Leadership Team
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Whitney Milliken
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Whitney Milliken is a Clarksville native and began her career at Austin Peay in 2008. Her professional experience includes work as an academic advisor and student success director working with CoAL students. Whitney has prior experience coordinating the Peer Leader program, teaching peer leadership courses, UNIV 1000, and PASS 0900. Whitney is passionate about helping students be successful and helping them navigate their way through the college experience.
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Charde' Hudspeth
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Charde' Hudspeth joined the Austin Peay community in 2021, joining the Student Success Team in 2024. Before Student Success, she was an Academic Advisor in the Department of Athletics, providing academic support to the football and spirit team student-athletes. Prior to Austin Peay, Charde' was an Academic Advisor and Student Services Coordinator for the Department of Athletics at Murray State University. She is also an adjunct instructor for UNIV 1000, APSU 3010, and COMM 2045. Charde' enjoys helping her students achieve their goals as they navigate through their college journey.
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Crystal Ellis
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Crystal Ellis joined the University Student Success team in 2025. With a strong background in higher education leadership and student support, she is dedicated to creating inclusive pathways that empower students to thrive academically, socially, and personally. Before joining Austin Peay, Crystal gained extensive experience in student success programming, academic advising, and persistence strategies serving 11 years at Middle Tennessee State University. She has developed and implemented retention-focused initiatives, facilitated cross-campus collaborations, and provided individualized support to help students navigate barriers and reach their academic and career goals. As a proud Nashville native, Crystal is actively rounding out her educational experience in the EdD program at Tennessee State University. Her research is centered on supporting first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students by examining persistence trends pre-, during, and post-COVID. Passionate about helping students unlock their potential, Crystal approaches her work with compassion, innovation, and a commitment to student-centered leadership.
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Greg Jeffers
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With over 15 years in Higher Education, Greg joined Austin Peay in 2023, becoming part of the University Student Success team in 2025. He brings previous advising, management, and faculty experience to his role, which helps ensure student service and success remain a top priority. He has resided in the Clarksville area with his family since 2010, and enjoys having the opportunity to positively impact the community through his efforts at Austin Peay.
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Ciara Jenkins
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Ciara Jenkins was delighted to join the Student Success team as the Administrative Assistant in 2023, bringing over a decade of customer service experience. APSU holds a special place as the first college she attended as a student, and now, it marks the beginning of her professional career in higher education. Her passion for helping people thrive aligns seamlessly with contributing to the success of both the institution and its students.
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Dr. Blaire Hodge-Woodring
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Dr. Hodge-Woodring joined the Austin Peay community as an English 2330 instructor in the Fall of 2020. In 2022, she started as the Director of the Center of Academic Support and Enrichment, which houses the peer tutoring and structured learning assistance programs, and the academic testing center. Before beginning at Austin Peay, Dr. Hodge-Woodring taught for 14 years in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, where she was named Teacher of the Year for her school in 2014.