Kathleen Gianotti

Kathleen Gianotti has been a familiar face at Central Catholic for the past 20 years, with an even richer connection as a Ram that runs deep in her family’s history. Between father John Casey ‘56, husband Jerry ‘79, father-in-law Jerry ‘52, four siblings-in-law: Alan ‘80, Tom ‘81, Tim ‘83, and Maria ‘86, and three children: Madeleine ‘06, Michaela ‘08, and Kristen ‘12, Kathleen likes to describe herself as “a stakeholder; a Ram through and through.” 

Kathleen initially got involved at the school in 2002, when her older daughter began as a freshman at Central Catholic. This was the beginning of what would become her 10-year journey as a parent, where she spent those years deeply involved in the life of the school. Whether it was cross country, theater, or tennis, she was here as a parent, volunteer, and supporter of the school, enthusiastically helping out in any way she could.

Her official work at Central Catholic started in 2011, during her youngest daughter’s senior year, when she applied for and got a job working in the Christian Service office. Kathleen’s role has evolved over the course of her 11-year career at Central Catholic, where she initially started off doing data entry, inputting service hours into students’ permanent records, as well as chaperoning for service projects. After a few years, her role was eventually folded into Campus Ministry, and her work and responsibilities grew to support both departments.

This work remained steady and consistent up until 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic uprooted Campus Ministry and Christian Service - just like all other aspects of the school. Kathleen and her team were forced to be creative in thinking about how students perform service and remain engaged. One of the highlights for Kathleen during that time was when we started the sack lunch program. She clearly remembers that first collection day, April 24, 2020, when hundreds of Central Catholic families lined up to drop off more than 10,000 sack lunches for Blanchet House.

In the midst of the daily challenges of the pandemic, Kathleen stepped up to fill the role of Christian Service Director when the then-director went on family leave. Working with an enduring sense of commitment and drive, Kathleen kept Christian Service running through one of the most challenging times in the school’s history. Part of it was her ever-present Ram Pride that kept her focused; “I felt committed to it, because this is my home, my community,” she shares.

As she concludes her career and prepares to enter retirement, Kathleen reflects on that which she loves and will miss the most about Central Catholic: the people. She will miss seeing the students every day and witnessing their four years of growth and transformation. “Every year I sit at graduation and I just weep,” she reflects, “thinking about our students when they come in as freshman, watching them mature, seeing their stories unfold and their gifts being shared.” In addition to students, she will dearly miss her colleagues. “I work with the best people, across the board,” she says.

In her retirement, Kathleen is looking forward to spending time with her loved ones. With her three daughters, two grandsons, and extended family living all across the Northwest and beyond, travel is in the future for her. “I will have more space in my life for the people that have always been there for me,” she shares.

No matter where her life or travels will lead her next, one thing remains constant: Kathleen will always be a Ram, through and through.