“Dr. Cat” has worked in the field of early childhood education for over 25 years in various roles. Currently, she is the Director of Campus Childcare and adjunct faculty in the Department of Educator and Leadership Preparation, Early Childhood Program at Texas A&M University San Antonio. She is the mother of 5 adult children and one adorable grandchild, and a lover of nature and play. Holding a BA in ECE and Business Administration, MA in Education specializing in Early Childhood, and an Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning, Catherine is also a lifelong learner, passionate about supporting educators, families, and young children to reach their full potential.

Dr. Cat works to create a sense of community in the learning environment that is co-created with students. Like Loris Malaguzzi, Dr. Cat has cultivated the Image of the Child into her teaching philosophy on students and truly believes that every student is a capable, competent, individual that has 100 languages more to express themselves (Edwards, Gandini & Forman, 2012).

Dr. Cat’s passion is advocating for the rights of children including the right to play, the right to high quality early care and education, and the right to safe and heathy environments to grow and develop. Her research interests focus on providing professional pathways for early childhood educators, curriculum development in early childhood programs, and advocacy for policies and laws that support the best interest of the children, families, and educators in early childhood care and education.