Katherine C. Rodela

Katherine C. Rodela is an Associate Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Educational Leadership and Sport Management at Washington State University Vancouver, part of the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences. She is a community-engaged scholar committed to advancing equity and justice in education through research, teaching, and outreach.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education and a BA in Philosophy and History from Seattle University. She is a former Fulbright Scholar with research experience in civic engagement in Peru.

Dr. Rodela's research focuses on leadership for equity and social justice, particularly the leadership of Latinx communities, parents, and educators. Her work explores how leaders of color navigate equity initiatives, how marginalized families advocate for justice, and how educational leadership can be redefined to include youth, parents, and community members. She uses qualitative methods, especially LatCrit counterstorytelling, to center the voices of those often excluded from leadership narratives.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in examining Latinx leadership pathways, community cultural wealth, gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion, and activism in conservative educational settings. These works are published in leading journals such as Educational Administration Quarterly, Peabody Journal of Education, and Teachers College Record.

• George Brain and Gay Selby Faculty Award in Educational Leadership
• Fulbright Scholar

She actively mentors future educational leaders and collaborates with community partners such as the SW Washington Latino Parent Leadership Institute. Her research includes longitudinal studies on Latinx parent leadership and equity leadership during politically divisive times. She has also contributed to special issues and conceptual frameworks that challenge traditional notions of educational leadership and advocate for more inclusive, justice-centered models.