Kat Ellison

Kat Ellison is a Superintendent of Equitable Instruction in the Central Valley of California with Aspire Public Schools. Kat has been an education and instructional leader since 2001. Dr. Ellison began her educational journey teaching 5th-grade math in Baton Rouge, LA through Teacher for America. She then started working for Aspire as a 4/5 teacher at River Oaks Charter School and continued to serve as the principal of River Oaks for four years. During this time, she led the school to become one of the top performing schools in the Lodi Unified School District, receiving the Title 1 Academic Achievement Award and California Distinguished School Award. Kat then founded Aspire APEX Academy and led the school through the first four years of establishment, serving a diverse and traditionally underserved community in south Stockton. She now supports principals and the instructional program in the Central Valley as the Associate Superintendent.

Kat holds a BA degree from UC San Diego, a MA in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University, and a Ed.D in Education Administration from the University of the Pacific. She has taught the course Teaching and Assessment as part of the Aspire Teacher Residency program. She loves working for Aspire, and feels a close connection to Aspire’s vision of providing an excellent education so that all students have a path to and through college.

Kat lives with her husband and three children. All three of her children currently attend Aspire Public Schools. She enjoys being a parent in the Aspire family as well as a teammate. For fun, she likes to spend time with her family traveling, watching movies, and attending her children’s many activities including soccer, basketball, baseball, and scouts.