My name is Catie Burnette and I am honored to be the Principal at Washington Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary School. Upon graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, I taught first grade in rural Eastern North Carolina as part of the Teach for America corps. After getting married, I moved to Raleigh and continued my career in both first and second grade at Bugg Creative Arts and Science Magnet Elementary School. During my time at Bugg, I worked with beginning teachers, coached Girls on the Run, and worked as an A+ Fellow with the A+ Schools Program of NC. I was also selected as Teacher of the Year by my colleagues and was a semi-finalist for Wake County Schools during the 2015-16 school year.

Throughout my educational career, I have worked alongside many leaders who have shaped my values and beliefs. They helped me to also grow as a leader in and out of the classroom and encouraged me to further my education. I completed my Master's in School Administration at North Carolina State University and then became Assistant Principal at Hilburn Academy, WCPSS's only PreK-8th grade public school. In 2019, I was honored to be named Wake County Public Schools Assistant Principal of the Year. My husband, George, is a trust and estate strategist with Vanilla, a financial technology company. We live with our dog, Lola, in downtown Raleigh and enjoy trying new restaurants, spending time with friends, and going to Atlantic Beach with our family.

Alumni: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University (HOUSE DIVIDED)

Gifts & Talents: music, relationships, creative writing, art

My Favorite Children's Book: Last Stop on Market Street

My Favorite Quote: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' " Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Twitter: @catie_burnette