Judson Laughter is a professor of English education in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the Director of Faculty Affairs for the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.

Laughter has established himself as a nationally recognized scholar and outstanding teacher. His research focuses on culturally relevant teacher education and the preparation of teachers for diverse classrooms. He has done considerable service and community engagement, leading in several areas in his department and in the community. He has served on the Faculty Senate, with experience leading the faculty affairs committee in the Senate.

He earned a BA in English and a BA in French from Vanderbilt, graduating with honors in each subject. He then studied English literature at Keble College of Oxford University as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. Upon returning to the United States, he taught English, language arts, and music at the middle and high school levels before returning to Vanderbilt’s Peabody College to pursue his doctoral degree in teaching and learning. While at Peabody, Laughter supervised student teachers in Nashville and Cambridge, England; wrote reports and protocols for NCATE accreditation; and served as the lead editorial assistant for the National Reading Conference Yearbook.