Our Team
The Coulter Faculty Commons Team works to create an environment where faculty can come together in the spirit of creativity, collaboration, and community, where becoming an even better teacher or mentor is the most significant and recognized achievement that any faculty member can seek and where students have superior learning opportunities and experiences.
Dr. Eli Collins-Brown, Director
Eli has been working in Higher Ed since 1998 in various roles. Raised in a family of educators, artists, and musicians, it isn’t surprising that she gravitated to education. Her areas of focus are instructional design, instructional technology, online education (design, teaching, administration), inclusive pedagogy, and really, anything having to do with learning experience in higher ed.
She has worked at UT Arlington, Illinois State University, Western Michigan University (both the Homer B. Skryker School of Medicine and the main campus), Winston-Salem State University, and now Western Carolina.
She started teaching in 2003, first for the University of Phoenix, and in 2009 for the University of Maryland Global Campus. She also taught in the Instructional Design and Technology program at Western Michigan.
She consults on every aspect of course design, curriculum design, teaching excellence in any modality, and administration of online programs.
Schedule a Consultation with Eli
Angela Fulk, Administrative Support Associate
Angela is the new face at the CFC. It was apparent that she was destined to be involved in education when, at 3 years old, she would often be spied “reading” to her stuffed animals. A proud native Texan, “y’all” frequently punctuates her speech. Angela earned her BA in History from the University of Dallas. She moved to the Cullowhee area win August 2020 with her husband, Dr. Kevin Fulk, who is a faculty member in the College of Business. Before joining the CFC, her work experiences include teaching high school, teaching preschool, working at the YMCA, working at the WCU Covid vaccine clinic, and working for the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance.
Angela’s favorite things include the Houston Astros, Texans and Rockets; coffee, chocolate, books, and autumn leaves.
Knowing that it is important to feed mind, body and soul; Angela is sure to keep the CFC stocked with treats for the team and any visitors.
Angela Fulk – CFC Administrative Associate. 828-227-7196
Ian Selig, Educational Developer
Ian is deeply passionate about high-quality education and the mountains of Western North Carolina. Coming from a long line of teachers and adventure seekers he champions the impact of well-designed instruction and steeping the soul in the peaks, valleys, and rivers of the Appalachian Mountains.
Ian works with faculty to design motivational instruction that empowers learners to grow beyond expectation. He engages learners with diversity, equity, and inclusion at the forefront of all his work. With a background in Instructional Technology, Curriculum Design, and Online Learning he partners with faculty to meet their needs and goals.
April Tallant, Sr. Educational Developer
April Tallant is a Western Carolina University alumna and native of Cherokee County, North Carolina. She has almost 20 years of higher education experience at WCU as a liberal studies visiting instructor and assistant professor, and a tenure-track assistant professor in the Nutrition and Dietetics Program in the School of Health Sciences. Dr. Tallant earned tenure and Associate Professor status in 2019 in the School of Health Sciences. She served eight years as Associate Dean of Brinson Honors College where she was an administrative leader, established and grew student-centered leadership programs aimed at engagement and retention, served as the curriculum designer and coordinator for USI 101 Honors Forum transition courses, and advised College of Health & Human Sciences Honors students.
Dr. Tallant enjoys using her higher education experience and leadership skills to support faculty and student success through engaged teaching and learning at Coulter Faculty Commons. She takes a asset-based approach to educational and professional development and uses the principles of evidence-based self-care in her work with faculty and instructional staff. She strives to bridge faculty and staff partners from across campus, collaborating to develop relevant teaching and learning programs that highlight faculty who use best practices in teaching and learning and high impact educational practices at WCU.
Dr. Tallant has been recognized with university and college level awards including the Board of Governor’s College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS), Innovative Teaching Award (two time winner); CHHS Faculty Scholar Award; WCU’s Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning’s Outstanding Achievement for Service Award; WCU’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award ; and WCU’s Excellence in Teaching Liberal Studies Award.
In addition to her excellent teaching and learning record, Dr. Tallant is passionate about supporting and advancing women in higher education. Dr. Tallant is a 2015 graduate of BRIDGES, Academic Leadership for Women, administered by the Friday Center at UNC Chapel Hill. She also serves one of two of the North Carolina American Council on Education (NC ACE) Women’s Network institutional representatives at WCU, appointed by Chancellor Kelli R. Brown in 2019 and was elected to the NC ACE executive board in December 2021. The NC ACE Network seeks to develop programs that identify, develop, encourage, advance, link and support women in higher education careers in NC. Dr. Tallant is first vice-president of the NC Alpha Iota Chapter (includes six western-most counties) Delta Kappa Gamma that promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.
Dr. Tallant champions support and advocates for her native western North Carolina contemporaries. She combines her passion for access to healthy foods and service to the region through research and community engagement. She is a member of the Board of Directors for Community Table in Sylva, NC, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide nutritious meals to our neighbors in need in a welcoming environment. Her research includes the scholarship of teaching and learning and student engagement. She enjoys designing a learning environment where her students can engage in experiential learning, gain food and nutrition literacy skills, and actively participate in common intellectual experiences.
Kong Chen (CK), Research Support Specialist
CK is the research support specialist at WCU. He partners with faculty in survey design, research methodology, and data analysis.
Schedule a consultation with CK