Dr. Tina Naremore Jones, Vice-President of the Division of Economics Workforce Development at the University of West Alabama, earned both her BA and MAT degrees in English from Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama). Her PhD in American Literature is from the University of Southern Mississippi.

While obtaining her degrees, Jones discovered a love of journalism and writing. She worked with the Western Star newspaper in Bessemer, Alabama, and served as the faculty advisor for UWA’s weekly student newspaper, The Life for 12 years. She was the co-editor with Dr. Joe Taylor of the anthology Belles’ Letters: Contemporary Stories of Alabama Women, one of four editors for Tartts: Incisive Fiction from Emerging Writers, and a contributing writer to the anthology Alabama Women Their Lives and Times (2017). In 2010, Jones served as the chair of the 175th anniversary committee for UWA and edited Bridging Time: 175 Years at The University of West Alabama. 

At UWA, she holds the rank of professor in English. Jones has served as president for board of directors for the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, the Alabama Black Belt Heritage Area and Sumter County Fine Arts Council.  She is a member of the board of directors for the Alabama Folklife Association, Black Belt Treasures and the field advisory board for the Alabama Department of Archives and History, where she chaired their scholarship committee.  Jones was the founding director for the Center for the Study of the Black Belt, and dean of the Division of Educational Outreach. At UWA, Jones successfully chaired the University’s most recent reaffirmation (accreditation) process. She regularly speaks to the general public on a variety topics focused on Black Belt history, culture and literature.

Jones’ interest in the Black Belt of Alabama and preservation stems largely from research gathered during the writing of her dissertation, Stealing Away from Society’s Conventions: Negotiations of Voice in the Work of Ruby Pickens Tartt.  A noted Alabama folklorist, a native of Sumter County, an Alabama Normal College (now UWA) and member of the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame, Tartt became a gateway for Jones’ study into West Alabama history and Black Belt culture.

She is the 2007 winner of the Gilbert Outstanding Award for Teaching and a past winner of the Loraine McIlwain-Bell trustee professorship award and College of Liberal Arts Achievement Award. In 2011, the Division of Educational Outreach was named UWA’s Outstanding Organization by the UWA National Alumni Association. She is a graduate of the 2017 class of Leadership Alabama.

In her current role at UWA, she oversees project development and management while working with diverse public and private partners for the economic revitalization for rural Alabama, specifically for the Black Belt Region.

Dr. Jones serves on the Council's long-range planning committee.