About Loretta Rudd

Dr. Loretta Rudd is a passionate advocate for the education of young children and their families. She is a Clinical Professor in the College of Professional and Liberal Studies at the University of Memphis. Dr. Rudd joined the College in the fall of 2013. She was hired to create a program of study in Early Care and Learning that will prepare individuals to work with young children aged birth to 4 years old. Since her hire, she has worked across disciplines on campus to create 2 new degree concentrations in Early Intervention Specialist and Child Life Specialist in addition to the degree program in Early Care and Learning. Dr. Rudd is a founding member of the iIMPACT (Institute for Interdisciplinary Memphis Partnerships Affecting Community Transformation) at the University of Memphis. She also currently serves on several boards such as the Urban Child Institute, Libertas School of Memphis (a public charter Montessori school), Girl Scouts Heart of the South Council Board, and is a member of the Memphis First Eight and Tennesseans for Quality Early Education Committee. Dr. Rudd’s research interests center around preparing/training individuals to work with children ages 0-4 years. She has conducted research on the effects of joint attention, language enhancement strategies, language of math, and social emotional development training for child caregivers and parents. She is a member of the $1M Researchers at the UofM.

Education

PhD Educational Psychology - Baylor University

MEd Educational Administration - Tarleton State University

MA Communication Disorders/Deaf Education - University of Texas

BS Communication Disorders/Deaf Education - University of Texas