Katherine (Kathie) Chadaz
Katherine Chadaz is a passionate educator, entrepreneur, and lifelong advocate for student success, with over a decade of experience in elementary education. She is the Owner and Founder of KC Online Tutoring, where for the past three years she has provided tailored, online instruction in Reading, Language Arts, Writing, and Math for students in grades 1–8. Katherine is deeply committed to helping children overcome academic challenges, especially after teaching 3rd grade full-time online during COVID and watching her students and other children impacted by learning gaps, and finds her greatest reward in seeing her students grow, gain confidence, and develop a genuine love for learning. Her approach combines patience, creativity, and personalized strategies to ensure that every student achieves their potential. Katherine’s professional background reflects a strong foundation in IT, Education and Leadership. She holds a BS in Information Systems from Utah State University and an Utah State Teaching License in Elementary Education with an ESL endorsement. She is also certified in LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), a program that she uses for children with major reading gaps. In addition, she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Phoenix, equipping her with advanced skills in management, organization, and strategic planning. Over the course of her career, Katherine has served as a Network Engineer, a Project Manager - where she and her team ensured that their company’s major networks were ready for Y2K, an Elementary Classroom teacher for 13 years, an Elementary Online instructor for 3 years during COVID, adjunct faculty member for DeVry University, Axia College and University of Phoenix, and area chair for the Business Systems and Analysis department at UOP, demonstrating a consistent commitment to innovative teaching practices, mentorship, and fostering meaningful student outcomes. She has been able to integrate her understanding of online education and her extensive IT knowledge to successfully launch her own online tutoring company. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kathie enjoys reading, watching true crime shows, solving puzzles, and spending quality time with her eight-week-old grandson. She is also a waiting on a kidney transplant, actively raising awareness and advocating for support with her newly learned awareness of how many people are on transplant lists around the world, and sharing this information within the health and online communities, Katherine’s resilience, compassion, and unwavering dedication continue to inspire her students, colleagues, and the families she serves, making a lasting impact both in education and in the broader community.
• Honored Listee - Marquis Who's Who
• University of Phoenix - MBA
• Utah State University - BS Info Sys
• LinkedIn
• Volunteers with GiftWorks
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to God, feeling truly blessed and guided in my professional journey. I believe that my calling has been divinely led, and I am grateful for the direction, opportunities, and support I have received along the way, which have allowed me to serve with purpose and dedication.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was when getting laid off in the IT industry, twice in 16 months, to lean into the off-time, enjoy my own 2 little ones and something better would come along. They, of course had no way to know that this was the pivotal event in my life that led me to teaching these little ones. I’ve never looked back, even when I knew I could be making much more money going back into the IT world. But I always told those who asked why I didn’t go back, including my father, that no matter how many computers I fixed, not one of them wanted a hug at the end of the day!
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering this field to prepare to develop resilience and patience, as every child is unique and requires a different approach. It’s essential to show each child that they are valued and loved, as fostering a supportive and caring environment greatly enhances their ability to learn and thrive.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say the biggest challenges are the wide array of learning gaps seen throughout all grades. Covid through education into a huge reason to keep kids at home and many students in every state were lost from the school rolls. Those coming back are missing vital skills needed from reading, writing and math that unless those gaps are filled, will hinder students all the way through the rest of their educational journey. However, there is nothing better than watching the face of a little one light up when they finally understand a concept they have been struggling with.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important in my life are family, faith, and hard work. Family is not only important in my life, but in the lives of these little ones that need our help. My faith is inter-woven through both my personal and professional life. I know that I was led to become a teacher and to help these kids be the best they can be. Nothing comes for free or without - a very wise, military father taught me how to work hard, and it’s been one of the foundations of my life.