KATIE ANDERSON
Chaska
Summary
A firm foundation deeply rooted in Christ, with a servant heart to follow God’s calling and will for my life. Mission-driven and visionary educational leader with 16+ years of experience directing early childhood and school-age programs across public and private settings. Proven achievements in operational management, staff development, enrollment growth, accreditation, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Holds a Master's degree in Instruction and Educational Leadership and is recognized for building a healthy and safe learning environment and culture, seeking a position to commit and serve our current and future generations.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Center Director
River Valley Montessori
Savage
03.2025 - Current
- Provide strategic leadership for Montessori early childhood program, overseeing daily operations, staffing, compliance, and program quality.
- Lead and mentor teaching and administrative staff, fostering a collaborative, mission-driven school culture.
- Ensure compliance with state licensing, health and safety regulations, and Montessori best practices.
- Oversee enrollment management, family engagement, tours, onboarding, and ongoing communication.
- Manage staffing schedules, payroll approvals, classroom ratios, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Support curriculum fidelity and instructional excellence aligned with developmental benchmarks.
- Developed and implemented curriculum aligned with Montessori principles.
- Managed staff recruitment, training, and performance evaluations.
- Facilitated communication between parents, staff, and community stakeholders.
- Organized events to promote community engagement and student involvement.
- Coordinated financial planning and budgeting for center operations.
- Monitored classroom environments to foster safe learning spaces.
- Led team meetings to align goals and improve instructional practices.
- Managed daily operations of the center including scheduling, customer service, safety protocols.
- Created and managed plans for emergencies, security concerns, natural disasters and medical incidents.
- Established policies and procedures related to center operations.
- Analyzed data regularly to identify trends that could improve efficiency or effectiveness of services provided by the center.
- Developed and deepened relationships with center children and families.
Director-in-Training → Site Director → Expansion Director
New Creations Child Care & Learning Center (Valley View & Burnsville)
Apple Valley
04.2023 - 03.2025
- Provided executive leadership across two locations with 22 classrooms and 50+ staff.
- Supervised Assistant Director, Classroom Development Director, and teaching teams.
- Managed enrollment pipelines, waitlists, rosters, budgets, and labor percentages.
- Ensured consistent curriculum implementation and instructional quality across sites.
- Led accreditation efforts, licensing compliance, and operational systems during expansion.
- Recruited, trained, supervised, evaluated and mentored staff members.
- Directed the organization's daily operations, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Executive School Director
Kiddie Academy - Edina, MN
03.2020 - 04.2023
- Directed all school operations, including budgeting, staffing, enrollment, and regulatory compliance.
- Strengthened staff retention through incentive programs and positive culture initiatives.
- Led parent relations, community outreach, and enrollment growth strategies.
- Planned and facilitated professional development and monthly staff meetings.
- Developed training materials for staff to enhance curriculum delivery.
- Collaborated with parents to address concerns and improve child care services.
- Monitored compliance with state regulations and quality standards in operations.
- Implemented new policies to streamline daily processes and improve efficiency.
- Mentored staff in best practices for early childhood education techniques.
Assistant Director → Executive Director
The Gardner School (Eagan & Minneapolis, MN)
02.2018 - 09.2020
- Managed full-school operations, including staffing, enrollment, budgeting, and licensing compliance.
- Recruited, trained, and evaluated staff while maintaining ratios and quality standards.
- Oversaw curriculum approval, assessments, and family communication.
- Served as Director of Minneapolis location until closure due to COVID-19 and civil unrest.
Education
Master of Arts (M.A.) - Instruction & Educational Leadership
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Communication Sciences & Disorders
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Skills
- A faithful heart to serve all relations under my umbrella of care
- Role Model & Relationship Builder
- Positive Culture Builder
- Educational & Instructional Leadership
- Daily Operational Management
- Enrollment Growth & Retention
- Curriculum Development & Oversight
- Staff & Student Mentorship
- Staff Supervision & Retention
- Family Engagement & Community Outreach
- Licensing & Accreditation Initiatives
- Budgeting & Resource Allocation
- Strategic Planning & Effective Communicator
- Problem Solving & decision-making
- Record & Schedule Management
- Policies & Procedure Analysis & Initiatives
- Team Management & Collaboration
- Performance Review & Feedback
- Quality Assurance
- Multitasking & Task Prioritization
Certification
- First Aid & CPR, 03/25/26
- Child Passenger Restraint
- Food Safety Certification
Awards
- Employee of the Year - Overall Labor Percentage, 2023
- Enrollment Expert of Achievement Award, 2022
- Master's Thesis: Effective Strategies to Reduce Anxiety in Preschoolers, 2018
Professional Expertise
Expert knowledge of Parent Aware, NAEYC, Cognia, and MN DHS licensing rules & benchmarks
Timeline
Center Director
River Valley Montessori
03.2025 - Current
Director-in-Training → Site Director → Expansion Director
New Creations Child Care & Learning Center (Valley View & Burnsville)
04.2023 - 03.2025
Executive School Director
Kiddie Academy - Edina, MN
03.2020 - 04.2023
Assistant Director → Executive Director
The Gardner School (Eagan & Minneapolis, MN)
02.2018 - 09.2020
Master of Arts (M.A.) - Instruction & Educational Leadership
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - Communication Sciences & Disorders
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire