Patti Permenter is an assistant professor at William Carey University and associate director of the Program Research and Evaluation of Public Schools (PREPS), who specializes in working with school leaders and teachers to find innovative ways to transform leading and learning. She has been instrumental in building community to assist efforts in rural schools and those in poverty, including the Mississippi Delta.

Dr. Permenter has 28 years of experience as an educator of young children, and she achieved National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist during that time. This experience, combined with her later IHL experience as an assistant professor for undergraduate and graduate education coursework, provides a broad perspective and extensive background to assist others in reaching their potential. She has mentored both novice and pre-service teachers and continues to find this challenge most rewarding.

Dr. Permenter is grateful to serve as the SE Member-At-Large for the Mississippi Early Childhood Association. Being an advocate for young children and teachers of young children is her passion. In addition to serving on the MsECA board, she also serves on the Southeast Mississippi United Way Education Board, and the Mississippi Vision Board. Last year, Dr. Permenter was elated to witness the signing of a bill into law whereby all public school children have access to eye examinations upon failing vision screeners.

Dr. Permenter holds a B.S. in Elementary Education (1988) and M.S. in Educational Leadership from Mississippi State University (1997), and Ed.S (2017). and Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership from William Carey University (2019).