Kathy Gonzalez joined the Hawken community in 2018 after serving 13 years as the Director of Enrollment Management at University Prep in Seattle, WA. She has worked in independent schools for more than 25 years and was drawn to Hawken for its innovation in education and commitment to building each student’s character and intellect. Kathy is a founder of the Puget Sound Independent Schools (PSIS) admission consortium and Seattle’s annual Independent School Fair for People of Color. For seven years Kathy served on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Call to Action, a national think tank and advisory council on diversity in independent schools. In addition, she chaired the NAIS People of Color Conference in Seattle, WA in 2006. The Enrollment Management Association (EMA) named Kathy the 2016 recipient of the Everett E. Gourley Award, given to an educator whose interest in students and concern for colleagues is an inspiration to those who serve in admission.
 
Currently, Kathy serves on the board of trustees for the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) in New York City, now in her third term. She also serves as a mentor for Leadership for Enrollment and Admission Professionals (LEAP), a co-sponsored program by the Association of Independent School Admission Professionals (AISAP) and Vanderbilt University.  
 
A Seattle native and proud mother of three adult children, Ayana (29), Coryn (27) and Elijah (23), Kathy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and cooking, gardening and listening to live music with her husband Margarito.