Meet our Team

​Kathy Rudd

Kathy Rudd (she/her/hers, but not Miss/Ms./Ma'am)- co-founder of BBA - currently leverages her deep belief in students and her love of solving complex problems to lead BBA toward its projected opening in Fall 2022. As a passionate advocate for student-centered learning, Kathy has most recently worked in school administration and teacher training.

After an undergraduate degree in English at the University of Missouri, Kathy taught for three years in CCSD at Canyon Springs High School in North Las Vegas while earning her Master’s in Education from UNLV. Coach Rudd prepared her high school students to thrive as readers, writers, and analytical thinkers in college and beyond.

Kathy then moved to New York to help found a charter high school, where she served first as a master teacher and then as an Assistant Principal. While there, Kathy earned a Master’s in Education in Public School Building Leadership from Columbia University. Kathy moved back to Las Vegas to found Teach for America's regional teacher training program in 2018, where she led four years of summer school and teacher training, bringing nearly 400 new teachers to the community and helping craft their vision for excellence in schools.
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In her free time, Kathy coaches high school volleyball and works on DIY and crafting projects for her new home in downtown Las Vegas, where she lives with her dog, River.

​Katie Krackhardt

​Katie Krackhardt (she/her)- co-founder of BBA – has a passion for trauma-informed education work that permeates everything about Battle Born Academy. As Assistant Principal, she currently leads BBA toward its projected opening in Fall 2022, focusing on student recruitment, developing academic programs, and school culture.

Katie’s commitment to supporting students' emotional and physical well-being began early with her undergraduate research studying the impact of creative dramatics on children’s self esteem. Double majoring in Theatre and Psychology focused on developmental psychopathology, Katie went on to become a secondary school educator, gaining even more practical, hands-on experience as she worked in the Clark County School District, achieving incredible results with middle school math students. While working in secondary education, Katie continued to further her own education by completing a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, Mathematics at UNLV. Katie most recently served as an instructional and leadership coach where she is able to use her expertise to serve teachers in the Las Vegas region, improving classrooms across the community.

In addition to her role as co-founder of Battle Born Academy, Katie currently trains educators, mental health professionals, and wellness enthusiasts to earn their certification in Trauma Recovery Yoga. She recently completed her school administration credential from Johns Hopkins University.