Kathy Havens Appointed Chatham Reads Program Manager

Chatham County, NC — The Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathy Havens as Program Manager for Chatham Reads, a partnership between CEF and Chatham County Schools.

Chatham Reads is dedicated to ensuring that literacy resources are accessible to all residents of Chatham County. In her new role, Havens will collaborate with local community organizations to distribute books, oversee CEF’s Books on Break program, organize book drives, and, as a member of the NC Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, help address issues related to school readiness and summer learning loss.

Havens brings more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education, with a focus on helping students in grades K–3 develop strong reading skills and a lifelong love of books. She holds two degrees in education from The Ohio State University and has served in a variety of roles, including classroom teacher, reading teacher, literacy leader, and master teacher/mentor.

Among her accomplishments, Havens was the first teacher in her school district to earn National Board Certification. She also piloted a kindergarten intervention program that significantly improved student outcomes. As a member of an Early Education Team, she contributed to the development of a comprehensive reading assessment later acquired by Pearson and implemented in school districts nationwide.

“I’m grateful to have found a new avenue for my passion for early literacy as the Chatham Reads Program Manager,” Havens said. “I look forward to contributing to this partnership and expanding access to reading resources for young children throughout Chatham County.”

Outside of her professional work, Havens enjoys spending time with her family. She is a wife, mother, grandmother—known as “Kiki”—as well as a sister and aunt. An avid reader, she keeps a stack of books by her bedside and enjoys long walks with her energetic Golden Retriever, Charlie. While she loves her home in North Carolina, she remains a Buckeye at heart.