Kathy Thornburg

Kathy Thornburg is a highly experienced educator and specialist in early childhood development. Currently serving as a Senior T&TA Specialist at AEM Corporation since January 2013, Kathy develops evidence-based resources and conducts webinars focused on various aspects of early childhood education, including child screening, assessment, and language development. From 1980 to 2018, Kathy held multiple roles at the University of Missouri, including Professor and Director of both the Child Development Lab and the Center for Family Policy & Research. Kathy's previous experience also includes serving as the Assistant Commissioner of Early and Extended Learning for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from 2010 to 2013, where collaboration with a team supported statewide preschool and after-school programs. Earlier in the career, Kathy was an Assistant and Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky and earned a Ph.D. in Child Development from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1973.