Dr. Jeff Rector is the Business Partnership Manager for Public Education Foundation’s College & Career Success program. Since 2016, his primary responsibility has been recruiting businesses and organizations to hire STEP-UP Chattanooga interns and supporting those businesses and organizations throughout the internship. Dr. Rector has served in education for more than 20 years in both K-12 and higher education, serving as a classroom teacher, principal, professor, and administrator. Dr. Rector has presented at national, state, and local conferences speaking on topics such as school improvement, motivation, communication, leadership, and college readiness. He is also an adjunct professor teaching in the areas of Leadership Principles and Ethics, Conflict Resolution, and Organizational Analysis and Problem Solving.

He most recently served as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid overseeing the aspects of Client Services, Training, and Outreach at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga; both his Master's in Education and Doctorate in Learning & Leadership were earned from UTC. Originally from Indiana, he and his family have lived in the Chattanooga area since 1987.

He currently serves on the boards of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Chattanooga Outreach, Inc., The Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce Enterprise/Gateway Council Board, Southeast Tennessee Local Workforce Development Board-Youth Committee, and several Future Ready Institute Advisory Boards.

He formerly served on the UTC Athletics Board, the UTC Exempt Employee Committee, the UTC Financial Wellness Committee, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce School-to-Work Committee, and Leadership Chattanooga Alumni Association Board. Dr. Rector is a graduate of Leadership Fayette County and Leadership Chattanooga.