Meet Katie Lootens, a versatile and accomplished educator with experience in international development and business. Katie holds a BA in Political Science and African and African-American Studies from Duke University, as well as a Masters of Management Studies from Duke Fuqua School of Business. Her career began with internships at Building Tomorrow and The Corporate Council on Africa, where she later served as the Program Manager of Health. In 2012, Katie joined the Peace Corps to teach English as a foreign language and participate in development projects in Benin, West Africa. Afterward, she worked as an English as a Second Language teacher with English Now! in Bethesda, Maryland before beginning her current role as a partner teacher and assistant teacher in the 4th grade classroom at Horace Mann Elementary School in Washington, D.C.

Through her background and experiences, Katie has developed expertise in education, international development, cross-cultural communication, program management, and business relations. Her interests range from girls' empowerment and hygiene to English language acquisition and private sector investment in Africa.