Catalina Martinez
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Catalina holds degrees from Northwestern University and Maryville University and has nearly three decades of experience working in schools, beginning her career as a teacher before professionally segueing into DEI work 10 years ago. Catalina has presented in many local and national conferences, including Summit for Transformative Learning and the People of Color Conference. She arrives at Northwest after working as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, Missouri. In her role, she started and led the faculty and staff diversity team, with the purpose of integrating diversity responsibilities at an institutional level, and helped teachers develop curriculum to support equitable practices in the classroom. In her cover letter, Catalina wrote about how she had heard of Northwest School through professional channels: “Most impactful, however, is Northwest’s commitment to equity and social justice and its understanding of the value of a diverse workplace and student body. Your holistic approach to education and your core values of respect, integrity, and safety also resonates with me deeply.”
