Dr. Pamela Smith-Ligon is a veteran educator who hails from Chattanooga, TN.  She has nearly 25 years of experience in the field of education, with extensive and precise service in Special Education. Dr. Smith-Ligon began her career as a Special Education teacher in Chattanooga, Tennessee with the Hamilton County School System.  In 2006 she was asked to serve as the Project Director for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Job Corps. As Project Director, she fostered an environment of teamwork and ensured that strategies were clearly defined while overseeing performance and maintaining the morale of the Job Corps Program. Her effective communication and client service skills allowed her to enhance the educational philosophy of the Job Corps program. Dr. Smith-Ligon’s previous positions include Regional Director for McNeil Corporation, Director of Partnership for After School Education (PASE) for the Public Education Foundation and Special Education Chairperson at Coretta Scott King Young Women Leadership Academy. 

 Through her experiences in the classroom and corporate environments, Dr. Smith-Ligon has gained a great understanding of trends relating to special education and project implementation. As the Special Education Chairperson at Coretta Scott King Young Women Leadership Academy, she was responsible for providing the department with a cohesive plan to assist students in reaching their optimal level.

 Dr. Ligon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education/Mass Communication from Knoxville College, a Master’s in Special Education from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Ed.S. in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University and a Doctoral Degree in Higher Education from Mercer University. Outside of work Dr. Smith-Ligon enjoys estate sales, reading, traveling, and frequenting new restaurants. She is also the proud parent of one adult daughter; London K. Ligon.