About

About Me

For two decades, Georgia professor Carissa Gray has offered dedication and heartfelt instruction to students at Georgia State University and to those involved in other higher education initiatives. Her expertise is well-known and respected, and she presents at regional and national conferences annually.

Throughout her career, Gray has remained committed to helping both students and faculty reach new levels of success. This expertise helped lead to the creation of an organization focused on elevating the classroom experience for students and presenting educators with the tools needed to help students thrive.

Current Role and Duties

Gray currently serves as an Associate Professor of English at George State University Perimeter College, a position she has held since 2014.

Career History

Gray started in the English Department at Perimeter College in 2003, and by 2009, she was serving as the Department Chair of English, Arts, and Humanities. She held this position through 2016.

As her academic successes grew, she started Instructional Technology Coaching, or ITC, to train instructors on the latest tools in classroom management and student engagement across learning modalities. From gamification options in the classroom to image sourcing, Carissa Gray covers it all and shares her diverse resource library through ITC. Via ITC, she also develops dynamic workshops for presentation at local, regional and national conferences focused on the classroom experience in higher education and beyond.

From 2009 to 2014, Gray worked as an Assistant Professor of English at Georgia Perimeter College. From 2003 to 2009, she was an instructor of English at the school. In 2001 and 2002, she worked abroad as an Instructor of English at the Seoul Language Institute in Bundang, Korea.

Academic History and Educational Background

Gray earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in sociology from Georgia Southern University in 1997 and continued at the school to earn a Master of Arts in English in 1999. Never one to quit learning, she continued to pursue graduate coursework at Georgia State University during her years as a professor.

Professional Skills and Experience

As an instructor, Gray is an expert at integrating technology into the classroom to create a dynamic and engaging educational experience. She is also extremely effective at communicating and disseminating information regarding these techniques to colleagues in an easy-to-understand and practical manner. Her skills in this area led to the creation of her organization, ITC.

Her relatability as a public speaker is well known and makes her a natural choice for presentations at large and small conferences and as a workshop leader in more focused sessions. While much of her current work focuses on higher education, Gray's techniques and tools are also valuable investments for secondary school leaders and any instructors looking to create a more dynamic learning environment focused on student success.

Philanthropy and Charitable Involvement

Through Instructional Technology Coaching, Gray provides a blend of paid and free services. Free services and training are designed to help college instructors learn new techniques for teaching effectiveness.

She also volunteers her time to assist new professionals with essential skills, such as crafting resumes, writing cover letters, and practicing interviews. Mentoring her fellow college instructors and preparing them for a career with long-term success and gratification is a passion.

From 2017 to 2019, she served as Board Secretary for the Georgia Association for Developmental Education. The organization is dedicated to helping education professionals make a positive impact on their students and strives to provide resources and learning opportunities through a variety of formats, including training, newsletters, and conferences.

Accomplishments and Achievements

Carissa Gray recently shared a presentation on the educational journey, "Reunite, Reconnect, Reengage: Make Learning an Experience" at the Student Success Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. A variety of other presentations have also been undertaken. Highlights include, "Engage: Make Learning an Experience" at Wesleyan College and "I'm not a techie, I just play one in the classroom" at the Georgia Association for Developmental Education Conference in St. Simons.

Gray has published poetry in a variety of collections, and she also crafted the forward for a 2013 publication, "Defending the Intellectual Life in Early Modern to Postmodern Times: An Anthology of Literary Apologies" by Kathleen DeMarco.

Awards

In 2018, Gray was named an Outstanding Alumnus of a Developmental Education Program by the Georgia Association for Developmental Education. She was recognized in 2011 for Outstanding Service to the Two-Year College Association, and she received the Paul Bowles Fellowship in English at Georgia State University in 2009. She was also awarded a faculty fellowship for service learning in 2004.