Dr. Kyle Shanks is a proud graduate of the Exceptional Learning program at Tennessee Tech University. Before transitioning to his current role as Assessment Director in the College of Education, Dr. Shanks worked at Howard University in Washington D.C. as the university's Associate Director of Assessment. In that role, he focused on building sustainable and accessible assessment systems and processes that were aligned with best practices in the field of assessment.

Prior to joining Howard, Dr. Shanks also worked briefly as a consultant in the Ed Tech space for Anthology (formerly Campus Labs). In that role, Dr. Shanks focused on the implementation and adoption of platforms that assisted in the campus-wide collection, display, and dissemination of assessment information and data. 

Shanks' areas of research and focus include accessibility and sustainability of assessment data, the development of more inclusive surveys and assessment instruments, and using machine learning to better inform decision making in higher education.