Dannie Woods
Student Wellbeing
Dean of Student Success and Wellbeing
Biography
Dannie Russo Woods, originally from Rockledge, Florida, earned her bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising from Lipscomb University. She began her career in Student Affairs at Mississippi College, where she also completed an M.Ed. in Higher Education from Abilene Christian University and a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. She later earned a graduate certificate in Strengths Approaches to Higher Education Leadership and Student Success from Azusa Pacific University, equipping her to integrate StrengthsFinder into her student development work.
Currently pursuing a doctorate in Learning and Organizational Change at Baylor University, Woods focuses her research on holistic student success—supporting the academic, emotional, spiritual, and social dimensions of student thriving.
As Dean of Student Success & Wellbeing at Lipscomb, Woods oversees initiatives that help students start well and stay well, including New Student Orientation, First-Year Experience, Student Care and Support Resources, the Care Team, and support for the sexual minority population. She is passionate about student leadership and creating a culture of care that supports retention and whole-person development.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Jonathan (Lipscomb Academy ’07, Lipscomb University '11), and their three children—Levi, Milo, and Laine.
Academic Degrees
- B.A. Fashion Merchandising, Lipscomb University
M.Ed. in Higher Education from Abilene Christian University