Maria Coady is the Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Education at North Carolina State University and a Professor of Multilingual Education. Her work examines bi/multilingualism, multilingual learners in rural communities, and teacher education.

Dr. Coady has extensive experience preparing educators for multilingual learners in the United States and abroad and serves on local, state, and national boards. She has been the recipient of federal and private research grants, awards for community-engaged research and student advising, and fellowships with the Fulbright Commission. She has consulted with the US Department of Justice and the Office for Civil Rights on matters related to language education.