As the granddaughter of a housekeeper, cook, and laborer and the daughter of educators, Katrece Nolen understands firsthand the challenges faced by families trying to make ends meet. She knows that many families face challenging experiences but given an opportunity their children can reach their highest potential. She received one such opportunity from her high school pre-calculus teacher, who recommended she attend a summer engineering camp. That exposure resulted in her receiving a degree in industrial engineering and later an MBA. With 22 years of experience, her career has taken her through a range of industries to include airline, defense, and healthcare.

Her education advocacy began in earnest with a call from a neighbor to engage on plans to rezone children in their community for the 3rd time due to the opening of a new school. Her attention and focus then migrated to the need to significantly move the needle and close the achievement gap that was reported year after year by the school superintendent. This report on the education outlook for marginalized LCPS students did not appear to be changing and a significant proportion of the student body was not reaching their fullest potential to attain the knowledge, skills, and experiences to be college and life ready to make meaningful contributions to the world.

An eight-year survivor of Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Ms. Nolen personally knows that education inequalities underly many health disparities. It is for this reason that she advocates across two fronts, education and cancer disparities. In her book, “I've Been Diagnosed, Now What? Courageously Fighting Cancer in the Face of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, she documents her journey from uninformed patient to self-advocate. Known for her ability to break complex concepts down in a fresh and relatable way, she shares a variety of methods and strategies other survivors may use to build their own community of support and not just survive, but thrive!

Katrece has had the opportunity to speak at business and cancer conferences and for organizations, including McKinsey & Company on the cancer patient experience.

An Oklahoma native, Katrece holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and an M.B.A. from George Washington University. She has served on various health and education-related committees and councils and currently resides outside the Washington D.C. beltway, in Northern Virginia with her husband and children.

Healthcare Advocacy, Patient Advocacy, Health Disparities, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Education Equity