Dr. Katerina Wingfield brings her experience in dual enrollment pathway design, community college partnerships, and equity-centered education to advance student opportunities as an Education Designer. She primarily works with the Career Ready by Design program, working alongside technical colleges to create dual enrollment pathways that prepare students for careers. She additionally supports the Britebound and Readiness Network initiatives.
Prior to joining the Lab, Katerina served as Dean of Academic Affairs at Lone Star College-Tomball in Texas, where she oversaw dual enrollment, library services, faculty professional development, and institutional effectiveness. With over 25 years in education — including more than 15 in higher education across community colleges, articulation, and workforce-aligned programming — Katerina has spent her career building the connective tissue between institutions, students, and workforce opportunities. She brings a consistent focus on historically underserved learners who are too often left out of the equation.
Katerina also brings valuable K–12 perspective, having led CTE academies and curriculum development in the Houston area, giving her a ground-level understanding of what students need long before they begin their postsecondary journey. That dual vantage point has shaped her deep commitment to designing pathways that are seamless, equitable, and built with real students in mind.
She is also the founder and principal of Rooted Elevations, LLC, her independent educational consulting practice, and serves as an adjunct faculty member at Lone Star College.
Katerina is thrilled to bring her passion for equity-centered design to the Lab, especially work that connects secondary, postsecondary, and workforce systems into clear, viable pathways for students pursuing sustainable careers!
HOMETOWN: Born in North Carolina, raised in Virginia
BACHELOR’S: B.S. in Business Administration, minor in Hospitality Management, Central State University
MASTER’S: MBA in Management and Accounting, Strayer University
DOCTORATE: PhD Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies, University of Houston
FAVORITE QUOTE: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela [and] “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Shirley Chisholm
WHEN I’M NOT AT WORK I’M…
I’m on the golf course cheering on my son, somewhere with my husband listening to live music, reading a good book, or watching a good show!
