Channing R. Ford, PhD, MPA, MA, is Dean of Graduate Studies at Jacksonville State University (JSU), in Jacksonville, Alabama. Dr. Ford has over 15 years experience working in higher education, working within the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the Harrison School of Pharmacy at Auburn University prior to joining JSU. Her expertise extends to teaching best practices and academic assessment. Her research interests include master teaching, performance-based assessments, professional identity formation, and curriculum design approaches. She earned her doctorate from Auburn University in Administration of Higher Education, and holds a master of arts degree in communication management and a master of public administration both from UAB.