Rachael Milligan
College of Education, Admin
Associate Professor
Biography
Rachael was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. She met her husband, Matt, when they were both undergraduates at Harding University, where Rachael studied History and Political Science. Rachael and Matt served as house parents at the Tennessee Children's Home in Spring Hill, TN while Rachael was completing her M.Ed. in Education at Peabody, Vanderbilt.
Prior to joining Lipscomb, Rachael served as an assistant principal in Williamson County, Tennessee. Additionally, Rachael has been Director of 21st Century Community Learning Centers and she taught social studies at the middle and high school levels, both in Arkansas and in Tennessee.
Rachael joined the faculty at Lipscomb University in August 2013 and served as a Program Director of the Ayers Institute before becoming Managing Director. In 2017, she also became the Assistant Dean of Lipscomb's College of Education and in 2021 she took on the additional role of Director of M.Ed. and Ed.S. programs. She currently serves as Assistant Dean for Program Innovation and Director of the Ayers Institute.
In her work at Lipscomb, Rachael loves being a thinking partner with teachers and leaders as they work to improve practice for the benefit of students. She enjoys teaching courses in coaching, leadership, and instructional practice, as well as facilitating professional learning centering on leadership and the coaching mindset.
Rachael has a passion for elevating the teaching profession and connecting with educators across the state and the nation to engage in the work of ensuring a high-quality education for all students.
When she is not working with teachers and leaders, Rachael can be found adventuring with her family.
Academic Degrees
Ed.D. in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change, Lipscomb University
M.Ed. Secondary Education, Vanderbilt University
B.A. Social Science, Harding University
Academic Department
College of Education
- School and Community Relations
- Leadership in Collaborative Professional Learning
- Principles of Adult Learning
- Coaching Models
- Teaching History/Social Sciences
- Coaching
- Building Leadership Capacity
- Rural Schools
Marklein, K., Milligan, R., Osteen, J, (2020, June 1). "The 3 Cs of professional learning from a distance," Learning Forward.
Harrington, A., Henry, R., Milligan, R., Morel, N., & Osteen (2019, August 1). “Students take ownership of learning,” The Learning Professional, Learning Forward.
Milligan, R. (2018, September 18). “What if we all stayed curious?” Fortify: Strengthening Teachers and Leaders [conference], Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation
My Why: Stories of Inspiration from Educators (2018-present). Podcast series from the Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation (Milligan, host and producer).
- Tennessee Professional Administrator License
- Teaching licenses: Tennessee and Arkansas, Social Studies/History 7-12
- Results Coaching Level III Certification
- Assistant Principal, Williamson County (TN) Schools
- Teacher, Williamson County Schools (TN) and Rogers Public Schools (AR)
- Director, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (AR)
- House Parent, Tennessee Children's Home
- Alumnus of the inaugural cohort of the Mid-South Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Mentoring Program (2020)
- Recipient of the Harding University Young Alumni Award (2016)
- Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Building a Collaborative Culture (August 2014, Huntsville, AL)
- New2MNPS, Powerful Questioning in a Productive Environment (October 2014, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee LEAD Conference, 21st Century Leadership = Coach Leadership (October 2014, Nashville, TN)
- What can NASA, Apollo 13, and Wolves Teach Us About Leadership?: The TEAM Administrator Rubric (November 2014, Murfreesboro, TN)
- Powerful Questioning in a Productive Environment (January 2015, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Resources for Teacher Preparation (January 2015, Henderson, TN)
- Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Building a Collaborative Culture (February 2015, Lexington, TN)
- Louisiana Board of Regents Literacy Professional Learning Institute: College and Career-Ready State Standards Shifts in K-12 Practice = Shifts in Teacher Preparation (March 2015, Baton Rouge, LA)
- Louisiana Board of Regents Educational Leadership Professional Learning Institute: Expanding Educational Leadership Courses to Prepare New Educational Leaders Who Can Support and Evaluate Teachers as They Address College- and Career-Ready Standards (March 2015, Baton Rouge, LA)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy (June and July, 2015, Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN)
- Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Building a Collaborative Culture (August 2015, White House, TN)
- Better Together! (August 2015, Parsons TN)
- Tennessee School Counselor and Administrator Leadership Institute, Showing Up First with a Coaching Mindset (September 2015, Murfreesboro, TN)
- Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Building a Collaborative Culture (October, 2015, Decaturville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (October 2015, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee LEAD Conference, What Can NASA and the Yellowstone Wolves Teach Us About Leadership? (October 2015, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee College Access and Success Network Conference, Showing Up as Coach in College Access Advising (November 2015 Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (January 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skill Development (January 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Metro Council of Teacher Educators Conference, Powerful Questioning in a Productive Environment (February 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education Conference, Shared Leadership and the TEAM Administrator Rubric (February, 2016, Murfreesboro, TN)
- Tennessee Learning Forward Conference, Adult Learning Strategies (March 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Increasing Academic Rigor (March 2016, Decaturville, TN)
- Differentiated Instruction (April 2016, Decaturville, TN)
- •Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (May and June 2016, Johnson City, TN; Cookeville, TN)
- ISTE Conference, Coaching Skills for the School Leader (June 2016, Denver, CO)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (July 2016, Lincoln County, TN)
- Increasing Academic Rigor (August 2016, Robertson County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (September 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Approaching Leadership with a Coaching Mindset (September 2016, Putnam County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (September 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee LEAD Conference, Leadership and the Coaching Mindset (October 2016, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (November, 2016, Franklin County, TN)
- Learning Forward West Tennessee: Leadership and the Coaching Mindset (November 2016, West Tennessee)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (January 2017, Murfreesboro, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (January 2017, Nashville, TN)
- It Starts with Leadership (February-June 2017, Gibson County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (February 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Engaging Adult Learners (June 2017, Robertson Co, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (June 2017, Trenton County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Pipeline (July 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (July 2017, Warren County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (October 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Tennessee LEAD Conference, Lexington High School Partnership; College Access (October 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Pipeline (October 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (November 2017, Nashville, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Residency Cultural Tour of Nashville (December 2017)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (December 2017, Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (January 2018, Warren County, TN)
- Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (January 2018, Cannon County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Pipeline (January 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (February 2018, Williamson County, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Pre-K, Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (February 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (February 2018, Cannon County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (February 2018, MNPS Pre-K, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (March 2018, Williamson County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (March 2018, MNPS Principal Residents, Nashville, TN)
- Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (April 2018, Cannon County, TN)
- Tennessee Department of Education Competency-Based Education Pilot (June 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (June 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (July 2018, United Way, Nashville, TN)
- Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Building a Collaborative Culture (July 2018, Dickson County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (July 2018, Benton County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (August 2018, Campbell County, TN)
- Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (August 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (September 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Fortify: Strengthening Teachers and Leaders, “What if we all stayed curious?” (September, 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (November 2018, Campbell County, TN)
- MNPS Pre-K: Engaging Adult Learners (November 2018, Nashville, TN)
- Gibson County, How to Change When Change is Hard (December 2018-April 2019)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Residency Cultural Tour of Nashville (December 2018)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (January, 2019 Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Technology Coaching Academy (January 2019, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (February 2019, Louisville, KY)
- Tennessee Transformational Leadership Alliance Cohort the Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (May 2019, Marshall County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (June 2019, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (July 2019, Benton County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (July 2019, Murfreesboro, TN)
- Leadership with a Coaching Mindset (July 2019, Spring Hill, TN)
- Leadership and a Collaborative Culture (July 2019, Campbell County, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Pre-K educators, Building Stronger Professional Learning Communities (August 2019, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (August 2019, Campbell County, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Pre-K educators, Building Stronger PLCs - Establishing Your Community (August 2019)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (September 2019, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (September 2019, Campbell County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (October 2019, United Way Read to Succeed Partnership, Nashville, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools Principal Residency Cultural Tour of Nashville (December 2019)
- Maury County Public Schools Teacher Leadership Institute (December 2019-June 2020, Columbia, TN)
- Tennessee Partners in Education Conference, “Supporting Early Childhood Educators with High-Quality Practices in Professional Development” (January 2020, Nashville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (March 2020, Nashville, TN)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools GEAR UP Educator Cadre project (2019-20, Nashville, TN).
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (June 2020, online)
- Leading Through Difficult Times While Upholding High Expectations (July 2020, Campbell County, TN)
- Coaching Skills and Mindset Shift (September 2020, Hickman County, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (September 2020, online)
- United Way Read to Succeed Coaching Champions partnership (2020-2021)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (October 2020, online)
- Vanderbilt TRIAD partnership, Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (November 2020 and March 2021, online)
- Tennessee Partners in Education Conference: “Leading and Coaching Through Difficult Times While Upholding High Expectations” (January 2021, online)
- Tennessee Partners in Education Conference: “3 C’s of Professional Learning from a Distance” (January 2021, online)
- Tennessee Partners in Education Conference: “Coaching in a COVID World” (January 2021, online)
- Virtual Learning Walks (February 2021, online, Lawrence Co, TN)
- Dyersburg City Schools Aspiring Leaders Cohort, Coaching, Mentoring, Evaluation (February 2021, online)
- Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (February 2021, online, Harding Co, TN)
- Professional Learning Communities, a Deep Dive (February 2021, Decaturville, TN)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Skills Development (March 2021, online)
- Ayers Institute Instructional Coaching Academy: Models and Practices (March 2021, Gibson County, TN)
- Otter Creek Kids Volunteer
- Otter Creek Ladies’ Bible Class teacher
- Member of the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success (a Nashville-centered framework for literacy success) Steering Committee (August 2021-present)
- Member of the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success (a Nashville-centered framework for literacy success)
- Strategy Planning Committee (September 2020-September 2021)
- Member of the Board of Directors, Christian Urban Development Association; Living Libraries sub-committee member (March 2020-present)
- Co-Chair, Lipscomb Forward Committee (2019-2020)
- Alumnus of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education Leadership Academy (2019)
- Member of the Lipscomb Academy Leadership Council (2018-present)
- Member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (2018-present)
- Member of the National Council for the Social Studies (2017-present)
- Member of the Tennessee Educator Effectiveness Advisory Council (2016-2017)
- Member of the Tennessee Transformational Leadership Alliance (2016-17)
- Member of the Lipscomb University College of Education Dean Search Committee (2016)
- Member of the Tennessee Social Studies Standards Review Committee (2016)
- Member of the Tennessee Transformational Leadership Advisory Council (2015-2016)
- Member of the Tennessee Personalized Learning Task Force (2015-2016)
- Member of Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (2015-present)
- Member of the Lipscomb College of Education Board of Visitors (2015-present)