Katie O'Dell

Katie grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina with two parents who always prioritized her education. She experienced eight years of local and magnet public schooling and four years of private education by the time she arrived at college, and when she reflected then on all that her parents, teachers, and mentors had done to get her there, she realized she didn’t just love school - she loved education - and she still firmly believes in its power to change lives.

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That revelation prompted her to recruit for Teach For America during her time at Princeton University, while also serving as a tutor for incarcerated persons with the Petey Greene Program. Additionally, she has worked as an administrator for Horizons Hampton Roads, a K-8 summer learning camp for students from underserved communities, and most recently served as a Teaching Associate at Norfolk Academy, one of the leading independent schools in the United States.

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As she continues her own education, obtaining a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Notre Dame beginning in the fall of 2021, she is excited to continue to be a part of the work Preface is doing to strengthen communities, open opportunity, and promote learning through literacy and mentorship.

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An alumna of Carmel Christian School, Katie graduated with an A.B. in Philosophy from Princeton University.