Kathy Barnes

Professional and Community Leadership Experience

• Member, REACH Women’s Network
• Former volunteer in public schools and other community organizations

Salem Through My Eyes

As a Salem alumna and long-time employee, I like that Salem is a school that has provided generations of girls and women a community where they are taken seriously as scholars, thinkers and leaders. It is a place where each student’s voice matters and can make a difference. At Salem, people care about one another. This combination of education, empowerment and care for one another creates a community like none other. The spirit of Salem lives in each of us for the rest of our lives. As Salem has adapted over 250 years, it is the spirt of this community that endures through the generations.

As a long-time Salem employee, my greatest joy has been being a part of Salem’s evolution through the years and seeing her into the next 250 years. Salem students have always impressed me and that is as true today as it was when I was a first-year student from a small town in New Jersey. As Salem evolves to meet the needs of the next generation of students, I hope today’s students will embrace the Salem Spirit which will endure through their respect of and commitment to one another, to those who came before them, and for those who will inherit this special place after they move on to lead in their community and beyond.

Fun Facts

• During my time as a student, I focused my studies on history and political science equally. As I heard about outstanding professors in other areas, I took a risk and stepped out of my comfort zone to experience a broader academic experience. My other areas of interest were student government, the National Model United Nations program, and all of the Salem traditions – particularly if they included singing, class spirit and shenanigans.