Dr. Kathleen Oropallo

Ph.D., M.S. Contact Dr. Kathleen Oropallo

Kathy Oropallo

Kathy is an education expert with experience across the public, private and nonprofit sectors that she brings to her work helping organizations and school systems improve performance and student outcomes.

About Kathleen

Kathy is an education leader and coach for organizations across the public, private and nonprofit education sectors. She collaborates with school and system leadership to align priorities and foster high-performing cultures that generate lasting results.

Kathy has delivered more than 7,000 hours of professional development to leaders and educators nationwide. With a deep passion for designing unique adult and student learning experiences, her expertise as a curriculum designer has equipped her to lead school improvement initiatives in some of the most challenging demographics in the country, including large urban and small, rural districts.

Kathy has published professional development materials for thousands of educators across the country. Her work includes pioneering a national youth educational outreach program for highly-recognized organizations like the National Football League that reached more than 1 million youth across its 12-year run. She has also managed university, school and teacher leadership partnership programs for the National Writing Project.

Prior to joining Studer Education, Kathy held administrative leadership roles within the Florida Department of Education, managing federal grants and delivering professional services to the state’s 67 counties.

Areas of Expertise

  • Organizational Design and Alignment
  • Cultural Change
  • Engagement

Industries

  • Education & Research

Education & Certifications

  • Ph.D., University of North Florida
  • M.S., State University of New York at Oswego
  • B.S., State University of New York at Oswego
  • Sententia Gamification Certification

Insights

  • Embedding Continuous Improvement in K-12 Education Systems

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    Using Continuous Improvement methods, K-12 organizations can prepare for the shifting needs of students and approach improvement proactively using data.

  • Practicing Innovation and Inclusion to Create a Learning Culture in Schools

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    Four school districts that are setting the example for leaving the comfort zone and changing practices to build a culture of continuous learning for employees and students.

  • Move Students Forward with a Focus on Strengths

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    How can we accelerate learning and achieve student equity in schools? Start by operating proactively using an asset-based approach to student progress.

  • How One School District Hardwired Continuous Improvement Practices to Change their Culture and Adjust through Disruption

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    To execute continuous improvement well, continuous learning is a must. Learn how a school district used disruption as the greatest innovator to achieve results.

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Available to Purchase

  • Kathy Oropallo Book 1

    The Young Author Festival Handbook

    Young Author Festivals have been a staple of school and district life for several years. These authors have learned, through experience, some of the best approaches to staging these very special events. This handbook is a compilation of their insights.

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  • Teaching Improvement Science in Educational Leadership: A Pedagogical Guide

    Teaching Improvement Science in Educational Leadership: A Pedagogical Guide

    Teaching Improvement Science in Educational Leadership: A Pedagogical Guide provides a holistic picture for how one might develop stakeholder competency and capacity with improvement science as a signature problem-solving methodology for educational leaders. Dr. Oropallo co-authored the chapter Aligning Values, Goals, and Action and Processes to Achieve Results.

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  • Improvement SCIENCE as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for better Educational Outcomes

    Improvement SCIENCE as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for better Educational Outcomes

    Improvement Science as a Tool for School Enhancement: Solutions for Better Educational Outcomes is a collection of equity-focused improvement science-in-action, school-based case studies led by practitioners. Dr. Oropallo co-authored the chapter Pandemic and a Wildfire Evacuation: Serving Historically Underserved Students During Disasters with the Oregon Superintendent Ryan Carpenter.

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