Katherine Bathgate

Founding Board Chair

Katherine Bathgate is the CEO & Co-Founder of SchoolForward, a communications, advocacy, and strategy firm advancing education reform across the United States. She has helped pass dozens of school choice and education reform bills, led extensive message research and polling projects, helped thousands of educators exercise their First Amendment rights regarding union membership, and directed media relations for two Supreme Court cases. Previously, Ms. Bathgate led communications and marketing at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and served as Deputy Press Secretary for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce. She is a frequent speaker and instructor on education policy and advocacy and has presented for organizations including the American Enterprise Institute, EdChoice, State Policy Network, ExcelinEd, and Education Reformers Academy. She also serves on the President’s Advisory Council for the Society for Classical Learning. Ms. Bathgate studied philosophy and public affairs at Claremont McKenna College and moved to Park City with her family in 2018. Telos began in her family’s barn in 2021.