معرفی
Katherine McKee, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural & Extension Education at North Carolina State University, where she also serves as Co-Director of The Oaks Leadership Scholars. Her work focuses on developing leadership capacities for transformative change in social justice and equity contexts. Prior to academia, she worked as a 4-H Youth Development Agent and high school agriculture teacher.
Dr. McKee holds a BS in Agricultural Sciences from Rutgers University, an MS in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University, and a PhD in Agricultural & Extension Education from Virginia Tech. Her research interests include leadership pedagogy, critical positive youth development frameworks, and culturally responsive educational practices. She has co-authored *Transformative Leadership in Action: Allyship, Advocacy, & Activism* and developed the Agents for Change program for early-career extension professionals.
Her recent work includes the NIFA-funded New Beginnings for Colleges of Agriculture project to improve cultural competency among faculty serving Indigenous populations, and the #PassTheMicYouth advocacy curriculum. She has secured grants totaling over $500k for initiatives like the Animal Science Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE) and mental health support programs for agricultural producers.
Key awards include the 2021 Association of Leadership Education Rising Star Award and 2011 Honorary State FFA Degree. McKee teaches courses such as AEE 350 (Personal Leadership Development) and contributes to the AHS Department Racial Justice Committee. Her leadership programs emphasize actionable strategies for systemic change through allyship and advocacy.
