MHFA Instructors, Grant Staff and Advisory Board

MTSU MHFA Instructors

• Dr. Seth Marshall is an associate professor in the psychology department at MTSU. He is a teacher, practicing psychologist, and researcher. His work as a mental health first aid instructor parallels closely with his primary professional interest, that is, taking a strength-based approach to promoting mental health.
  
• Dr. Tiffany Wilson is currently an Assistant Professor and the School Counseling Program Coordinator within the Professional Counseling Program at Middle Tennessee State University. She holds a MS in School Counseling and a PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling and Counselor Education from North Carolina A & T State University. Prior to joining the MTSU faculty, Dr. Wilson worked as a licensed professional school counselor and a licensed career development coordinator in North Carolina. She also worked as licensed professional counselor in various clinical settings. In addition to being a licensed professional counselor, Dr. Wilson is also a National Certified Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and a Board Certified Tele-mental Health Professional. Dr. Wilson is an active member in the American Counseling Association (ACA), Association for Counselor Education (ACES), Tennessee Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (TACES) and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA).
  
• Dr. Mary Beth Asbury is an Associate Professor and the Department Chair of Communication Studies at MTSU. She researches and teaches in the areas of interpersonal and health communication, focusing on weight stigma in interpersonal contexts, such as family communication and dating, and body image. Dr. Asbury is passionate about reducing the stigma regarding mental illness by helping others share their stories and experiences.
  
• Dr. Deborah Lee is the NHC Chair of Excellence in Nursing. She has worked in a variety of health care roles and settings throughout her career. Her roles have spanned working as a hospital and home care nurse, researcher, university professor, public health professional and health care administrator in the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Lee teaches communication skills and motivational interviewing techniques. She conceived of, and leads, the MTSU Positive Aging Consortium. She is a national board-certified health and wellness coach, an instructor in the Health & Well-being Coaching programs at Duke Integrative Medicine, and serves as a mentor instructor in the coaching programs at Vanderbilt and Meharry Medical College.

MTSU MHFA Staff

• MTSU MHFA Principle Investigator and Director, MTSU Center for Health and Human Services (CHHS): Dr. Cynthia Chafin, MCHES ® is the Principal Investigator for the Mental Health First Aid project, and serves as the MTSU Center for Health and Human Services Director. Ms. Chafin has been with CHHS as a project director since 2002 and has a lengthy history in public health having worked for and with the state health department along with multiple local, state, and national non-profit and community-based organizations as a volunteer, project director, and consultant.
• MTSU CHHS Post-Award Grant Coordinator: Michelle Sterlingshires M.A. serves as the Grant and Program Coordinator for CHHS. Yes, she would like to see your snazzy spreadsheet.
• MTSU MHFA Program Coordinator and instructor: Jill Thomas M.Ed. serves as the Program Coordinator for Mental Health First Aid project, rejoining CHHS in January 2021 as the program coordinator for the STEMsational Ag: The Virtual Farm project. No stranger to the Center, she served as a project coordinator on numerous projects from 2007 –  2013. During her time away from the Center, she was an elementary school educator as well as a full-time professor in the MTSU’s College of Education. Jill received her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from MTSU and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in Biology from the University of Minnesota. Her experience in the Tennessee public schools as well as her work as a professor in the School of Education will be a valuable addition to the Center.
• MTSU MHFA Program Evaluator: Dr. Angela Bowman serves as Program Evaluator and is an Assistant Professor of Public Health and Biostatistics at Middle Tennessee State University. Her primary professional roles include teaching statistics to the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students in the Health and Human Performance Department, and serving as a consultant in the areas of statistics and psychometrics on a range of internal and external projects. You can learn more about Dr. Bowman’s background and qualifications at the following link: https://w1.mtsu.edu/faculty/angie-bowman.
• 2019-2021 MTSU MHFA Program Coordinator and instructor: Linda Williams M.A. served as the Program Coordinator for the first Mental Health First Aid project, joining CHHS in February 2019. Ms. Williams previously worked in residential addiction treatment management since 2007, and with child and adolescent physical fitness from 1992-2007. She has also served as Family Program Director and trauma symptom stabilization specialist in residential treatment. Ms. Williams’ interest in public health is born out of her clinical experience with the presentation of comorbid substance abuse and mental health disorders. As a True Blue Alum Mom, Ms. Williams is honored to be a part of the team at MTSU-CHHS.

MTSU Pilot Project MHFA Advisory Board 2019-2021

• Mary Kaye Anderson is the Director of MTSU Counseling & Testing Services.
• Vickie Harden is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work. She has extensive experience in community behavioral health. Her research focus is related to rural health disparities, particularly related to mental health and addiction.
• Lisa Schrader is a Health Educator through MTSU Student Health Services. She provides programming and consultation to MTSU student groups on a variety of health topics. She also supervises Health Services’ peer education group, and the Raider Health Corps.
• Robin Lee is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and faculty member in the Professional Counseling program at Middle Tennessee State University, specializing in clinical mental health counseling. She serves as the Director of the MTSU Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and serves as the Professional Counseling Program Coordinator.
• Hilary Miller is Director of the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center and is an active member of the Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee State University communities. Her primary professional focus is helping military-connected students make the transition into college.
• William Langston is a professor in the psychology department. He also serves as Academic Advisor for MTSU Lambda Association (MTSU’s only all-inclusive LGBTQ+ student organization and the oldest continuously active LGBTQ+ student organization in Tennessee). Dr. Langston is also a Safe Zone trainer for MTSU.