Trina Fortner Wood, Ed.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor, Assistant Department Chair
Department of Special Education College of Education

678-839-6060
twood@westga.a44n0QzZiVe3X2mL8uvytedu

Education Annex - Room 222
Office Hours
Virtual Office Hours for Online Students Monday 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm or By Appointment. On Campus Days: TWR

Download curriculum vitae for Trina Fortner Wood, Ed.D. in PDF
Trina Fortner Wood, Ed.D.

Dr. Trina Wood is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Special Education in the College of Education at the University of West Georgia. She earned her doctorate in Educational and Instructional Leadership from the University of Alabama and holds advanced degrees in Mild Learning and Behavior Disorders. Dr. Wood teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses for pre-service and in-service special education teachers.

Before transitioning into higher education, Dr. Wood served for twenty-five years in Alabama public education as a science teacher, special education teacher, assistant principal, director of special education, curriculum director, assistant superintendent, and interim superintendent. After retiring from Alabama, she began a second career in Georgia, where she spent five years as a career transition specialist, career and technical instructor coordinator, and director of special education while concurrently serving as an adjunct professor at UWG in the Department of Educational Leadership and the Department of Literacy and Special Education.

Dr. Wood has completed multiple leadership preparation programs, including the Alabama Superintendents’ Academy, Alabama Community College Leadership Academy, Georgia School Superintendents Association District Office Professional Development Program, and Georgia Special Education and Leadership Development Program. She is an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children, the National Association of Special Education Teachers, and the Council for Administrators of Special Education.

Her professional expertise and passion center on special education leadership, curriculum design and instruction, collaboration and facilitation, mentorship, authentic experiential learning, and online pedagogy. She recently co-presented Developing Professional Knowledge and Skills Using Online Scenario-Based Simulations at the 2024 Teaching Colleges and Community Online Worldwide Conference.

In recognition of her excellence in online education, Dr. Wood has received honors at the college, university, and state levels. She earned both the 2024 College of Education and the University of West Georgia’s Online Teaching Awards before being named the 2025 recipient of the University System of Georgia Regents’ Award for Excellence in Online Teaching.

  • B.S., Secondary Education - Biology, University of Alabama, 1990
  • M.A., Specific Learning Disabilities, University of Alabama, 1993
  • Ed.S., Mild Learning and Behavior Disorders, University of Alabama, 1995
  • M.A., Educational Leadership, University of Alabama Birmingham, 1996
  • Ed.S., Educational Leadership, University of Alabama, 1998
  • Ed.D., Instructional Leadership, University of Alabama, 2000

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Conference Proceedings/Peer Reviewed

Multiple AuthorsBaylen, D. M., Wood, T., Paul, I., Mormah, F., Mutelo, S. M., & **Gordon, A. (2023). Inquiry on technology use and practices during the  pandemic: Experiences and challenges from selected countries. In M. Simonson &  D. J. Seepersaud (Eds.), 45th Annual proceedings of selected research and development papers, Volume 1 (pp. 42-49). AECT.