Clemson University’s Kathy Headley to Lead the International Literacy Association

Kathy N. Headley, professor of literacy in the College of Education at Clemson University in South Carolina, was named vice president of the board of directors of the International Literacy Association. She will serve for one year as vice president and then become president of the board of directors of the association in 2019.

Founded more than 60 years ago as the International Reading Association, today the organization has members from 78 countries around the world. The goal of the association is to promote literacy worldwide. The organization estimates than about 800 million people worldwide are illiterate.

Dr. Headley joined the faculty at Clemson University in 1987 as an assistant professor of reading education. She was promoted to associate professor in 1982 and to full professor in 1999. Since 2007, Dr. Headley has served as associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Health, Education, and Human Development at the university.

Dr. Headley holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Georgia. She earned an educational doctorate in reading from Auburn University in Alabama.