Division of Student Success Directory

Bio: Dr. Ashley Purgason is a Maverick through and through, having received her BS and MS from UTA. Dr. Purgason is a toxicologist by training and received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch. She is also a former member of the UTA Women's basketball team. She leads a unit of professional staff in a variety of activities designed to meet student academic needs from registration to graduation.

Bio: Dr. Deidra Turner promotes continuous learning inside and outside the classroom and her own academic journey has taken her to a variety of institutions - public, private, four-year, two year, in and out of state. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from TCU. She went on to earn an M.Ed. in Student Personnel in Higher Education from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. in Sociology with an emphasis in Gender, Race, and Ethnicity from Texas A&M University. At each institution, Deidra strives to create connections that strengthen people and programs.

Bio: Liz received her master's degree in Organizational Development from Abilene Christian University. Dedicating her years of service at UTA in academic advising and student success, Liz also supports the operations and technology initiatives within the Division.

Bio: Kassidy Gary graduated from Baylor University with her bachelor's degree in Accounting. Kassidy is passionate about service and leverages her financial and administrative expertise to create structure and efficiency. Kassidy supports the Division of Student Success and serves students through financial reporting and managing administrative processes that help the division operate smoothly and effectively.

Bio: Katie Marler graduated from Texas Christian University with her master’s degree in Rhetoric and Composition. She is passionate about communication strategies, content writing, and clearly presenting information and ideas. Katie supports the Division of Student Success, serving UTA stakeholders by leveraging her strategic communication skills to provide the right information at the right time.

Bio: Dr. Candice Calhoun-Butts earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of the Cumberlands. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, she has served in a wide range of roles. Throughout her career, Dr. Calhoun-Butts has remained deeply committed to service, advancing excellence in education, fostering innovation, and cultivating an inclusive, student-centered environment that supports academic achievement and personal growth.