Biography
Dr. Tarabeth Heineman 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 to provide leadership in educational initiatives with the primary goal of elevating educational opportunities for every child in West Virginia.
Tarabeth has held various positions for the Center. Currently, Tarabeth directs the work of the JHC which focuses on early childhood education, early and early learning PreK-5, and STEAM education. Under Tarabeth’s direction, the JHC also manages Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for the state of West Virginia.
Tarabeth has participated in three study abroad tours to the world-renowned early childhood programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Dr. Heineman is working to support early childhood educators in the implementation of the Reggio-inspired approach. She completed her doctorate at Marshall University in Curriculum and Instruction in 2022. More recently, Dr. Heineman has participated in the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Women in Higher Education Leadership program and is a member of the 2025 Leadership Huntington cohort.