Faculty Awards

Leigh Kellmann Kolb

Leigh Kellmann Kolb is an Associate Professor of English at East Central College. She has an MFA in Writing and a bachelor’s degree in English. Prior to ECC, where she has been a faculty member for 15 years, Leigh worked in journalism and corporate communications. She teaches Composition courses, including the Honors Composition sequence, Film Studies, Diversity in the Media, Women’s Literature, African American Literature, and the American Literature sequence; she also advises student publications, including the Cornerstone newspaper and CUSP Arts and Culture magazine. She serves as a faculty mentor for students in the Humanities Pathway, and helps organize cocurricular opportunities, including a spring break trip to London for Arts and Humanities students. She is the co-chair of the campus DEI committee and Honors Program initiative and has been involved in Guided Pathways, NEA, Faculty Association, and the Civic and Community Engagement Coalition. Leigh also organizes the ECC Film and Lecture Series, which brings documentaries, narrative films, scholars, authors, journalists, and poets to campus throughout the year. Her writing about film and television has appeared in numerous books, magazines, and online publications. She serves as a screener and juror for film festivals such as the True/False Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Riverside Short Film Festival.

Tracy Mowery

Tracy L. Mowery is an Associate Professor of Biology at East Central College – Rolla.  She has a Masters of Natural Science from Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and has been faculty at East Central College for 15 years.  Prior to East Central College, Tracy was faculty at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tennessee. Tracy primarily teaches Human Anatomy & Physiology courses, is the Rolla SGA Faculty Advisor, and serves as the Vice President of the ECC Faculty Association.  She has been a longtime member of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society and a reviewer of articles for the HAPs Educator.  She lives in Salem with her husband where they raise beef cattle. She is an active member of both the Salem FFA Alumni Association and the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. She enjoys spending time with her two grown daughters, especially visiting new places.  Her hobbies include reading, any outdoor activity, nature photography and gardening.

Lisa Hanneken and Tanner French

Lisa Hanneken has been at ECC close to eight years, and her current role is assistant professor for the accounting and business programs. In addition she is the current Vice President of the Missouri Association of Accounting Educators. After attending both East Central College and Webster University, Lisa obtained a master’s in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from Maryville University. Prior to entering academia, she held various accounting roles including auditor, regulator, controller, and business owner while accumulating close to 30 years of industry experience. Being at ECC and having the opportunity to pass on her years of real-world experience, as well as technical knowledge, to her students is one of the best jobs she states she has held. Lisa goes on to say “watching the students develop their own knowledge and then utilize it in their own careers is a very rewarding experience.”

Tanner French, CPA is accounting faculty at East Central College.  Prior to joining faculty at ECC in Fall of 2020, Tanner worked in public accounting as a small business accountant and tax preparer.   At ECC, Tanner was involved in developing the Hybrid Flexible modality of courses at ECC and the pilot program of that modality ran in the Accounting/Business department.  Tanner also developed the Business Ethics course, the first CORE-42 course in the Career and Technical Division of Academic Affairs.  Tanner is currently serving on the board of the Missouri Association of Accounting Educators (MAAE).