980: Katie Seltzer: Dismantling Systemic Barriers in Education and Leadership | Inclusive

Shameless Leadership

Sara Dean

Self-improvement, How To, Business, Management, Education

4.7 • 800 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

I was recently given the opportunity to step into some volunteer work at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Seattle. While I suspected I would find this work meaningful and enjoyable, I didn’t expect to be so overwhelmingly impressed with every aspect of the Cristo Rey mission and how their work is setting up students to be incredible leaders from such a young age. As this work has quickly become very near and dear to my heart, I thought it would be fun to have a different kind of leadership conversation here on the show. I asked Katie Seltzer, the Vice President of Corporate Work Study at Cristo Rey, to join me. Katie Seltzer leads the expansion of Cristo Rey’s signature (and truly exceptional) Corporate Work Study Program. In her role, Katie nurtures strategic partnerships with employers, ensuring students gain meaningful, real-world professional experience while earning toward the cost of their education. She is committed to preparing students from limited economic means for success in college and career through intentional mentorship, professional development, and high-expectation work placements. Katie’s journey with Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle began as Feasibility Study Director, helping assess and mobilize support for the school’s launch in Seattle. In 2022, she relocated to Seattle to lead the foundational work of opening the new Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, collaborating with volunteers, donors, business leaders, families, and community leaders to bring the mission to open its doors in 2024. She holds a Master's degree from both Harvard Divinity School and Harvard’s Graduate School. Originally from the East Coast, she calls Queen Anne home now with her husband and six-year-old son. Listen in to hear Katie share: How she connects her family’s three generations of educational values to her work, impact, and service today Her commitment to expanding equitable outcomes and what that looks like in action in her current VP role Cristo Rey’s unique educational model built on service, mentorship, and sponsorship What it looks like when work and leadership opportunities are integrated into high school education programming The significance of providing a culture of belonging in Fortune 500 companies for young people who commonly face barriers to belonging A systems thinking approach to leadership legacy that layers youth leadership, educational leadership, and organizational leadership The power of dismantling systemic barriers to provide opportunity and advancement in your community and workplaces Links Mentioned: Watch the Cristo Rey Draft Day 2025 video: https://www.cristoreyseattle.org/corporate-work-study/cws-draft-day-2025 Learn more about Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle: cristoreyseattle.org Learn more about the Cristo Rey Network: cristoreynetwork.org Connect with Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-seltzer Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to shameless leadership. I'm your host, Sarah Dean. This show is for women, transgender people, non-binary folks, as well as allies, who are committed to advancing their leadership while also advancing the leadership of those around them. In each episode, we will offer practical tips, leadership strategies, and inspiring
0:21.9	stories to help you become a more confident, compassionate, and inclusive leader. The truth is,
0:27.5	you were born to lead. What might happen for you if you were to wholeheartedly embrace that
0:32.2	part of yourself? So let's start now, together. Hello, shameless leaders. Today's episode is a little different, a little special.
0:40.3	It's actually inspired by some volunteer work I'm doing.
0:43.3	So I was recently given the opportunity to step into some volunteer work at Christo
0:47.7	Ray Jesuit High School in Seattle.
0:49.9	And while I pretty quickly knew this was going to be fun and exciting and really meaningful and
0:55.9	impactful work, I did not expect to be so deeply touched and just blown away impressed by
1:02.3	every aspect of the Christo Rey mission and how their work is setting up these incredible
1:07.5	students to be really strong leaders from a really young age. So as my work has
1:12.5	quickly become really near and dear to my heart as I've been getting to know people in the
1:16.1	Krista Ray community, I thought it would be fun to have a different kind of conversation on the
1:19.9	podcast today and talk about leadership in some different realms that we haven't touched on before.
1:24.9	So I asked Katie Selzer, who is the vice president of corporate
1:28.0	work study at Krista Ray to join me, and she said yes. And so this conversation is something special.
1:35.6	A little bit about Katie and her work. So Katie Seltzer leads the expansion of Krista Ray's signature
1:41.8	and truly exceptional corporate work study program here in Seattle at Kristo Ray Jesuit. In her role, Katie nurtures strategic partnerships with employers, ensuring that students gain meaningful, real-world professional experiences while earning toward the cost of their education. They have a really unique work study program. You're going to hear about it in our interview today. But Katie gets to set these students up with just incredible jobs on professional
2:05.7	work sites in corporate work experiences from their freshman year in high school, which is so
2:11.2	cool. So Katie's committed to preparing students from limited economic means for success in
2:15.7	college and career through intentional mentorship,
2:17.8	professional development, and high expectation work placements. Katie's journey with Krista
	...

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