2014 Tillman Scholar
Katherine has a unique vision for a system of charter schools located near active duty military bases specifically engineered to meet the unique requirements of military dependents. Her life experience as a military spouse and mother, professional qualifications as a teacher in K-12 school systems across 8 states, and professional experience securing a DODEA grant partnering a technology firm with a local charter school created this vision for the future. This vision, empowered by a degree in Administration and Leadership from George Washington University, has afforded Katherine the qualification to design and create a replicable, standardized, and quality education system for military families.
For the past four years, Katherine has worked at FedEx Freight in the Learning and Development arm of the organization as a Manager of Design and Development, where her team creates growth and development programming focused on soft skill education, leadership, and inclusion programming. Before her corporate career, Katherine was in education for nearly 20 years, teaching in K-12 classrooms before taking on roles as a High School administrator. During her time in public education, Katherine was named the Carteret County Assistant Principal of the year 2016-2017 and Principal of the Year in 2018-2019.
Katherine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Seattle Pacific University and a Reading Specialist certification from the University of California. She is a World Institute of Action Learning Coach. In 2014, she earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University, where she was also named a 2014 Pat Tillman Scholar. As a PTF scholar Katherine has been a regional Captain and participated in a variety of volunteer efforts to support the organization. Katherine has presented frequently on educational disparities in public education. She has also led Executive Leadership training on various topics, including change management, conflict resolution, and diversity and inclusion. Katherine is a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University. As an adjunct professor she teaches Organizational Behavior to MBA Candidates. Her practice and research fields involve diversity, inclusion, organizational trust, and employee engagement.