Katie Leigh

As the undergraduate degree director for teacher education programs, Katherine Leigh’s main goals are to foster an environment in which teacher candidates feel a sense of belonging, explore their own biases and beliefs, and challenge systems of oppression. She pursues these goals through teaching, advising and mentoring, program analysis, and collaboration with faculty and staff. Leigh brings a range of elementary education experience and knowledge, in areas such as anti-bias teaching, classroom culture, and family engagement. Before completing her doctoral degree in 2023, she spent five years teaching lower elementary at a large, public school in Texas and five years teaching upper elementary at a small, independent school in Virginia. In this role, Leigh oversees the undergraduate teacher education programs, by partnering with program coordinators and supporting teacher candidates. She teaches several teacher preparation and internship courses, advises B.S.Ed. students, collaborates with instructors to achieve program alignment and an equity-orientation, and supports the recruitment of prospective students. 

Ed.D., University of Virginia, 2023
M.Ed., University of Virginia, 2014
B.S., Texas Christian University, 2008