LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Katherine Monje was nominated by her colleague, Emily Hecker.

Nurse Monje is a calm, steady presence in the Winooski School District Health Office. She finds an easy connection with every student who seeks her care at school. She cares deeply about social justice and approaches much of her work through that lens. Nurse Monje advocated on behalf of the Winooski Students for Antiracism and spent hours listening to School Board meetings to understand and further the district’s journey of becoming anti-racist. Her daughter, who graduated last year from Winooski High School, leads the White Supremacy Characteristics training for the WSD School Board every month. 

When COVID-19 began to disrupt life as we knew it, Nurse Monje immediately accepted the role of COVID-19 Co-Coordinator for the district. She effortlessly pivoted from providing high-quality care to students at school, to supporting families with their COVID-19 and medical needs while they were at home. 

Nurse Monje spent countless hours monitoring the district’s COVID hotline and patiently answered every parent and teacher question and concern. When case rates were very high in Winooski, she helped make the very difficult decision to close the schools until conditions were safer for students and staff. Her goal was to keep COVID out of the school, so she helped make sure the district’s vaccine clinics and surveillance testing went smoothly. 

"Katharine is always quick to suggest a solution to complicated problems and has a talent for seeing all points of view. Her open mind and empathy help strengthen her relationships with students, staff, and the families she serves," said Hecker.