GC Welcomes New Executive Director of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy on July 1, 2023

I am pleased to announce that following a national search, Dr. Lindee Morgan, has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy and will join Georgia College & State University on July 1, 2023.

Dr. Morgan is a licensed speech-language pathologist and has served in a variety of academic and administrative roles within the areas of communication sciences and disorders, autism, and language and literacy development in young children. She is a visionary, results-oriented leader whose excellent communication skills will significantly contribute to her ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to promote and advance the statewide mission of The Deal Center at Georgia College & State University. 

Dr. Morgan brings over 25 years of varied professional activities in higher education and the public/private sector with extensive research experiences and significant research funding through grants and private and corporate donations. Her research has focused on investigating treatments to improve active engagement, social communication, and other relevant outcomes for vulnerable children. Dr. Morgan most recently served as an associate professor in the Division of Autism and Related Disorders in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and as the co-director of the Education Sciences Research Core at the Marcus Autism Center and the do-director of the Louise and Brett Samsky Preschool, both of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Previously, Dr. Morgan served in academic and administrative roles at Florida State University, serving as the director of the Florida State University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities and associate director of the Autism Institute in Florida State University’s College of Medicine. Dr. Morgan has a well-developed understanding and great passion for the critical role the Deal Center has as the state’s research and training hub for leading early language and literacy development.

I would like to thank the members of the Search Committee who worked very hard to complete this search successfully:

• Mark Pelton (chair), associate vice principal, president for Strategic Initiatives
• Amy Jacobs, commissioner, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning and Chair of the Governing Board of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy
• Arianne Weldon, director, Get Georgia Reading Campaign, vice chair, Governing Board of the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy
• Dr. Alexandra Berglund, assistant principal, professor, Reading, Literacy and Language
• Kimberly Scott, administrative office manager, Sandra Dunagan Deal Center
• Emily Boewadt, senior development officer
• Dr. Nicole DeClouette, interim associate dean, John H. Lounsbury College of Education
• Dr. Tsu-Ming Chiang, professor of Psychology
• Michelle Grove, director, Montessori Academy at Georgia College

I would also like to recognize the Deal Center staff who provided a significant amount of administrative support for the search. 

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Lindee Morgan and welcoming her to this critical leadership role at Georgia College!

Thank you,

Dr. Holley Roberts

Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of The Graduate School