KATHLEEN BRUMLEY
Mathematics Teacher
Fremont High School
Fremont, CA

Kathleen Brumley recalls her high school teachers making classes interesting by bringing their industry experience into the classroom. “One teacher piqued my interest in electrical engineering because of the field’s heavy dependence on math.”

Kathleen kept her focus on electrical engineering through college, earning a degree in the field from the Tulane School of Engineering.  As a student in New Orleans, Kathleen had many opportunities to compare and contrast life in Denver, where she grew up, and life in New Orleans. “I was excited by New Orleans' significant racial diversity, dismayed by the amount of poverty, and appalled that anyone who could send their children to private schools rather than using the public education system did so. This is when I first became aware of how education relates to issues of social justice.” 

After graduation Kathleen spent four years working for a medical device company, while volunteering at a shelter and worked with church groups in her spare time.  The experiences were rewarding and Kathleen realized that she wanted to spend more time engaged with her community. “I enjoyed the technical side of my work less than I enjoyed working with others – explaining, learning, and problem-solving together.”   She decided to focus on becoming a teacher.

Kathleen earned her master's degree in education and mathematics and her teaching credential from the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP).  She began teaching at East Palo Alto Academy High School, a small charter school serving low-income, inner-city youth, in 2006.