10 donor profile
Kim Rudas Goerlitz ’89 Honors Parents with Gift to Santa Catalina
Giving from the Heart
R
aising chickens is among the many responsibilities that Kim Rudas Goerlitz ’89 has undertaken. “We have six chickens, a vegetable garden, and goats next door,” said Goerlitz, who lives on a one-acre property in Bainbridge Island, Washington. “It keeps me connected to the earth.” Being rooted has always been important to Goerlitz. Before coming to Santa Catalina in the 10th grade, she was homeschooled while touring with her parents’ music production company and spent her first year of high school at boarding school in Switzerland. When Goerlitz transferred to Santa Catalina—at the encouragement of childhood friend Heidi Cohen Cook ’89—she finally felt at home. “Everyone was so welcoming, and I didn’t have to try hard to fit in and make friends,” she said. This rootedness led to her winning the Courtesy Award after her first semester at school. Goerlitz enjoyed a vibrant social life at Catalina and made many friends who became her family. Although she admits to not being an “A” student at school, she connected with faculty and was particularly inspired by her English and creative writing teachers. After graduating and then working with her parents’ company for a year, she attended the University of San Francisco, where she earned a B.A. in English literature with a minor in creative writing and graduated magna cum laude. “Even though academic success came later for me, Catalina gave me the confidence to excel in a way that never felt possible before,” Goerlitz said.
After college, Goerlitz launched a public relations career in the music industry and later, along with friend Virginia Reeves Apple ’89, worked for a prominent interior design firm in New York City. Today, Goerlitz and her husband, Shelby, are raising daughters Maizy, 15, and Lucy, 11. Their family is active in many local organizations, including Kids in Concert, a nonprofit that Goerlitz cofounded in 2010. Modeled after the El Sistema program in Venezuela, Kids in Concert brings classical orchestral music education to local children who have limited access to it in their communities. As Goerlitz reflects on her accomplishments, she considers Santa Catalina the “game changer” in her life. She is particularly grateful to her late parents for supporting her decision to attend the school. As their health declined in their final years, Goerlitz recognized the importance of considering her own estate plans. She decided to include a gift to Santa Catalina in her will—in part, to honor her parents and to express gratitude for their support. “One of the best gifts my parents gave me was allowing me to choose where I wanted to attend school, and they would appreciate being honored in a place that was so special to us,” Goerlitz said. Goerlitz intends to direct the gift to tuition assistance, a cause that is near to her heart. “I want people to know that Santa Catalina is for everyone,” she said, noting that many of her classmates attended Catalina through tuition assistance and that the school remains committed to the program today. “Santa Catalina had such a stabilizing effect on me during an awkward time in my life. If I can help provide that stability for other young women, I’ll be happy.” Kim Rudas Goerlitz ’89 is a member of the Sisters’ Legacy Circle, a group of individuals who have helped ensure the long-term health of the school by including Santa Catalina in their wills and trusts. For more information about membership in this group, please contact Erin White Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at erin.white@santacatalina.org.