Dr. Jeff Rector is the Business Partnership Manager for the Public Education Foundation’s College & Career Success.  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.

Dr. Rector has worked in education for more than 25 years in both K-12 and higher education, serving as a classroom teacher, principal, and administrator.  Dr. Rector has presented at national, state, and local conferences speaking on topics such as school improvement, motivation communication, and college readiness.  He is also an adjunct professor teaching in the areas of Teacher Preparation, Leadership Principles and Ethics, Conflict Resolution, and Organizational Analysis and Problem Solving.

He currently serves on the boards of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Chattanooga Outreach, Inc. and the Education Opportunities Center as well as chairing the College Goal Tennessee Committee. He's a past member of the UTC Athletics Board, the Employee Relations Committee, the Financial Wellness Committee, and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce School-to-Work Committee. Dr. Rector is a Leadership Fayette County graduate.

His wife Melita is a Certified Administrative Professional and serves as an Accounting Specialist at UTC and his daughter is a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy.

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