Katie (Lindberg) Peters ’97
Doctor of Education.
Believer in Human Goodness.

Katie Peters came to St. Ursula Academy from St. John the Baptist parish school in Point Place. At SUA, she excelled in academics, was active in Youth-to-Youth (a drug and alcohol teen group), participated in Spanish Club, and performed in musicals. (Fun Fact: She acted in SUA's first musical, Nunsense, in 1996), but her fondest memories are of the friendships she formed. She explained, "These friendships are still present in my life. The bond of common female experience was powerful in 1997 and remains so today."

Peters holds a bachelor's degree in communications, a master's degree in secondary English, and a doctorate in empathy education.

After 12 years of teaching at Rogers High School in Toledo, she spent another 12 years teaching at Whitmer High School. She lectured at the University of Findlay for three years before becoming Washington Local Schools' Director of Communications.

Peters was recognized for her tireless dedication in 2023, winning Teacher of the Year for Ohio Region 2 by the Ohio Education Association. 

She has been a beacon of hope for local teenagers for more than a decade. She shared, "Teens are the most untapped, brilliant demographic. They are curious, critical thinkers who are hungry for knowledge and really, really funny."

Driven by beliefs instilled in her at SUA, she is committed to arming young people with the tools to light their paths and the confidence to unleash their unique potential. "I had no idea as I exited the doors of SUA how much of my life would be propelled by the confidence I developed there. In every chapter of my life, nothing helped me succeed more than the internal belief that I could do it. SUA gave that to me. I now travel the country talking to people about how compassion and confidence contribute to success."

Leveraging the power of social media for her mission, Peters crafts social media content showcasing her students' daily lives, garnering a viral following of more than 100,000 people. Although initially intended to connect with students during COVID-19, her message still resonates globally and spreads far beyond her student community.

When she's not tied up with social media, the educator tours the country as a Compassion Consultant and author of Lessons from a Late-Bloomer: Finding the Reason for Your Season. Her speaking engagements cover topics such as prioritizing self-care for success and recognizing the lasting effect of kindness, among others.

By intertwining real-life stories with solid scientific evidence, she enlightens corporations and schools on the holistic benefits of compassion. She added, "It's so easy to overlook the discipline that kindness takes. Evil has had the microphone for a long time, but that doesn't mean it's in charge."

According to Peters, early lessons in empathy helped chart her life course; the supportive, encouraging environment SUA supported that mentality to be her 'default' setting.

"If you are unwaveringly kind to someone who is unkind back, you have lost nothing—but they have lost everything. Being kind is a reflection of you. Don't let other people determine who you are. Don't ever let people steal your character."