About Us
Lisa Hess
Phone: 423.236.2897
Office: Wright Hall 1011
isa is the newest member of the Records Office team, and is very familiar with Southern Adventist University, being she has been with Southern since 2010. Lisa is excited to now be a part of the Records Office, and for the opportunity to learn another area within the university. She is a graduate from Southwestern Adventist University with a Bachelor’s degree in Office Administration. After college and living in Texas, Lisa moved to Berrien Springs, MI where she met and married her husband, Terry. Two years after they were married, they welcomed their daughter, Amelia (Mia) into their family. Lisa enjoys cooking and baking, along with entertaining. She and her family love to travel, but mostly, feels blessed to call TN home where she and family enjoy living the simple life on their small farm.
Omar Mendez
Email: omendez@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2879
Omar Mendez was born in Puerto Rico and spent time Puerto Rico, Florida, and Tennessee during his childhood. He graduated from Chattanooga State with an AS in Engineering.
Omar’s hobbies include mountain biking, photography, and coding.
Omar joined the Records and Advisement team in August 2017 and his responsibilities include:
- ad hoc and SQL reporting
- degree audits
- IPEDs and NSLC reporting
- departmental computer support
Sharon Rodgers
Assistant Director of Records and Advisement
Contact Information:
Email: srogers@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2896
Sharon Rogers was born in Madison, Tennessee and attended Southern Missionary College,
where she graduated with a BA degree in art and minors in journalism and home economics.
She later attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she completed
an MSEd degree in community counseling.
Ms. Rogers has worked in the Records and Advisement Office for 39 years as the recorder and then the assistant director. She is responsible for the advisement program and graduating undergraduate seniors.
Some of her pastimes include reading, drawing, photography, snorkeling, traveling, cruising, scrapbooking, and attending Atlanta Braves games. She has two sons, a daughter, and a grandson.
Her current responsibilities in Records and Advisement include the following:
- Advisement of undergraduate students
- "Senior Passport" book
- "Guide to Academic Advisement" book
- Advisement coordinator for General Studies
- Senior check
- Recording challenge exams and waivers
- Evaluating transfer credits
Sandy Tucker
Assistant Director of Records and Advisement
Email: stucker@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2898
Sandy Tucker grew up in Victoria, British Columbia and graduated from Walla Walla College with a BS in business education. She met her husband, Don, while at Walla Walla College. For eight years Sandy worked as an administrative assistant at a construction company in Vancouver.
In 1990, Sandy and her husband moved to Columbia, Maryland, where she worked at the Review and Herald, Adventist Risk Management, and Family Enrichment Resources. While in Maryland, their son, Ryan, was born. Sandy’s interests include traveling, dining out, mountain biking, and snow skiing.
Sandy joined Records and Advisement in 1997.
Her current responsibilities in Records and Advisement include the following:
- Transfer Credit Evaluator
- Incoming Transcripts (College and High School)
- Grade Changes/Incompletes
- Class Schedule
- Classroom Assignments
- Undergraduate Catalog
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Tami Wery
Email: wery@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2397
Tami joined Records and Advisement in July of 2009. A graduate of Rio Lindo Academy, she earned an AS in early childhood education at Pacific Union College and taught pre-school for four years at the Loma Linda Children’s Center. Deciding teaching was not her passion, she spent nine years at the Loma Linda University Records Office in various capacities before moving to Collegedale, where she worked at the Piece-A-Cake Bakery for three years.
Tami’s hobbies include cooking, baking, scrapbooking, reading, shopping, water sports—especially waterskiing—and relaxing with friends and family. She says she is always up for an adventurous road trip!
In 2006 she married Keith, “the love of my life and the only person who could have taken me away from my friends and family in California,” and they share their home with their beloved cat, George.
Her current responsibilities in Records and Advisement include the following:
- Front Counter Information
- Registration
- Add/Drop/Withdrawal
- Extension Campuses (BMA, CA, MPA, etc.)
- Diplomas
Karon Powell
Director of Records and Advisement
Email: kpowell@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2895
Her current responsibilities in Records and Advisement include the following:
- Overseer of All Records
- Government Reports
- Statistical Data
- Petitions
- Graduate Petitions
- Facts of Graduation
Joni Zier
Director of Records and Advisement
Email: jzier@southern.edu
Phone: 423.236.2895
Joni Zier was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and raised in Minnesota. She attended Union College for two years, transferred to Southern Missionary College for her remaining two years, and graduated with a BS degree in office administration and a minor in library science. She completed an MSEd degree in supervision and administration at the University of Texas-Pan American in 1981.
For 18 years, Mrs. Zier enjoyed working as a business teacher, librarian, registrar, class sponsor, newspaper sponsor, and Sabbath School Sponsor at Valley Grande Academy and Rio Lindo Adventist Academy. In 1993 she was thrilled to be asked to return to her alma mater to be the Director of Records and Advisement.
Mrs. Zier and her husband, Bud, enjoy traveling, lighthousing, antiquing, and attending NASCAR races.
One of the goals that Mrs. Zier has for Records and Advisement is to bring the office current with technology to better meet the needs of Southern’s students and faculty.
Her current responsibilities in Records and Advisement include the following:
- Overseer of All Records
- Government Reports
- Statistical Data
- Petitions
- Graduate Petitions
- Facts of Graduation