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Meet Our Founder,Ā  Katie

Meet katie 

Imagine if...

...you woke up each morning feeling rejuvenated and excited to teach, knowing you have the tools and strategies to manage stress and nurture your well-being alongside your students'.

 

...your classroom transformed into a sanctuaryĀ where every child feels seen, heard, connected, and empowered to develop social emotional competence and explore their full potential, fostering a love of learning and sense of compassion that they carry into the world with them.

 

...youĀ could leave the parking lot every afternoonĀ feeling far more fulfilledĀ instead of frustrated or fatigued because your day was filled with alignment, awareness, and attunement of your needs, along with the needs of your students.

 

...you foundĀ harmony between passion for your work and personal life joy, where boundaries are set to protect your energy and weekends are for relaxation, not catching up on work.

 

...you became anĀ educational trailblazer, inspiring not only your students but also your colleagues and the community, toĀ embrace a holistic approach to learning and well-being.

 

Imagine if...

  • ...you woke up each morningĀ feeling rejuvenated and excited to teach, knowing you have the tools and strategies toĀ manage stress and nurture your well-being alongside your students'.
  • ...your classroom transformed into a sanctuaryĀ where every child feels seen, heard, connected, and empowered toĀ develop social emotional competence and explore their full potential, fostering a love of learning and sense of compassion that they carry into the world with them.
  • ...youĀ could leave the parking lot every afternoonĀ feeling far more fulfilledĀ instead of frustrated or fatigued because your day was filled with alignment, awareness, and attunement of your needs, along with the needs of your students.
  • ...you foundĀ harmony between passion for your work and personal life joy, where boundaries are set to protect your energy and weekends are for relaxation, not catching up on work.
  • ...you became anĀ educational trailblazer, inspiring not only your students but also your colleagues and the community, toĀ embrace a holistic approach to learning and well-being.

"Quote about something here"

Now, I know, I know. Depending on the school climate and inequities where you work, these might seem like some lofty visions. I've been there. I've felt all the frustration, overwhelm, and exhaustion of teaching. And to tell you the truth, if you'd told me to imagine these things back then, I probably would have laughed at you. And cried a little on the inside. My students' lives were beyond hard, with the stark realities of racism and poverty affecting so many aspects of their worlds. The inequities in school funding and resources were ever present in my school and district. And then there was of course just the regular adversity involved in teaching. Teaching was one of the biggest challenges of my life.

I'm not laughing at these ideas any more, though, because I've helped hundreds of passionate educators - even when feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and exhausted - turn these visions into reality.

 

And I'm optimistic that you can get closer and closer to turning these into reality too…

With a little support, and some new, empowering tools and ways of thinking about your work.

That's why I'm here!

So What's the Story?

Well...

After my naive notions of teaching got rocked to the core nearly 20 years ago, and an educational coach restored my faith in what was possible in the classroom with solid support, I decided that empowering other educators was going to be a huge part of my path. 

I also decided that with the limited time and resources we have in education, that I was going to work in the areas that were the most powerful. Most bang for your buck is kind of my jam. So, in all my different roles - educational consultant, professional development facilitator, school psychologist, teacher educator, and researcher - I became an advocate for prevention rather than reaction. Think systems and strategies that set kids and schools up for success rather than putting out fires and slapping on band-aids down the road. 

One of those strategies is Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). Identifying and managing emotions, having empathy for others, fostering positive relationships with self and others, and making responsible decisions are key to children's well-being and success in all areas of learning. After trying several SEL programs over the years, I found Kimochis® (which means "feelings" in Japanese), and I fell in love. The highly engaging, tangible, interactive Kimochis®  materials and tools help children connect with themselves and others, and develop core SEL competencies, in magical ways. 

After many years of experiencing the Kimochis® magic in my work (and life), and being mentored by the amazing Ellen Dodge, Curriculum Author and Education Director, I became a Kimochis® Certified Trainer in 2016.

I feel excited to share my love for Kimochis® tools with you. 

Read More

Is there  more to the Story?

There's almost always more to the story. In my case, "crazy-busy" has been an unfortunate mantra through most of my career in education. Working ridiculous hours to be the best...to do the best possible work for my students and the teachers I support...to perfectionistic standards. Add in the demands of motherhood, and you have a recipe for disaster. On my very, very long to-do list, I was last. Actually, I didn't even make the list. Chronic headaches were my body's way of telling me I shouldn't neglect myself anymore, but I didn't take the hint. My students' lives seemed far harder than mine. And my own kids' needs were intense. So I thought, suck it up and deal. Work harder, push through.

2017

My health got worse and worse. I even lost my voice for a month. Yes, a whole month. Imagine running meetings, working with students, and raising two young children without a voice.  

And then... physical and mental health crash and burn. Chronic illness taking hold. So, at that point, I was forced to put myself at the top of my to-do list. I finally started to tune in and really listen to my body and soul. 

2019

As much as my emotions around putting myself first were (and still are) messy, self-care felt great. I noticed how much more present I was in my work and home, how much more I could handle all the challenges, how much better I was able to connect with others, because I'd finally connected with myself.

As I continued to consult with and coach educators, I started to notice how much their burnout, their self-neglect was getting in the way for them too. I realized that educators taking care of themselves was a huge missing layer of how we can best support the students we love so much.

 

2021

And that's the story of how my passion for educator well-being and radical self-care was born. 

I'm here now to share all the tricks and tips I've learned along my journey of being an educator, mama, woman with chronic illness, and most recently self-care warrior.

So you can improve your well-being, and in turn, better support the well-being and success of your students (and even your own kids if you're a mama like me). 

 

Is there more to the story? 

2015

There's almost always more to the story. In my case, "crazy-busy" has been an unfortunate mantra through most of my career in education. Working ridiculous hours to be the best...to do the best possible work for my students and the teachers I support...to perfectionistic standards. Add in the demands of motherhood, and you have a recipe for disaster. On my very, very long to-do list, I was last. Actually, I didn't even make the list. Chronic headaches were my body's way of telling me I shouldn't neglect myself anymore, but I didn't take the hint. My students' lives seemed far harder than mine. And my own kids' needs were intense. So I thought, suck it up and deal. Work harder, push through.

2017

My health got worse and worse. I even lost my voice for a month. Yes, a whole month. Imagine running meetings, working with students, and raising two young children without a voice.  

And then... physical and mental health crash and burn. Chronic illness taking hold. So, at that point, I was forced to put myself at the top of my to-do list. I finally started to tune in and really listen to my body and soul. 

2019

As much as my emotions around putting myself first were (and still are) messy, self-care felt great. I noticed how much more present I was in my work and home, how much more I could handle all the challenges, how much better I was able to connect with others, because I'd finally connected with myself.

As I continued to consult with and coach educators, I started to notice how much their burnout, their self-neglect was getting in the way for them too. I realized that educators taking care of themselves was a huge missing layer of how we can best support the students we love so much.

2021

And that's the story of how my passion for educator well-being and radical self-care was born. 

I'm here now to share all the tricks and tips I've learned along my journey of being an educator, mama, woman with chronic illness, and most recently self-care warrior.

So you can improve your well-being, and in turn, better support the well-being and success of your students (and even your own kids if you're a mama like me). 

I'm also...

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Married to an equally passionate fellow educator (high school math teacher yay)

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Mama to two vastly different kiddos, ages 8 and 10, who give me a daily run for my money and have been my greatest teachers, making me a far more compassionate and humble educator and human

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Lover of the beach, dance parties in the kitchen, all things Bréne Brown, mellow yoga, watching sports and theater, card games, and reading about all things related to child development, education, social justice, personal growth, and well-being!

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If you're feeling CURIOUS about a sampling of

my relevant professional experience and credentials...

 

  • Over 10 years of facilitating consultation, coaching, and professional development supporting teachers, administrators, and school-based mental health professionals in being better equipped to implement multi-tiered intervention plans using evidence-based tools and strategies that support children’s social-emotional, behavioral, and academic success
  • PhD and MA in Education, with a Specialization in School Psychology, from UC Berkeley
  • Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Psychology
  • Part-Time Prevention-Focused School Psychologist - who also serves as an administrator - in a School District in the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Kimochis® Certified Trainer: Elementary, Early Childhood, Schoolwide, Mental Health, Parent Education (2016-Present)
  • Coordinated an Early Childhood Behavioral Wellness Team
  • Developed a preschool-specific Student Success Team guide 
  • Developed a district-wide Section 504 Procedural Manual 
  • Received a Spencer Research Training Fellowship, UC Berkeley
  • Received a UC Berkeley Center for Child and Youth Policy Dissertation Award
  • Conducted research and facilitated professional development as part of several early literacy projects and initiatives
  • Voted Teacher of the Year, Lincoln Elementary, Greater New Orleans Area, 2004
  • Served as Chair of an Elementary School PBIS Leadership Team
  • BA in Human Development from UC San Diego

Let's Chat

 

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