Katie Nash (she, her, hers)
Originally from Rochester, NY where she previously taught at an all-girls Catholic school, Katie relocated to Arizona in 2014 with her two young daughters and parents to continue teaching science. She immediately noticed a stark contrast between the schools in New York and Arizona - they were overcrowded, under-resourced and in desperate need of improvements. In 2018 she decided to do something about it. She, along with thousands of educators across Arizona, took part in the #RedforEd movement. In Chandler, Katie organized her fellow educators to participate in walk-ins, including one for the entire district of roughly 4,000 staff. She had the opportunity to speak to Governor Ducey about the dire state of public education, but the cries fell on deaf ears. Empowered by the energy of #RedforEd, Katie took on leadership roles in her local education association - first a site representative, then Vice President of Membership and President. During her tenure, Chandler Education Association has become a lighthouse local with initiatives such as a quality teaching and learning committee, a racial and social justice committee and a community coalition for community schools. She continues to advocate for educators at the local, state and national level. Recently, she has appeared on Nightline and Good Morning America to shine a light on public education during a pandemic.