NASHVILLE - The Tennessee Education Association has named Carolyn Crowder, an experienced education leader, as the state's largest teacher group's new executive director.
Crowder was selected following a months-long national search. For the past four years, she served as executive director of the combined Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver Association of Education Office Professionals and DCTA-Retired.
She previously served as president of the Oklahoma Education Association and as a member of the executive committee of the National Education Association. In the latter position, she helped set NEA policy and travelled the country providing support to NEA members and affiliates.
A former vocal music and elementary teacher in Oklahoma City and Mustang, Okla., Crowder earned her bachelor's degree from Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK, and a master's degree in education from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmund.
TEA is the state's largest professional association of educators with over 40,000 members in school districts and on college campuses across Tennessee. As TEA executive director, Crowder will provide leadership to a staff of 54 who work in TEA headquarters in Nashville and in UniServ districts across the state.
She succeeds Alphonso Mance, who retired in January after 29 years at TEA, and Interim Executive Director Mitchell Johnson.