Katie Granholm
High School Counselor | Workshop Speaker
Katie is a college counselor at a Catholic high school where she guides students and families through the college preparation, application, scholarship and financial aid processes.
Prior to serving in her current role, Katie spent the first fifteen years of her career in higher education, helping ensure that new students transitioned seamlessly into college life. As the Associate Director for New Student Programs at DePaul University, Katie was responsible for designing and implementing large-scale orientation and retention initiatives for first-year and transfer students. In addition to her work as an administrator, Katie has also taught college leadership courses and worked in admissions at two private universities in Illinois.
With experience on both the high school and college sides of the admissions process, Katie brings a unique perspective to her work. She understands the factors contributing to student success in college, and helps to foster those skills and traits in her students. In her work with students and parents, Katie strives to help students identify colleges and universities that provide the best fit based on financial, academic, admissions and personal characteristics.
Katie has received several accolades for her work with students in transition: The Illinois Association for College Admissions Counseling’s 2004 Newcomer Recognition Award, and the 2008 Outstanding New Professional Award and the 2012 President’s Award from NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bradley University, where she was a NCAA division I student-athlete, and a master’s degree in education from Illinois State University.
Katie lives in the western suburbs with her husband and two young children. She enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with her family.