Dr. Curtisa Nichols is entering her 19th year teaching Science at Smyrna High School in Rutherford County. She graduated from MTSU in 1995 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Education was not her first passion but quickly realized what she loved to do.  After teaching preschool for 4 years, she decided to enter the world of secondary education. She went back to school to earn her teaching certification again through MTSU. At that time, she started teaching for Metro Nashville schools. She was able to transfer in 2010 to the Rutherford County school system.

In 2009, she completed her Masters in Educational Leadership and obtained her administrators licensure from Trevecca Nazarene University. Being a lifelong learner has been her mantra since she was younger so in 2013, she decided to return to school. She enrolled at Lipscomb University and pursued a Masters of Christian Practice with a concentration in Counseling. She graduated in May of 2017 and the next weekend started her Doctoral program at Trevecca Nazarene University. This was a lifelong dream to complete this degree. In 2019, she graduated and officially became Dr. Curtisa Nichols.

Dr. Nichols is a native of Smyrna, Tennesse and currently resides in Murfreesboro, Tn with her husband of 28 years who is her college sweetheart. They are proud parents of 3 grown children and 1 grandson.

Dr. Nichols has been an active member of her local association since she started teaching. She became more involved in REA in 2019, when she became the AR rep for her school and later the zone 5 rep as well as a member of the Executive Board. In the summer 2022, she was fortunate to attend her first summer leadership conference and the NEA national convention. This sparked an interest in her to become even more active in REA.  Dr. Nichols is proud to be a member of her local and national association. She looks forward to serving the members of her area and making a difference in the lives of the teachers and students that she has been called to serve.

A native of Kentucky, DeAnna D. Osborne has studied at Carson-Newman University, Southwestern Seminary, Texas Tech University, Tennessee Tech University, and Middle Tennessee State University. DeAnna’s teaching career started in 1997 and she has enjoyed various experiences across the grade span from Pre-K through Adult Education in rural, suburban, and urban districts. She currently lives in the geographic center of Tennessee where she is a high school ESL teacher, parent of four amazing adults (and one dog), and a Literacy Studies PhD student. She enjoys dabbling in all types of literary and artistic expression, collaboration, advocacy, public policy, dance, and exploration. 

Carissa Benton was elected as the REA Treasurer  in the Spring 2023 election and will serve until 2025. Carissa is currently loving being one of the librarians at LaVergne High School, where she encourages readers to find the book that changes their world.  Carissa began her teaching career in 2001 at Smyrna High School.  Because she grew up in a family where her dad was a member of the United Paperworkers International Union, she learned from an early age the importance of joining organizations who work hard to improve working conditions and thus joined REA immediately.  In January of 2007, she transferred to Roy Waldron Elementary to become a librarian.  When the longtime AR at Roy Waldron retired in 2016, Carissa was voted into that role and later was recruited to the E-Board to represent the La Vergne area schools.  Carissa served as an alternate for the 2019 PECCA Team. In 2020, she joined the Spring Banquet Committee. In 2021, she became Membership Chair.  Since getting active in REA, Carissa has enjoyed attending the TEA Representative Assembly each year, an in-person NEA Representative Assembly in 2019 in Houston, the 2020 Virtual NEA Representative Assembly, AR retreats, and countless meetings and outings with fellow members who have become family.  She cannot stress enough how important it is to unite our voices to promote positive changes for our teaching community.  Join a committee, put your name forward to be selected as AR for your school, attend a conference or the TEA Representative Assembly, attend school board meetings, ask the President how you can help.  The more active you are, the better our association gets.  Not only will you make a difference in the lives of your fellow educators and students, you will also gain a multitude of new friends and connections that will change your world!

New Teacher Welcome Videos