Dr. Bethany Powers, Program Director and Assistant Professor
Office Location: Cedar Bluff 126
Email: Bethany.Powers@LMUnet.edu
Personal Bio
Dr. Bethany Powers serves as an Assistant Professor in Lincoln Memorial University’s Doctor of Education program. Before earning her EdD at LMU, she was a 3rd and 4th grade teacher and a Behavior Coach in Knox County Schools. She has obtained over eight years of behavioral, social, and emotional experience and training in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Trauma Informed and Resilient Schools, Response to Intervention in Behavior, Restorative Practices, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Conscious Discipline, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention which guided her research. She resides in Knoxville, TN with her husband, Adam, and son, Harrison.
Dr. Keith Carpenter, Assistant Professor
Office Location: Cedar Bluff 126
Email: Keith.Carpenter@LMUnet.edu
Personal Bio
Dr. Keith Carpenter serves as an Assistant Professor in Lincoln Memorial University’s Doctor of Education program. He brings over 20 years of experience in public education, having taught elementary and middle school mathematics, middle school science, and elementary reading and language arts. In addition to his work in general education, Dr. Carpenter has served in specialized roles as a special education teacher, interventionist, and English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor. Dr. Carpenter’s research interests include rural education, ESL instruction, Response to Intervention (RTI), the impact of poverty on learning, and the role of artificial intelligence in education.
Dr. Merinda Pratt
Office Location: Cedar Bluff 123
Email: merinda.pratt@LMUnet.edu
Personal Bio
Dr. Merinda Pratt is an Assistant Professor in the Doctor of Education program at Lincoln Memorial University. She brings valuable experience from her years as a public school educator in Claiborne County, where she taught first and second grades, served as a lead teacher, and worked as the district-level first-grade math lead. Dr. Pratt was also active on committees focused on academic advancement and student retention. She earned her Doctor of Education in Teaching and Learning from South College, where her dissertation examined educational policy and chronic absenteeism.
Dr. Jane Laoo
Office Location: Cedar Bluff 123
Email: jane.blair@LMUnet.edu
Personal Bio
Dr. Jane Blair Laoo is an Assistant Professor in Lincoln Memorial University’s Doctor of Education program, where she teaches doctoral-level courses on leadership, governance, and political structures. She brings extensive experience as a teacher and school administrator with a commitment to preparing effective leaders who can navigate the complex political and ethical dimensions of education. Her research interests include political and ethical dimensions of educational leadership, organizational change, superintendent–principal relationships, and the role of teacher social and personal competencies in shaping instructional practices. She is particularly interested in how leadership practices influence teacher development, retention, and instructional effectiveness in both K–12 and higher education contexts.
Please see our Scholarly Activity Page for more information concerning presentations and publications from our faculty.
