Naomi Watkins, Director of Education

Naomi Watkins, Ph.D. is the Director of Education for Better Days 2020. Naomi has extensive teacher training, research, and curriculum development experience. A former middle school English teacher, she was a professor in the College of Education at the University of La Verne, has worked as an instructional coach in the Granite School District, and continues to teach courses at the University of Utah. Naomi has published in international journals such as The Reading Teacher, Journal of Children’s Literature, TESOL Journal, and Middle School Journal, and has presented to educators in state, national, and international venues on topics ranging from educating English language learners to culturally diverse children’s literature to disciplinary literacy. She earned her B.A. in English Education from Brigham Young University, a M.Ed. in Language and Literacy from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a literacy emphasis from the University of Utah.