Dr. Tameka Winston is the Department Chair and an award-winning Professor in the Department of Communications at Tennessee State University. She is also a national radio show host on Sirius XM and an accomplished author. Winston has been working at the collegiate level for 16 years in various roles. Colleagues describe her research and body of work as prolific. Because of her stellar research agenda, Dr. Winston was awarded tenure. She was recently described by former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry as a true powerhouse in the field of higher education.

This longtime educator is the founder of 3 mentoring programs geared towards assisting individuals in the Nashville community and beyond. Powerful testimonials from Winston’s mentees reveal that she is dedicated to helping others reach their fullest potential. Her passion for education and community service has helped her earn several accolades. A highly sought-after speaker, she also facilitates numerous workshops on various topics. She is among this year’s Class of 2018 protégés for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) Millennium Leadership Initiative Institute in Washington, DC. The purpose of the highly selective Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI) is to prepare, enhance and advance the prospect for qualified candidates, who have progressed in their professional careers, to successfully compete in the future for positions of president or chancellor at universities or colleges, public or private.

Dr. Winston was recently awarded the prestigious 2017 Athena Young Professional Leadership Award. Winston also received the Nashville Business Journal’s “2017 Woman of Influence Award”. She received the 2015 Woman of Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Women in Higher Education in Tennessee conference. Past award recipients include Dr. Shirley Raines who is the first female president of the University of Memphis. The Woman of Achievement Award is presented to a dedicated leader who has earned admiration and respect, has vision and leads by example, faces challenges with grace and courage, and lives with dignity, integrity and honor. Also, Alcorn State University will honor Dr. Winston in August as being an accomplished alumna under the age of 50. For three years in a row, Winston has been named a Nashville Emerging Leader finalist in the category of Education. Because of her accomplishments in the field of Education, TSU President Glenda Glover awarded Dr. Winston with the 2018 Woman of Legend and Merit Award. She also received the 2018 Black Nashville Honors Award alongside renowned gospel artist Bobby Jones and 4 other African Americans who are dedicated to making a