Jemelleh Coes

Job Description

Education

Ph.D., Educational Theory and Practice, University of Georgia 2018

M.S. Ed, Curriculum and Instruction, Georgia Southern University, 2010

B.S. Ed, Special Education, Georgia Southern University, 2008

Awards

University of Georgia Top 40 Alumni under 40, 2025

Lowell Milken Fellow for Unsung Heroes, 2015

Georgia Teacher of the Year, 2014

Georgia Southern University Top 40 Alumni under 40, 2014

Service

Appointed board member, National Education Association Foundation, 2025 to present

Board member, Oconee County Schools, School Council, 2025 to present

Appointed board member, Specialized Education Services Incorporated, 2024 to present

Appointed board member, Multiple Choices, Center for Independent Living, 2024 to present

Elected board member, Clarke County School District, Local School Governance Team, 2019-2021, 2023 to present

Appointed board member, Joy Village School, 2023 to present

Elected board member, National Network of State Teachers of the Year, 2016 to 2025

Description

Dr. Coes brings extensive experience from K-12 classrooms into her work with future educators and advocates. Her teaching focuses on helping students examine disability and access across educational and community contexts. She teaches the Introduction to Disability and other courses at the Center on Human Development and Disability.

Dr. Coes’s scholarship and professional work center on inclusive schooling, co-teaching, and the intersection of disability with identity and systems. She is committed to preparing leaders who understand both the history of disability and the practical strategies needed to create more inclusive and responsive learning environments.

In addition to her teaching at UGA, Dr. Coes works nationally with schools, districts, and organizations to support leadership and inclusive practices. She also serves in several national education leadership roles and frequently speaks and consults on issues related to disability.