An insatiable curiosity has taken Katie from the suburbs of Chicago where she was born, to 48 states and over 30 countries around the world. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kentucky, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona with Teach For America where she taught 3rd grade English language learners and earned her master’s degree in elementary education from Arizona State University. From there, Katie joined KIPP Austin Public Schools as a 5th grade math teacher, founding middle school teacher, assistant principal, instructional coach, and math curriculum writer. A self-proclaimed “life-long learner”, she continued her education outside the U.S. and received a master’s of science degree in evidence-based education from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands where she also interned with the Dutch Ministry of Education. Katie then went on to found a primary school in Nairobi, Kenya with Nova Pioneer Schools, serving as dean of instruction and instructional coach. Since 2018, she has worked for state departments of education in Texas and Tennessee leading statewide initiatives as the Director of Elementary, Middle, and State Programs, Chief of Whole Child Initiatives, and consultant and facilitator for alignment and coherence of key strategic concepts. This state-level work has included the procurement of open education resources, a statewide reading initiative, and advancement of holistic supports for students. Understanding that teacher efficacy is the single most important school-based factor in educational outcomes, followed by high-quality instructional materials, Katie is thrilled to be supporting instructional leadership with EdBetter. In her free time, you can find her hiking, reading, trying a new restaurant, or planning a trip. Seriously, if you want a travel itinerary whipped up in a flash – just ask!
My EdBetter Story
With experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and researcher, I know how influential the quality of both instructional materials and instruction are to the success of our students. Yet, it has been a challenge to grasp how well materials are being used along side the effectiveness of instructional practices. EdBetter is the solution that enables efficient insights into the classroom experience in order to best educate students
