About Dr. Tillis
Dr. English Tillis is a Research Associate II with the Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis. She is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner who centers identities, cultures, and histories within urban educational policy, programs, and practice. She draws from community-based frameworks to engage in critical sociopolitical analysis of how education is shared equitably, accessibly, and inclusively in service of our community and is a part of the Shelby County Health Department Healthy Start Live Long grant.
Dr. Tillis has over two decades of experience curating educational experiences in both collegiate and community-based settings. She has taught courses in Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Social Psychology, and Urban Teacher Education. She received recognition from the American Psychological Association (APA) for Innovative Teaching, PBS American Experience for her approach to education, and Chalkbeat, Education Week, and Blackshear Community for her commitment to community-building education.
Beyond the university, Dr. Tillis co-founded two non-profit organizations—Blackshear Bridge in Austin, TX, and The Memphis 13 Foundation in Memphis, TN—dedicated to serving the educational needs of her former and current local school districts. Furthering her work with communities to engage local teachers, community members, students, and university professors in collaborative community projects centered on co-creating cultural relevant curriculum and critical responsive civic engagement in our schools.
Dr. Tillis’s scholarship includes publishing and presenting research at professional association conferences in various academic disciplines (sociology, education, and ethnic studies). She has a track record securing over $2.1 million in research and program development grants, including prestigious awards from the United Negro College Fund, The Spencer Foundation, the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources, and the Tennessee Department of Education.