Introducing Katie Cullinane…our latest Meet a Mom. This mother of three calls Darien home,
and she loves having 23 extended family member in town! When not taking care of Johnny (7),
Nora (5) and Alice (2), she is busy working in Greenwich as Director of Admission at Sacred
Heart. Find out more about this dynamic mom.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
I was born in Washington D.C., however, I spent most of my childhood in Dallas, Texas, and
went to high school outside Chicago in Lake Forest, Illinois. We have lived in town for five years.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Three children: Johnny – age 7, Nora – age 5, and Alice – age 2.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you.
Even I am surprised when I think about the fact that our family has 23 extended family members
living in the town of Darien. And I am quite sure this number will continue to grow. It is built in
playdates, teammates, babysitters, dinner guests; but most importantly an incredible support
system for every single one of us in my family of five!
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
My goodness, it takes a village, right? If I had to name just one person, it would be my own
mom. She seems to know how to swoop in at all the right times to hang out and help out. She
has a generous spirit, she is patient and kind, and she has a sense of humor we all need during
this parenting adventure. She has taught me the importance of spending quality time with each
one of my children on their own; something she still does with me and my siblings and all her
grandchildren. At the same time, my mom has been able to tend to her passions, interests and
goals, which I believe makes her an even better role model as I continue with my own life’s
balancing act. And, as children do, I am constantly learning by her example!
Favorite things to do with your kids?
Now that we are fully back in the swing of the school year routine, which definitely comes at just
the right time, I think about how much I love summer with our kids! We all seem to enjoy all the
family activities that come with summer in Darien – beach, boats, pool, tennis, golf, etc.
During the school year, I find such joy in taking my girls to school with me. It’s amazing how
much I can learn in our short car ride together to Sacred Heart. Maybe it is a girl thing, but my
kindergartener exudes excitement when she shares the responsibilities of her job as Word Wall Organizer
with me, or describes how much she is looking forward to getting back to her clay project in art,
or details the daily conversations she has with her 5 year old classmates throughout the day.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in
the corporate world? Please share!
I work at Sacred Heart Greenwich, which is an all-girls school for kindergarteners to 12th
graders with a co-ed early childhood education center for three to five year-olds. There are
Sacred Heart schools all around the world, and they all share a set of common core values:
faith, growth, intellect, justice and, most importantly to me, community. Running the admission
office, I have the opportunity to meet with families from all over Westchester and Fairfield
counties. The families that become part of our community at Sacred Heart–past and present–
are what sets this school apart.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
For me and for my family, we have found a like-minded faith community in our Sacred Heart
Greenwich community that helps keep us balanced throughout our busy days. As a Catholic
school, my girls are learning each day how to live out their faith in service of others, by treating
others with respect, and more. It’s amazing to watch and learn about ethics and morality from
my small children; I know these values will be with them their entire lives. What’s even better is
that this Sacred Heart community overlaps with our Darien community. Our kids have so many
friends from Sacred Heart in town and luckily for me, so many of the Upper School students live
locally and have become our go-to babysitters!
