He earned his B.A. in Psychology from Drury University, M.S. in Applied Educational Psychology from the University of Tennessee, and Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Tennessee. Upon graduation, Dr. McCleary began working as a school psychologist in a public school system, serving students in middle, high, and alternative schools. In addition, he worked in Tennessee as a licensed psychologist in a private clinic providing assessment and intervention services to individuals with identified disabilities. Dr. McCleary has published over a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles.