Katie Young
Katie Young
Associate Consulting Director
Katie graduated from the University of Southern California in 2008 with a double major in English and Philosophy, becoming the first in her family to attend a four-year university. Throughout college, Katie volunteered with the Joint Educational Project to teach creative writing workshops for elementary school students, which fostered her passion for educating youth. This led her to obtain her multiple subject teaching credential via UC Irvine.
After moving to the Bay Area in 2011, Katie joined AmeriCorps to serve for one year as the leader of the College and Career Club at the Mission Beacon Center in San Francisco. She became passionate about increasing college access through this role, and sought professional opportunities to advise students on college preparation and applications. She joined the education consulting field in 2012, and began consulting with ILUMIN in 2018.
Throughout her career, Katie has coached students from all backgrounds, grade levels and skill sets, helping them identify interests, pursue goals, and develop holistically on their journey to college. Katie’s primary passion is helping high school seniors identify their strengths, tell their stories through unique personal statements, and present themselves authentically and professionally in their applications.
Katie earned her graduate certificate in Independent Education Consulting from UC Irvine in 2017, as well as her Master’s Degree in Education with a concentration on Counseling from San Jose State University in 2020. Since 2017, she has been a volunteer virtual coach for ScholarMatch, a nonprofit organization focused on making college possible for underserved youth.