Kate Lewis
Meet Our People!
About Oli > Our People > Kate Lewis
Kate Lewis brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to her dual roles as a STEM Teacher and Student Activities Coordinator at Oliverian. Her fascination with understanding how things work guided her through studies in mechanical and biomedical engineering. Kate’s professional path took her to the Netherlands, where she worked as a project engineer at a research hospital. There, she collaborated with surgeons globally to develop a machine—affectionately dubbed the “SophistiKate” by her colleagues—that replicates heart and lung functions to support kidney preservation outside the body. This machine has continued to be used in research labs across Europe to enhance organ quality for transplantation.
Though her engineering career was fulfilling, Kate missed working with teenagers in the great outdoors. She transitioned from engineering to become a summer camp director in Texas before finding her place at Oliverian. Since joining our community, Kate has fully embraced the outdoors. She has taken up skiing, explored Iceland with students, hiked numerous mountains, and enjoyed paddling adventures with colleagues and friends. Kate is thrilled to continue exploring the natural beauty of New England and sharing her adventures with the Oliverian community.
What do you love most about working at Oliverian?
“I love the focus Oliverian puts on building relationships with the students. The most impactful educators in my life have always been those who took the time to get to know me outside of the classroom. Those teachers shaped not only my academic life, they opened my eyes to the potential I had within and gave me the confidence to tackle any challenges I faced in college and beyond.”
What motivates you to work with young people?
“I love working with teenagers because of their unique mixture of curiosity and creativity. They are not afraid to question the world around them and I enjoy being there to encourage their curiosity and push them to think critically and formulate informed opinions. I also think teenagers have a knack for reminding us to not get wrapped up in the busyness of life, but rather to sit back and enjoy the moment.”
