Dixie Abernathy

Dixie Abernathy serves as Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership program at Queens University of Charlotte's Cato School of Education. With 36 years of K-12 experience spanning classroom teaching, elementary/secondary administration, and Assistant Superintendent roles in North Carolina's ninth-largest school system, she brings extensive practical expertise to academic leadership.

Her educational background includes:

• Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (East Carolina University)
• M.Ed. in Educational Administration (Winthrop University)
• B.A. in Education (Wake Forest University)

Dr. Abernathy's research centers on school violence prevention, leadership efficacy, reflective growth practices, and online student engagement. These interests directly address contemporary crises in educational systems, particularly through her pandemic-response scholarship examining virtual learning transitions and institutional resilience.

Her three-volume handbook series (2020-2022) establishes a critical framework for understanding educational disruption, revealing consistent themes of leadership adaptability, technological integration challenges, and the disproportionate impact of crises on vulnerable student populations across American school systems.

Key recognition includes:

• North Carolina Teacher of the Year (1992)

As program director for the MA in Educational Leadership, she shapes future administrators through curriculum development focused on crisis-responsive leadership, though specific grant funding or advising details remain unreported. Her collaborative work with Thornburg and Ceglie demonstrates strong institutional partnerships within the Cato School of Education to address emergent educational challenges.