Dr. Katie Herron is director of the Early Childhood Center (ECC) at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC) at Indiana University. A clinical psychologist by training, she has dedicated her career to improving outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families by translating research into practical, family-centered policies and practices.
Her professional journey into disability and early intervention was shaped during graduate school by the birth of her son with a disability, inspiring a lifelong commitment to advocacy, inclusion, and systems change.
Since joining the ECC in 2013, Dr. Herron has partnered with local, regional, and state agencies to strengthen early intervention and early-childhood education systems through evidence-based practices. Her work focuses on family engagement, caregiver coaching, high expectations for children with disabilities, infant and early childhood mental health, inclusive early learning environments, and the implementation of sustainable systems that improve outcomes for children and families. She has led statewide initiatives supporting caregiver coaching, early-childhood mental health, and family-centered professional development across Indiana.
In addition to her leadership at IIDC, Dr. Herron is an active contributor to state and national initiatives advancing disability inclusion, family leadership, and early childhood systems. She serves in leadership roles with organizations including Indiana Family to Family and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and has received numerous honors recognizing her commitment to family leadership, community accessibility, and early childhood innovation.
Dr. Herron is passionate about helping families, practitioners, and policymakers create equitable, inclusive systems that enable all young children to thrive and reach their full potential.
Degrees
From Indiana University, Dr. Herron holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and Spanish and a doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis on research and family relationships.
Personal Statement
The Early Childhood Center has been my professional home for over a decade, and I believe strongly in its research-to-practice mission. Although my path to becoming the ECC's director has been unusual, I feel that my unique experiences have contributed to my passion and perspective. My Ph.D. in psychology from a research-intensive graduate program formed my foundation as a researcher. My personal experience as the parent of a child with a disability (born while I was completing my dissertation) formed by deeply held values and beliefs about inclusion, collaboration, advocacy, and the value of all humans. My work experiences, from various roles in the early intervention system to roles in family advocacy programs, have formed by understanding of how systems work and how critical it is for systems to make data-informed, family-centered decisions. My time at the ECC has expanded my systems thinking and allowed me to merge my research background with practical applications in early intervention and preschool settings. The ECC has provided me with opportunities to develop effective professional development for early childhood systems as well as conduct research and evaluation projects. As I watch my son navigate new systems, opportunities, and challenges, I am constantly reminded that early childhood is just one life stage, and our work should reflect that lifespan perspective at all times.
Research Interests
- Family engagement
- High-quality practices in early intervention
- Fostering high expectations in families of children with disabilities
- Evaluation of new early childhood initiatives
- Universal Design for Learning in Early Childhood
Awards and Honors
- 2015: Family Leadership Award, Riley Child Development Center
- 2013: Mayor’s Award, City of Bloomington