Kate Schartel Novak

After ten years teaching in Pennsylvania public schools, Kate was hired as an independent contractor with VIPKID, the premier online English language learning platform for Chinese children. Kate “travels” to China daily, teaching 1:1 classes from the comfort of her home. Shortly after beginning her VIPKID career, Kate was invited to teach one-to-many VIPKID classes through the Rural Education Project, a joint mission with the Jack Ma Foundation to bring English language learning to marginalized elementary schools in rural China. Kate was also a part of the Fast Pass Team, for which she traveled monthly to the Philadelphia area to coach teacher applicants on the skills necessary to be successfully hired. Finally, Kate hosted quarterly meet-ups pre-pandemic in an effort to foster community among local VIPKID teachers.  Through VIPKID, Kate has reignited her passion for teaching and is proud to be a part of a community of professionals fortunate enough to "teach globally, work locally.”

Once her daughter, Aria, started showing an interest in PBS programming, Kate’s heart was called to serve PBS as Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2019. PBS’ mission to educate, inspire, and inform attends to the worldwide need for more enlightened, motivated, and cultured U.S. citizens. As a proponent of PBS, Kate works to embody the values and ethics of the organization in her household, community, and on social media.  She is a member of three of the seven member stations in Pennsylvania, and participates regularly in a variety of campaigns and initiatives specific to each station's audience.  Kate also leverages social media to celebrate the value of PBS with the ultimate goal of encouraging others to join local stations as members and to support maintaining Congressional funding for public media.  As Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2019, Kate implements a three-point action plan for service inspired by PBS's mission to educate, inspire, and inform.  

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After competing nationally in 2011, Kate realized it takes more than just dieting to achieve true fitness.  She was inspired by the women living healthfully at more than twenty years her senior and looked to make a lifestyle change.  Although Kate danced professionally as a director and member of the Lady Outlawz dance team for the Lehigh Valley Outlawz indoor football team, workouts were seasonal and irregular.  She initially found that ZUMBA fitness combined her love for dance and music with her newfound goal of complete mind/body health, and registered for ZUMBA instructor training before she even took her first class!  Nearly ten years since, Kate has obtained multiple ZUMBA specialty licenses, an AFAA group exercise certificate, AFAA practical yoga instructor certificate, FiTOUR Pilates certification, FiTOUR Myofascial Release Foam Roller certification, Les Mills BODYFLOW certification, and Keiser Indoor Cycling Foundations certification.  She currently teaches BODYFLOW and Chair Yoga at the Upper Perkiomen Valley YMCA while finishing her 200 hour registered yoga teacher training and running as weather permits through her neighborhood.