Dr. Katz received a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Boston University in 1977, a M.S. in Education/Counseling from of the University of Southern California in 1979, a M.A. in Jewish Education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 1984 and an Ed.D. from UCLA in 2009. She also received a Certificate in Jewish Day School Leadership from HUC-JIR in 1989.

She returned to the Los Angeles campus of HUC-JIR in 1997 as the Director of Student Services and External Programming and was the Coordinator for Recruitment and Admissions. She served as the Director of Student Life from Fall 1999 until Fall 2011 at which time she was appointed Associate Dean of the Los Angeles campus.

Before returning to HUC-JIR, Dr. Katz was the Director of Education at Temple Beth El in San Antonio, Texas (1984-1986) and the Judaic Studies Coordinator at the Stephen S. Wise Middle School in Los Angeles (1986-1989). In 1989 she became the first director of the Temple Israel of Hollywood Day School in West Hollywood, CA, and served there until 1995. She then went on to be the first director of the Beth Hillel Day School in Valley Village, CA, until 1997. In 1997 she developed a new religious school program for Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas, CA.

Dr. Katz’s doctoral dissertation, “Defining Leadership for the Reform Rabbinate” highlighted the areas in which rabbinic students require further training in leadership. She identified an added emphasis on awareness of self, understanding of organizational development and recognition of the changing nature of the role of leader for a Reform rabbi.

Dr. Katz is married to a professional musician, Ricky, and together they have two young adult daughters, Amy and Rachel.