Katherine Osborne Valdez

Since 1999, Katherine Osborne Valdez has played an active role in The Powell Foundation governance—either as a Board Director or an Advisory Board Member. A third generation member of the Powell Family, Katherine is the Board President and the first member of her generation to fill this role.

The Foundation’s current emphasis is in the field of public education, supporting programs (early childhood through high school) that strengthen the public education system and that ensure children are career-ready or academically prepared to graduate college. Since 1967, the Foundation has been supporting efforts in Harris, Travis and Walker Counties (Texas) in the areas of public education, health, conservation and the arts.

Katherine has 15 years of experience in international development having served in the Dominican Republic and El Salvador with the Peace Corps and Peru, Indonesia and Mexico with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Ms. Osborne Valdez worked for several years domestically as a water resources engineer.

Katherine is a graduate of Dartmouth College and holds masters degrees in both Engineering and Public Administration from the University of Texas. After three decades away, Katherine has recently settled in her hometown of Houston.