Tarabeth Heineman, Ph.D. is the Executive Director for the June Harless Center (JHC) for Rural Educational Research and Development, a program of the College of Education and Professional Development at Marshall University. The Center was established in 2000 to provide leadership in educational initiatives with the primary goal of elevating educational opportunities for every child in West Virginia.
After joining the Harless team in the spring of 2005, Tarabeth has held various positions for the Center. Currently, Tarabeth leads a team of 18 staff members and 6 graduate assistants and directs the work of the JHC which focuses on early childhood education, early and elementary learning PreK-5, and STEAM education. She oversees an annual budget of approximately $2.5 million which includes federal, state, and foundation funds. Under Tarabeth’s direction, the JHC also manages Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for the state of West Virginia. This statewide initiative has been a part of JHC programming since 2019.
Tarabeth has participated in three study abroad tours to the world-renowned early childhood programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy. After collaborating with foundations and exploring other state funding opportunities, Dr. Heineman is working to support pre-service and in-service early childhood educators in the implementation of the Reggio-inspired approach. She completed her doctorate at Marshall University with a degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2022.