AACTE Welcomes Renée A. Middleton as New Board Chair

(March 4, 2017, Washington, D.C.) – Renée A. Middleton, Ph.D., dean of the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education at Ohio University, became chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) today. During her one-year term, Middleton will lead the Board in appointing a new president and chief executive officer and developing new strategies and programming for the Association.

“The AACTE Board looks forward to bringing in our next leader to advance our future in higher education and accountability to the public,” Middleton said. “As those responsible for preparing educators for the nation’s public and independent schools, the members of AACTE have an important role to play in securing the foundation and principles of our democracy.”

“Renée is coming into the chair responsibilities at a very important time as we are managing a transition in leadership,” said Sharon P. Robinson, Ed.D., president and CEO of AACTE. “Stability comes from knowledge and experience, and she has those in abundance and can support both the staff and AACTE leaders in making sure we have a smooth transition into the future.”

With nearly 30 years of experience in higher education, Middleton is responsible for the nine centers housed within the Patton College, numerous community partnerships, and the professional development schools that shape the education experience of approximately 1,800 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students. Prior to assuming the deanship in August 2006, Middleton served as the director of research, human resource development and outreach for Auburn University’s College of Education in Auburn, Alabama.

Middleton has been integral in procuring and administering research and outreach grants that total over $1.4 million. She has contributed to several book chapters and monographs and coauthored over 30 peer-reviewed articles. Her research focuses on racial identity theory, its development, and its association to multicultural counseling competency. Middleton’s research interests also include disability policy issues, education and workforce diversity, and aging and disability.

Middleton received the B.S. in Speech and Hearing from Andrews University, the M.A. in Clinical Audiology from the University of Tennessee, and the Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Administration from Auburn University.

About AACTE

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to high-quality, evidence-based preparation that assures educators are profession-ready as they enter the classroom. The over 800 member institutions include public and private colleges and universities in every state, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. Through advocacy and capacity building, AACTE promotes innovation and effective practices that strengthen educator preparation. Learn more at www.aacte.org.

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