WestEd is pleased to announce the further expansion of its growing leadership team with the appointment of Catherine Goins as a new Division Director for the agency.

“I am thrilled by the leadership and vision Catherine brings to WestEd in her new role with our agency,” says WestEd CEO Glen Harvey.

“Her long-standing dedication and expertise related to diversity, anti-bias education, and equity issues will help WestEd continue to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults.”

Catherine comes to WestEd following 16 years as the Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood Education at the Placer County Office of Education in Auburn, California. In her time there, she was responsible for managing state and local contracts focused on family engagement, child health, nutrition, and safety. She was also responsible for implementing high-quality early learning programs and developing whole-child and family programs using improvement science to advance equity and ensure that all learners have the foundation for success in school.

Catherine has also served as a Senior Policy Advisor for First Five California and was the president for two years of the Child Development Policy Institute. She is a part-time faculty member at Sierra Joint Community College and has been a speaker on a diverse range of topics, including LGBTQ+, race, gender, culture, anti-bias education, and advancing equity in education. She was a contributing author to the revised edition of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves.

Catherine brings a deep well of experience supporting staff and growing work with a laser-focus on impact. Catherine officially started with WestEd on January 11, 2021, following the appointment in 2020 of new WestEd Division Directors Susan Mundry and Ursula Wright.