Anne Richardson Gayles-Felton, a Marshallville, Georgia, native and descendant of a prominent family of educators and politicians, started her schooling in Illinois. Upon the death of her mother, young Anne returned to Marshallville and enrolled in the Lamson Richardson School, which was founded by her maternal grandmother in 1866.

Gayles-Felton received a bachelor’s degree from Fort Valley State College, a master’s from Columbia University, and a doctoral degree in education from Indiana University. She also attended Oregon State University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University and Fisk University.

She has taught at the preschool, elementary and college levels and was chair of the department of secondary education at Florida A&M University for 20 years. Gayles-Felton has served on the Task Force Committee on Teacher Education, State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, Governor’s Commission of Quality Education in Florida, Equity in Educational Opportunity Task Force and several committees with the National Association of Teacher Educators. She also holds membership in numerous honor societies, including Pi Gamma Mu, Alpha Kappa Mu, Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Lambda Theta and Phi Delta Kappa. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and was named to the Fort Valley State College Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2007, Dr. Gayles-Felton was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Association of Teacher Educators, honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Fort Valley State University, and presented the prestigious Meritorious Achievement Award by Florida A&M University.

Gayles-Felton is a prolific writer in the areas of student learning and teaching effectiveness. She has published three books, four monographs, 59 articles, and numerous book reviews and research studies.

This master teacher retired in June 2003. “The 55 years of teaching were enjoyable, challenging, productive and profitable; it was an adventure I would readily repeat if I had the opportunity to live my life over. I love teaching,” she said.