Dr. Jason Grindstaff became Interim Dean, Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions, in 2024. He began at Cumberland University in fall of 2010 and over the years has taught courses across the undergraduate and graduate programs in Exercise & Sport Science. He served as the Program Director for the Master Sport & Exercise Science, Executive Director of Honors Program, and Chair of the Academic Integrity Board.

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 and 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. Dr. Grindstaff has published scholarly articles in peer-reviewed professional journals and has presented his research at a number of state, regional and national conferences across the health professions.

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.

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.

Dr. Beth Chatham began at Cumberland University in 2006 as adjunct clinical faculty in Pediatric Nursing, becoming full time faculty in 2011. Within the School of Nursing Dr. Chatham has taught Pediatric Nursing, Leadership, Research in Nursing, Transcultural Nursing, Transition to Professional Practice, and Nursing Concepts. Dr. Chatham is the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Michael J. Spalding Professorship in Nursing.

Dr. Chatham is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Nursing with a BSN, and a decade later with an MSN. She earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee Knoxville where she was presented with the Volunteer of Distinction Professional Promise Award. Dr. Chatham’s research focus is the cultural influences related to healthy weight care in children. Dr. Chatham has published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, Nursing Research, and the Journal of Transcultural Nursing.

Dr. Chatham’s nursing experience has been global, both in specialty areas and location. She has worked as an operating room nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, a community health nurse in Mississippi, a certified nurse midwife in the north of England, and a mission nurse in Honduras.

Dr. Chatham was the Maternal/Child Clinical Nurse Specialist at Nashville Metropolitan General Hospital for over 20 years. While at General, she helped develop the professional ladder program for the nursing department and co-published an article on this program for the journal Nurse Leader. Before coming to Cumberland full time, Dr. Chatham was Clinical Educator for Monroe Carroll Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, responsible for nursing orientation and continuing education. 

While in her faculty role at Cumberland, Dr. Chatham has developed two new nursing courses – Transcultural Nursing and Professional Nursing Concepts. Most recently, Dr. Chatham chaired the development of a new nursing track at Cumberland – the LPN to BSN track—and is currently Program Director for that new path to a BSN at Cumberland.