Kathy is passionate about teaching skills for communicating across difference, whether the differences arise across the kitchen table, in the classroom, the board room, or across religious, racial, and political divides. With a degree in Literature from Harvard, Kathy began her career as a high school English and drama teacher. She then earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Teacher Education at Stanford, and directed the Coalition of Essential Schools, a national school-reform organization focused on creating more equitable and vibrant schools. Kathy is the author and co-author of several books on curriculum, teaching, and school reform, including Moral Questions in the Classroom, Teaching as Inquiry, and Choosing Small.
A certified trainer with the Center for Nonviolent Communication, Kathy has been practicing NVC since 1995 teaching it since 2009. For nine years, she led BayNVC’s popular “Living Peace” retreat and Immersion Program. Kathy leads workshops and coaches in a wide variety of contexts with parents, couples, educators, clergy, and therapists, and for non-profit groups.