Brad Smith, Ed.D., a clinical assistant professor in the UNC School of Education’s online Ed.D. concentration in Organizational Learning and Leadership and the undergraduate Human and Organizational Leadership Development program, becomes the eleventh president of the North Carolina Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NCACTE) effective July 1.
NCACTE is the leading advocacy group for policy issues regarding teacher preparation in North Carolina, and its membership includes private and public educator preparation programs across the state. Smith’s 3-year term will end in 2029.
In the role, he will have an opportunity to make direct impact on the success of teacher education and preparation in the state — and, ultimately, the success of students, educators, and schools.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to continue working alongside the incredible educators who make up NCACTE,” Smith said. “Our organization has, in recent years, provided perspectives on high-impact educator preparation policy issues, such as Praxis Core and the EPP accountability model. NCACTE‘s reputation as a valued source of subject matter expertise grows.”
NCACTE prides itself on uniting North Carolina’s public and private educator preparation programs, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and national accreditors. Its 3-day annual forum focuses on relevant topics in teacher education as they relate to North Carolina and issues pertinent to the NCACTE goal of ongoing advocacy.
As president, Smith said he hopes to build and strengthen NCACTE’s relationships with policy makers, state education leadership, and other advocacy organizations, and to expand NCACTE membership in response to the evolving educator preparation landscape in the state.
“Brad’s presidency of NCACTE represents his career-long dedication and leadership to ensuring the best teachers stand in front of North Carolina students,” said Jill V. Hamm, dean of the School and William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education. “The students in all of our programs learn from true experts in their fields, and the future leaders in Brad’s classes are certainly learning from a leader in action.”
Smith’s nearly two decades as an educator have included responsibilities in teaching, academic program assessment and improvement, higher education reporting and accreditation, strategic planning, program administration and design, and professional educator licensure. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership – Higher Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.