John Abel --John Abel is the assistant director of the Boling University Center at UT Martin.  He serves as the technical assistant for the Governor’s School for the Humanities (GSH).  Mr. Abel served as the hall director for the 1999 GSH and returned in 2003 as the technical assistant and produced of the GSH video yearbook.  He earned B.S. and MBA degrees from UT Martin and is an adjunct instructor in the University’s College of Business and Public Affairs.  He and his wife Debbie reside in Martin with their young son, Jackson.

Mr. Tim Barrington -- Mr. Barrington is the instructor/technical director and sound designer with the Department of Visual and Theatre Arts at UT Martin. While in graduate school at Memphis State University, he was selected as one of five honors students in theatre. A 35-plus-year employee of UT Martin, he is also production coordinator for the Office of Student Life, advisor to the Student Activities Council and technical director of the award-winning Miss UT Martin pageant. For the past 16 years, Mr. Barrington has also been entertainment/technical director of the Tennessee Soybean Festival. He has been the technical director/sound designer for more than 250 theatre, dance and opera productions and has acted roles in more than 50 productions. He is a member of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, The United States Institute of Theatre Technicians, Alpha Psi Omega National Honor Theatre Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha National Honor Music Fraternity, The National Association of Campus Activities and The Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities. Mr. Barrington has worked with the Governor's School for the Humanities for 21 years and is the Voice of the UT Martin Skyhawks as public address announcer for the football and men's and women's basketball programs. He is also proud to say he is a 30-year veteran volunteer firefighter with the Martin Fire Department.

Dr. Chris Baxter --Chris Baxter is an associate professor of political science in U. T.–Martin’s Department of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Political Science, teaching courses in public administration and American government.  He graduated with a B.S. in political science from U.T.M. in 1994 and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.  Dr. Baxter also serves as a pre-law advisor.  His research interests include constitutional law and judicial politics; his recent articles have focused on how interest groups attempt to influence judges’ decisions and the outcomes of judicial elections.  His wife Lisa is also a U.T.M. alum, and they have one son, Jake.  Chris is proud to be participating in the Governor’s School for the sixth time.

Dr. Chris Brown -- Christopher M. Brown is an associate professor of philosophy at UT Martin, where he teaches courses in ancient and medieval philosophy, metaphysics, the philosophy of religion, and ethics. He received the bachelor of music degree in percussion performance from Western Michigan University, the M.A. in humanities from Western Kentucky University, and the Ph.D. in philosophy from St. Louis University. Dr. Brown's recent publications include a book on St. Thomas Aquinas's philosophy of material objects and an article on God and the problem of evil in an anthology entitled, Star Wars and Philosophy. He enjoys living in Martin with his wife Merry Elizabeth and their three sons, Judah Christopher, Leopold Edward, and Thomas Patrick.

Mrs. Merry Brown -- Merry Brown is a full-time lecturer in philosophy at UT Martin, where she introduces students to the history of philosophical ideas and encourages contemplation of what it means to lead a good human life.  She received the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and psychology from Azusa Pacific University and the M.A. in humanities from Western Kentucky University.  She participates in the UT Martin Philosophy Forum and enjoys meeting with her students outside of the classroom to do thought experiments and service projects.  She loves small town life in Martin with her husband Christopher and their three boys, Judah, Leopold, and Thomas.

Mrs. Anna Clark -- Anna Clark is a faculty member in the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages at UT Martin, and she also serves as co-coordinator of the Hortense Parrish Writing Center. She earned the M.A. in English from the University of Missouri and has done additional graduate work at the University of Mississippi. She teaches composition and literature courses at UT Martin and is a traveler who has led numerous UT Martin-sponsored travel-study experiences. She is an advisor for Writer's Guild, a group of student writers who meet weekly to write and discuss their work. She has received several teaching awards, including the 2003 University of Tennessee National Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award, and she has served as president of the UT Martin Chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Special academic interests include the study of modern Southern literature and various forms of creative expression.

Dr. David Coffey -- Born in New Mexico and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, David Coffey holds a Ph.D. from Texas Christian University (TCU). He is professor of history and chair of the Department of History and Philosophy at the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he offers classes in US, military, and Latin American history. His books include John Bell Hood and the Struggle for Atlanta, Historic Abilene: An Illustrated History, and Soldier Princess: The Life and Legend of Agnes Salm-Salm in North America, 1861-1867.  He has contributed to ten major historical reference works and is an assistant editor of two award-winning, three-volume projects: the Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War and the Encyclopedia of American Military History.  Additionally, Coffey has chapters published in critically acclaimed anthologies of Civil War and Mexican history. His latest book is Sheridan’s Lieutenants: Phil Sheridan, His Generals, and the Final Year of the Civil War.  Most recently he served as assistant editor on and contributed more two dozen entries to another major reference work, the three-volume Encyclopedia of the American Indian Wars, which was published in 2011 by ABC-CLIO. He is currently at work on a new encyclopedia of the American Civil War.

Dr. Carol Eckert -- Carol Eckert, a professor of art at UT Martin, teaches all of the University's art history and several art education courses. She earned the BFA in sculpture from Austin Peay University, an M.A. in art history from Vanderbilt University and a Ph.D. in art education from the Union Institute and University. Prior to coming to UT Martin, Dr. Eckert taught at Austin Peay State University and ran a private art studio for 10 years. She received the Higher Education Division Educator of the Year Award for 2005 from the Tennessee Art Education Association. In addition, she was recognized by the UT Martin College of Humanities and Fine Arts as Outstanding Junior Faculty Member of the Year for 2005. In 2010, Dr. Eckert published a text/workbook for introductory art appreciation courses entitled " Conversing in Art: Learning the Language of the Visual Arts."

Dr. Chris Hill -- Chris Hill is a Tar Heel bred, having received an MA and a PhD in English Literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005. Before that, he spent his college career at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He met his wife Weslee there, so naturally he remembers the place fondly. Dr. Hill is originally from Manila, Philippines, where he spent his entire childhood. He is an associate professor of English in his seventh year at UTM, and lives happily within biking distance of campus with his wife of 15 years, three little boys aged seven, four, and two, and a big tabby cat. He teaches Shakespeare, Milton, sixteenth and seventeenth century literature, and various composition courses. In his spare time, when not playing with the little boys, he likes to read anything he can get his hands on, and to ride his bike in the countryside around Martin.

Dr. Julie Hill --Dr. Julie Hill, Director of Percussion Studies at the University of Tennessee at Martin, is highly regarded as a performer and pedagogue specializing in contemporary and world percussion. She has presented clinics and concerts for universities and state Day of Percussion festivals throughout the US and is a frequent guest lecturer and performer on the topic of Brazilian percussion. As a member of the acclaimed Caixa Percussion Trio, Julie has performed at international festivals in Mexico, Brazil, France, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions (PASIC). The Caixa Trio recorded their CD, “Commissioned Works” in 2008 and is currently commissioning a second set of works for percussion trio. Julie is the percussionist with the world fusion band 27 b stroke 6.  Hill is the co-author of a new book of solos/duets entitled Music for Multi Percussion: A World View (Alfred Publications) and has additional publications with Alfred, Innovative Percussion, and Row-loff Productions. Hill received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin, holds a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University, and has a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky. Hill is researching and studying percussion extensively throughout Brazil, primarily in the regions of Salvador da Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Her teachers include James Campbell, J.B. Smith, Nancy Mathesen, Leigh Stevens, and Neguinho do Samba. Hill serves on the international advisory board for Escola Dida, a project in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil dedicated to social transformation for black women and at-risk children through music. The June 2004 Percussive Notes journal featured a cover story written by Hill on the Brazilian based project. Julie serves on the executive committee for the Percussive Arts Society in the position of secretary, is the Tennessee PAS vice president, and also serves as an editor for Percussive Notes. She has been a member of PAS since 1989. Julie Hill is an endorser of Pearl Drums / Adams Musical Instruments, Innovative Percussion, Evans Drum Heads, Zildjian Cymbals, and Grover Pro Percussion. For more information, visit Julie Hill’s website at www.utm.edu/jhill or www.utm.edu/percussion

Dr. Leslie LaChance --Leslie LaChance joined the Department of English and Modern Foreign Languages at UT Martin in 2002, where she is currently teaching composition, sophomore literature classes, drama, and creative writing. She loves to read, write, travel, practice yoga, cook (and eat) great food, make art, make music, and have adventures with family, friends and students. Over the past 25 years, her poems, and articles have appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals in print and online. Dr. LaChance has taught with The Governor's School for the Humanities since 2003 and, as always, she looks forward to working with some of Tennessee's most talented and creative teens this summer.

Mr. Lane Last -- Lane Last is a professor of art at UT Martin in the Department of Visual and Theatre Arts. He is an artist, graphic designer, and experimental filmmaker. Lane holds an M.F.A. and a B.S. degree in art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with primary concentrations in Painting, Digital Art, Video, and New Media, though he has worked in Film Production, Installation/Non-Static Forms, and Printmaking. He was previously on the faculty at Mount Senario College in Ladysmith, Wisconsin and Highland Community College in Freeport, Illinois. Lane has been exhibiting his animations and media works in international venues and competitions for the past twelve years. He has also been exhibiting his paintings in international, national, and regional museums and galleries for the past twenty years. His works can be found in public and private collections across the United States, Italy, Korea, and Japan.

Dr. Robert Nanney -- Robert Nanney, professor of journalism and Chair of the Department of Communications at UT Martin, teaches features/editorial writing, desktop publishing, and senior seminar. He received his master's degree in journalism from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in mass communications from Ohio University. Prior to joining the UT Martin faculty, Dr. Nanney worked in the newspaper field for 15 years. He received the UT National Association Outstanding Teaching Award in 1999 and has earned numerous other teaching recognitions at UT Martin.  He has been with the Governor’s School as a faculty member or newspaper adviser since 1993.  He and his wife, Jeanie, have two children, Emily, who is an Air Force flight nurse, and Ryan, who is a budding rock star touring the country with the rock band "Fouls Fours Rowan".  Dr. Nanney and his twin are the youngest of seven children.  He loves to travel and is a huge fan of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Dr. Henry Parker -- A high school valedictorian, Henry Parker entered St. John’s Abbey to become a monk and a priest. Realizing his true vocation was in the secular world, he left the monastery after three years, enrolled at the University of St. Thomas and graduated magna cum laude in English. He received an M.A. in English from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Latin and Greek from the University of Illinois. Dr. Parker taught at the University of Minnesota, the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Illinois before assuming his current position as Cunningham Distinguished Professor at UT Martin. Dr. Parker’s most recent American publication, co-authored with his wife Marilyn Crist, is Apollo vs. Dionysus: A Philosophy to Increase College Success by 85%. His most recent foreign publication, an essay entitled "Minnesota's Golden Age: A Tribute to Saul Bellow," was published in Paris in Poesie Premier and describes Dr. Parker's friendships with Nobel laureate Saul Bellow and Pulitzer Prize-winning poets John Berryman and James Wright. Dr. Parker has also written a monograph entitled Linnaeus on Intoxicants, published at Lund University, Lund, Sweden. He has served as co-director of the People to People Citizen Ambassador Program to South Africa and Zimbabwe, and he returned to South Africa in February 2003 to continue his work with preschool children. In April 2004, Dr. Parker served as a member of the People to People education and humanitarian delegation to China, where he spoke on "A Pre-School Curriculum for Developing Nations."In April 2005, he spoke in Alexandria, Egypt, as a member of the People to People delegation hosted by Suzanne Mubarak, wife of Egypt’s president. In January, 2007, Dr. Parker made a presentation at the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and the Humanities. Dr. Parker is a speaker on the national lecture circuit and has been featured on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” for his work with medical hypnotherapy, with which he helps alleviate pain in incurable pain sufferers. He has taught in Governor’s School since 1991 and has been a perennial favorite.

Ms. Tomi McCutchen Parrish -- Tomi M. Parrish is an instructor of communications at UT Martin. She holds two bachelor's degrees from UT Martin, in communications and geography, and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Alabama. She worked as a daily newspaper copy editor for more than 10 years, and she now teaches news writing, copy editing and reporting. As coordinator of the Office of Student Publications, Ms. Parrish advises the student newspaper, The Pacer, and the student magazine, The Spirit. She also coordinates the Department of Communications' internship program. She received the 2004 UT National Alumni Association Outstanding Teaching Award and the 2005 Coffey Outstanding Teacher Award. Ms. Parrish lives in the woods between Martin and Dresden with her family.