Kathy Dietz: Finding connections with CGS students through treats, talks, and ten pins | Humans of Catlin Gabel

By Ayaan Sait ‘24

Kathy Dietz matches with a CGS student. Image Courtesy of Katie Jin ‘26.

In the bustling Barn filled with Catlin Gabel School (CGS) students, there stands an anchor of warmth and experience: Kathy Dietz. More than just being a face who charges your barn account, Dietz can bring enthusiasm and her love of helping others into every interaction.

Dietz grew up on a farm in Connecticut but later relocated to Tucson, Arizona. In 1979, she made her way to Portland, where she has lived ever since. “I liked [Portland] because it reminded me of back East with all the trees and stuff and not a desert.”

Her time spent in Connecticut sparked her love for sports. As a child, Dietz played nearly every sport: football, soccer, ice hockey, field hockey, softball, and bowling. You name it; she’s probably played.

Despite never living in Dallas or anywhere in Texas, she’s a passionate Dallas Cowboys fan and has been one for over 50 years. Her fandom for other sports also varies by location: Cincinnati Reds (MLB), Las Vegas Golden Knights (NHL), the Trailblazers (NBA), and Timbers (MLS).

Bowling has stuck with her throughout the years. Her first competitive experience was the local McDonald's League when she was eight years old, which she described fondly. “We paid $2 a week [to play], and got our egg McMuffin, our orange juice, a McDonald's bowling shirt, and I’ve just kept doing it from there,” said Dietz.

Dietz plays in two KingPins leagues on Mondays and Thursdays. Her favorite parts about bowling are the competition and meeting new people.

Her family bowls too, and she described her favorite bowling moment ever was when her son had two straight 299 games in 2005. For context, a perfect game is 300.

Dietz doesn’t limit herself. She’s picked up new hobbies recently, like golf and riding her bicycle. “When I was younger I could never get it [golf] right because I was always using a baseball swing because I played softball,” she said.

She’s also tried a lot of new jobs, which eventually led her to Catlin. “I worked at KingPins. I've worked in a warehouse. I've worked retail. I was just looking for a different job, a new experience.”

Her willingness to try new things has been evident at the CGS Barn. Since Dietz’s arrival in 2022, she’s made some well-liked additions such as new Miss Vickie's Chips and Gatorade. However, not all of her additions have been well-received.

“We had some protein bars that they [CGS Students] didn't like. So we brought in the Gatorade ones. And those sell out.” She’s able to adapt to the constantly changing CGS student opinion. By having conversations with students, Dietz believes she's truly able to understand what students want, not what the administration is telling her.

Before adding a snack to the barn, Dietz makes sure to try it. Her personal favorites are Miss Vickie's Sea Salt and Vinegar Chips, which as mentioned previously, have become a student favorite.

Dietz said the highlight of her job at Catlin is working with the students, and that they are “able to get along really well.” She’s been able to cultivate relationships with students of all grades, finding common ground in love for sports, snacks, or talking about anything.

Ultimately, Dietz’s ability to relate to students and bring care and connection in everything she does has allowed her to bowl a strike with the Catlin community.