Mrs. Amy Robertson was appointed to the faculty of the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions in the fall of 2021. 

Mrs. Robertson is a two-time graduate of Belmont University, having earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree in December 2013 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in December 2007. She also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Western Kentucky University in December 1995.

Currently, Mrs. Robertson teaches the Nursing in Child and Family Care course, Pediatric In-patient Clinical, and Health Assessment Laboratory. 

Prior to her appointment to the faculty at Cumberland University, Mrs. Robertson worked for seven years as a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. During her time at Vanderbilt, she served as the clinical coordinator for a clinical research team in the Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine. Her team serves as one of twelve clinical teams of the NIH funded Undiagnosed Diseases Network, evaluating patients whose conditions have evaded diagnosis and partnering with a team of scientists seeking to understand how specific genetic changes contribute to disease. While working in the Division of Genetics, Mrs. Robertson provided clinical consultation services for patients with suspected neurofibromatosis, Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, congenital hearing impairment, developmental delays, and abnormal TN State Newborn Screen results. 

Prior to this, Mrs. Robertson spent six years as a Registered Nurse at the bedside in Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt (VCH). During that time, she achieved designation as a Certified Pediatric Nurse, RN level 3, and received the honor of Preceptor of the Year from VCH’s Pediatric Nurse Residency Program. Mrs. Robertson is a member of both the Tennessee Nurses Association and American Nurses Association as well as the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Prior to her nursing career, Mrs. Robertson, served for nine years as a campus minister at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina and internationally in Russia. Mrs. Robertson is interested in promoting healthy growth and development of children, adolescents, and young adults. She is passionate about patient education and family centered care. She and her husband have been involved with the foster care system in Tennessee through their local church and desire to see children and families strengthened with the healing love of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Bradley Jordan began as an adjunct at Cumberland University in 2020 having previously taught for the university during the 2013-14 academic year.  He is a native of Lebanon, TN and a proud alumnus of Cumberland University holding a B.S. in Physical Education. He also holds both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Exercise Science from Middle Tennessee State University. In addition to his education, Dr. Jordan is a licensed Physical Education Teacher (Grades K-12) through the State of Tennessee and is also dually certified with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C), and Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist (RCEP). 

Prior to teaching at Cumberland University, Dr. Jordan was an Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. Dr. Jordan also has prior academic appointments at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN as well as Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. In addition to his previous experience in academia, Dr. Jordan has worked in clinical practice for Healthcare Therapy Services as well as Vanderbilt University Medical Center as Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist (RCEP). In addition to his clinical role, Dr. Jordan also served as a guest lecturer for the Vanderbilt University Medical School. Dr. Jordan provided lectures on exercise’s role in combating the obesity epidemic while also providing exercise clinical rotations for 3rd and 4th year medical students within the Center for Weight Loss.   

Dr. Jordan’s primary research interest is in ergogenic aids to sports performance with particular interest in caffeine supplementation and its effect on both aerobic and anaerobic sports performance. He has presented his research nationally at the annual American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference as well as locally at the Tennessee Association for Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (TAPHERD) conference. He has several peer-reviewed article publications and abstracts that are published in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, International Journal of Exercise Science, and Pediatric Exercise Science. Dr. Jordan has also served as a reviewer for the International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism. 

Dr. Jordan is an avid runner/triathlete and is passionate about practicing the active and healthy lifestyle he teaches in his courses. Additionally, he enjoys fishing, watching sports, and spending time with his family. 

Dr. Whitney Graves begins her first year as Athletic Training Education Professor at Cumberland University in 2019-2020 academic year.  She has the responsibility of teaching graduate courses in athletic training and undergraduate core movement sciences courses.  She is responsible for assisting in student research and program administration as well as participate in department, college and university service activities.

Most recently Dr. Graves worked at East Alabama Orthopedics & Sports Medicine working as the Sports Outreach Director and Clinical Coordinator. She was responsible coordinating clinicals for athletic training graduate students with Auburn University as well as assess the other clinical sites and preceptors.

Dr. Graves spent time as an Athletic Trainer for Auburn University Warrior Research Center in Fort Benning, GA. She provided tactical athlete orthopedic evaluations, therapeutic interventions including rehabilitation and modalities, and injury prevention strategies for soldiers completing a 9-week basic combat training or 14-week station unit training program.

Whitney received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA (2011). From there she went to Troy University as a Graduate Assistant for Athletic Training where she received her Master of Science of Sports and Fitness Management. Dr. Graves completed her Doctorate in Athletic Training from Indiana State University in May of 2019.

Dr. Graves and her husband, Jordan, and two children reside in Lebanon with their dogs Pearl, Sadie, and Jax.

Dr. Jason Grindstaff began at Cumberland University in fall of 2010 and teaches courses in the School of Nursing and Health Professions.  He primarily teaches courses in the undergraduate and graduate Exercise and Sport Science programs.  Prior to arriving at Cumberland, Dr. Grindstaff was a Post-Doctoral Associate for two years with the University of Florida where he provided mental health and sport psychology services for the Gator’s athletic department.  In addition to clinical experiences in university mental health, substance abuse counseling, gambling addiction, and biofeedback, Dr. Grindstaff has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of Florida in sport psychology, physical education and deaf education.

Dr. Grindstaff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in both psychology and sports medicine.  His graduate education is cross-disciplinary and includes degrees in mental health counseling and sport psychology with primary training and emphasis in peak performance in sport and exercise. He holds multiple national certifications and licenses in sport psychology, strength & conditioning, and counseling. His areas of research and community outreach address the role of resistance training in enhancing strength and quality of life in senior populations, anaerobic assessment in hockey players, exercise adherence and dependence, and peak performance training in various sports.

Jayne Forest is an Assistant Professor joining Cumberland University in 2021. She comes with 10 years of teaching experience and a total of 27 years of nursing experience. She graduated in 1993 with an Associate Degree in Nursing, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2003, a Master of Science in Nursing in 2009, and is a Certified Nurse Educator.

Jayne’s clinical experience includes Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), Cardiac Catheterization Lab, and Interventional Radiology. She also worked as a Legal Nurse Investigator for several years. She is a member of the Tennessee Nurses Association and American Nurses Association.

Claudia Davis joined the Jeannette C. Rudy School of Nursing at Cumberland University in the fall of 2017. In the BSN program she teaches the Mental Health Nursing Course. Prior to arriving at Cumberland, Ms. Davis taught at Aquinas College where she taught the Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing course in the ASN program, integrated mental health content in the BSN program, and Learning and Self Care in the BSN program. She served on both the college and school of nursing curriculum committees. In addition, Ms. Davis has taught in the Vanderbilt University’s Program in the Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing and at Coe College in the BSN program teaching Community Health Nursing, Nursing Theoretical Development, and in the college core courses. Ms. Davis also has served as a staff development instructor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Ms. Davis has an extensive clinical practice background. She has been a staff nurse in CCU and Cardiac Stepdown Units at VUMC. She implemented a new Nurse Coordinator Role managing the Cardiac Stepdown Unit at VUMC and was the Nurse Coordinator in the pilot Rehabilitation Unit at VUMC that now has become the Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital. Ms. Davis also was a staff nurse and Program Coordinator at Parthenon Pavilion.   

Ms. Davis received a diploma in nursing from St. Luke’s Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. She earned a BA in Sociology and BSN from Coe College. Her graduate education includes an MSN in Medical-Surgical Nursing and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Ms. Davis also completed a nursing faculty program at the NIMH.