Jesus Cisneros, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership Studies
Jesus Cisneros earned his Ph.D. in Education Policy and Evaluation from Arizona State University. He obtained a M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A&M University, and dual B.A. degrees in Journalism and Mass Communications and Foreign Languages from New Mexico State University. He serves on the board for United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization, and is co-founder of DREAMzone, a comprehensive professional development program that provides practitioners with knowledge, skills and resources for effectively responding to the presence and needs of undocumented students at institutions of education. Through research and practice, Jesus Cisneros has taken a visible stance to increase awareness of social
justice issues affecting underrepresented groups’ access to higher education, particularly LGBTQ
undocumented immigrants.
Melissa Hannah, M.A., CCC-SLP, CALT
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary, Literacy, & Special Education
Melissa, founder of Hannah Educational Resources & Evaluations (H.E.R.E) is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist and Certified Academic Language Therapist . She has worked for 17 years in a variety of educational settings prior to starting H.E.R.E. in October 2015. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of children with a variety of speech, language, and language-based learning disabilities, i.e. Dyslexia. She has specialized training in three different Multisensory Structured Language Education (MSLE) approaches, which are scientifically-based proven methods for children with Dyslexia. Melissa received her Master of Arts degree in Speech
Language Pathology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Melissa began working in a
variety of educational settings Tennessee in 1999 and in 2002 in Arkansas. Also, Melissa has
extensive training and clinical experience treating and diagnosing children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, and related learning disabilities.
Angela McCoy Harless, Ph.D., M.S., L.P.C.
Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership Studies
Angela is a native of Southwest Arkansas. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education from Southern Arkansas University with a major in vocal music. She earned a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling from Texas A & M – Texarkana, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Arkansas. She has received licensures in K-12 Music Education, Elementary Education, Early Childhood, P-12 School Counseling, and Professional Counseling. Her passion is helping children reach their potential academically and emotionally. Her other passions include cooking, gardening, spending time outdoors, and most of all, singing and playing music with family and friends.
Támi “TJ” Hendrix
Clinical Instructor I, Department of Teaching & Learning
Támi “TJ” Hendrix is an Arkansas native, a 2003 graduate of UCA, and former Pulaski County Special School District teacher. Prior to joining the Department of Teaching and Learning she primarily taught Pre-AP English to ninth and tenth grade students in the Wilbur D. Mills High School Scholar’s Program. She has a passion for literacy and writing and looks forward to equipping her students for their futures as education professionals.
Marie Smallwood, M.S.
Academic Advisor, Office of Candidate Services
Marie is a proud alumna of UCA were she received her Master of Science from the College of Education College Student Personnel Services and Administration program. While earning her Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources, she started her Higher Education Career at Student Support Services which is a TRiO grant program servicing first generation, income-eligible, and disabled students. Marie has a strong passion for working with college students in transition. Her main objective is to help students grow into their best self and to discover the “out of the box” way to reach their goals! Marie has worked in a variety of roles in student affairs including
Upward Bound, Student Activities, Career Services, and a visiting professor. Marie is currently
the RSO advisor for REAL BEAUTY at UCA.
Jason Trumble, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching & Learning
I earned my bachelor’s from BIOLA University and my Masters from Chapman University while living in the Southern California Desert. After moving back to Texas and completing nine years of teaching in public schools, I earned my Ph.D from Baylor University. I am passionate about technology integration and inquisitive about how technology is changing how kids learn, interact, and develop. I am also very interested in how technology is morphing the way teachers innovate in the classroom. Additionally, I enjoy researching in the areas of 3D printing in teacher education, social foundations and social justice, as well as intermediate literacy and multiple literacies.
I am part of an incredible family with two amazing boys and one gorgeous wife who is also an
educator. I love food, music and sports in no particular order, and I’m always willing to shoot a
basketball, throw a football, or flip a frisbee.