Cynthia Harter is a Professor of Economics and the Director of the Center for Economic Education at Eastern Kentucky University. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in economics from Purdue University and her B.A. in economics from Tulane University. Her academic specializations are in the areas of economic education and financial literacy, and she has published articles in several journals, including The Journal of Economic Education, The American Economist, Southern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Journal, and International Review of Economics Education. She was awarded the 2017 Henry H. Villard Research Award and the 2020 Phil Saunders Best Paper in Economic Education Award from the National Association of Economic Educators, as well as the 2021-22 Eastern Kentucky University Faculty Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award.

Cynthia is an engaged advocate for economic and financial education in Kentucky and has worked to create regional collaborations with other Centers in the state. She has participated in several initiatives with the Kentucky Department of Education to offer expertise in economics and financial literacy. As Center Director, she has coordinated and presented numerous teacher workshops and has helped to bring in over $1 million to EKU. She has taught a variety of economics classes, including the design and teaching of graduate courses for teachers. She was on the faculty of the Council for Economic Education’s Training of Trainers program and conducted teacher workshops in Latin America and is on the Board of Directors of the Global Economic Education Alliance and has conducted teacher workshops in Estonia and Latvia. She was honored with the 2020-21 Jack L. Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award by the Eastern Kentucky University College of Business.