CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Chattanooga State Community College has appointed of MTSU School of Nursing alumna Martina Suttle Harris as its new dean of nursing and allied health. 

Harris, who became the fourth dean of the Chattanooga State Nursing and Allied Health Division on March 1, has over 21 years of higher education experience in both the classroom and the clinical setting. As dean, she will lead and oversee 13 allied health programs and the registered nursing program at Chattanooga State, according to a Chattanooga State news release.

Prior to being named dean, Harris served as the assistant dean of nursing and allied health and nursing program director, a position she held since coming to the college in 2013. During her director tenure, she expanded the Registered Nursing Program to include the Kimball, Tennessee, site and led the registered nursing program through a successful six-year re-accreditation, the release states. Most recently, she has worked to implement the Surgical Tech Program as a new program of study in the division.  

Before joining Chattanooga State, Harris taught at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga where she served as the level facilitator for first-year students and was a tenured UC Foundation Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. Additionally, she has taught at Middle Tennessee State University in the School of Nursing.

“Dr. Harris brings a wealth of experience and education to her role as dean of Nursing and Allied Health,” stated Elizabeth Norton, vice president of academic affairs at ChattState. “Chattanooga State is fortunate to have her on our leadership team on a permanent basis.”

Said Harris: “It is my honor to serve as dean of the Nursing and Allied Health Division and it is a privilege to work alongside such great faculty and students.” 

Harris earned her bachelor’s in nursing from MTSU, a master’s in nursing administration from Vanderbilt and Ed.D. from Tennessee State University.

Harris is a TBR The College System of Tennessee Maxine Smith Fellow and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Chattanooga Downtown Rotary Club. She is active in various professional organizations and serves on the Board of Directors for Volunteers in Medicine (VIM), Journey Health Foundation, Hamilton County Department of Education (HCDE), and Erlanger Health Systems (EHS) Foundation.

— From Chattanooga State Community College