Andrea Bishop, Ph.D.
Director of Center for Leadership & Development
Dr. Andrea Stark Bishop leads the academic offerings of the center and teaches classes in organizational communications and learning and development. She is an eager and energetic force focused on continually building and strengthening this exciting academic program. She is passionate about establishing standards of academic excellence and brings a wealth of experience as both an educator and leader. She also serves as an assistant professor of education.
Dr. Bishop previously served as coordinator of virtual learning for UofM Global, the online arm of the University of Memphis. She helped create and administer Prep Academy, a unique online bridge program designed to better prepare students for the academic rigor of higher education. She also designed curriculum and coordinated course offerings for TNeCampus, a collaborative partnership offering quality online course options among Tennessee universities.
With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, she believes that better communication leads to better leadership, teaching and learning. She also says, “Communication is the center of the workplace and the heart of leadership. It is the focal point of any organization. Communication generates new thought, new practice and new strategies. It defines the culture of families, schools, workplaces and governments, for good or ill. Simply put, poor communication equates to poor leadership while strong communication equates to strong leadership.”
A native of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, Bishop holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in education from Harding University as well as a doctorate in writing rhetoric and technical communication from the University of Memphis. She and her husband, Mike, were married in 1997, and have two sons, Zach and Alec.