Katherine Hodges
Early Childhood Education Policy SpecialistKate is an Early Childhood Education Policy Specialist at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), where she focuses on state and national policy analysis and technical assistance. Her current work includes leading NIEER’s Outdoor/Nature-Based Learning (ONBL) work, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data for the annual State of Preschool Yearbook report, supporting New Jersey school districts and private providers applying for and implementing the state-funded preschool program, among other projects.
Prior to joining NIEER, she taught in the classroom for over five years and worked in education administration for children from birth to 2nd grade. In addition, she studied early childhood education in Denmark, curated media content for LeapFrog, and developed and implemented a constructivist curriculum for an enrichment program in Mumbai, India.
• Ed.D. Doctoral Candidate in Education, Culture, and Society, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, expected graduation 2027
• M.A. in Applied Child Development; Tufts University, Medford, MA, Capstone Project: Exporting a Constructivist Approach to Mumbai: A Tale of Square Pegs and Round Holes
• B.A. in Child Development & Community Health, Tufts University, Medford, MA
• American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• National Association of State Leaders in Early Education (NASLEE), Policy Committee
• Natural Start Alliance
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