Jenny Manders

Jenny Manders, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Studies at the University of South Alabama's College of Education and Professional Studies (CEPS). She serves as the coordinator of the USA Gulf Coast campus in Gulf Shores, linking the south Baldwin community with university resources. Her research focuses on disability advocacy, community inclusion, family strengths, and abuse prevention, rooted in her early involvement with the Institute on Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia.

Dr. Manders holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Springhill College (1985), an M.Ed. in Counseling and Human Development from the University of Georgia (1990), and a Ph.D. in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia (1996). Her teaching philosophy emphasizes fostering critical thinking, communication, and lifelong learning skills, while celebrating diverse student experiences. She teaches courses such as Introduction to Disability, Women in the Workplace, and Interdisciplinary Critical Thinking.

Her career includes teaching in Alabama, Florida, and Hawaii, followed by 14 years at UGA’s Institute on Human Development and Disability. She joined South Alabama in 2010. She maintains office hours at UCOM 3704 on Wednesdays 10-2 and Thursdays 10-12.