Kate McClinton
Director - K12
Kate grew up in a small, sheltered Kentucky town, raised by a bold father and a faith-rooted mother. From an early age, she challenged societal expectations, eventually channeling that energy into advocacy and education. At Transylvania University, she majored in Middle Grades Education with a minor in Women’s Studies, founding organizations focused on equity and trauma support.
She began her teaching career in Lexington before moving to Chicago, where her work in both charter and public schools deepened her commitment to educational equity. There, she sought out grants and resources to better serve low-income communities. After becoming a parent, Kate moved to Atlanta to work with KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools, immersing herself in innovative education and community partnerships.
Through years of grassroots work, collaboration with nonprofits, and policy advocacy, she discovered a passion for project planning and community-building. At 2Revolutions, she brings these skills to support learners and educators with practical tools, resources, and systems that drive real change.
Why are you passionate about this work?
Throughout my 17 years in the education field and my years as a learner, I have experienced some amazing opportunities and have also seen some doors completely slammed and locked on myself and my peers. I have been able to witness inequitable education first-hand, and to work with teachers that are amazing but burnt out after having to consistently fight for just the basics for their scholars. I know there are solutions. I know there are ways to get around these outdated expectations and utilize methods that not only teach our teachers and our scholars, but empower them to thrive. Surviving is not the way to live through life, and my passion is really to develop these systems that allow all educators and learners to enjoy school again and leave their days with knowledge and skills that equip them to excel in society.
Why is it important that we focus on empowering educators?
The culture of a school is built not by the scholars, but by the educators in the classrooms. These humans shape the next generation’s minds and thinking each and every day. When you walk into a classroom of an overwhelmed and exhausted teacher, you are going to see scholars that are blocked and sometimes even traumatized by daily interactions. If an educator feels empowered, their students will feed off that energy and then feel empowered as well. I never understood this until I became a parent and realized that when I was stressed, my kids would misbehave because they were stressed too. The only way to change and shape the next generation to see some success and start moving society forward is to empower those that are in front of them each and every day.
