Cindy Conley

Hello everyone! So nice to meet you! My name is Cindy Freer Conley, and I am the Academic Coach for the Oakley School of Humanities, Education, and the Arts. I am here as a resource for you as you navigate your college experience. 

I have a Doctorate in Philosophy in Exceptional Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis from Tennessee Technological University where I also obtained Educational Specialist degrees in School Counseling and Educational Leadership. I have a Master’s degree in Human Services Counseling from Murray State University, and a Bachelor’s’ degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Central Missouri State University. 

Having always loved the college experience, I am excited to be here! I have arrived at Cumberland after a career in the educational and social service fields working for both Wilson and Rutherford County School Districts as a School Counselor. I have also worked in private practice as a therapist and as a behavior analyst. I enjoy the opportunity to be a part of growth and helping others to increase their success.

I grew up in the Midwest, but have lived in the Southeast for nearly 30 years. I enjoy traveling with my family. I find exploring new places to be a fun treat whether it’s a day or week long trip.  Relaxing with our family dogs is always a treat, I am the epitome of the phrase ‘dog mom’.  I enjoy photography and take way too many pictures, but it is always fun to see the word from a new point of view.

Feel free to stop by to see me in LCC 203, or email me at cconley@cumberland.edu.

Gary Heartfield

Hi everyone, Gary here, your Academic Coach for the Labry School of Science, Technology and Business. My role is to work with students to develop effective learning strategies to find success in the classroom while helping to create a balance between school and life.

I have a B.A. in Education from the University of South Florida and an M.B.A in Systems Management from Florida Institute of Technology. After graduating from college, I taught Middle School and High School Math and Computer Programming. Upon completion of my Master’s program I was offered a job with BellSouth (now AT&T) and over the years I worked in Outside Plant, Central Office, and Supply Chain Management. I finished up my Telecommunications career working as a Regional Sales manager for CommScope. 

My passion for education led me back into the classroom, and I have been an Adjunct Instructor in the Business School here at Cumberland as an Instructor in MS Office, Introduction to Business and Business Communications. 

My wife, Debby, and I raised our family in Franklin and now live over on the lake in Old Hickory. We have a son, Matthew, and daughter, Suzanne, and two grandchildren, Philly, 5 and Thomas, 3, who have introduced us to Cuphead, Bluey, Minecraft, and Mario just to name a few. Debby and I are members of the TDF church family and enjoy the lake, pool, movies and getting together with friends and family. As a fun fact, Debby and I were in the same first grade class together, we both went our separate ways and then met again in college.  

You can always reach me at gheartfield@cumberland.edu.

Michael Sostre

Hi, I’m Michael! I’m the Academic Coach for the Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions. I’m here to help you navigate academics, extracurriculars, or any other part of college life you need help navigating.

Before Cumberland, I was a Graduate Assistant at the Intercultural Student Engagement Center (ISEC) at Western Kentucky University, where I worked with underrepresented students on campus to help them thrive in their environment and planned cultural celebration programs. I received my Master’s in Student Affairs in Higher Education from WKU in August 2022.

In May 2020, I graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor’s in Public Relations and moved to Nashville, Tennessee with my wife to work in public relations for a non-profit mental healthcare organization. While I loved that job, I knew that my passion was supporting college students as they navigate their way through higher education. 

Outside of work, I like just about anything that involves friends and good food. My wife and I live in Nashville and love exploring new restaurants, with Thai being our favorite! We spend a lot of time with our church community and love to host our families to enjoy our city with us. I try to keep up with all the Marvel movies and Disney+ shows, and I play video games probably too much in my spare time. Reach out to me at msostre@cumberland.edu.