Dr. Jillian Whatley received her B.S in Education from Miles College Birmingham, Al. She continued her education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where she received her M.S. in Education, and Gallaudet University in Washington, DC to obtain an M.A in Developmental Psychology and a Specialist degree in School Psychologist, both with an emphasis in deafness.
Dr. Whatley received her Ph.D. from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Whatley’s dissertation was entitled Implicit Bias as a Contributing Factor to Disproportionality of African Americans in Special Education: The Promise of a Bias Literacy Intervention, which was published in 2018.

Dr. Whatley is the former Coordinator of Psychological Services and Behavior Programs for Atlanta Public Schools and the former Executive Director of Student Support Services in Clarke County Public Schools in Athens, GA. Dr. Whatley recently joined International Center for Leadership in Education- a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as Director of Professional
Learning for the Southeastern Region. Dr. Whatley recently completed the AASA Urban Superintendent Program at Howard University. Dr. Whatley is an adjunct at Georgia State University in the Education Department, and instructor and Implicit Bias Expert for the Academy of Creative Coaching.

Dr. Whatley is the proud mother of a beautiful and intelligent daughter. She enjoys dancing, reading and traveling. Dr. Whatley is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Junior League of Gwinnett/ North Fulton. Dr. Whatley is the 2021 recipient of the Jack and Jill of America – Stone Mountain Chapter Shero award for the community work in eliminating racial barriers in Gwinnett and Dekalb County Georgia. Dr. Whatley is an alumnae of Leadership Athens Class of 2022.