Kate Widener

Kate Widener is the Director of College Counseling at Penguin Hall, where she brings a wealth of experience in the field of education. After completing her education, Kate relocated to San Francisco where she worked as a Financial Aid Counselor at the Academy of Art University. She then transitioned to Mercy High School, assuming the role of Guidance Director. Subsequently, Kate moved to Los Angeles where she served as the Co-Director of College Counseling at Immaculate Heart High School. Simultaneously, she also worked as a seasonal Admission Reader at UCLA. While she enjoyed her time on the west coast, her fondness for the New Hampshire seacoast eventually led her back east. Once returned, Kate worked as an Admission Reader for Wellesley College and Brown University, in addition to being one of the pioneering Learning Coaches at College for America – a ground-breaking online competency-based associate degree program offered by Southern New Hampshire University.

Most recently, Kate held the position of Director of College Counseling at Sparhawk School in Amesbury. In this role, she provided personalized guidance and counseling in academic, personal, college, and career matters to a diverse group of students. She also taught essential skills such as crafting personal statements, creating resumes, and navigating the financial aid process. Her extensive experience in high schools and colleges equips her with the confidence to help students discover a school that aligns with their personal and academic aspirations.

In addition to her extensive college and guidance counseling experience at Sparhawk, Kate also served as the Interim Director of the Upper School, offering leadership and guidance to faculty and staff while overseeing all curricular and co-curricular programs.

Outside of her professional life, Kate loves living on the seacoast of New Hampshire. She constantly seeks new adventures and enjoys traveling with her husband and two children.