B. Denise Hawkins, M.A.

B. Denise Hawkins joined the staff of the National Institute for Literacy in February 2007. She serves as the Special Assistant for Communications.

Before joining the Institute, Ms. Hawkins was the communications director for the Reading First Teacher Education Network (RFTEN), a three-year project administered by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. RFTEN worked with faculty and teacher preparation programs at 38 minority-serving institutions to improve the way teachers are taught to teach reading using scientifically based research and instruction.

Ms. Hawkins has enjoyed a well-rounded career in communications, most of which has been spent as a print journalist. After earning her master's degree from The Pennsylvania State University, she began her journalism career writing about religion and social issues for the Syracuse, NY Post-Standard. As a freelance writer and award-winning journalist, her stories have been published by Religion News Service and have appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Today's Christian. Ms. Hawkins has also worked extensively in public relations for two top Washington, DC. agencies. She was Vice President at Hyde Park Communications and an Assistant Vice President at Widmeyer Communications where she worked largely on higher education and health issues for clients including the Pfizer Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, and the National Science Foundation. Ms. Hawkins earned her B.A. in Journalism from Howard University.

National Institute for Literacy Staff

Last updated: Thursday, 10-Sep-2009 15:49:18 EDT