Kathryn Cotter has been a valued member of the Marsden School community since July 2018. A Wellington Polytechnic design graduate, Kathryn grew up on a farm in Pahiatua and has a rich background that blends both rural and urban experiences.

Kathryn has had a varied and diverse career. She began her teaching career as an art teacher at Carmel College in Auckland. Prior to this, she worked with adults who had recently lost their vision at the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind. While raising her young family, Kathryn moved back to the family farm and worked as an itinerant art teacher for the Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP), running programmes at the local kindergartens and primary schools, as well as a few adult art classes. She also tutored as a SPELD teacher.  In 2007, she began teaching full-time at Tararua College, where she also taught Year 9-12 English, Textiles, and occasionally, PE classes.

In 2015, Kathryn moved to Wellington, initially doing relief work before spending some time at Wellington East Girls' College. She then joined Marsden School, where she has been inspiring students with her passion for art.

As Head of Art at Marsden, Kathryn oversees the art curriculum, ensuring it is comprehensive and engaging for students across all year levels. She is responsible for organising exhibitions and art events, fostering a vibrant artistic community within the school. Kathryn works closely with students in Marsden's dedicated Art House, a space designed to nurture creativity and provide a supportive environment for artistic exploration.

Kathryn loves teaching at Marsden because the students are eager to learn and always give their best effort. She finds teaching art exciting and takes great joy in seeing the beautiful creations her students produce.