NATASHA MCMANN

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Physics Instructor
nmcmann@cumberland.edu
Labry Hall
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
A.A.S., New River Community and Technical College
B.A., Bluefield State College
B.S., West Virginia University
M.A., Fisk University
Ph.D., Vanderbilt University

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. She decided not to pursue what she originally planned to as a career and went to work.
She started a job as a tour guide at the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, WV and fell in love with
astronomy.

She 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.

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

ALLISON GREER

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Adjunct Instructor
agreer@cumberland.edu
Labry Hall
Adjunct Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
A.A., Itawamba Community College
B.A., The University of Mississippi
M.B.A., Middle Tennessee State University

Mrs. Greer joined Cumberland University as an adjunct faculty member in the fall of 2022. She is currently completing her second Master’s Degree from Cumberland and holds a Master’s of Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University. Mrs. Greer also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Mississippi. Prior to arriving at Cumberland, Mrs. Greer has taught business courses at the college level and has an interest in the field of social and emotional intelligence and leadership.

ANNA HARRIS

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Adjunct Professor of Mathematics
aharris@cumberland.edu
Labry Hall
Adjunct Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.S., Tennessee Technological University
M.A. Ed., Bethel University

Anna Harris has been in education since 2010 in the brick-and-mortar classroom and online since 2012. She attended Tennessee Technological University and received her Bachelors in Industrial Engineering. After graduating from Tennessee Tech, she began working as a manufacturing engineer. 

After two years, she went back to school to get her Masters in Education. She began teaching high school mathematics and later added certifications in Personal Finance, Biology, and Administration. Mrs. Harris then completed an additional 21 hours of graduate-level mathematics courses and now teaches on the college and university levels as well. In her spare time, Mrs. Harris enjoys spending time with her dogs, cats, and daughter.

RENA WALLER

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Instructor of Mathematics
rwaller@cumberland.edu
(615) 547-1297
Labry Hall
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.S., University of Texas, Austin
M.S.E., Auburn University

PAUL STUMB IV

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University President and Professor
paul.stumb@cumberland.edu
(615) 547-1223
Memorial Hall, Room 101
Faculty
Office of the President
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.I.E., Auburn University
M.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
M.A.E., Cumberland University
Ph.D., University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dr. Paul Stumb was named as the 26th President of Cumberland University in August 2015. He has served Cumberland University since 2003, when he became an Adjunct Professor for two years before being named Dean of the Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business, a position he held for 10 years before he was named president. During his tenure as president, Cumberland has seen record enrollment and the addition of over 40 new faculty members.

Prior to joining Cumberland University, Dr. Stumb enjoyed a successful career in the for-profit business sector, serving in a variety of increasingly responsible positions including: Director of Marketing and Business Development for Georgia Pacific Corp, General Manager of American Corrugated, Vice President for Operations and Owner of One Coast Network, and Regional Vice President for Curtis 1000 Inc. Earlier assignments included work in the nuclear industry with Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, and 26 years of service in the US Navy Reserves, where he retired with the rank of Commander.

Dr. Stumb is a graduate of the Navy War College Strategy and Policy Program, and holds a BS in Engineering from Auburn University, an MS from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a Master’s in Education from Cumberland University, and earned his PhD at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Before joining CU, he served as an Adjunct Professor for the National Security Agency, Georgia State University, Shorter College, and Middle Tennessee State University. He is a member of a number of professional and honor societies, and deeply engaged in several civic and professional activities.

Dr. Stumb is married to Dr. Cristy Stumb, a CU alum and former faculty member, who now owns and operates Stumb Healthcare Professionals, a primary care clinic in Carthage, TN. Together; they have four children and four grand-children.

WILLIAM TUNE

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Assistant Professor of Mathematics
wtune@cumberland.edu
(615) 547-1294
Labry Hall, Room 235
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Ph.D., Indiana University

Dr. William Tune joined Cumberland University in the Fall of 2017 and teaches courses in the Mathematics program.  Prior to this, he taught mathematics courses at Motlow State Community College and Indiana University, where he received the Rothrock Teaching Award in 2013.  His research interests are in the field of Mathematical Logic, especially as it applies to natural language, the λ-calculus, and coalgebras.  He received the Robert K. Meyer Graduate Fellowship twice for his research into creating a calculus for representing monotonic patterns in natural language.

Dr. Tune also has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the Chancellor’s Honor program and the Mathematics Honors program.  He participated in two summer undergraduate research experiences, and was selected by the Mathematics Department faculty as the 2010 Outstanding Graduate.

In addition, he has co-authored two papers: Eigenvalues and Transduction of Morphic Sequences (2014) and A Monotonicity Calculus and Its Completeness (2017).

NOA STROOP

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Instructor of Business
nstroop@cumberland.edu
Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.S., Tennessee Technological University
M.B.A., Tennessee Technological University
D.B.A., Trevecca Nazarene University

Dr. Noa D Stroop grew up in Wilson County, attending MJCA. He later acquired a BSBA and MBA from Tennessee Tech University. Finally, he earned his DBA from Trevecca Nazarene University, concentrating in Higher Education Leadership. His work history includes almost 10 years in the food service industry and an equal amount of experience in sales, marketing, and management capacities.

Dr. Stroop is a self-proclaimed ‘goal-getter,’ having made a memory in all 50 states by 27 and earning a doctorate by 30. He is currently achieving his dream career of teaching college students leadership and life principles in his hometown while building a consulting firm specializing in small business growth acceleration//entrepreneurship and coaching his high school alma mater’s soccer team. He is an active member of Joy Church, residing in his hometown of Mount Juliet with his lovely and brilliant wife, Nicole, and corgi-pup, Winston. If he isn’t at CU, consulting, or coaching soccer, he is likely to be at a concert, on a river, starting a business, bingeing a show with his wife, or gaming.

KARAH SPROUSE

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Assistant Professor of Business
ksprouse@cumberland.edu
(615) 453-6301
Labry Hall, Room 113
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
M.B.A., University of Mississippi
D.B.A., Liberty University

Karah Sprouse is an Assistant Professor of Business at Cumberland University. She began teaching at Cumberland in 2014 and is the Program Director for the Associate of Arts in Business degree program as well as Project Management.

Prior to teaching in Cumberland University’s business school, she worked for companies such as LexisNexis and UL (Underwriters Laboratories) in software implementation. During that time, she became a PMP certified project manager in charge of multi-year implementations with clients such as Walgreens, United Airlines, and Harley
Davidson.

These professional experiences have culminated in her interest to research how Generation Z is impacting project and work team performance as well as how they are motivated and engaged, especially when working with colleagues
and leaders representing older generations.

STEPHEN SHAO

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Associate Professor of Business
sshao@cumberland.edu
(615) 453-6304
Labry Hall
Faculty
The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
B.A., University of Virginia
M.B.A., Old Dominion University
Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park

Stephen P. Shao, Jr. is a college professor/administrator, researcher and technical consultant.   He joined Cumberland University as a full time faculty member in 2017 after serving as an adjunct instructor for several years.  Dr. Shao holds a Ph.D. degree in Management Science from the University of Maryland, an M.B.A. in Business Administration from Old Dominion University, and a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Virginia.  He has received additional training from courses, institutes and industry workshops at the University of Minnesota, AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Northern Research.

Dr. Shao has served as a faculty member and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in mathematics, computer information systems, marketing, project management, operations management and economics at universities in Maryland, Tennessee, and Virginia.  Dr. Shao is a founding director of two university research centers and currently serves as founding editor of the CU Labry School’s business publication Wilson County Trends. Before his current academic activities, Dr. Shao was employed in the telecommunications industry as a member of technical staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, NJ and later as Senior Manager of Strategic Network Planning for the Canadian telecom manufacturer NorTel Networks’ U.S. operations headquartered in Nashville, TN.    

Dr. Shao’s research efforts have been supported by a variety of sources, including grants received from the National Institutes of Health, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Tennessee Valley Authority, IBM Corporation, Dell Foundation, BellSouth Foundation, AOL Foundation, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Baltimore Regional Planning Council, and others.   In addition to serving on numerous national, state and local advisory boards, Dr. Shao has authored over 150 published articles and conference presentations. Past awards and professional memberships include a AT&T Special Telecollaboration Award, Tennessee Governor’s Certificate of Appreciation, IEEE Society; National Engineering Consortium; Institute of Management Science; International Teleconferencing Association; Who’s Who in Technology Today; International Who’s Who; Tennessee Association of Independent Colleges and Schools and Omega Rho Honorary Society.