Kitty Russell

Registrar & Assistant in Admissions

She / her

Kitty grew up in Washington, DC, went to college and graduate school at University of South Carolina – Columbia in International Studies with a geographic focus of Africa. She possesses a Master’s degree in International Studies with concentrations in Comparative Politics and Gender and Development. She performed dissertation research on rural African women’s political participation. She has had many jobs from pizza delivery to baker to bookseller to working for a non-profit on Gender Equity issues to Technical Support Manager to Montessori teacher. At Odyssey, Kitty brings it all together as the Registrar and in support of the Admissions program.

Kitty loves to travel and explore historic and natural locales. She has at least set foot in 49 states. Alaska is the last hold out! Kitty lived in northern California for 20 years. She’s also lived in Oregon, New York City, Canterbury, England, and Pinyin, a small village in NW Province of Cameroon. When it was time to leave the west coast in 2018, Kitty and her son moved to Black Mountain where she has family roots in the Asheville area. Her father was born on Flint Street in downtown Asheville and she still has extended family in the area. Kitty loves western NC for its exquisite natural beauty, friendly people, and the pervasiveness of live music.

Kitty likes to stay active so she can keep up with her son who is now an Odyssey 6th grader. In the winter, she dreams about skiing in the West. Other times, you will find her in her basement pedaling her Peloton bike to nowhere, hiking, kayaking, biking, shooting baskets with her son, and trying to find her balance on a One Wheel. In her downtime, she enjoys fiber arts, cooking, following the news, watching British crime dramas and Jeopardy, poking around in her yard, and tending to her many cats. She really wants a goat or a burro.  

 

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