Gerald Lee Ratliff is the award-winning author of numerous articles, essays and textbooks in performance studies and classroom teaching strategies. He has served as President of the Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey (1983), Eastern Communication Association (1991), Theta Alpha Phi (1986) and the Association for Communication Administration (2002). He has also served on advisory and editorial boards of the American Council of Academic Deans, International Arts Association, National Communication Association, Society of Educators and Scholars and Eastern Communication Association. He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Award" by both the Eastern Communication Association (1993) and Theta Alpha Phi (1992); named a Fulbright Scholar to China (1990); selected as U.S.A. delegate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to Russia (1991); received multiple outstanding teacher awards for pioneering creative approaches in curriculum design and classroom instruction activities; and chaired a number of national commissions in higher education.

Most recently, he was named Educator of the Year (2003) by the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England, and awarded the prestigious da Vinci Diamond for his contribution to national and international associations. In addition, he has served as a program consultant and planner for a number of colleges and universities engaged in institutional transformation. He also continues an active schedule of invited workshops and seminars in Reader's Theatre at high schools, colleges, universities and national conferences.