Katie Grillaert

Katie Grillaert is a Wisconsinite, seven‑year Kettle Moraine School District resident, and elementary school parent running for School Board to strengthen school safety, responsible technology use, transparency, and academic excellence for every student. She is focused on protecting student safety and privacy, supporting strong core academics, and providing careful oversight of new technologies like AI so they serve learning, not replace it.

Katie is Co‑Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Assessed Intelligence, advising critical‑sector organizations on data privacy, security, and AI safety. She works on assessing high‑risk algorithms, monitoring their impact, and building in safeguards—experience she believes can help Kettle Moraine use AI in ways that are safe, responsible, and focused on students’ best interests. She has taught or guest‑lectured at institutions such as Milwaukee School of Engineering, UW–Madison, and Carroll University. Katie is also a Fellow with (https://www.forhumanity.dev), an international non‑profit that develops independent audit standards to reduce the risks of AI and automated systems, where she helps organizations turn emerging rules into practical, workable policies.​

She has board and advisory experience with organizations including the Twin Cities Obedience Training Club, the Minneapolis Animal Care and Control Advisory Board, and the Secure and Responsible Technology Lab, giving her a track record of thoughtful governance, community engagement, and careful stewardship of complex, high‑impact issues. She also volunteers with local service organizations, including family‑based projects through Sunbeam Kids, reflecting her belief that community service is a critical skill—and something children should see and practice alongside adults.

Before moving into tech, Katie worked as an animal behaviorist, running her own small business focused on dogs and horses, and she holds a master’s degree in animal behavior. She has spent her career helping people navigate complex behavior challenges in practical, real‑world settings, experience she’ll bring to listening carefully, asking good questions, and making calm, evidence‑informed decisions on the school board.

Katie lives in the Village of Wales with her husband, their two children (4 and 7), two rescued horses, and a former shelter cat. Most days you’ll find them in the yard with kids and animals or stopping by Mama D’s together after school and on summer bike rides.

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Values

• Listen and explain. Board decisions should be understandable and justifiable to the students, families, staff, and taxpayers they affect.

• Duty of care. When a child is struggling or a safety concern is raised, the district has a responsibility to notice, respond, and follow through in partnership with families.

• Students at the center. Schools exist to serve students’ learning and growth, while being responsible stewards of community trust and taxpayer dollars.

Vision and Priorities

I’m running for school board because my family has 14 years ahead in this district, and I want a school board that reflects the strength of our schools—focused on students, respectful of families, and guided by evidence about what helps kids learn and thrive.

Kettle Moraine has a proud tradition of “learning without boundaries,” and I want to build on that by supporting strong academics in core subjects alongside curiosity, creativity, and hands‑on learning.

I’m committed to calm, thoughtful board discussions and to decisions grounded in solid evidence, local data, and shared community values.

Platform

Academic excellence and real-world readiness

• Kettle Moraine should continue to challenge students in reading, math, science, and critical thinking, while also building the communication, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills they’ll need in work, college, and community life.

Safe, supportive schools for every student

• Students learn best in calm, orderly, and welcoming environments. I support clear expectations, consistent follow‑through, and responses that both protect learning and help students learn from mistakes and get back on track, in close partnership with families.

Transparency and listening

• Families, staff, and taxpayers should be able to understand how and why decisions are made. I support clear communication, accessible information, and more opportunities for parents and community members to ask questions and be heard.

Responsible use of taxpayer dollars

• Our community has invested a lot in Kettle Moraine, and decisions like closing Magee Elementary have been deeply felt by families. I will scrutinize spending, ask hard questions, and look for solutions that protect classroom learning and our long‑term stability, and I will be open and straightforward with families when difficult choices are on the table.

Thoughtful use of technology

• Technology should help students learn better and prepare for the real world—not distract from teaching or replace strong relationships with adults. I support using technology when it clearly benefits learning or efficiency, and protecting student well‑being and privacy.

Nonpartisan Candidate

Katie is running as a nonpartisan candidate and has not sought or received endorsement from any political party.

In Wisconsin, school board elections are officially nonpartisan, meaning party labels do not appear on the ballot. However, candidates may still have personal political views, receive endorsements, or benefit from partisan spending, as long as they follow disclosure laws. This can create a transparency gap: many voters understandably assume that a “nonpartisan election” means the candidates themselves are nonpartisan, when in fact it simply means that political party labels do not appear on the ballot.

Katie is running as a genuinely nonpartisan candidate—not representing any political party or special interest group, but guided by her own values and a commitment to serve the entire community. To her, being nonpartisan means focusing on facts, collaboration, and respectful debate that seeks understanding rather than division. Productive public debate happens when governing bodies focus on evidence and reasoning rather than partisan conflict, using disagreement to inform better decisions instead of entrenching division.

Campaign Contributions

Under Wisconsin law, school board candidates may accept contributions from individuals and PACs within strict limits, but Katie has chosen not to seek or accept funding from political parties or partisan organizations.