She holds a Master of Science in Human Services Counseling from Murray State University and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee Technological University. Dr. Conley also holds an Educational Specialist in School Counseling as well as in Instructional Leadership. She received her terminal degree, a Ph.D., from Tennessee Technological University in Exceptional Learning with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Dr. Conley has had an extensive career in the mental health and educational fields. She has worked as a private practice counselor as well as worked as a School Counselor in Wilson and Rutherford County School Districts. She continues to work part time with youth in the foster care system as a Licensed Behavior Analyst.

Dr. Conley’s research interests include how community partners and educational settings provide services to adolescents at risk. Along with how the application of Applied Behavior Analysis can assist students who are unsuccessful increase their success in academic and social settings.

Dr. Conley is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her family live with their fur babies in the Wilson/Rutherford County area. Free time activities always include the kids and/or the fur babies.

RENA WALLER

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Instructor of Mathematics
Work Email: rwaller@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: (615) 547-1297
Location: Labry Hall, Room 230
Category: Faculty
School: The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
Degrees:
B.S., Arkansas State University
M.S.E., University of Texas, Austin
Bio:

Ms. Waller attended Arkansas State University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics. She then entered the University of Texas, Austin, where she completed a Master of Science in Engineering- focusing on Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. Following school, Ms. Waller worked for the General Motors corporation and Texas Instruments as a Manufacturing Engineer. Being part of a military family, she moved frequently, and teaching in college became a better fit. Ms. Waller had taught at colleges in Ohio, Auburn University both in Montgomery and the main campus in Auburn, as well as Mercer University in Georgia. For several years, she worked as the Education Coordinator for a nonprofit.

Her daughter is a producer for an advertising agency in Nashville; her son is studying Mining Engineering at the University of Kentucky. Besides time with family, Ms. Waller enjoys volunteering which has allowed her to try many new things while being of service to the community. Currently, she volunteers monthly at the Second Harvest Food Bank and at Habitat for Humanity building houses. Her second hoppy is traveling and she enjoys noticing cultural similarities and differences while visiting museums and national parks. Fun fact about Ms. Waller: she has visited all 50 states.

BRITTANY HILSON

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: bhilson@cumberland.edu
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1132
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S., Middle Tennessee State University
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Western Governors University
Bio:

Brittany Hilson is a nursing graduate from Cumberland University in 2013 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree. She also obtained her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in Nursing Leadership and Management in 2018 from Western Governors University. Ms. Hilson’s background includes Medical/Surgical, Critical Care, Utilization Management, and Cardiac Cath Lab.  

She is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Brittany is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 

SANDY ELLIOTT

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Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choirs
Work Email: selliott@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-453-6332
Location: Mitchell Building, Fireside Room
Category: Faculty
School: The Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education and the Arts
Degrees:
A.A., Cumberland College
B.A., Samford University
M.C.M., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
M.A.E., Cumberland University
Bio:

A Cumberland alumnus, Sandy Elliott received her Bachelor of Music from Samford University where she toured South Korea and sang in the choir that Premiered the Dave Brubeck Mass.  After Samford, Mrs. Elliott attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where she received a Master of Church Music degree with an emphasis in Vocal Pedagogy.  In 2002 she earned her Master of Arts in Education through Cumberland, and she most recently came back to Cumberland and completed the Instructional Leadership endorsement to that Master’s degree.

Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member, she led as an Adjunct, choirs at Cumberland. Mrs. Elliott served as the Director of Choral Activities at Mt. Juliet High School for 22 years where she began the program and grew it to 5 choirs and over 250 students.

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