About Dr. Kat

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 Born and raised in a close-knit family in Portland, Oregon, “Dr. Kat” was taught the importance of family, community, and education very early in life. From the age of eight, she taught neighborhood children to read and write with the ambition of having all her childhood “students” become competent readers as early as kindergarten. As an adolescent, she had the desire to learn a second language. Already fascinated by Latin American culture, Kathlyn quickly fell in love with the region, the Spanish language and the Black and Brown people who spoke it. She eventually became proficient in Spanish and intrigued with bilingual education, which became her vocation. Early in her career, Kathlyn served as a volunteer English as a second language (ESL) instructor to Spanish-Speaking immigrants living in Hillsboro and Portland, Oregon. She also taught in Heredia, Costa Rica and Cuernavaca, Mexico. With that experience, she developed a curriculum for Latino/a/Latinx families to advance their English language skills and created a bilingual curriculum that centered around the importance of “la familia.” After several years as a bilingual ESL teacher, Kathlyn decided to take a deeper dive into education. She earned advanced degrees: a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching from The University of Arizona and two master’s degrees in Adult and Secondary Education from Portland State University and Concordia University Portland. Through her post-graduate studies she gained greater knowledge, insightful learning theories and strategies on how to effectively engage students through language and culture and how to positively motivate them to learn. She taught Spanish at all academic levels during her 12 year stint in Tucson, AZ, including the collegiate level at the University of Arizona, as well as English literacy at elementary and secondary school levels. She utilized culturally relevant materials and encouraged family involvement, creating a positive learning environment for her students. During what turned out to be the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, she lived in the coastal city of Mazatlan, Mexico, further sharpening her knowledge and cultural base, as well as her fluency in ESPAÑOL. Before returning to Portland in March 2023, Dr. Kat worked as a RTI (Response to Intervention Reading Specialist) for the African American Student Services Department at the Tucson Unified School District. She taught African refugee children literacy skills and served as an advocate for their families, connecting them to resources in the school district. Kathlyn currently works as a case manager, covering six school districts in Multnomah County Oregon. She is passionate about advocating for her students, and their families. Aiding them in building their social capital, and encouraging them to live up to their full potential. As a life-long learner, she continues to learn, grow and explore ways to empower the communities she serves, restoring HOPE through encouragement, and inspiration!