Dr. Sullivan earned the Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Michigan State University, and the Master of Music in Music Education and the Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education from the University of Kentucky. Her major instruments are piano and organ; she also plays harp, guitar and ukulele. Her prior higher education teaching experience includes The University of Kentucky, The University of Tennessee at Martin, and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

She has presented sessions for the music educator associations in Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana and North Carolina, as well as for regional and international conventions for the Early Childhood Music & Movement Association. Topics have included classes for early childhood music and elementary general music; students with special needs in the music education setting; and the Modified Course Agreement, which assists music educators in planning instruction for students with cognitive disabilities.

Papers presented include “Attention and Flow Experience in Preschool Children during Music Circle Time and Music Free-Choice Time” at the First European Conference on the Developmental Psychology of Music in Jyvaskyla, Finland; “A Musical Playground” at the International Convention of ECMMA in Atlanta, Georgia; and “Pre-Service Music Teachers and Students with Special Needs: Building Relationships” at the National Association for Music Education Biennial Research and Higher Education conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

At Tennessee Tech University, Dr. Sullivan teaches the following courses in music education: Introduction to Music Education; Methods & Materials in Music, K-5; and Professional Seminar I. Courses for non-music majors are Music for Special Needs, which is for special education and early childhood education majors, Music Appreciation, and organ instruction. Dr. Sullivan has also brought ukulele instruction into the Music for Special Needs course, having opened it to music education majors, and into the Methods & Materials in Music, K-5 course.

Dr. Sullivan has focused on teacher education, students with special needs in music, and early childhood music education in her teaching and research.