Ms. Kates has experience as a teacher, curriculum specialist, and principal. She has been associated with Seattle University for the past 11 years as principal of Beacon Hill Elementary School, a partner school with the MIT program for six years, as a supervisor of student teachers in the MIT program for five years and as program director for the Professional Certification Program for five years. She received the Elementary Distinguished Principal Award from the Seattle Association of Elementary Principals in 1996, the Outstanding Educator Award from the Washington State PTA in 2000 and the Seattle Alliance for Education’s A+ Educator Award in 2000.