North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has appointed Katherine A. Beauchat, Ed.D., as the Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Early Literacy in the School of Education. Beauchat joined NCCU in fall 2026, bringing more than three decades of experience across pre-kindergarten –12th and higher education to a role designed to strengthen early literacy expertise, educator preparation and partnerships across North Carolina.
Before joining NCCU, Beauchat served as an associate professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she chaired Advanced Programs, coordinated the Reading Specialist certification program and helped establish the university’s first dyslexia certification program. Previously, she served as an associate professor at York College of Pennsylvania, where she coordinated the Early Elementary program and supported community partnerships through professional development and literacy outreach.
Beauchat began her career as a Head Start and kindergarten teacher before serving as a reading specialist and middle school literacy coach. She earned her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction: Literacy from the University of Delaware. Beauchat is the author or coauthor of four professional books. Her newest, The Science of Reading in the Preschool Classroom: Practical Tools for Early Childhood Teachers (Routledge, 2026), coauthored with Katrin Blamey and Joanna Newton, offers practical strategies for preschool literacy instruction.
Established in 2023 with support from Jim and Ann Goodnight, the endowed professorship is part of a University of North Carolina System network of early literacy expertise initiatives across educator preparation programs.
In her role, Beauchat will collaborate with faculty in birth-kindergarten, elementary education, special education and related areas while supporting evidence-based literacy instruction, teacher-candidate development, professional learning and school and community partnerships.
“Dr. Beauchat brings the experience, scholarship and leadership to help us deepen strong literacy instruction, strengthen our partnerships with schools and communities, and prepare educators who can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families across our state,” said Jeffrey M. Warren, Ph.D., interim dean and professor in NCCU’s School of Education.