Fischler College Spotlight Shines on Zelphine Smith-Dixon

Zelphine Smith-Dixon received her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree from the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice in 2005. She was elected as the president of the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. She is the first person of color to serve in this capacity and assist the country nationally in an effort of meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Smith-Dixon is also the state director for the Division for Special Education at the Georgia Department of Education. She works to ensure that each student has an opportunity to be successful. She is committed to not only representing her students but the critical partnership for student success to include families, teachers, leaders, and communities.

She received the following accolades: Tri-County Special Educator of the Year, Vance-Providence Elementary Teacher of the Year and Orangeburg Consolidated School District Three Alternate District Teacher of the Year.  In April 2018, Columbia College of S.C. presented her with the Wil Lou Gray Outstanding Educator Award. Later, she served as the Columbia College Commencement Speaker in May 2019.

Smith-Dixon serves as a thought leader and cadre advisor for the National IDEA Data Center, National Consortium on Special Education Finance, National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, and National Center for Systemic Improvement to address the intersection of race and disability.

Smith-Dixon published an article in the March 2021 Case in Point edition in the Journal of Special Education Leadership (JSEL)titled “The State of Special Education: The Shift from Available to Appropriate!”

Smith-Dixon says she believes that receiving her Doctor of Educational Leadership degree at NSU fostered many of the leading skills within her that have served well and helped make her successful in her professional career. She is described as one of the most sought-after voices in education having shared her expertise with national and international audiences.

Smith-Dixon lives in Conyers, Ga., with her husband, Marki Dixon, and children Myles, Megan, and Mason. She serves in ministry at the dReam Center Church of Atlanta in Decatur, Ga., and is a member of the Covington Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.