Leadership

Devon Brenner
SSRC Director

Devon Brenner
SSRC Director
Dr. Devon Brenner, director of the SSRC and professor of teacher education in the College of Education. Brenner’s research focuses on rural teacher recruitment and retention and rural education policy. Brenner is PI on the NSF-funded collaborative research grant Teacher Preparation for Rural Teacher Persistence and Retention (TPR)2, a collaboration with 14 rural serving institutions across the US, and recently co-authored the rural teacher education textbook, Teaching in Rural Places: Thriving in Classrooms, Schools and Communities. Brenner coordinates the Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship Program, a state chapter of a national program that trains education leaders to engage in education policy and advocacy and co-edits The Rural Educator, journal of the National Rural Education Association.
- Email:dgb19@msstate.edu

Bradley Long
SSRC Project Manager

Bradley Long
SSRC Project Manager
Bradley Long is a Project Manager at Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center (SSRC). He holds Bachelor of Arts in Modern & Classical Languages & Literature with a concentration in Spanish, a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration. Bradley’s recent work includes curating social media and outreach efforts—such as developing child developmental health promotional content for Mississippi Public Broadcasting—for the Child Health and Development Project: Mississippi Thrive! grant, which was funded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). Bradley is currently working to improve and provide support for childcare providers through the Quality Support System (QSS) project, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Project ECHO for Childcare Providers, administered by the SSRC, the University of Mississippi’s Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning (GCSEL), and UMMC. Bradley has also worked as a Bilingual Staffing Coordinator to serve the community as a translator and coordinate job placements. After years of working with the underserved and vulnerable groups, his efforts continue to include projects that will improve health, education, and social outcomes for Mississippi’s populations.

Patti Permenter
Associate Director of PREPS, Inc.

Patti Permenter
Associate Director of PREPS, Inc.
Dr. Patti Permenter, with thirty-five years in education, started as a teacher in Mississippi Public Schools, achieving National Board Teacher Certification. Now an assistant professor at William Carey University and associate director for PREPS, she supports 100+ school districts. She serves as MSREA co-chair and an independent consultant, co-authoring an educational poverty toolkit and aiding school improvement in various states.
- Email:ppermenter@wmcarey.edu

Amanda Tullos
SSRC Project Manager

Amanda Tullos
SSRC Project Manager
Amanda Tullos serves as a project manager within the Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center. In this role, she collaborates alongside P-20 institutions and organizations to support education, research, and economic development. She also co-leads the MS Rural Education Association and the MS Education Policy Fellowship Program in partnership with the Institute for Educational Leadership. Formerly, Tullos was the Director of the SOCSD/MSU Partnership School and Education Liaison in the MSU Office of Research and Economic Development. Throughout her career, Tullos has worked with students, teachers, parents, and community partners to strengthen educational opportunities in Mississippi at the school, district, and state level.