Katherine D. Carter
Katherine D. Carter has resided in Upper Gwynedd for almost twenty years, and she currently serves as a Commissioner on the Board of Upper Gwynedd Township as well as the Public Safety Liaison. A proponent of lifelong learning, she continually strives to hone her skills as a commissioner through professional development in Land development, Zoning, Police Relations and more. Katherine Carter was appointed to serve as a member of Montgomery County Community College’s Board of Trustees in 2023. She is also on the boards of Victim Services, Because of Them Foundation and RSVP of Montgomery County. She works hard to be an active participant on all of the boards.
A native of Philadelphia, Katherine is a devoted educator who recently retired from the School District of Philadelphia after serving in the roles of teacher, dean of students and principal, since 1983. She is a member of the retired International Brotherhood of Teamsters: CASA-Local 502, where she is on the Bereavement and Scholarship Committees. She also continues to mentor and work with principals and aspiring principals on budgets, staffing and other concerns.
Passionate about serving others, Katherine has won numerous awards for her community involvement and leadership. She continues to build up and inspire others to do better and accomplish more. As principal of Locke Elementary School, Katherine worked with many outside agencies to obtain grants and services for her school; including Children’s Hospital, Haverford Health Center, Drexel University Lindy Program, Transform Church, Mt. Pisgah Church, Health Partners Plan and Episcopal Community Services. Under her leadership, the school received many awards and grants, including Community School, PBIS, Promise Neighborhood, Blended Learning and Early Literacy.
Those who know Katherine describe her leadership style as one of trust, commitment and fairness. She has a thorough knowledge of school structures, budgets, data interpretation and aligning resources to meet the needs of teachers, students and the surrounding school community. These traits with her excellent verbal facility enable her to express herself and present topics indubitably. She has a creative imagination that allows her to build connections to help others be successful, and her most impressive ability is her team-building skills. She also has the physical energy and drive to excel no matter the demands of any situation.
Katherine is one of the quadruplet daughters born to Denna and Johnnie McKellar. She graduated from West Catholic Girls’ High, Chestnut Hill College, Cheney and St. Joseph’s Universities, she also received her ESL certification. She is a proud Navy Veteran wife and mother of two.
Katherine lives by the motto, "treat others the way you want to be treated.” Her strongest characteristics include patience, consideration, emotional stability and good judgment. Katherine is an ardent “Philadelphia Phan” (especially for the Philadelphia Eagles) as well as a gadget enthusiast and Harry Potter fan. She enjoys taking care of her 97 year old mom, watching documentaries and reading about history. Her favorite pastimes are traveling, gardening and spending time with her family.
