This award honors an individual whose sustained commitment to service has made a meaningful impact within KDP and the education profession. For Dr. Booker, that spirit of service is not just something she demonstrates—it is part of the legacy she continues to build.
At Prairie View A&M University, Dr. Booker is widely respected as a dynamic leader, tenured professor in the Whitlowe R. Green College of Education, and coordinator of the reading program. Her journey with Prairie View A&M began as a student, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education before continuing her academic path with a master’s degree in reading from the University of Northern Colorado and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston.
Throughout her career, Dr. Booker has remained deeply committed to literacy, student achievement, and preparing future educators to make a lasting difference in their classrooms. Her scholarship focuses on innovative reading strategies, parental education, literature, and strengthening reading education, and she has shared her expertise at conferences locally, nationally, and internationally.
Within KDP, Dr. Booker’s impact is especially meaningful. As KDP’s longest-serving Chapter Counselor, she has helped create a community where future educators feel supported, encouraged, and connected to a larger professional purpose. Her induction into the Eleanor Roosevelt Chapter in 2023 reflects a career marked by excellence, leadership, and service.
Dr. Booker’s influence has also been recognized through numerous honors, including Prairie View A&M University’s President’s Teaching Award, the Dean’s Excellence Award from the College of Education, and the 2025 Dr. Frank T. Hawkins Distinguished Scholar Award from the Research Association of Minority Professors. She has also been recognized for an extraordinary 55 years of service to Prairie View A&M University.
Guided by her personal motto, “Committed to Excellence in Education,” Dr. Booker reminds us that service excellence is built over time through dedication, purpose, and a willingness to lift others along the way.
To see more of the 2026 KDP Founders Day Award winners click here.