Faculty
full-time
Cheryl Gulley, IDEC, EDRA, LEED AP ID+C
Professor and Department Chair
MFA, Interior Architecture and Design, Academy of Art University
MA, Psychological Science - Environment & Behavior Studies, Austin Peay State University
BID, Interior Design, O’More College of Design
BS, Chemistry and Psychology, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
In 1991, following ten years of interior design practice with a commercial design firm in Nashville, Gulley
began teaching at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film, then Watkins Institute. Gulley devoted herself
to interior design education with the years 1996 through 2006 spent as the Department Chair. During
the past twenty years, her credits include the creation of the initial BFA in Interior Design program, as
well as securing the first CIDA accreditation for the BFA.
Gulley has been active in furniture and lighting design production for the past ten years. Her designs
have been submitted as part of juried exhibitions. The submitted furniture and lighting designs have
received recognition through awards received in national competitions. More recent designs have
featured the manipulation of materials that are part of the sustainable movement, including recycled
metal and concrete.
In 2010, Gulley added an MFA in Interior Architecture and Design to her credentials. The graduate-level
coursework provided an avenue toward additional research and application of sustainable principles.
Her thesis focused on the renewal of a site near downtown Nashville, which provided an opportunity for
renovation and new construction within sustainable guidelines throughout the proposal. An additional
credential was added with LEED Approved Professional status in 2009. Gulley now holds a LEED AP ID+C
certificate (Interior Design + Construction).
At the beginning of 2012, Professor Gulley reassumed the position of Department Chair for the Interior
Design program.
ADJUNCT FACULTY
Paul John Boulifard
M.Arch, Architecture, Yale University
Paul John Boulifard is a Designer/Architect that has a wide range of professional and academic
experiences. Professionally he has worked on large scale projects ranging from skyscrapers, healthcare
facilities and performing arts centers while at Pelli Clarke, Pelli Architects in New Haven, CT, to small
scale civic buildings at Cherry Huffman Architects, in Raleigh, NC. He has worked at Manuel Zeitlin
Architects in Nashville, TN, working on multi-use projects, civic facilities, and small scale residential
architectural projects. Currently, he maintains a thriving consulting practice.
In conjunction with these professional activities, Boulifard has taught at the university level on an
adjunct basis at such notable institutions as Wesleyan University and Connecticut College, which are
both located in Connecticut. He also taught as a full-time tenure track faculty member at the Drury
University Hammons School of Architecture. He specialized in fifth year level teaching and computer
technologies in relation to the exploration and practice of architecture.
He holds an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University, College of Design and a
Master’s Degree from Yale University, School of Architecture. He also has also studied in France and
Spain.
Haley Chapman
M.Arch, Architecture, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
BS, Engineering Design Graphics Technology, Design Graphics, East Tennessee State University
Haley Chapman’s architectural practice has included projects ranging from small commercial projects
to various governmental sites. She has served as the architect and project manager for several
architectural firms in Knoxville and was involved in all aspects of design and construction administration.
During the past four years, she has lead numerous interior design efforts for the end user, including
interior finishes, furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
Theresa Dyer
BFA, North Texas State University
BS, Interior Design, University of Tennessee – Knoxville
During her fifteen-year career as an architect, Ms. Dyer has worked on both domestic and international
projects with several firms in the United States and England. Her portfolio includes work in the
hospitality industry, healthcare sector, mixed-use high-rise residential, and educational projects. The
combination of interior design and architecture has strengthened her understanding of programmatic
and performance criteria in developing the benchmarks for a successful design solution. Ms. Dyer
has consistently provided successful design solutions with an eye toward aesthetics, function, and the
economic realities of translating the client’s vision into a pragmatic and sensible response.
Rachel Martin
M.Arch, Architecture, University of Tennessee
With degrees in both interior design and architecture, Rachel Martin brings a diverse mixture of
pertinent information to her students. Her professional practices includes a focus on large scale
commercial projects, including healthcare facilities and American embassies, as well as custom
residential projects located in Portland, Oregon and Nashville, Tennessee. Rachel Martin is a co-owner
of (n)habit, a retail showroom and design services firm that focuses on sustainable building materials.
She and her husband received the 2011 NEXT Award for Sustainable Start-up and have been listed in the
Nashville Post’s annual 50 “Green Heroes” since the inception of (n)habit.
Shonna Sexton
BFA, Interior Design, Watkins College of Art, Design & Film
BFA, Fine Art, University of Tennessee – Martin
Ms. Sexton’s professional practice began as an interior designer for several prominent architectural
firms in the Nashville area. Currently, she is practicing as the driving force behind Shonna Sexton Studio.
Sexton creates spaces to fulfill the needs of the client, while striving to improve day-to-day quality of life
through art and design. Her focus is to make decisions that are respectful of the past and will stand the
test of time, while requiring a limited amount of maintenance.
Sexton is a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and has served on the Board
for the IIDA Tennessee Chapter for the past several years. She is the recipient of the Tennessee Chapter
Service Award.
Connie Vernich
BA, Art History, American InterContinental University
AFA, Interior Design, Watkins College of Art, Design & Film
Ms. Vernich is an accomplished residential designer whose work has been featured throughout Nashville
and the surrounding area for the past fifteen years. She is also known for her skillful renderings and
artful blending of the old with the new. Vernich brings her knowledge of the history of architecture
and interior design to life in her classrooms through her detailed lectures. Students connect with her
descriptions at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film and on-site in France.