Dr. Karen Soul
Dr. Karen Soul serves as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of Centenary College of Louisiana. In this role, she leads academic programs and academic support at the college, working closely with faculty and staff to ensure a mission-centric, exceptional educational experience for students. A Shreveport native, Karen graduated from Captain Shreve High School and earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota Duluth and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a tenured Professor of Education at Centenary and, prior to entering administration, taught full-time in the Education Department where she planned and instructed undergraduate and graduate level courses. Before coming to Centenary College, Karen instructed undergraduate and graduate coursework as a faculty member in the College of Education and Human Service Professions at the University of Minnesota Duluth. In addition, she taught in elementary and middle schools in Minnesota and Texas prior to entering higher education. She deeply believes in the transformative power of accessible education that is inclusive of the knowledge for free thinkers and the skills necessary for success and mobility in society. She knows that this type of education takes well-prepared teachers and teacher leaders and is proud of the ongoing and new education programs at Centenary College that address this need.
Dr. Terrie Johnson
Dr. Terrie S. Johnson is an Assistant Professor and chair of Education at Centenary College of Louisiana. She has been at Centenary since 2020. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at James Madison University, a Master of Education in Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision from the University of Portland, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Louisiana Tech. A classroom teacher for 16 years, an assistant principal and principal for 6 years, and a district curriculum supervisor for 7 years, she brings extensive K–12 leadership experience to her work in teacher preparation and educational leadership. Her teaching focuses on reflective practice, motivation, secondary methods, and STEM practices for preservice and in-service educators. Dr. Johnson’s research explores high-impact practices in teacher preparation, the induction of new education faculty, and the fiscal and organizational challenges of school and district leadership. She has been an active member of the Association of Teacher Educators since 2020, and a cohort member of the first Inquiry Initiative.
Dr. Joan Turek
Dr. Joan Turek is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Education at Centenary College of Louisiana. Her experience in education includes over twenty years of classroom teaching, six years as a school district Gifted and Talented Coordinator, and she is certified as a teacher in grades 1-8, as a K-12 Reading Specialist, and as a K-12 Gifted Education Specialist. Her areas of research interest include the study of dyslexia in elementary through post-secondary students and the Science of Reading. She is a member of the Association of Teacher Educators, the International Literacy Association, and the National Association for Gifted Children.
Dr. Rachel Johnson
Dr. Rachel Johnson began her career as a high school English teacher and has been teaching at the college level since 2010. Her experience spans courses in professional writing, literature, research methods, and education.
She previously served as Director of Writing Centers at the University of Mississippi for over eight years, where she led strategic initiatives to support student success and faculty development. Since July 2022, she has served as Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Centenary College of Louisiana, where she partners with faculty and campus leaders to advance effective teaching practices, strengthen academic programs, and support institutional priorities related to student success and retention.
Dr. Johnson has held leadership roles in regional and state professional organizations, including the Southeastern Writing Center Association and the Mississippi Writing Centers Association, and has contributed to external reviews for curriculum and accreditation. Her scholarship includes publications on writing pedagogy and equity, including her 2023 article on cross-departmental collaboration to support preservice teachers' writing. She has also contributed to textbooks and national research initiatives focused on advancing equity in higher education.
Her teaching and research interests include contemporary writing studies, rhetoric and composition, higher education, and educational technology."