Dr. Patti Permenter is a co-chair and founding member of the Mississippi Rural Education Association, which celebrates the achievements of MS rural school districts. Dr. Permenter has dedicated over thirty-five years of service to nurturing and building the capacity of learners, including rural PK-20 students, teachers, pre-service teachers, administrators, and stakeholders. Her journey as an educator took root in the Mississippi Public Schools, where she cultivated her passion for ensuring that all students are given an opportunity for excellence in education. She is currently an associate professor at William Carey University (WCU) for the School of Education. Additionally, she serves as the associate director for the non-profit organization, The Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS), which is housed at WCU.